Ethics Corner

By Frances Houle

Welcome to a new column on professional ethics, sponsored by the APS Ethics Committee. Comprised of appointees from several APS committees and the membership at large, the Committee’s efforts include tracking emerging trends in ethical practices and concerns, recommending policies to APS leadership relevant to trends, and suggesting modifications to the APS Guidelines on Ethics when appropriate.

In 2021, subcommittees on Research Integrity and Ethics Education will serve to focus these efforts. We provide guidance as processes associated with new APS policies are established and implemented, most recently for the phased roll-out of new professional conduct disclosure requirements for APS Honors and official leadership positions of the Society. We develop educational materials to examine specific ethics topics and presentation materials that can be used to lead ethics discussions. We invite you to visit our webpage to draw on these resources.

Having conducted a survey of APS Early Career members in 2020, the Committee is now developing recommendations for new initiatives that respond to the community’s needs, based on the survey results. Future columns will describe these activities and additional ethics resources for APS members and the physics community. We welcome your feedback!

The author is the chair of the APS Ethics Committee.

Frances Houle

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