This April, we had the pleasure of hosting Mikael Laaksoharju from Uppsala University for a two-day seminar on research ethics. While the group of attendees – consisting of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers – was small, the conversations were anything but. The intimate setting created space for engaging discussions and critical reflection.
On day one of our seminar at the Visualization Research Center, we dove into research integrity and ethical principles in academia. Day two shifted the focus to the ethics of technology. Mikael led the sessions with an engaging mix of lectures, open discussions, and hands-on exercises that challenged us to think deeply about our roles as researchers.
One of the highlights was an exercise where we were asked to create a “provocatype” of a visualization. A “provocatype” is a design artifact that aims to provoke discussions and reflections by, for example, highlighting the tension between competing values. While the exercise was not easy, it was certainly an enlightening way to examine the moral dimensions of our work.
What struck me most during all our discussions on research ethics was a simple yet powerful idea: ethics is about responsibility. While research might seem a lonely endeavor at times, it isn’t when you consider everyone who makes your research possible. From the feedback, ideas, and support you might get from your colleagues and thesis advisor to the reviewers who voluntarily scrutinize your work. And we can’t forget that research funds are often made possible by tax payers. Since my work isn’t possible without all these actors, I have a responsibility towards all of them to do honest, transparent research and ask research questions that benefit the public. This seminar was a reminder that ethics isn’t just a checkbox – it’s one of the foundations of good science.
Mikael Laaksoharju is an associate professor at the Department of Information Technology of Uppsala University where he researches and teaches computer ethics, HCI and interaction design: https://www.uu.se/kontakt-och-organisation/personal?query=N8-292
The seminar on research ethics took place from April 2 to April 3, 2025, as part of the qualification program of the SFB-TRR 161 graduate school.
