Writing (WR) and Rhetoric (RH)

Engineers and other technologists are increasingly more aware of the ethical, legal, and social impacts of robotics and artificial intelligence. Some of them actively contribute to the creation and communication of new sets of ethical standards, such as the work done by IEEE’s Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems. What are the ethical principles that underpin these new standards? Since robots and AI systems are designed to work with or alongside humans, do people have a right to understand what autonomous systems are doing and why? How can roboticists and AI designers ensure that these systems are transparent and explainable? This course focuses on the communication of ethical and social impacts of scientific research and technology development. After learning about major debates in robot/AI/data ethics, students will cultivate skills to (1) conceptualize ethical inquiries in technology design and (2) articulate them in writing and other forms of scholarly communication. As part of this course, students will learn to apply the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) broader impacts framework to their writing projects (dissertation, thesis, journal publication, grant application, etc.).

The purpose of this course is to offer opportunities to graduate students to explore and develop their skills in writing and communication. The course content and format vary to suit the interests and needs of the faculty and students. Topics may include technical writing, science writing, health communication, public understanding of science, design of communication, and communicating risk and ethics in technology design. Contact the Humanities and Arts Department or the Professional Writing Program for current topic offerings.