Sarah G. Moreno

AI ethicist and educator with a background in psychology

I am an interdisciplinary professional with a strong academic and applied, practical background in technology ethics, psychology, and responsible innovation. In my current role at RWTH Aachen University, I have accumulated four years of experience publishing and presenting research on ethical AI education governance and standards, independently conducting systematic literature analysis and data analyses, and teaching in a higher education institution. Above all, I am passionate about acquiring and sharing knowledge, as well as making AI ethical and responsible through appropriate governance.

Areas of specialization: technology/AI ethics, human–technology/AI interaction, moral psychology, education

Canadian / American / Romanian citizen

I have lived, studied, and worked in the USA, Canada, and Germany.

I speak English natively and Spanish fluently. I also speak some German, Romanian, and French.

Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages self-assessment:

Language	Understanding		Speaking		Writing
Language	Listening	Reading	Production	Interaction	Writing
English	Native language
Spanish	C1	C1	C1	C1	B2
French	B1	B1	A2	A2	A2
German	A2	B1	B1	B1	A2
Romanian	B2	B1	B1	B1	A2

Language	Understanding		Speaking		Writing
Language	Listening	Reading	Production	Interaction	Writing
English	Native language
Spanish	C1	C1	C1	C1	B2
French	B1	B1	A2	A2	A2
German	A2	B1	B1	B1	A2
Romanian	B2	B1	B1	B1	A2

My most immersive hobbies revolve around books (reading, writing book reviews, and creating BookTok content), but I also love traveling, dancing, and listening to live music. I actively seek out experiences that expose me to the world’s rich diversity and allow me to continue learning.

Work Experience

08.2022–Present
Aachen, Germany

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant (in AI Ethics) at Gender and Diversity in Engineering (GDI) Research Group, RWTH Aachen University

Preparing written publications on education, AI ethics, and ethical AI use for scientific conferences and journals
Conducting qualitative data analysis using MAXQDA
Designing class content, discussions, evaluations, and examinations to provide engineering master’s students with sufficient psychological, sociological, and ethical knowledge to apply diversity analyses to real engineering applications
Compiling and presenting lectures within my research and educational expertise (e.g., AI ethics, social robot diversity analysis)
Presented work at academic conferences: CDIO 2024 in Tunisia and University: Future Festival (U:FF) 2023 in Germany

07.2021–06.2022
Aachen, Germany

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant (in Human–Robot Interaction) at Individual and Technology (iTec) Chair, RWTH Aachen University

Aided in psychological literature research, edited publications, and prepared lecture material for the chair’s psychology courses
Prepared online surveys and recruited hundreds of study participants
Assisted in the organization of and attended the 12^th biannual Media Psychology Conference in 2021

06.2018–10.2020
Montreal, Canada

Software Business Consultant at Munvo Solutions Inc.

Led client meetings to gather digital marketing automation requirements
Prepared technical and non-technical documentation of client requirements, processes, and tutorials for internal and external use
Scripted and recorded software tutorials for an Adobe Campaign online learning platform

01.2013–08.2017
Bloomfield Hills, USA

Tutor at Student Connection

Designed lessons for small groups or one-on-one in Spanish as a foreign language, English literature, biology, math, and ACT/SAT
Tutored disadvantaged youth after school in downtown Detroit
Improved students’ ACT scores by up to 10 points (out of 36) and school grades by up to 20% in a matter of months

Publications

2026

Mirsch, M., Moreno, S. G., & Leicht-Scholten, C. (2026). Algorithmic Oppression. [Manuscript in preparation]. Gender and Diversity in Engineering Research Group, RWTH Aachen University.

