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Introduction of curved boundaries in polygonally shaped integrated circuit planar resistors causes a crease in maximum electric field intensities and current densities present in them, and consequently decreases the likelihood of their failure. The presence of curved boundaries can also decrease the area occupied by the resistor. Therefore, polygonal resistors with curved boundaries can be highly desirable in integrated circuits. Resistances of conductors with curved boundaries are readily computed using conformal mapping, particularly the numerically, extended Schwarz‐Christoffel transformation developed by the authors. The resulting algorithm is applicable to polygonal resistors of arbitrary shape and is easily programmable. Several examples are presented. Rapid convergence and accurate results are obtained.

An iterative algorithm is described to compute Schwarz‐Christoffel transformations which map the upper half of a complex plane into the interior of a polygon in another complex plane. An efficient method of numerically integrating the S‐C integral over the singularities is presented. The algorithm is easily programmable in FORTRAN. Convergence rate is high and accuracy is excellent. Examples are provided and wherever possible, analytically obtained results are also presented for comparison. The importance of the algorithm is described and a brief comparison with some of the existing algorithms is made. Potential application of the S‐C transformation are in the solution of Laplace's and Poisson's equation in two‐dimensional domains with polygonal boundary.

Finite difference and finite element methods have serious limitations when applied to unbounded regions. This paper describes a hybrid method which uses a conformal transformation to map the original boundaries, including those at infinity, to a bounded region and only then applies a numerical method based on finite differences or finite elements when no direct solution is obvious. Testing this approach by means of examples for which exact solutions are obtainable, the hybrid method is applied to determine the electrical potential at specific points in the field of a capacitor with long plates that in their cross‐sectional view are parallel to each other, and in the field of a microstrip line at some distance from it. In both the cases, the results are in agreement with analytically derived results. The method is simple, readily applied by undergraduate students, yet accurate and thus of use in professional engineering work as well.

The chapter presents the implementation of ethics education via challenge-based learning (CBL) in three European settings. At TU Eindhoven (the Netherlands), a mandatory first-year User, Society, and Enterprise course on the ethics and history of technology offers a CBL alternative on ethics and data analytics in collaboration with internal student and research teams. The University of Lübeck (Germany) initiated the project CREATE – Challenge-based Learning for Robotics Students by Engaging Start-Ups in Technology Ethics, which enables 60 students in Robotics and Autonomous Systems to integrate ethical and societal considerations into technological development processes, in cooperation with start-ups from a local accelerator. In Spain, CBI-Fusion Point brings together 40 students from business and law (ESADE), engineering and technology (Polytechnic University of Catalonia), and design (IED Barcelona Design University) for an innovation course focused on the application of CERN-developed technologies to real-world problems. The chapter documents the process of setting up three CBL courses that engage students with grand societal topics which require the integration of ethical concerns from the design stage of technological development. The authors also reflect on the challenges of teaching ethics via CBL and the lessons they learned by delivering experiential learning activities rooted in real-life challenges and contexts marked by high epistemic uncertainty. The contribution reflects the transition to remote teaching and presents strategies employed to enhance online communication and collaboration. The chapter thus provides guidance for instructors interested in teaching ethics via CBL and recommends further lines for action and research.

An extension of the Schwarz‐Christoffel transformation is described to formally map polygons which contain curved boundaries. The curved boundaries are divided into small ‘curved elements’ and each element is approximated by a second degree polynomial (higher degree polynomials can also be used). The iterative algorithm of evaluating the unknown constants of the basic S‐C transformation described in a companion paper is applied to the extended S‐C transformation to compute its unknown constants, including the coefficients of the polynomials. Excellent results are achieved as far as accuracy and convergence are concerned. Examples including a practical application, are provided. The mapping of curved polygons is important because they provide a better model of a physical device.

