Dr. Elizabeth Hausler
The Elizabeth Hausler case asks what it means to be a virtuous engineer. After witnessing the effects of the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, India, Dr. Hausler realized that relatively simple engineering improvements could help reduce deaths and damage from earthquakes, hurricanes, and other disasters. She later founded Build Change, a nonprofit organization that designs disaster-resistant homes and schools and trains local communities to build more safely. The main question of the case is whether qualities such as technical competence, generosity, courage, urgency, tenacity, and justice are professional virtues that all engineers should cultivate. This case highlights that engineering ethics is not only about avoiding wrongdoing; it is also about becoming the kind of person who uses technical expertise to help others flourish.