Mirsch, M., Moreno, S. G., Schultz, B., & Leicht-Scholten, C. (2026). Responsible engineering in the age of AI: The value of responsible AI education from engineering students’ perspectives. SEFI Journal of Engineering Education Advancement, 3(1), 6–51. https://doi.org/10.62492/sefijeea.v3i1.48

Being a critical enabler of research and development, data-driven systems like Artificial Intelligence (AI) are increasingly relevant to engineers. Due to their generalizability and wide-ranging functionality, they are closely interwoven with social developments. With it comes the responsibility for instilling the right values and the need to gain knowledge of AI and its implications for society. A master’s seminar at RWTH Aachen University trained engineering students in Responsible AI (ethical, social, and legal concerns with respect to AI) within engineering. To complement perspectives from industry and accreditation boards, we investigated students’ reflection papers on the course to determine the relevance that engineering students give to their Responsible AI education. We found that prior to the seminar, students lacked knowledge about AI applications in engineering and assumed that technology (including AI) was neutral and unbiased. Yet after the seminar, students reported having corrected these assumptions. They expressed their positive beliefs about the importance of Responsible AI education in engineering, insisting that future engineers should consider the sociotechnical context of their work. This paper presents the results of the reflection paper analysis to address why engineering students see learning about Responsible AI, including its sociotechnical context, as relevant for their future careers.

Keywords: Responsible AI, Ethical AI, AI Education, Machine Learning, Engineering Education, Engineering Ethics

2024

Decker, M., Schleiss, J., Schultz, B., Moreno, S. G., Stober, S., & Leicht-Scholten, C. (2024). Towards responsible AI – Competencies for engineers: An explorative literature review on existing frameworks. Proceedings of the 52^nd Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI 2024), Lausanne, Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14256815

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) underscores the critical necessity for engineers to comprehend their responsibilities in AI use and development. This imperative requires equipping engineers with the requisite skills and knowledge to address societal challenges while ensuring that AI technologies are harnessed for societal benefit and mitigating potential risks. To support educators and course developers in identifying relevant competencies, the Responsible AI Competencies for Engineers (RAICE) framework is currently being developed collaboratively among educators, engineers, mathematicians, sociologists, and ethicists. This practice paper reports a work-in-progress based on our first explorations. In particular, we focus on Responsible AI (RAI), connected competencies, and their importance within the engineering domain. This paper answers how competencies of RAI are addressed in current frameworks for AI and ethics in general and for engineers. We report preliminary results from existing Responsible AI and engineering ethics frameworks and outline our research approach toward defining a competence framework that can guide engineering educators in developing novel learning experiences on Responsible AI and integrate these into their programs and courses.

Keywords: Responsible AI, Engineering Education, Ethics, Competencies, Responsible Research and Innovation

Conference Theme: Educating Responsible Engineers

Moreno, S. G., Decker, M., & Leicht-Scholten, C. (2024). Implementing AI ethics education: Engineering competencies for sustainable societal impact. Proceedings of the 20^th International CDIO Conference, Tunis, Tunisia, 643-660. https://doi.org/10.18154/rwth-2024-12103

The societal impact of engineering practices demands a profound sense of responsibility among engineers to tackle global challenges, yet necessary skills related to ethics, sustainability, and teamwork remain generally weak among engineering professionals. An interdisciplinary course can act as a springboard for integrating transferable skills and knowledge recommended by CDIO into engineering education. A master’s seminar at RWTH Aachen University is training engineering students on ethics, responsibility, and sustainability in the context of Artificial Intelligence (AI), topics which are requisite for engineers to understand societal needs and their active role in society. Through active and integrated learning, this course provides students with a holistic view of technology embedded within the diverse societal contexts. While evaluating students’ anonymized reflection papers using Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA), we found that many students appreciated the unique seminar structure, and the seminar topics. We speculate that interest in the course and creative freedom, among other factors, may have fostered deeper engagement and plans for lifelong learning. Many students considered this course an “eye opener” since it introduces them to interdisciplinary and holistic thinking. This paper presents the course structure, methodology, and findings from a QCA of students’ reflections to approach the following research question: What competencies from CDIO Syllabus 3.0 can be acquired in an interdisciplinary course for engineers such as this seminar on AI ethics, and how? We also discuss planned improvements based on student feedback, which adds to the discourse on how to best implement an interdisciplinary course that accomplishes several CDIO Syllabus objectives and Standards.

