Hosted by Lockheed Martin at their Center for Leadership Excellence, this competition serves as a platform for colleges and universities to showcase their problem-solving prowess.
At the event, each participating school is represented by a two-student undergraduate team accompanied by a faculty advisor. Together, they present their innovative solutions to a fictional case that tackles various ethical, business, and engineering challenges. This annual event not only highlights the importance of ethics in the workplace but also provides students with a valuable opportunity to navigate real-life dilemmas that can arise in the fast-paced world of technology.
Developed by Lockheed Martin engineering leaders, the case presents a compelling dilemma that requires collaboration between two stakeholder groups. Rather than focusing on a win-lose scenario, the goal for the successful team is to generate a win-win solution that benefits both parties. Recent competitions have explored topics such as potential satellite collisions, hypersonics, and challenges related to artificial intelligence.
Participation in this event demands thorough preparation from student teams. The team-based competition is intense, requiring a combination of passion for engineering ethics, a competitive spirit, and proficiency in public speaking and collaborative negotiations for success.
The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering teams have achieved notable success in past national competitions, securing positions as finalists and semi-finalists and reaching the “Sweet 16” stage. Their achievements are commendable, considering the formidable competition consisting of 30+ to 70+ colleges and universities.
By supporting student participation in this event, Engineering Leadership Institute aims to nurture the talents of Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering students, preparing them for future career success and highlighting the significance of engineering ethics in their professional journey.
Past Attendees
See What Our Students Say About Their Experience:
Placed 13th out of 71 teams
2023 Participants
“I had an amazing time at this year’s Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Competition. Alongside my teammate Jonathan, we spent hours learning and researching cybersecurity and government contracting. We had the opportunity to meet with a variety of knowledgeable industry and academic professionals with the help of the Engineering Leadership Institute. Their valuable perspective put us over the edge in articulating the nuances of the compromise we hoped to achieve in each competition round. At the end of the day, I came to enjoy the collaborative, goal-driven format of the competition, which yielded a unique dialogue between teams in each round. Moreover, the focus on collaboration over competition helped develop my teamwork abilities, not only with my teammate Jonathan – together representing one company – but alongside the opposing team representing another company, both of which had a vested interest in succeeding at the end of the day but coming to the table with a different set of views. The competition overall was a positive experience – held in a state-of-the-art facility alongside amazing refreshments throughout the day; the opportunity to visit the Lockheed Martin Vision Center on the last day was a memory I would never forget.”
– Max Banach, Electrical Engineering Student, 2023 Attendee
“The experiences I had with my teammate Max at the Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Competition were unforgettable. This unforgettable experience started before the competition, as we were fortunate enough to talk to industry leaders in the cybersecurity field, all with the help of the Engineering Leadership Institute. Each person we contacted brought their own unique perspectives and helped us to synthesize compelling cases for each side. Once we got to the competition, we were tasked with the very interesting task of coming up with a collaborative solution rather than advocating for one position. This competition definitely honed my critical thinking skills as well as my ability to adapt to situations. Max and I made a really strong team, and I firmly believe we learned a lot from each other. The facility we competed in was top-notch, and the time the competition organizers gave us to network with other schools was fantastic. The opportunity to go to the Lockheed Martin Vision Center was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and one I will remember for a long time.”
-Jonathan Morris, Electrical Engineering Student, 2023 Attendee