S1E5 Ethics

What does the way we build say about what we value?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Azita Hirsa, engineering ethics professor at RPI and host of the National Academy of Engineering's Online Ethics Center webinar series, to unpack what ethical responsibility really looks like in engineering practice.From historic bridge collapses to everyday project decisions, we explore why ethical failures rarely start with a dramatic moment, and why the small compromises are the ones to watch. We also get into organisational culture, the gap between compliance and true safety, and the skills engineers will need for the decade ahead.If you work in infrastructure, construction, or engineering, this one's for you. 🎧Azita Hirsa, Ph.D. is a Senior Lecturer in the Industrial & Systems Engineering Department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s School of Engineering, where she teaches Management of Engineering & Technology, Engineering Ethics, and Professional Development. Her work is grounded in the belief that technical excellence and ethical responsibility must go hand in hand. In her classroom, students engage real-world case studies, national competitions, and conversations with leaders who have navigated complex decisions under pressure. She founded and hosts Leaders in Action Conversations, a speaker series connecting students with alumni and industry executives to explore leadership and ethical decision-making in practice. She also advises RPI’s team for the Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Competition, where her students recently earned a Top 4 national finish among 72 universities nationwide. Dr. Hirsa is the past Chair of the Ethics Division of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and has served as Webinar Host for the Online Ethics Center (OEC) since 2023, moderating national discussions on engineering ethics across industry, government, and academia. She is a recipient of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)'s 2024 School of Engineering Faculty Education Innovation Award and RPI Alumni Association Teaching Award. Above all, she is committed to preparing engineers to lead with judgment, courage, and integrity.link to Online Ethics Center: https://onlineethics.org/This episode was orinigally recorded in March 2026.Music: "C-Funk" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License