Undergraduate students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took home the national championship in the APPE Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl®, which was held February 24 and 25 in Cincinnati. The final match against University of California, Santa Barbara featured cases about AI and affirmative action.

Watch the recorded livestream of the final match.
Read the article in The Daily Tar Heel.

Semi-finalists in the competition were teams from Taylor University and Whitworth University and Quarterfinalists were teams from Georgia Tech, Stanford University, Utah Valley University, and Vanderbilt University.

Conference Wrap-up + Register for the Virtual Conference

We enjoyed hosting more than 300 of you at the 33rd Annual APPE International Conference in Cincinnati late last month! Don't forget to take a short survey to help us plan for future conferences.

Couldn't make it to Cincy?

• See what you missed in photos from Thursday, Friday, Saturday and at the APPE IEB.
• You can still register for the Virtual APPE Conference, which will be held Friday, March 29, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, and includes 48 individual and panel presentations from colleagues across the globe. Remember, all in person attendees receive complimentary registration for the virtual conference. You can view and read about the sessions here.
• Help us plan for next year's conference and beyond, by completing this short survey for non-attendees.

Vote for April Book Club Meeting Time

Thanks to everyone who voted for this year's Ethically Curious Book Club selections! Our first book of the year will be Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Longtime member (and frequent book club attendee) Michael Loui will be facilitating the discussion. Loui is Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering at University of Illinois and Adjunct Professor of Engineeering Education at Purdue University.

Join us on Bookclubs.com and vote for your preferred meeting time.

About the book:

“Ishiguro’s prose is soft and quiet. It feels like the perfect book to curl up with on a Sunday afternoon. He allows the story to unfold slowly and organically, revealing enough on every page to continue piquing the reader’s curiosity. The novel is an intriguing take on how artificial intelligence might play a role in our futures...a poignant meditation on love and loneliness.”

—Maggie Sprayregen, The Associated Press

Up next is Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Stay tuned for more details!

Join Us at These Upcoming Ethics Roundtables

In partnership with Felician University, APPE invites you to attend these upcoming virtual Ethics Roundtables, which consist of a short, 15-minute panel presentation followed by interactive conversation. Ethics Roundtables are free and open to the public. RSVPs are not required.

Inclusive Futures: Ethical Implications of AI and Its Impact on Marginalized Communities
Wednesday, March 20, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. ET
Topic: Effects of AI
How will AI impact marginalized groups (race, socioeconomic status)? What social justice issues might arise?
Panel: Victoria Simon, Daniel Cheung, Kathy Curran, and Chong Ho Alex Yu

Livestream information:

• https://felician.zoom.us/j/81638808320?pwd=WlhteVJwbzArM0hHQ0VMS3Jid05qdz09
• Meeting ID: 816 3880 8320
• Passcode: 123456

Innovation with Responsibility: Ethics and the Applied Uses of AI
Wednesday, April 17 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. ET
Topic: Applied Uses of AI
How might AI be useful?
Panel: Dennis Cooley, Kosti Psimopoulos, Jason Eberl, and Lee Anne Peck

Livestream information:

• https://felician.zoom.us/j/86437724053?pwd=aTFxVVBlNnNCL0dBNEpaL3Y4SFMwQT09
• Meeting ID: 864 3772 4053
• Passcode: 123456

Ethics in the News:

• Ethisphere Announces the 2024 World’s Most Ethical Companies^® (Business Wire)
• Ethical AI Isn’t to Blame for Google’s Gemini Debacle (TIME)
• Government Lawyers' Use of 'Confidential Information' in Private Practice Clarified in New ABA Ethics Opinion (ABA Journal)

Member in the News:

• APPE Member Dr. Tom Creely, U.S. Naval War College, has been named Chair of Five Eyes Alliance (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and United States) The Technical Cooperation Project: Ethical, Legal, Social, and Environmental Issues Action Group (TTCP ELSEI AG).

Jobs & Events

Have you seen our job and event emails? Limited free access to post jobs and events of interest in the weekly email (as well as in the Info Hub) is a benefit of membership. If you're a member and would like to submit something for consideration, just login to the Member portal, go to Job & Event Postings and click "add." Non-members can access the jobs and events by creating a login but must pay a fee to list positions and events. Reach out to contact@appe-ethics.org for more info.

We Want to Hear From You! To be featured as a member spotlight or if you have news to share, including books published, send us an email at membernews@appe-ethics.org.

Ethics Bowl Cases to Consider

The Last Invention, Affirmative Action Anyway (APPE IEB® National Competition Case Set, 2024)

In the final competition at the APPE IEB® National Championship on Feb. 25, students discussed the following cases and questions:

• Case # 2, The Last Invention: What sorts of limits should be put on AI, in light of the threats it poses, and whose responsibility is it to impose those limits?
• Case # 11, Affirmative Action Anway: Given that "not one university or college president has said they will step back from their commitment to achieving diversity," which means of furthering diversity are morally permissible and which are not and why?

Read the full cases here, then discuss the questions above with your colleagues and friends.