International Ethics in Chemistry Developing Common Values across Cultures

Developing international ethical standards and values

In our global scientific enterprise, we must reconcile cultural differences to share scientific information. This work explores ethical issues across chemistry, focusing on chemical organizations and researchers and how they establish policies and educational strategies for professional ethics. Chapters focus on intellectual property, codes of conduct, relationships with employers and government, and safety in the laboratory and workplace. By viewing both the past and future, readers will find shared ethical best practices to address international challenges with enormous effects on human and planetary health.

Susan M. Schelble is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Metropolitan State University-Denver, in Denver, Colorado. She is a member of the Colorado Local Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS), and has served on several national ACS units, including the Committee on Committees (2018-2024), Meetings and Expositions Committee (2015-2017), Committee on Ethics (ETHX 2005-2014), Committee on Community Activities, 2004; National Chemistry Week Task Force, 2001-03, and the ACS Examinations Institute, Board of Trustees, 2009-2011 and 2013-15.
She has contributed ethics oral papers during the 2010 and 2015 Pacifichem Conferences, and at dozens of Regional and National Meetings of ACS. She is a member of the Association of Practical and Professional Ethics; Society for Advancement of Chicano and Native Americans in Science; Council for Undergraduate Research; American Association of Chemistry Teachers; Colorado Chemistry Teachers Association; ACS Divisions of Chemical Education; and Professional Relations (DPR). DPR is the programming arm for all seven subdivisions of PROF, especially those involving ethics. She worked at the National Center for Professional and Research Ethics (Ethics Core) at the University of Illinois (Urban-Champaign) while on sabbatical in 2014-2015. This led to several publications, workshops and resource material that is available to chemists.

Kelly M. Elkins, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Towson University. She has authored three books: Forensic DNA Biology: A Laboratory Manual, Introduction to Forensic Chemistry, and Next Generation Sequencing in Forensic Science: A Primer. She is an active member of the American Chemical Society, Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, past- President of the Council of Forensic Science Educators, and a founding editor-in-chief of the Journal of Forensic Science Education. She is a member of the ACS Ethics Committee and coauthored the 2017 ACS Exams Institute Diagnostic of Undergraduate Chemical Knowledge (DUCK) exam.
She serves as Councilor for the Maryland Section of the ACS, Secretary for the Division of Professional Relations (PROF) and served as Chair of the PROF Ethics Subdivision. She has also authored or coauthored more than thirty-five peer-reviewed papers and ten invited book chapters. Her research is focused on the DNA recovery, DNA identification of historic human remains, identification of new psychoactive substances, and development of new labs and approaches to improve student learning. Her research has been funded by the Forensic Sciences Foundation, NSF, NIH, Maryland TEDCO, and ACS. She enjoys communicating science in the classroom, via outreach activities, in interviews, and on television. She is the editor for three books in production.

Preface

Chapter 1: Introduction: Leading a Culture of Ethics in Chemistry, Kelly M. Elkins and Susan M. Schelble
Chapter 2: Social Responsibility as Part of Professional Ethics: The Australian Curriculum in Primary and Secondary School, Kieran Fergus Lim
Chapter 3: Integrating Social Justice into the Chemistry Curriculum: Setting the Ethical Foundation for Future Scientists, Robin E. Ford, Cameo Lyn West, Alicia McGhee, and Rebecca Lyn LaLonde
Chapter 4: Ethics of Cheating: Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Academic Honesty, Karlo M. Lopez and Danielle M. Solano
Chapter 5: Do Chemists Need Education in Professional Ethics? Lessons from Engineering, Michael C. Loui
Chapter 6: Ethics of University Administration: How to End a Chemistry Program at an HSI in Five Easy Steps, Kristina G. Proctor
Chapter 7: Ethics of Data Sharing, Kelly M. Elkins
Chapter 8: Text Recycling in Chemistry Research: The Need for Clear and Consistent Guidelines, Cary Moskovitz
Chapter 9: Perspectives on Publishing: Peer Review, Impact, and Significance, Lawrence J. Berliner
Chapter 10: Authorship and Contributorship in Scientific Publications, Vikas Anand Saharan and Anupama Singh
Chapter 11: International Patent Ethical Issues: Inventorship, AI, Ownership, and Compensation, Kirby B. Drake
Chapter 12: Launching a New Chemical Product "at Risk": Ethical and Legal Considerations, Justin L. Krieger
Chapter 13: Progress of Ethical Issues in Science and Technology in South Korea, Choon H. Do
Chapter 14: Ethics and Forensic Science: Ethical Challenges for Forensic Scientists, Theresa M. DeAngelo
Chapter 15: History of Ethics in the American Chemical Society, Susan M. Schelble

Editors' Biographies
Author Index
Subject Index