This grant will support an interactive distance video workshop on Ethics in Modeling. The purpose of the workshop is to explore the use of this new technology as a means to focus attention on ethical issues in the development and use of computer-based decision models for the modeling community that develops models; the potential users and those who may be affected by the use of models; and educators and researchers in applied ethics and the disciplines of modeling: operations research, statistics, management science, and systems engineering. The workshop will involve individuals at four sites, in the Netherlands, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York. One goal of the workshop is to find out what modes of interaction using this technology will be most effective. The second research goal is to generate awareness, discussion, and scholarship on the ethical issues involved in modeling. For this purpose, the participants will discuss four cases. Each site will have a facilitator, and the workshop will be videotaped for analysis. Participants will complete pre- and post- workshop questionnaires. The principal investigators will prepare a report on the findings.
