Since the dawn of humanity, our technologies have transformed the world around us, adapting our environment to meet our needs and wants. Over the last 150 years, the Engineering Community has played a primary role in the creation and application of physical, digital, and biological technologies, from infrastructure and energy systems to digital twins and artificial intelligence to gene splicing and bio-printing.
In today’s world, the power and reach of new technologies is ever-expanding, and the pace of technological change is accelerating. Now more than ever, it is imperative that those of us involved in the creation and application of all types of technology consider the social, environmental, and ethical impacts of our work. During this ECL-USA summit, you will be introduced to Tech Stewardship as a professional identity, orientation, and practice that can support us in navigating the complex tensions inherent in our work, broadening our perspective about potential impacts of our efforts, and bending the arc of technology towards greater good.
The summit will be held on June 14, 2022. Register for the summit at the link below.
The program for the summit is designed around the Tech Stewardship Practice Program (TSPP) developed by Engineering Change Lab – Canada. The TSPP program is framed around “technology” rather than “engineering,” encompassing an aspiration to help the Engineering Community break out of its silo and connect with the knowledge, wisdom, and expertise of related social scientists, professionals, and businesspeople who are also vital players shaping the complex relationship between technology and society. Our over-arching goal for this summit is to inspire the Engineering Community to take on a more inclusive and responsible leadership role in shaping the world through the development and stewardship of technology that is beneficial for all.
Participants in the summit will be offered the opportunity to take part in a customized, online, pre-summit program that will include six modules from the FOUNDATIONS portion of the TSPP curriculum. This online platform will include the capability to interact with others through a shared Community Discussion Board. Participants will also have the option of working through the remaining modules in the TSPP curriculum after the summit. The pre-summit program is not required for participation in the summit but is offered as an opportunity for enhanced learning related to the concept of Tech Stewardship.
During the summit, we will hear about the roots of the Tech Stewardship program from Mark Abbott, Managing Director of Engineering Change Lab – Canada. Mark will also outline their 10-year goal to create a tipping point in the application of Tech Stewardship in Canada. We will also hear from two provocateurs who will describe how they are applying Tech Stewardship within their organizations, Janna Rosales, Associate Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and Micheal Mooney, Executive Director of Creative Labs North and President-Elect of the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists.
Group exercises during the summit will build on the learning from the Tech Stewardship Foundations pre-summit work. The exercises will explore how our values shape and are shaped by our technologies and how we can develop specific behaviors to become better Tech Stewards. We will also explore the possibilities and opportunities to grow the application of Tech Stewardship in the U.S. Engineering Community.
While the application of Tech Stewardship can aid the entire Engineering Community in elevating its contributions on behalf of society, Engineering Change Lab – Canada has focused early attention on delivering the program to university students. Their progress in this area will be of particular interest to those in academia in the U.S. Starting from scratch a year ago, the number of academic partners participating in the Tech Stewardship Practice Program has grown to over 25 schools across Canada for the upcoming summer program.
This summit will be delivered virtually utilizing Zoom. ECL-USA Creative Director Kyle Davy will again design and facilitate the summit. Kyle and all session provocateurs will present by live stream with opportunities for live questions and answers.
The summit registration fee is $240. Free registration is available for a limited number of students or for others with financial constraints. Students and others interested in a waiver of the registration fee should contact Mike McMeekin ([email protected]).
