Observations on the responsible development and use of computational models and simulations

Area of Science:

• Scientific computing
• Research ethics

Background:

• Traditional research ethics primarily address laboratory experiments.
• Computational modeling and simulation are increasingly vital research methods, rivaling experimentation.
• Existing guidelines for responsible conduct of research inadequately cover computational approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify ethical responsibilities for researchers involved in computational modeling and simulation.
• To gather expert recommendations for guidelines specific to computational research.
• To define the professional duties of both developers and users of computational models.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving interviews with nineteen experts in computational modeling and simulation.
• Analysis of expert experiences to identify ethical issues and gather recommendations.
• Synthesis of findings to delineate responsibilities for developers and users.

Main Results:

• Identified distinct ethical responsibilities for developers and users of computational models.
• Examined the ethical considerations surrounding the disclosure of computational codes.
• Provided strategies for minimizing potential harms arising from the improper application of computational models.

Conclusions:

• Researchers developing and using computational models have specific ethical obligations.
• Clear guidelines are needed for code disclosure and responsible model application.
• Addressing these responsibilities is crucial for maintaining research integrity in computational science.