As the world seemingly shuts down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have found it shocking to go from non-stop stimulation to being left with ourselves and our thoughts for much of the day. There is only so much binge TV watching or house cleaning that we can do before these activities become mind-numbingly unbearable.
While it may be human nature to balk at confronting one’s own thoughts, I have chosen to use this time to look within myself and consider my past contributions as an embedded engineer. I have found it helpful to remind myself that the point is not to drift into remorse or morbid reflection, but rather to understand the true nature of the impacts my actions have had on society and the world at large. Ultimately, my goal is to decide how I want to act in the future and what my contributions as an engineer will be.
To that end, I have revisited what it means to be an ethical engineer in the attached article. I hope that you find this a useful guide in your own exploration of your work and your contributions. May the world be better for it.