Rosalyn W. Berne

Rosalyn W. Berne is the Anne Shirley Carter Olsson Professor of Applied Ethics and Chair of the Department of Engineering and Society at the University of Virginia's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She holds a B.A. (1979), M.A. (1982), and Ph.D. (1999) in Communication Studies and Religious Studies-Bioethics from the University of Virginia. Her research bridges ethics, emerging technologies, science fiction, animal welfare, and the intersection of human and non-human worlds. She directs the Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science (OEC) and leads the Engineering Character Strength Initiative.

Her notable roles include Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Institute for Shipboard Education (2009–2011), Director of the National Academy of Engineering's Center for Engineering Ethics and Society (2018–2020), and advisory positions with the Lemelson Foundation, Kern Family Foundation, IEEE, and National Academies. She currently serves on the Ethics Committee of the American Society for Engineering Education and the Editorial Board of Virtues and Vocations.

Rosaleyn's research interests emphasize ethics in engineering practice, bio/nanotechnology, and education. Her books include Nanotalk (2006), Creating Life from Life (2014), and Animals, Ethics, and Engineering (2025). She has also authored award-winning science fiction and body-mind-spirit literature, including When the Horses Whisper (2013) and Waking to Beauty (2016).

Her teaching spans courses on engineering ethics, science fiction's role in technology, and STS practices. Recent grants include the NSF-funded Transforming Ethics Education project and the Educating Character Initiative Capacity Building Grant. She advocates for ethical foresight in technology development and the integration of character education in engineering.