Search for: All records

As engineers shape the future of technology and society, embedding human rights into engineering education is essential for fostering ethical practices, enhancing access to technological benefits, and addressing harm caused by engineered products or processes. This research will examine the attitudes of engineering students toward human rights and will explore the effectiveness of targeted educational interventions in fostering a deeper understanding of the intersection between engineering and human rights principles. Conducted with a senior design engineering class, the research will use pre- and post-intervention surveys to measure changes in students’ perceptions. The intervention consists of asynchronous online modules that integrate foundational human rights concepts with practical engineering applications, including sustainability, ethics, and social justice. The modules are organized around six key clusters, but this poster focuses on cybersecurity, privacy, and human vulnerability. Using a case study of Emancipatory AI, the poster highlights its potential to empower marginalized groups by breaking down barriers to technology access. This case study illustrates how human rights principles, including equity and accessibility, can guide the ethical development and application of AI to address systemic inequalities and promote social inclusion. We aim for this poster to encourage reflection on the role of human rights in engineering and the ways AI can be leveraged as a tool for the social good. This work reinforces the importance of integrating human rights considerations into engineering practice to create more inclusive and just technological solutions.