Friday, April 16, 2010

ETHICS FOR GEOLOGISTS AND ENGINEERS:
Personal Realizations and Corporate Consequences of Everyday Decisions and Common Behaviors

Ethical challenges often come without warning while most professionals do not realize when they are making an ethical decision or when their behavior crosses the boundary.

This 90-minute webinar provides geologists and engineers with an understanding of how to identify an ethical situation and make an ethical decision or behave appropriately in the everyday work environment. It will help you more easily make decisions while equipping you with a clear process that you can comfortably discuss issues with colleagues, supervisors, clients or regulatory staff.

The webinar features interactive scenarios that will shine a light on personal and business decisions.
(All voting and interaction is anonymous and private).

Thinking about potential problems and brainstorming with your colleagues about possible solutions can also help prepare you for the moment when the actual challenges arise. But there are also those moments when we are presented with immediate challenges when we are called to make the right choice. This webinar addresses the typical kinds of problems we face in working in the environmental and engineering industry and identifies resources and thought processes we can use to make ethical decisions.

The session includes:

• The importance of personal and professional values
• Typical key points for environmental and engineering professionals
• Insights from the Code of Conduct for Legislative Staff
• Case studies that highlight ethical dilemmas

The most obvious benefit of creating an ethical corporate culture is avoiding the financial penalty from litigation and a potential conviction. Fines, settlements, and fees can reach into the millions of dollars while adding the cost of auditors and monitoring controls.

Less obvious but equally compelling to establish an ethical corporate culture is avoiding the cost of erosion of reputation or brand coupled with internal lawsuits, reduced labor utilization, and turmoil. Instead, the example of solid leadership, project management and technical excellence sets the stage for increased productivity and higher morale. Ask yourself, what is the cost of an unethical decisions and actions to employees, the company, its shareholders and the public at large?

Pay one site (one computer) registration fee and an unlimited number of participants from your organization can attend at that site.

Participants will receive a handout referencing the webinar topics and discussion.

1.5 Professional Development Hour (1.5 PDH) for each verified attendee will be available as a Course Completion Certificate from Northern Illinois University.

Attendees will be invited to actively participate during this live and interactive on-line web seminar. Discussion is planned following the webinar for those who want to continue the session. Bring your questions to the webinar and present them to the instructor and other participants for exploring the best solution.

Instructor Bio

Chris Mathewson is a Regents Professor at Texas A&M University in the Department of Geology and Geophysics. The list of his awards, honors and publications is long while his vast experience lends well to share his keen perspective on ethics in the environmental and engineering industry. Dr. Mathewson has taught ethics courses at Texas A&M in the Department of Geology and Geophysics and this webinar is a summarization of that course with interactive scenerios for partcipants.

Chris has contributed to many professional organizations including: American Geophysical Union, American Institute of Professional Geologists, American Society of Civil Engineers (Life Member), American Water Resources Association, Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologist, Geological Society of America (Fellow), International Code Council, National Association of State Boards of Geology, Society of American Military Engineers (Life Member and Fellow).

http://geoweb.tamu.edu/profile/CMathewson