Category: Social Implications of Technology

The question at the heart of whether or not engaging with defense research is ethical probably boils down to this: does defense promote peace, or does it promote war?

Much of the U.S. is suspicious of centralized government planning, and despite the benefits of rail’s carbon emissions per passenger compared to cars and planes, AMTRAK is seen by many Americans as a plot of eastern elites.

The Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) seeks applications and nominations for the position of Editor-in-Chief (EIC) or Co-Editors-in-Chief (Co-EICs) of the IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society (TTS) for a three-year term (once renewable) beginning 1 January 2026.

It is with great sadness that I am announcing the passing of our dear colleague and friend Banu Onaral on December 18, 2024.  

In the background of Mary Shelley’s life was a very public debate between two prominent doctors beginning in 1815: John Abernethy and William Lawrence, both faculty at the Royal College of Surgeons. Lawrence was Shelley’s doctor. There was a clash in their philosophies that emerged in public lectures. Abernethy’s belief about life is more harmonious with Judeo-Christian faith: that there is an essence that renders organic matter different from the inorganic and that human life is fundamentally different from other life. Lawrence maintained that life is simply matter that has grown sophisticated enough to reproduce itself and to become aware of its surroundings. Lawrence paid for this by losing his job. Ruston implies that Shelley’s Frankenstein subscribes to Abernethy’s belief.

The discipline of public policy is largely about the process and prioritization of decision-making and is deeply rooted in economics. It is about how to decide what to do or accomplish, based on countless variables and inputs. Preparing the next generation of policymakers means acknowledging that public policy and technology are inextricably entwined.

The IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT) is proud to announce that two of its members, Robert Dent…  Read More

We initiated this special issue to highlight innovative and essential work underway on technology and analytics for global development. The panoply of important Adaptation and sustainability are essential, enabled by technologies that optimize crop production, improve quality, and protect the environment. topics discussed at ISTAS23 presented a difficult, but welcome challenge of deciding the theme for this special issue.

Incoming 2025 IEEE SSIT President-Elect Murty Polavarapu was recognized Saturday November 23 with an IEEE Member and Geographic Activities Discretionary Award at the TAB MGA meeting in Dallas, TX, USA. The award was given “in recognition of outstanding contributions as an IEEE MGA volunteer.”

IEEE SSIT Treasurer Howard Wolfman was recognized by the IEEE Member and Geographic Activities (MGA) Board with a 2024 MGA Leadership Award on Saturday November 23, in Dallas, TX USA.

Ramalatha Marimuthu, who is SSIT’s Madras India Chapter Chair, and a IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society Associate Editor, was recognized November 22, 2024, in Dallas, TX, with the IEEE EAB Meritorious Achievement Award in Continuing Education.

Though it is hard to find accurate figures on how many products introduced every year fail to meet safety and environmental standards—partly because market surveillance proves to be inadequate [6], while the assessment of market readiness is, in many cases, left to producers themselves [7] —the number may be higher than the public expects.

The Earth 3 podcast will explore Earth 1 through the lens of Science, Technology, the Environment, Ethics, and Law, or STEEL for short.

Regenerative agriculture involves improving, not depleting, the resources used. Cora and Mike’s methods emphasize the symbiotic relationship between the animals and the land, ensuring that both thrive in a balanced and healthy environment.

Modem Futura is your guide to the bold frontiers of tomorrow.

Aging provides us the ability to look back and compare different time periods in our lifetime while using technology as a “point of reference.”

Food security and agriculture are complex systems that interconnect with many other issues, including poverty and environmental sustainability. These urgent issues inspire proposals for technological solutions. Emerging technologies are often proposed as ways to increase food supply to end hunger. Other proposals target agricultural practice, grounded in the knowledge that agriculture has a large carbon footprint, and the fear that the negative climate impacts of agriculture would worsen as the population increases.

Call for Papers — IEEE ETHICS-2025: Emerging Technologies, Ethics, and Social Justice — 6-8 June 2025, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois (Chicago Area), USA

ISTAS25 will be held at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, CA, September 10-12, 2025, and themed AI Evolution and Revolution.