Engineering Socio-Technical Thinking - Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education & Practice (ISTEP)

Engineering products and processes have a significant impact on individuals, communities and the environment. Engineering graduates need an understanding of the ethical, social and environmental impacts of their work to best serve society. There are many opportunities for engineers to apply their skills to solve the world’s most pressing challenges, but an understanding of social and environmental systems is critical.

U of T Engineering has several courses and co-curricular activities that provide you with an opportunity to learn about the social and environmental impacts of engineering products and processes, and the role of ethical frameworks in equitable and fair decision-making.

ISTEP is passionate about sociotechnical theory and engineering ethics. We’re excited to explore this dimension of engineering with you.

When Deb Raji was in fourth year, her work with researchers at the MIT Media Lab showed a need for stronger evaluation practices of AI technology to mitigate gender and racial biases.

“Courses like ESC 203 helped me realize that for designs to truly work, they can't be created in the abstract.When released into the world, these designs shape society and are, in turn, shaped by social and economic forces—all of which needs to be considered in our engineering approach. This has been critical in shaping my understanding of the real-world implementations of AI systems.”
- Deb Raji (EngSci 1T8 + PEY)

Programming for Engineering Undergraduates

First-year students working on a project.

First-year students tackle a sustainable design project through the Engineering Strategis & Practice course.

U of T Engineering Courses

There are several undergraduate courses that focus on engineering ethics and/or social and environmental impact:

Programming for Engineering Graduates

MEng Emphasis in Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Innovation & Technology in Engineering (ELITE): MEng students can take graduate-level courses that focus on engineering and society through the Emphasis in ELITE . The Emphasis is specifically designed for those engineers who wish to take on more of a leadership role in their work environments — whether by learning to better motivate teams, foster and manage innovation or by embracing global opportunities.