Newsroom

CORVALLIS - Oregon State University has received a grant from the National Science Foundation to hold a National Bioethics Institute this summer to help faculty from OSU and from around the country integrate ethics into their science courses.

Only 30 faculty will be admitted into the institute - about half from OSU and the rest chosen from applications around the country.

The institute is one of three that the National Science Foundation will fund on bioethics during 1998-99, according to Courtney Campbell, director of OSU's Program for Ethics, Science and the Environment.

"The relationship between ethics and science is becoming more pronounced - and is under greater scrutiny - than ever before," Campbell said. "It is important to discuss these issues with students, but when ethics professors go into a science classroom, they don't necessarily have the credibility with students, and it gives the appearance that ethics are peripheral to the 'regular' curriculum.

"What we hope to do is begin training science faculty how to integrate the teaching of ethics throughout the curriculum."

Among the topics planned: ethical issues surrounding biotechnology, the renewed interest in land ethics and natural resources, treatment of animals, and the role of religion.

The institute will run from Aug. 1-6 at OSU.