Gives introductory remarks about chapter 1 of this group of 31 papers, from ISEF 1999 Proceedings, in the methodologies for field analysis, in the electromagnetic community. Observes that computer package implementation theory contributes to clarification. Discusses the areas covered by some of the papers ‐ such as artificial intelligence using fuzzy logic. Includes applications such as permanent magnets and looks at eddy current problems. States the finite element method is currently the most popular method used for field computation. Closes by pointing out the amalgam of topics.

The problem of determining the shape of a polygonal integrated circuit planar resistor to a desired value of resistance has applications in the IC fabrication technology. The resistor design problem can be simplified for modular applications and fabrication by changing only one parameter of the polygon, e.g., length of a slit, to achieve the desired value of resistance. This paper describes a method of numerical conformal mapping to compute the length of the slit to obtain the desired value of resistance when the shape of the polygon is given. The extended Schwarz‐Christoffel transformation developed by the author and others is used when polygons with curved segments are encountered. The resulting algorithm is easily programmable and accurate. Rapid convergence is achieved. Examples are given and other applications of the method are presented.

Finite difference method (FDM) is a very useful and simple tool in determining electrical potential field of two‐dimensional geometries, such as integrated circuit (IC) planar resistors. It is very accurate and its accuracy can be easily controlled by changing the grid size. One limitation of the FDM, however, is that it computes potentials at predetermined grid points only. Unlike the finite element method (FEM), it does not compute potential functions that can be used to interpolate potentials at the points that are not located at the grid, or to use these functions in determining other quantities based upon the computed potential such as electric field intensity. This paper describes a method that is a combination of the FDM and FEM. It retains the simplicity and accuracy of the FDM. Yet, like the FEM, it provides potential functions that can be used for interpolation and post‐processing of potential. The combined FDM‐FEM method is used to determine the potential functions of an IC planar resistor. The results are in agreement with analytically derived results. The approach we have developed is simple yet accurate and thus of use in professional engineering work.

Provides results of a small, but representative, questionnaire survey of typical project managers, architects and building contractors concerning their views and experiences on a range of ethical issues surrounding construction industry activities. Most (90 per cent) subscribed to a professional code of ethics and many (45 per cent) had an ethical code of conduct in their employing organisations, with the majority (84 per cent) considering good ethical practice to be an important organisational goal. It was agreed by 93 per cent of the respondents that “business ethics” should be driven or governed by “personal ethics”, with 84 per cent of respondents stating that a balance of both the requirements of the client and the impact on the public should be maintained. No respondent was aware of any cases of employers attempting to force their employees to initiate, or participate in, unethical conduct. Despite this, all the respondents had witnessed or experienced some degree of unethical conduct, in the form of unfair conduct, negligence, conflict of interest, collusive tendering, fraud, confidentiality and propriety breach, bribery and violation of environmental ethics.

Purpose – Mainstream science, technology, and society (STS) scholars have shown little interest in engineering ethics, one going so far as to label engineering ethics activists as “shit shovelers.” Detachment from engineering ethics on the part of most STS scholars is related to a broader and long-standing split between the scholar-oriented and activist-oriented wings of STS. This chapter discusses the various STS “subcultures” and argues that the much-maligned activist STS subculture is far more likely than the mainstream scholar subculture to have a significant impact on engineering ethics education and practice.

Approach – The chapter builds on analyses of STS subcultures in research and education from the literature and identifies a similar set of subcultures for engineering ethics research and education.

Findings – Reconciliation of the STS subcultures will tap an activist tradition that already has strong ties (practical, historical, and theoretical) to engineering ethics research and education. Acknowledging that STS and engineering ethics each have legitimate, activist-oriented subcultures will position STS scholars and educators for providing needed insights to engineering activists and the engineering profession as a whole. STSers should recognize and appreciate that many engineering ethicists and engineering activists are concerned both with issues internal to the profession and broader social implications of technology.

Originality/value – The chapter presents an analysis of STS subcultures and their relationship to engineering ethics. As such, it will be of interest to STS scholars and engineering ethicists alike, as well as engineering ethics and STS educators.