2005 in Review

Poynter Center Interdisciplinary Fellows

In 2005 we completed the second year of the Interdisciplinary Poynter Center Fellows Program. The topic for 2004-2005 was "The Ethics and Politics of Childhood."

We had three guest lecturers for the year: Gareth Matthews, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, "A Philosophy of Childhood"; John Barbour, St. Olaf College, "Biography, Autobiography, and Family Dynamics"; and Rob Reich, Stanford University, "Beyond Negligence and Abuse: Intervening in Families on Behalf of Children." All three guest speakers also met with Wells Scholars and Hudson Honors College students for a meal and discussion as well.

The 2005-06 topic is "Nature in the Scientific and Moral Imagination." J. Baird Callicott of the University of North Texas spoke in the fall on "Naturalizing the Boundary between Humanity and Nature." Paul Lauritzen from John Carroll University will speak in 2006. See Poynter Center Fellows for more details.

The Poynter Center published two of the 2003-04 essays on "Democracy and Dissent." We also published an essay from David Estlund, one of the guest speakers. For the 2004-05 year, we have published Gareth Matthews' presentation, "A Philosophy of Childhood." See Publications for information about the monographs.

Teaching Research Ethics

Kenneth D. Pimple, Director of Teaching Research Ethics Programs, directs the annual Teaching Research Ethics Workshop (TRE). The workshop, initially funded by a three-year grant from the U.S. Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, is now funded by university sponsors and registration fees. The twelfth annual program was May 12-14 at the Indiana Memorial Union, with 40 participants. See Teaching Research Ethics for more information about the program.

Scientists and Subjects

This innovative, Web-based seminar on the ethics of research with human subjects was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Project director Kenneth D. Pimple offered the online course January 10-March 20, 2005 for 15 people. See Scientists and Subjects for details.

Graduate Research Ethics Education

Brian Schrag, the Executive Director of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE) has led this project, which was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. APPE has provided instruction in the ethical issues surrounding scientific research, training in teaching research ethics, and an opportunity for research collaboration for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in science and engineering. For six years APPE collected and published participants' case studies, with commentaries by the authors and by workshop faculty.

In 2005 APPE conducted a similar program for 18 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the Social Sciences. A casebook which includes the students' cases and commentaries from the students and faculty was published in February 2006. See Research Ethics: Cases and Commentaries at APPE.

Moral Issues and Motivations in Medical Philanthropy

The Poynter Center has completed a study to explore moral issues and motivations in medical philanthropy, thanks to a grant from the IU Center on Philanthropy. Richard Miller and Byron Bangert led the study, which explored questions of altruism, social justice, and professional commitment in the world of health care. Their project is a form of moral ethnography, in which they interviewed premedical students, medical students and physicians about their motivations for volunteering for medical philanthropy work here and abroad; about the religious, personal and professional meanings they attach to their work; and the moral tensions they encounter. See Publications for information about the monograph.

Lectures and Seminars

Public Lectures

The Matthew Vandivier Sims Memorial Lecture, honoring a child who died in infancy, is coordinated by the Poynter Center. James Childress, from the University of Virginia, spoke March 3, on "Bioethical Controversies About Human Dignity: Cloning and Commerce in Organs." The lecture was audio-streamed by IU. Professor Childress and Damon Sims had breakfast and discussion with students from the Hudson Honors College and Wells Scholars Program the next day. Learn more about the Sims Lecture.

Health Care Ethics Seminars

The Health Care Ethics Seminars provide interaction between the campus and the community. Byron Bangert, Research Associate, coordinated the series in 2005.

The spring speakers included Dr. Paul Helft from IUPUI; Jeffrey Fry from Ball State University; and Summer Johnson, an IU graduate who is now a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University in the area of public health policy.

The fall presenters were Byron Bangert, reporting on the medical philanthropy study; Dr. David Orentlicher, IUPUI, speaking on the Terry Schiavo case; Sandra Shapshay, IUB Philosophy Department, on enhancement technologies and the effects on society; and Dr. Rob Stone, Bloomington Hospital, on our failed health-care system and the need for universal health insurance. Learn more about the Health Care Ethics Seminars.

Center on Philanthropy

Mark Chaves, Department of Sociology, University of Arizona, Tucson, spoke Feb. 17 on what congregations do. The presentation was taped by Community Access Television Services for broadcast to the community. As a part of his visit to IU, Rob Reich spoke at IUPUI on April 22 about private money in public schools. The Poynter Center hosted the graduation lunch for the IUB Center on Philanthropy students as well as the American Humanics students on April 27. For more information about the Center on Philanthropy, see the IU Center on Philanthropy.

Islam and the Political Future

The Poynter Center hosted John Kelsay from Florida State University on Oct. 6. He spoke on "Islam and the Political Future." The visit was co-sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies, the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, and Middle East and Islamic Studies Program.

Co-hosting other events

We also co-sponsored a presentation by Farid Esack of Xavier University with African Studies, and General Wesley Clark's appearance with Union Board.

Other Events

Ethics Bowl

The Indiana University Poynter Center Ethics Bowl Team placed in the top four teams for the Eleventh Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl February 24 in San Antonio, Texas. The competition is held each year in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. The competition is presented by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics and the Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions at the Illinois Institute of Technology. See more information for the Ethics Bowl.

Science and Public Life

With encouragement from Jeff Alberts and Peter Cherbas, the Poynter Center convened a group of faculty who are concerned about opposition to teaching scientific method and theories in public schools, especially evolution. The Poynter Center co-sponsored the visit of Eugenie Scott, executive director of the National Center for Science Education, on Sept. 21-22. We hosted a luncheon with the Science and Public Life faculty and Ms. Scott on Sept. 22.

For what's happening in 2006, see Announcements and Public Events 2006.