Civilian research and technology areas are often caught between the conflicting priorities of freedom of research and responsibility. Within this framework, the KEF Ethics Commission deals with ethical questions and problems that affect the TU Braunschweig, individual subjects or scientists, either due to current events or against a historical background. The focus is on advising on security-related research in the sense of dual use, which can be relevant, for example, in the areas of autonomous driving, robotics and AI, the use of results for military purposes and leadership ethics.
The Commission is expanding its range of tasks in order to create a critical space for reflection at the TU Braunschweig on ethical issues, which illuminates the social context against the background of the values and standards to which the TU Braunschweig is committed. In order to strengthen the ethical judgement of scientists, the KEF Ethics Commission supports them with training and advice and provides up-to-date information on the topic of ethics. It is guided by the recommendations for dealing with safety-related research (DFG and Leopoldina of 1.11.2022).
| KEF is active in the following areas of action: |
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| Performing an interface function |
| Clarification of responsibilities |
| Development and implementation of events and forums for training, awareness raising, ethical judgement and legal compliance |
| Development and implementation of ethical and organisational recommendations and guidelines in research and teaching at the TU Braunschweig |
| Advising scientists on ethical issues in research |
| Regular exchange with the Joint Commission on the handling of safety-related research of the DFG and Leopoldina |