The Houston Electrical League (HEL) sponsors an annual Engineering Technology Conference, where more than 250 professional engineers gather to hear about the latest technology and earn personal development hours for their professional license accreditation. Dr. Mary E. Henderson, assistant instructional professor in the University of Houston College of Technology Supply Chain and Logistics (SCLT) program, was a featured speaker for the luncheon held on April 17, 2019, at the Stafford Center in Stafford, Texas. Her presentation, “The Fuzzy Logic of Business Ethics: Self-Interest vs Altruism,” began with an acknowledgment of the difficulties of reconciling a hard science discipline such as engineering with a soft science subject such as ethics. Dr. Henderson then presented an overview of ethical theories spanning the divide between self-interest and altruism including hedonism, virtuous self-interest, utilitarianism, Kant’s categorical imperative, and relativism. Henderson concluded the talk with a glimpse into the power of game theory for guiding ethical decisions.
A committed supporter of the SCLT program, the HEL promotes the electrical industry within the Houston and Southeast Texas Areas. The organization is one of the leading recruiters of College of Technology supply chain and logistics technology undergraduate interns. Each student receives a scholarship in addition to the paid summer internship at Houston-area companies.