Ethics
Terms of Reference. The Ethics Committee has responsibility within the EMS for matters of ethics and good practice. It promotes ethical behaviour in mathematical research and the wider mathematical environment. The remit of the Committee includes activities related to the publication and dissemination of mathematics, as well as to research, teaching and use of mathematics and the professional conduct of mathematicians.
The Committee is responsible for the following tasks: we use the term "ethics" in a broad sense, to include issues of integrity and good practice.
- To raise awareness of ethical issues as they pertain to the professional activities of mathematicians and to challenge unethical behaviour.
- To keep abreast of developments having an ethical component in relation to the professional activities of mathematicians, and the EMS, and to provide information and advice to the Executive Committee.
- To maintain and update documentation of the EMS related to issues of ethics.
- To provide a mechanism whereby mathematicians can ask the Committee to investigate claims of unethical behaviour against the Code of Practice for Mathematical Publication.
- To liaise with other EMS committees where appropriate, for example in designing documentation and addressing new issues as they arise.
The EMS Code of Ethics and its supporting documents, approved by the EMS Executive Committee, regulate the work of the Ethics Committee.
If you think you are a victim of unethical behaviour as described in the Code of Practice for Mathematical Publication or the EMS Policy on Conflicts of Interest, you may contact the Chair of the Committee.
Every EMS Committee has a liaison with the EMS Executive Committee. The current liaison for the Ethics Committee is Victoria Gould.
A document on the history of the Ethics Committee may be found here.