01 - August 27: Introduction: Why is ethics important for science? - pdf

1. Reading "The Belmont Report" (pdf)
2. Expert Material: Lon Fuller's "The case of the speluncean explorers" (pdf)

02 - September 10: Professional Codes - pdf

1. Homework:
   • Read NAS "On being a scientist" (pg. 3-26 in the pdf) and "Ethics & Values" from the American Physical Society.
   • Make sure to read the case studies in "On being a scientist". Which ones can be converted into an astronomy case study?
   • Are these documents useful? If you had to improve on these documents, what would you do? Be prepared to discuss your perspective in class.
2. Reading: The National Academies "On Being a Scientist (pdf, link)
3. Reading: The American Physical Society guidelines (pdf, link).

03 - September 17: Research Misconduct - pdf

1. Homework:
   • Study the bubble fusion example and be prepared to discuss the following in class: How many violations of APS guidelines can you identify? Compare issues and events to the document "US Federal Policies on Research Misconduct".
   • Writing Assignment: Comment on RM=PF^2 in a concise 0.5-2.0 pgs "Letter to Editor" style. For example, imagine that you read in a newspaper RM=PF^2, how would you respond to it in a letter to the editor? Should RM specify other undesirable behaviour? Why or why not? (Hint: Consider Ch. 1 of the Sigma Xi article).
   • As always, bring a current science ethics news item (if you find one) for class discussion.
2. The Bubble Fusion Scandal.
   • Early Doubts (pdf1, pdf2, pdf3).
   • Report in Science (pdf).
   • Timeline (pdf).
   • Punishment (pdf).
   • Original Research Manuscripts (pdf1, pdf2, pdf3).
   • Additional info available by searching the web (Science, Nature, New York Times, etc.)
3. "U.S. Federal Policy on Research Misconduct" (pdf, link)
4. Read: Science Fraud (pdf).
5. Read: Punishments fit the Crime? (pdf).
6. Read: Chapter 1, Sigma Xi document (pdf).
7. Scan: "A fraud that shook the world of science (pdf).
8. Scan: The Hendrik Schoen misconduct report (pdf).
9. Compare & Contrast against the NFL code of conduct (pdf, link).
10. Scan: Loui "Seven ways to plagiarize" (pdf).
11. Scan: Rhoads "Responsible Conduct of Research" (pdf)

04 - September 24: Class Presentations

1. Present your opinion letter on the definition of research misconduct
2. Present your case studies.
• Create an astronomy data case study to illustrate fabrication and/or falsification of research results (base it on astronomical data or theory), or plagiarism.
• If you wish, the project may be disemminated on the course web site. Use your imagination or consider real-life events.

05 - October 01: Conflicts of Interest - pdf

1. We will finish Class Presentations
2. Read Conflict of Interest material.
3. Reading: NASA Peer Review COI Agreement (pdf)
4. University of California (point #6) (pdf)
5. Hasselmo "Individual & Institutional Conflict of Interest" (pdf)
6. COI when professional and personal beliefs intersect: The Gaskell Case (NYT Article, Elitzur Deposition, Gaskell Writing)

06 - October 08: Authorship - pdf

1. Homework: What is an author? What are the criteria for first authorship and coauthorship in astronomy? Who decides?
2. Reading: ApJ Policy (pdf)
3. Scan: Coauthorship in Physics (pdf)
4. Scan: Comparison of Disciplines (pdf)
5. Scan: Council of Science Editors White paper (pdf, link)
6. Scan: CSE Opinions (pdf, link)

07 cont'd - October 15: Authorship - Continued

1. Class Assignment: Devise a set of questions and authorship scoring system, to be used to interview a postdoc on their author list on a paper they have prepared.
2. Compare the author list created from the interview to the author list originally given by the lead author. Where are there differences and why did they occur?
3. Reading: Quantifying co-author contributions (Hunt 1991)

08 - October 22: Data Management - pdf

1. Homework: Define research data and ownership. Do astronomical data have characteristics that make them susceptible to ethical dilemmas that are different or more numerous compared to other disciplines?
2. Reading: OMB Definition (link, search for "research data")
3. Reading: PHS definition of the research record (link)
4. Reading: Explore the different possibilities here (pdf)
5. Reading: Astronomy examples (FERMI, CoRoT, Phil Plait essay, Steve Beckwith essay)

09 - October 29: Intellectual Property - pdf

1. Reading: Galileo (pdf)
2. Reading: Ledford article on collaborations (pdf)
3. Reading: Kennedy on Bayh-Doyle (pdf)
4. Reading: Thursby squared on Bayh-Doyle (pdf)
5. Reading: How many patents are managed by UC? (pdf)
6. Reading: AAAS Report Sections 1 (pg. 11), 1.3, 1.3.1 (pgs. 14-15) (pdf)

10 - November 05: Mentoring and Whistleblowing - pdf

1. Reading: Nature's Guide for Mentors (pdf1, pdf2)
2. Reading: Gonzalez et al. on mentoring (pdf)
3. Reading: Postdocs (pdf)
4. Reading: Mentoring graduate students (pdf)
5. Reading: "Truth and Consequences" (pdf1, pdf2)
6. Resources: UC Policies on Whistleblowing (pdf1, link)
7. Resources: ORI on Whistleblowing (link)

11 - November 19: Environmental Ethics - pdf

1. Homework: What ethical principles guide the Outer Space Treaty (link)?
2. Look through: Planetary Protection (link), Mars contamination, (pdf, search for term "ethical")
3. Homework: Should the RMO have been removed? (AAS email, Hanford link, search for the term "observatory" in the following pdf1, pdf2)
4. Reading: John Lacy on the environmental impact of SOFIA (ppt, pdf)
5. Read: The Wekiu Bug: List a number of ways that an observatory impacts the environment (pdf)
6. Expert Material: Philosopher Andrew Light reading (pdf) ,and "The dignity of living beings with regard to plants" (pdf)

12 - November 26: Guest Lecture - Franck Marchis (SETI Insttitute) "Science and Ethical Dilemmas in the Blogosphere" - pdf

13 - December 03: Review, Dual Use Technologies - pdf

1. Homework: Think about your answer to the following - "Weapons and intelligence gathering are essential for safeguarding the citizens of a country against attacks. Under what circumstances might you work for the government or industry where your role includes developing weapons or other types of support for national defense?
2. Scan: Office of Naval Research Education Opportunities (link), UC e-mail (txt)
3. Writer Michael Atiyah states that scientists such as Edward Teller encourage the arms race by "constantly developing more advanced technology". Who is Edward Teller? What impact did he have on the scientific research at the University of California? As you read about him, think about the types of ethical dilemmas he may have thought about and the ways in which he acted. Do you agree with the Atiyah statement?