Ideas worth spreading

TEDxVirginiaTech

November 2016

|1M views

Science in service to the public good

Siddhartha Roy

We give scientists and engineers great technical training, but we're not as good at teaching ethical decision-making or building character. Take, for example, the environmental crisis that recently unfolded in Flint, Michigan -- and the professionals there who did nothing to fix it. Siddhartha Roy helped prove that Flint's water was contaminated, and he tells a story of science in service to the public good, calling on the next generation of scientists and engineers to dedicate their work to protecting people and the planet.

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxVirginiaTech, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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We give scientists and engineers great technical training, but we're not as good at teaching ethical decision-making or building character. Take, for example, the environmental crisis that recently unfolded in Flint, Michigan -- and the professionals there who did nothing to fix it. Siddhartha Roy helped prove that Flint's water was contaminated, and he tells a story of science in service to the public good, calling on the next generation of scientists and engineers to dedicate their work to protecting people and the planet.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxVirginiaTech, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

About the speaker

Environmental engineer

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Siddhartha Roy is an environmental engineer and research scientist, who works at the nexus of drinking water, public health and environmental justice. He and his team helped uncover the Flint, Michigan Water Crisis.

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