What is an ethical chemist?

YCC 3

Jeffrey Kovac, jkovac@utk.edu, Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1600
Almost all decisions made by chemist, and all other scientists, have an ethical dimension. In both the practice of chemistry and the education of students it is essential that chemists understand the moral complexity of real-world situations, apply the relevant moral standards, and have the moral courage to make difficult choices, or the foundation of trust essential to the scientific enterprise will erode. In this presentation I will develop the fundamental concepts of scientific ethics and show how they apply to both the practice of chemistry and the relationship between chemistry and society.