Most Recent Publication
Shiekh, K., & Zhu, Q. (in press). Exploring how graduate engineering researchers approach AI sustainability: Perceptions, design considerations, and impact assessment. International Journal of Technology and Design Education.
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As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform society, growing attention is being paid to how its own development and deployment impact the environment. This study investigated how graduate engineering researchers perceive and integrate environmental sustainability into their work. Using a mixed-methods survey of 64 graduate students at a large US research university, we explored three areas for AI sustainability: students’ perceptions of AI sustainability, the factors they consider in AI design, and how they assess the environmental impacts of their research. Our findings revealed that while students largely viewed environmental sustainability as important, the majority did not evaluate the environmental effects of their work. This gap potentially stemmed from a mix of irrelevance, lack of knowledge, and limited institutional incentives. Most students prioritized performance and research goals over environmental considerations. However, many expressed interests in learning how to integrate sustainability more effectively into their practice.
Who We Are
The Laboratory for Normative & Cultural Studies of Emerging Technologies (LANCSET) at Virginia Tech is an open and inclusive community of scholars committed to critically engaging with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and quantum computing through ethical, cultural, and societal lenses. Our work is grounded in the belief that technologies are not neutral; they are shaped by and, in turn, shape the values, norms, and cultures of the societies in which they are developed and deployed.

​Normative Focus
We examine the ethical shaping and governance of technological development and deployment, investigating how responsibility, human flourishing, ethics literacy, and research security are enacted throughout the lifecycle of emerging technologies.

Cultural Focus
​Our cultural lens explores the values already embedded in technological and professional education systems and the ways their adoption reshapes practices, identities, and meanings. ​
​​If you are interested in exploring potential collaboration opportunities, please visit the Contact Us page to leave a message or send us an email. We thank you for your interest in our work and look forward to collaborating with you!