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Green-blue-brown cloud, in which the outlines of skyscrapers, a turbine, laboratory equipment and a network diagram of a human head with a torso can be seen © UA Ruhr

Council for Ethics and Responsibility

The Council for Ethics and Responsibility was constituted in fall 2024. The nine-member council deals with major discussions on values in science and research within the UA Ruhr. These may include, for example, science and technology assessment such as the civil clause, university activities in the public sphere in view of the neutrality requirement and questions about the limits of individual freedom in the academic community.

Seven of the nine members of the Ethics Council (from left): Katja Ickstadt, Wolfgang Rhode, Karola Marky, Stefan Huster, Eva Weber-Guskar, Christian Neuhäuser and Ulf Dittmer. Not in the picture are Elsa Kirchner and Nicole Krämer. Wolfgang Rhode, Karola Marky, Stefan Huster, Eva Weber-Guskar, Christian Neuhäuser und Ulf Dittmer. Nicht im Bild zu sehen sind Elsa Kirchner und Nicole Krämer. © RUB, Marquard
Seven of the nine members of the Ethics Council (from left): Katja Ickstadt, Wolfgang Rhode, Karola Marky, Stefan Huster, Eva Weber-Guskar, Christian Neuhäuser and Ulf Dittmer. Not in the picture are Elsa Kirchner and Nicole Krämer.

Through its composition, the Council covers a broad, diverse spectrum of subjects and expertise and is intended to enable diverse approaches and perspectives on the topics through this diversity. The following professors are members of the council:

  • Ulf Dittmer, UDE, Medicine
  • Stefan Huster, Ruhr University Bochum, Law
  • Katja Ickstadt, TU Dortmund, Computer Science/Statistics
  • Elsa Kirchner, UDE, Medical Engineering
  • Nicole Krämer, UDE, Social Psychology
  • Karola Marky, Ruhr University Bochum, IT Security
  • Christian Neuhäuser, TU Dortmund, Philosophy
  • Wolfgang Rhode, TU Dortmund, Experimental Physics/Astroparticle Physics
  • Eva Weber-Guskar, Ruhr University Bochum, Practical Philosophy/AI

Their task is to discuss overarching topics and reflect on basic principles that local ethics committees can also use as a guide when evaluating individual research projects. The aim is to set common guidelines for ethical action in challenging and complex times, both for individual institutions and as a group. With fundamental, value-oriented statements as well as analyses and advice in complex consideration processes, the Council sees itself as a good complement to ethics committees or ombudsman offices at the three partner universities.

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