Keywords: AI, Ethics, Engineering, Sustainability, Competencies

Conference Theme: Engineering Education in the Era of AI

Conference Presentations

2024

Moreno, S. G. (2024, June 10–13). Implementing AI ethics education: Engineering competencies for sustainable societal impact [Paper presentation]. 20th International CDIO Conference, Tunis, Tunisia.

2023

Moreno, S. G. & Decker, M. (2023, April 26–27). ChatGPT offers opportunities in AI ethics education [Conference presentation]. University: Future Festival (U:FF) 2023, Heilbronn, Germany.

Master Thesis: News on Social Media

My master thesis, titled “Morally Distressing News and the Tragedy of the Social Media Commons,” consisted of an ethical analysis grounded in psychology and philosophy. It was completed at RWTH Aachen University in 2025.

Abstract & Keywords

Around half of the world’s population deliberately accesses news on social media (SM) while a quarter encounters news incidentally. Much of this news, including news about mass shootings and femicides, constitutes morally distressing news (MDN). However, while MDN demands normative attention and engagement, it is also prone to causing moral desensitization when disseminated or consumed in excess, which can hinder appropriate, normative attention and engagement, thus impacting moral agency. Moral contagion, which describes the increased diffusion of moral content on SM as compared to amoral content, compounds the potential for moral desensitization to MDN on SM. This problematic state of MDN on SM causing mass moral desensitization should be framed as a tragedy of the social media commons (TSMC). I therefore explore the question of whether and how we should spread and consume MDN on SM such that moral desensitization can be avoided. We should continue to spread and consume MDN on SM because MDN demands normative attention and engagement, but we should reduce how much MDN we spread and especially how much MDN we consume such that we do not become inappropriately desensitized. This reduction should be achieved via communication and payoff matrix alterations. I present several such solutions, as well as the appropriate perspective from which to normatively attend to and engage with MDN on SM.

Keywords: Social Media, News, Moral Distress, Desensitization, Tragedy of the Commons, Applied Ethics

Brief Outline of Defended Claims

I explored the question of whether and how we should spread and consume morally distressing news (MDN) on social media (SM) such that moral desensitization can be avoided. My dissertation served to argue the following thesis: this problem of excess (dissemination / consumption of) MDN on SM, often resulting in moral desensitization, can be framed as a tragedy of the social media commons (TSMC) and should be solved via communication and changes to the payoff matrix. Thus, I defended the following claims:

MDN on SM can result in morally worrying desensitization due to excess (posting about and/or consumption of) MDN.
Moral desensitization can hinder appropriate, normative attention and engagement.
MDN demands normative attention and engagement.
Given claims 1–3, this morally problematic state of MDN on SM is best understood as a cooperation problem, either a coordination problem or a competition problem.
If this is a coordination problem, then it would be solved by communication; if it is a competition problem, then the solution would require changing the payoff matrix, though communication should also be part of the response.
It is most likely a competition problem, specifically a TSMC, since individual and group interests seem misaligned.
Given all the previous claims, we should continue to spread and consume MDN on SM because MDN demands normative attention and engagement, but we should reduce how much MDN we spread and especially how much MDN we consume such that we do not become inappropriately desensitized. This reduction can be achieved via communication and payoff matrix alterations. Specific solutions of these types were presented.

Formal Education

MSc (Master of Science) Computational Social Systems: Ethics of Human–Technology Relations major

This interdisciplinary MSc program blended courses from psychology, philosophy, and data science to enable my major study of the ethics of technology. It consisted of a minimum total of 120 ECTS.

Aachen, Germany
11.2020–07.2025

These courses are worth 0 ECTS but were nonetheless required.

Scientific Integrity
Practical Philosophy
Communication Psychology
Data Structures and Algorithms
Statistics

These courses were required regardless of the chosen major or electives.

Introduction to Algorithmic Societies (6 ECTS)
Ethics, Technology, and Data (5 ECTS)
Theories of CMC (computer–mediated communication) and HCI (human–computer interaction; 5 ECTS)
Research Project (16 ECTS)
Master Thesis & Colloquium (30 ECTS): See the master thesis for more details

These courses are each worth 5 ECTS.

