Controversies in science and instances of misconduct have received considerable media attention. In addition, the range of new capabilities and understandings that result from research in science and engineering, and the power of these developments, portrayed by the media as being orders of magnitude beyond that which we are familiar, have become a source of concern within the societies in which we live and work. The journal Science and Engineering Ethics has been initiated to provide a forum for the examination and discussion of ethical issues that arise in the practice of scientific research and engineering, and in the practical application of that work.

In this new journal both science and engineering are defined broadly and include all aspects of human endeavor that seek to increase the range and quality of our knowledge and the application of this knowledge to the generation of goods and services that benefit us as individuals and as members of societies.

Although the focus of this publication, its primary audience and contributors, are practitioners of science and engineering, contributions from a broad range of disciplines are included. The journal presents an opportunity for the discussion of ethical values and professional standards as well as exploring the expectations and concerns of professionals in science. In addition, Science and Engineering Ethics will provide material which will be useful for the education and training of scientists and engineers in the ethical issues that they will encounter in their workplaces.

The journal will also provide a forum for the exchange of views on the many issues that are presented to society by innovations in science and engineering. These include new products that have arisen from genetic engineering, informatics, nucleonics, robotics and our abilities to manipulate the fertilization process. Other concerns emerge from our use of animals in research, our approach to healthcare, the persuasiveness of the media, the sustainability of a high quality environment and the way in which we build and use our towns and cities.

Some areas to be explored in the journal include:

• Institutional responsibilities for maintaining ethical standards
• Risk assessment in public health, safety and the environment
• Computer ethics including data protection, viruses, copyright
• Ethics and the new biotechnologies
• Biomedical Ethics
• Animal and human subjects in research
• Science and technology in the development of public policy
• Professional codes of conduct and practice
• Scientific freedom and responsibility
• Conflicts of Interest
• Educational programs: curricula, format, strategies
• Responsibilities of mentors, referees and external examiners
• Project evaluation and peer review
• Authorship, intellectual property
• Bias in research: data selection, data manipulation, data management
• Legal matters and professional competence
• Whistleblowing
• Allegations of misconduct; fabrication, falsification, plagiarism
• Discrimination and harassment in the workplace

Science and Engineering Ethics welcomes manuscripts from those who wish to make contributions to progress in this field. The journal will be of particular interest to the following individuals and their institutional libraries: scientists; engineers; researchers; social scientists; healthcare workers; philosophers; lawyers; teachers; clerics; students; managers of science, engineering and public policy.