Engineering students represent UA at Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Competition
From left to right: Anthony Quear, Madison Richards, Faculty Advisor David Peters, Lana Tamim and Aidan Jardine represent the College of Engineering and Polymer Science at the Lockheed Martin Ethics in Engineering Competition.
The College of Engineering and Polymer Science participated in Lockheed Martin’s Ethics in Engineering Competition from Feb. 23-25, 2026, in Bethesda, Md. The ninth annual case competition brought together 72 university teams to address a real-world ethical and technological challenge focused on the command, control and communications (C3) component of a layered defense network designed to protect U.S. critical infrastructure from air and ground threats.
Teams were tasked with balancing artificial intelligence technologies with human-in-the-loop strategies to enhance emergency response and safeguard the 16 critical infrastructure sectors identified by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. During two days of presentations and deliberations, students demonstrated ethical reasoning, technical creativity and professional collaboration. The event reinforced the importance of ethical leadership in engineering while connecting classroom learning with complex, real-world challenges.
The University of Akron was represented by two teams and their faculty advisor, David Peters, assistant lecturer and advisory council member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering:
- Team Alpha: Lana Tamim, senior, computer science; and Aidan Jardine, junior, mechanical engineering
- Team Beta: Madison Richards, senior, civil engineering; and Anthony Quear, senior, mechanical engineering
Competition rules required teams of two students, guided by a faculty adviser, to analyze a detailed case scenario and develop a response that integrated ethical, technical and societal considerations. Teams had limited on-site preparation time before presenting their solutions in timed sessions judged by industry and academic experts. Evaluation criteria included clarity of ethical reasoning, feasibility of proposed solutions, teamwork and communication skills. Single-elimination rounds narrowed the field to a final group of high-performing teams, recognizing both principled decision-making and innovative thinking.
Students reflected on the value of the experience:
“The competition challenged us to think critically and ethically under pressure while collaborating with peers from across the country.”
“Navigating these ethical gray areas taught me more about leadership and integrity than any textbook ever could.”
“It bridged the gap between classroom theory and the real-world responsibilities we will soon face.”
“It was not just about equations; it was about applying critical thinking in a business setting and understanding the broader impact our design choices can have.”
Peters praised the students’ efforts. “I am very proud of our students and the results they achieved. They approached this complex ethical and technological challenge with thoughtfulness, creativity and professionalism,” he said. “We appreciate the support of the Co-op and Placement Program, the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the College.”
Media contact: media@uakron.edu