Integrating ethics in neuroscience means scientists and ethicists working together as collaborators on research projects. By working together, important ethical issues can be considered throughout the research process. This includes collaborating on what research questions to adopt, how to define the aim of the scientific project, how data should be collected and analyzed, and how results should be shared. Neuroscience research benefits from ethical guidance on developing technology that is safe, equitable, and attentive to user and community values. Ethicists benefit from learning about cutting edge neurotechnology research in order to inform their own research and ensure their work is grounded and impactful.
People: Sara Goering, Eran Klein, Timothy Brown, Paul Tubig, Erika Versalovic, Bri High.
Grants:
NSF EEC 1028725 Engineering Research Center: Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering (CSNE; became the Center for Neurotechnology). Directors Rao and Moritz. “Ethics thrust” co-leads Sara Goering and Eran Klein (2012-2022).
NSF ER2 (grant #2220631) “Leadership for Equitable and Ethical Design in STEMM” (PI Jenny Reardon; Co-Is: Mildred Cho, Malia Fullerton, Sara Goering, Evelyn Hammonds, Aaron Panofsky and Sandra Soo-Jin Lee). $399K (2022-2024).
Publications:
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Reardon, Lee, Goering, Fullerton, Cho, Panofsky, and Hammonds (2023) “From Trust to Trustworthiness: Building Equitable and Ethical Science” Cell 186: 1-5.
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Adsit-Morris, Collins, Goering, Karabin, Lee and Reardon (2023) “Unbounding ELSI: The Ongoing Work of Centering Equity and Justice” American Journal of Bioethics 23(7): 103-105.
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Goering, Brown, McCusker, Montes, Schönau, Versalovic, and Klein (2022) “Integrating Equity Work throughout Bioethics” AJOB Neuroscience 22(1): 26-27.
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Goering and Klein (2020) “Fostering Neuroethics Integration with Neuroscience in the BRAIN Initiative: Comments on the NIH Neuroethics Roadmap (2020)” AJOB Neuroscience 11:3, 184-188.
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Goering and Klein (2020) “Embedding ethics in neural engineering: An integrated transdisciplinary collaboration” In: A Guide to Field Philosophy: Case Studies and Practical Strategies (eds. Brister and Frodeman), pp. 17-34, Routledge.
Works in progress:
Tubig, Brown T, McCusker, Pham, Klein and Goering (under review) “From an ethics ‘side dish’ to ‘your modus operandi’: Neurotechnology researcher perspectives on the impacts of a decade of embedded ethics collaboration”.