Codes of Conduct, Professional

Issues of professional ethics in nanotechnology arise from certain well-known features of emerging nanotechnology enterprises. Nanotechnology is at its core multidisciplinary, which presents a challenge when depending on shared standards for responsible conduct. Research and development bring together scientists and engineers from different scientific disciplines and engineering specialties. Accordingly, these professionals reflect the values, commitments, and practices of different scientific and engineering communities. Among these communities there are not only differences of language, but also differences in standards, methods, and values.

Work at the intersections can be highly stimulating, even exciting, so that engineers and scientists may not be sufficiently aware of their differences. However, from these differences, misunderstandings, and even conflict, can arise. In these intersections, sometimes referred to as trading zones, professionals can forge the common understandings in language, methods, values, and standards that are required for responsible, fruitful collaboration. The need for shared professional standards confronts additional complexities. Research and development go forward in many different kinds of environments, in universities, in a facilities network such as the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN), in business organizations, in government laboratories (e.g., Argonne), and in government agencies. Within these categories, there are important differences. For example, large, established business organizations, such as DuPont, have procedures and practices for managing risks of technological innovations. These organizations with large financial stakes and experience with innovations that caused problems, such as Teflon caused DuPont, are more hospitable to professional standards than small start-up companies.

The latter fast-moving, risk-taking business enterprises are common in the commercialization of nanotechnology. The requirement to accommodate professional standards or develop company guidelines for responsible conduct faces obstacles in these organizations.

Another important feature of nanotechnology is its enabling capability. There appears to be a prospect for nanotechnology development in almost every sphere of activity and production. Industrial processes, sports equipment, cosmetics, optics, energy, computing, medicine, dentistry, clothing, food packaging, and agriculture are among the areas already engaged or prospective. This great range of areas for or in development presents at least as great a range of settings for accommodating professional standards. Yet professional standards assume importance because they apply across individual organizations and provide standards for responsible conduct to engineers and scientists wherever they may be employed.