Challenger Series
The Challenger Disaster: Communication, Culture and Ethics
THURSday, march 5, 2026
5:00-6:00pm
online via Zoom
40 years later, the Challenger disaster serves as a strong reminder that engineering errors are not solely caused by materials and design failures, but often by the failure of engineers and managers when faced with ethical dilemmas, contrasting organizational cultures, and ineffective communication.
Engineers acting in their professional capacity are responsible, above all else, for designing and delivering systems that are safe.
Can engineers ensure safety, with 100% confidence, in all environments?
Who should be aware of the risks, and when should they become aware?
What factors can and should influence decision making when safety is at risk?
In our open discussion of the Challenger, we will highlight influencing factors that impacted the ethical decision-making process, including engineering codes of ethics, communication styles, and organizational cultures. We will use these factors to encourage the audience to explore how these decisions are made today and how the increasing integration of AI into engineering contexts will affect ethical decision making.
SPEAKERS
Jennifer Braggin
Sr. Lecturer, The Gordon Institute, Tufts University
Jennifer Braggin has held various roles in technical marketing and engineering management where she focuses on improving semiconductor manufacturing yields, enhancing training efforts, and communicating technical achievements to a range of international clients and partners. Braggin graduated from the Tufts Gordon Institute with an M.S. in engineering management and received the program's outstanding student award. She also holds an M.S. in engineering science, microelectronics manufacturing from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a B.S. in materials science and engineering from Lehigh University. Braggin is currently a Director of Technology for Entegris, Inc., and teaches engineering leadership at the Gordon Institute.
Amy Hirschfeld
Distinguished Sr. Lecturer, The Gordon Institute, Tufts University
Amy Hirschfeld has more than 30 years of experience in writing, editing, publications production, and marketing. She has taught technical writing, public speaking, and business communication courses at Tufts University since 2001 and joined Tufts Gordon Institute in 2009, where she is a distinguished senior lecturer. Previously, she held positions with academic publishers, including the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Walter de Gruyter Publishers, and Brill Academic Publishers, where she served as the Marketing Director for North America. She has also worked as a professional archaeologist and served as the executive director of a non-profit organization focused on archaeological research.