Join the Tech Ethics Conversation!

winners of hacking4humanity 2026 pose together for a picture
The Grefenstette Center for Ethics proudly supports faculty and student research and scholarship in the area of tech ethics. We encourage scholars to pursue any number of opportunities that we offer to learn more about the intersecting worlds of science, technology, and law and to engage more deeply in the ethical conversations happening at those intersections. 

Interested in getting involved? You can earn a Micro-credential in AI & Digital Ethics, develop research projects as a National or Undergraduate Research Scholar, present original research at our annual Tech Ethics Symposium, and invent meaningful policy and tech solutions to address AI injustices for our spring hackathon. Read more about how to become a part of the Grefenstette Center for Ethics below.

 

Ways to Get Involved

The Grefenstette Center for Ethics is proud to offer the AI & Digital Ethics Micro-credential. This three-course micro-credential program is open to all undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students. The micro-credential is comprised of two required courses - offered each semester by the Grefenstette Center - and a selection of electives that count for the third. This program can be completed fully asynchronously online, allowing people from all walks of life to gain a credential that can be applied in professional and educational contexts.

Learn more about the micro-credential and complete this form if you would like to be contacted about the program.

REQUEST INFORMATION ABOUT THE MICRO-CREDENTIAL

AI & Digital Ethics Micro-credential Required Courses

  • GREF 210/510: Artificial Intelligence Ethics 
  • GREF 250/550: AI and Society

AI & Digital Ethics Micro-credential Elective & Cross-Listed Courses

  • GREF 230/530: Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare 
  • GREF 270: Technology and Propaganda
  • CATH 365/GREF 365: Big Bang to AI: Science and the Catholic Worldview 
  • MDIA 325W/GREF 325: Ethical Use of AI in Today's Media 

View the University Catalog for full course descriptions.

Hacking4Humanity (H4H) is a tech and policy hackathon that offers students a new way to engage with real-world social problems that can be improved with novel technical and policy solutions.

Any undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled at a college or university in the Pittsburgh region can participate! Students compete in teams of 1-4 people in either the Tech track or the Policy track. Multiple cash prizes are awarded each year, with a Grand Prize of $1000 for the top finishers in each track!

The details of H4H 2027 are coming soon! Stay connected to receive updates on H4H and all Grefenstette Center for Ethics programs and events.

All undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit research posters to present at the annual Tech Ethics Symposium on any aspect of technology ethics! All accepted posters will receive an award to offset printing costs. On top of this award, accepted posters will compete for prizes in the Undergraduate and Graduate student categories.

Rules & Eligibility:

  • Complete the poster submission form and submit the poster by the deadline.
  • Submissions may come from individuals or teams. Only one poster per team. 
  • Poster size must be 36" x 44" 
  • Posters may come from any academic discipline. 
  • Any current undergraduate or graduate student, from any university, is eligible to submit a poster. 
  • If accepted, at least one author must be physically present to present the poster. 
  • Generative AI may NOT be used to create the poster. All posters will be scanned, and AI-generated posters will be disqualified.
  • The full list of guidelines, recommendations, and awards for this year's competition will be posted soon!

Interested in how AI is changing the world? Want to learn more about the ethical use of AI? Want to gain real-world research experience outside of a classroom setting? Apply to be an Undergraduate Research Scholar in the Grefenstette Center for Ethics for the 2026-2027 academic year!

Undergraduate Research Scholars work closely with Grefenstette Center staff and affiliated faculty to develop their research interests, present a poster at the fall Tech Ethics Symposium, participate in the spring hackathon, and engage in weekly conversations on tech ethics throughout the year! No previous experience with tech or tech ethics necessary. Duquesne University students from ALL disciplines are welcome!

Applications for the 2026-2027 Undergraduate Research Scholars program are closed. Stay tuned for next year's call for applications!

The Carl G. Grefenstette Center for Ethics in Science, Technology, and Law at Duquesne University invites scholars and researchers in the United States to apply for the Grefenstette National Research Scholars program for Academic Year 2026-2027. The National Research Scholars program is a small community of scholars from all backgrounds and traditions who come together monthly and discuss their research on the intersections of technology, society, and faith, broadly construed.

We seek seven scholars from all research areas to contribute to the conversation around the responsible use of digital technology and its intersection with religious and/or theological studies. Scholars may come from the academy or from industry (including tech and religious ministry), as long as the individual has a research interest and a plan to develop their research. PhD or terminal degree in one’s field is preferred but not required. Areas of study include but are not limited to critical AI/critical technology studies, responsible AI studies, ethics, religious studies, sociology of religion, intersectional approaches to technology and society, and theology.

The goal of the program is to cultivate a research cohort, to provide peer support, and to generate new and innovative research paths in the intersection of technology and religious studies, especially given the recent development of generative AI. All Scholars receive a stipend, participate in monthly discussions, and contribute their unique perspectives to a year-end virtual public roundtable.

Applications for the 2026-2027 National Research Scholars program are closed. Stay tuned for next year's call for applications!

The Digital Storytelling Lab (DSL) is an initiative of the Grefenstette Center for Ethics at Duquesne University and is funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment’s National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life. The goal of the DSL is to explore the role of technology in contemporary life by inviting young people to share their personal experiences of faith and spirituality, especially as those experiences intersect with emerging technologies. These narratives will be disseminated via the DSL’s digital platforms, creating a wide-ranging and nuanced vision of human relationships with technology and faith. 
 
The DSL aims to empower individuals to recognize the value of their stories, to see themselves as storytellers, and to help audiences understand the variety of ways in which faith and technology intersect today. The 2026-2027 DSL Student Fellowship position is open to all Duquesne University undergraduate and graduate students. In this project-based role, Student Fellows will support the work of the DSL by planning and carrying out in-person storytelling events, producing multimedia storytelling content, and regularly meeting with their DSL Staff Mentor throughout the year. 

Applications for the 2026-2027 DSL Fellows program are closed. Stay tuned for the next call for applications!
We are excited to announce the winners of the Second Annual Young Ethicist High School Essay Contest! The top finishers for the 2025-2026 academic year submitted essays that were well written and engaging and substantively addressed the question, “How do we stay human in the age of AI?" These essays provided unique insight into the ethical concerns that AI raises across a variety of timely and important topics.
 
2025-2026 Young Ethicist Award Winners

Submissions for the 2026-2027 Young Ethicist High School Essay Contest will open this fall. Stay connected to receive updates on this contest and all Grefenstette Center programs and events!