UC San Diego

This Work-in-Progress paper introduces an experiential, game-based intervention for teaching engineering ethics to upper-level undergraduates in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE). Traditional ethics instruction often emphasizes compliance and regulatory frameworks, which may inadequately prepare students for real-world dilemmas characterized by incomplete information, ambiguous trade-offs, and the need for trust among interdisciplinary teams. To address this gap, we developed a role-playing card game grounded in experiential learning theory, socio-technical systems thinking, and moral development frameworks. Students assume roles as Managers or Engineers within fictional companies competing for a client's sponsorship. Managers are briefed on project priorities (e.g., cost, sustainability), while Engineers possess information about available resources. This asymmetrical distribution of knowledge simulates real-world engineering environments and requires students to iteratively negotiate and revise design proposals under ethical and practical constraints. An “Ethics Points” system incentivizes decisions that prioritize stakeholder accountability, and final scoring rewards trustworthiness over profitmaximization. The educational setting includes mixed-methods assessment: post-game surveys to evaluate changes in ethical sensitivity and moral reasoning; qualitative reflection essays; and observational analysis of team dynamics during gameplay. Preliminary results indicate heightened engagement, improved ethical awareness, and stronger collaboration-findings that align with existing literature on the benefits of simulation- and game-based learning in engineering ethics. This intervention aims to humanize STEM instruction by embedding ethical reasoning into collaborative, interactive activities. The findings offer implications for broader integration of trust-centered pedagogies in interdisciplinary engineering courses and professional training contexts.