Ethics and Epistemics of Social Media (Applied Ethics)
Ethics and Technologies of Manipulation (Applied Ethics)
Reflecting Human–Technology Interaction
Empirical Methods and Experiment Design in Psychology
Current Topics in Media Psychology
Social-Technical Change and Transformation Dynamics
Understanding Responsibility: Theory and Application (Applied Ethics)

I participated in a few additional applied ethics seminars out of interest, without the possibility of receiving credit for them since we were only allowed to receive credit for a maximum of 3 applied ethics courses.

Equality and Justice
AI Ethics — Current Topics

These courses are each worth 6 ECTS.

Introduction to Data Science
Social Data Science
Text Mining
Social Networks

BA (Bachelor of Arts) Psychology major, Computer Science minor

A BA from McGill consists of a total of at least 120 CP (approximately equivalent to 240 ECTS, where 1 McGill CP = 2 ECTS credits), of which a major concentration requires at least 36 CP and a minor concentration requires 18 CP.

Montreal, Canada
09.2014–06.2018

These courses are each worth 3 CP (6 ECTS). Click here for more details on this major.

PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology
PSYC 204 Introduction to Psychological Statistics
PSYC 215 Social Psychology
PSYC 211 Introductory Behavioural Neuroscience
PSYC 212 Perception
PSYC 213 Cognition
PSYC 305 Statistics for Experimental Design
PSYC 317 Genes and Behaviour
PSYC 331 Inter-Group Relations
PSYC 337 Introduction: Abnormal Psychology 1
PSYC 332 Introduction to Personality
PSYC 406 Psychological Tests
PSYC 436 Human Sexuality and Its Problems
PSYC 471 Human Motivation
PSYC 301 Animal Learning & Theory
PSYC 315 Computational Psychology
PSYC 333 Personality and Social Psychology

These courses are each worth 3 CP (6 ECTS) unless otherwise indicated. Click here for more details on this minor.

MATH 140 Calculus 1
COMP 202 Foundations of Programming
MATH 141 Calculus 2 (4 CP / 8 ECTS)
COMP 250 Introduction to Computer Science
COMP 206 Introduction to Software Systems
COMP 273 Introduction to Computer Systems
COMP 302 Programming Languages and Paradigms
COMP 303 Software Design

These courses are each worth 3 CP (6 ECTS) unless otherwise indicated.

AAAA 100 Academic Integrity Tutorial (0 CP though required)
PHYS 101 Introductory Physics — Mechanics (4 CP / 8 ECTS)
FRSL 101 Beginners French 1
FRSL 102 Beginners French 2
FRSL 208 Intensive Elementary French (6 CP / 12 ECTS)
FRSL 211 (D1 & D2) Oral and Written French 1 (6 CP / 12 ECTS)
FRSL 302 Listening Comprehension & Oral Expression 1

Skills & Tools

Some of my skills include academic writing (APA), literature research, adaptability, interdisciplinary teamwork, intercultural communication, critical thinking, and teaching.

I am well-versed in the use of advanced Microsoft Office Suite, Moodle (digital teaching platform), Citavi (citation management software), MAXQDA (qualitative data analysis software), HTML, and CSS.

Downloadable Files

Sample Presentations

Below, you may find links to view a short slide set (ChatGPT Talk) and a long slide set (Academic AI Workshop), each exhibiting content that I have researched and arranged for different presentation contexts. The former was designed for educators, while the latter was intended for students.

My colleague and I presented the first slide set, in which we introduced how ChatGPT could be used to teach students about AI ethics, at the University: Future Festival (U:FF) conference in Germany in 2023.

The second slide set was developed in 2025 for a workshop on AI that can be used in an academic setting. I personally prepared content on the academic writing process, various AI tools that could be used during this process, the risks of heavy dependence on AI, and how to use AI responsibly and intelligently with these risks in mind.

ChatGPT Talk (short, 2023)

Academic AI Workshop (long, 2025)