My research raises many safety concerns. I must ensure that experiments, particularly those involving high energy, radiation, or other hazardous materials, do not pose undue risk to researchers or to others, or to the environment. I also have to consider more long term, broader potential impacts of technological advances in my field. For instance, how can we balance the potential benefits of research for civilian applications like energy production, against the risks of its potential misuse for harmful purposes? Everyone knows that devastating harm that nuclear weapons can do.
My research involves experiments with animals like mice, rabbits, and pigs. The testing of new experimental medications in animals is necessary to ensure their safety before they are tested in humans. In the EU, there are strict regulations about animal experimentation in research based upon the ‘3 Rs’ principles. The 3Rs stand for:
As an historian, I face many ethical challenges when I’m conducting research. For instance, when I’m researching a sensitive topic, like war crimes during the second world war, is it always okay to name people if they are dead? Do the dead have rights to anonymity? How might their identification impact upon living relatives? Also, as this is a topic dear to my heart, should I try to minimise bias in my interpretation of events to make sure that I present a fair and accurate account? How am I supposed to do that?