Intersections between ethics and diversity, equity, and inclusion in engineering practice: Insights from practitioners' mental models

Abstract Background Ethics and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are critical aspects of engineering, and connections between ethics/DEI are becoming increasingly common place in engineering education and practice. For example, many engineering professional organizations have integrated DEI into their codes of ethics. Purpose Given the rise of ethics/DEI connections, we address the research question, “How are engineering ethics and DEI related based on mental models elicited from a diverse cross‐section of industrial practitioners who bring expertise in ethics and/or DEI?” Methodology/Approach We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 25 engineering practitioners in 2022 and 2023. Participants depicted how they perceived ethics and DEI to connect in engineering through semi‐structured interviews that included a drawing activity. We thematically analyzed participants' drawings regarding how ethics/DEI connect in engineering and participants' associated verbal descriptions. Findings We generated seven themes: (1) DEI is an ethical value in engineering; (2) DEI promotes ethical practice in engineering; (3) ethics/DEI shape interpersonal encounters; (4) ethics/DEI shape engineering processes and outcomes; (5) engineering ethics is increasingly and explicitly integrating DEI; (6) context informs how ethics/DEI connect in engineering; and (7) promoting DEI in engineering is a challenge. Implications This study adds to the body of knowledge regarding ethics and DEI in engineering and can enrich future research and practice in both domains by explicating interrelations between the two. This work provides empirical support for engineers, engineering educators, and engineering organizations regarding why it is important to elevate both ethics and DEI in engineering and how to do so.