If you are interested in participating in my research, you may be asking yourself: what are the benefits and what are my rights as an informant? Below I try to answer these questions.
Introduction
My name is Julia Chuang. I am an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland and I am conducting a study of data centers and their energy demands. The purpose of the study is to better understand what drives the clustering of data centers in specific regions of the U.S., and what trade-offs guide local governments’ decisions to pursue data center development.
Study Procedures: What will happen if you take part?
You are being asked to participate in this study because you currently work adjacent to this industry. Should you decide to participate in this study, we would request oneinterview with you, scheduled at your convenience. The interview will take via Zoom. Each interview will take approximately 1 hour. The interviews will include questions about your current workplace and your experiences in your job.
With your permission, I will audiotape and take notes during the interview. The taping is to accurately record the information you provide, and will be used for transcription purposes only. If you choose not to be audiotaped, I will take notes instead. If you agree to being audiotaped but feel uncomfortable at any time during the interview, I can turn off the tape recorder at your request. Or if you don’t wish to continue, you can stop the interview at any time.
If at any time throughout your participation you wish to stop, we can end the interview and you can cease participating in this study. Your participation in this research is voluntary, and there is no cost or penalty for refusing or ceasing participation in this study.
Benefits
Participation in this study may encourage a new awareness of how data centers are changing energy markets. There are no other direct benefits to participating in this study.
Risks/Discomforts
Participating in this study may involve some risk. First, you would lose the time you spend in interviews with me. However, I will be available for interviews at all times, so we can try to schedule interviews around your daily schedule. Second, as with all research projects, there is a small chance that the confidentiality of the information collected could be compromised, but I will take precautions to prevent this from happening.
Confidentiality: Who has access to the data?
You should be aware that I may also interview other members of your workplace, but I will not share any information about your involvement in my project with them.
I will keep all information you disclose to me confidential. I use a pseudonym in all written records of our interactions. I keep all information you disclose to me confidential. In the academic writing I produce from this research, I will only use your pseudonym. I only use your pseudonym in my notes, so that if any other respondents see my notes, they will not be able to read them or identify you.
I will keep one master-list of all participants in this study and their pseudonyms, but I will be the only person to have access to this list and I will destroy the list after the research has been completed.
When the research is completed, I may save the tapes and notes for use in future research done by myself or others. I will retain these records for up to 12 months after the study is over. The same measures described above will be taken to protect confidentiality of this study data.
Questions
If you have any questions about your rights and treatment as a participant in this research, please contact:
- Professor Julia Chuang by email at jchuang1@umd.edu or by phone at (571)332-5043
2112 Parren Mitchell Art-Sociology Building
3834 Campus Dr.
College Park, MD 20742
- The UMD Institutional Review Board at
University of Maryland College Park
Institutional Review Board Office
1204 Marie Mount Hall
College Park, Maryland, USA 20742
E-mail: irb@umd.edu
Telephone: 301-405-0678
IRBNet ID# 2211559-1
By proceeding with this study, your willingness to participate in this research study is implied.