The Team
Instructor
Hi, I'm Dr. Megan Levis!
I'm an Assistant Professor of the Practice, Center for Social Concerns and a Concurrent Professor, Computer Science and Engineering. I received my Ph.D. in bioengineering here at Notre Dame in July 2021. I studied the development of organs and associated chemical/mechanical signaling. I built biomicrofluidics, validated multi-scale models of morphogenesis, and poked a lot of fruit flies. While working in the lab on my Ph.D., I couldn't help but wonder how the biological tools I was developing would be used, and how that use might impact society. That led me to a postdoc with the ND Technology Ethics Center, which involved thinking deeply about the social and philosophical dimensions of technologies. That led me to my current interdisciplinary position joint between the Center for Social Concerns and College of Enigineering.
This course was developed after many First-Year Engineering students (and lab mentees) asked repeatedly how they could engineer for the good in the world.
Within "Technology, Self, and Society”, we will engage with ethics involving the personal and social dimensions of engineering work. In particular, we will use the lens of computational engineering as it enters biotech spaces to examine larger ethical debates. As advances in technology continue to reshape the human experience, we will use our engineering expertise to engage long-standing ethics questions and raise new ones.
I have called South Bend home for the past nine years. If you ask me about organoids, microfluidics, or Lake Michigan, I might never stop talking. I'm excited to spend time thinking about engineering, technology, and ethics with you this semester!
Teaching Assistants
Hey, I’m Michael Bai!
I am a senior studying computer science, originally from Pawling, a small village in New York. My academic interests extend from software development to philosophy and the ethical implications of machine learning and artificial intelligence, subjects that have driven me to engage closely with engineering ethics especially after taking this course.
In my free time, I enjoy boxing with Bengal Bouts, a fantastic club that allows me to be a part of a passionate, hard-working community.
I'm excited about the opportunity to bring my perspectives as a TA and help others learn about and explore vital ethical challenges in tech.