Q: (Initially posted on February 13, 2003) FROM MENTEE SARAH U-M IN CA
Could we hear some mentors' opinions on the
moral/political aspects of their field of specialty or
SET in general? (What moral/political dilemmas do you
face at work, and how do you deal with them?)

February 14, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR SARA RAMSDELL IN KY
There have been two areas of ethical discomfort I have encountered in my
career. One is the expectations of persons running for office that
engineers will contribute to their political campaigns in return for
favorable treatment of their causes (funding for pet projects, bias in
contract awards). By keeping a low profile and having a very small company
I have been able to avoid being grouped with the "fat cats".

The other problem has come where clients (or potential clients) expect me
to be their hired gun, by giving evidence only to support their position in
a dispute. I have had to withdraw from cases where I was pressured to
slant the wording of my reports or testimony. You cannot afford to cave
in to such pressures; your independence and regard for the truth are much
more important to your reputation than the risk in saying something just to
satisfy a client. Word gets around....