By using this system, you are participating in a National Science Foundation funded research project being conducted by the PlexLab at New Mexico State University and The Future Technologies of Emergency Management At Rochester Institute of Technology. The following explains your involvement in the study:

Introduction

The purpose of this sheet is to provide you information that may affect your decision as to whether or not to participate in this research study. If you decide to participate in this study, this form will also be used to record your consent. By coming to one of our live streams and typing commands and opinions into the chat window, you are consenting that the content you type into the chat window will be recorded. While this will be captured with your username at the time, we will remove your username from any identifiable information before storing it.

We are using a new tool we have developed that will allow all of you to participate in the rapid prototyping of new technologies for Emergency Management. You have seen our advertisement in and around Emergency Management spaces online.

What will I be asked to do?

If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to use versions of an interactive system to work with information. You will be asked to perform tasks that involve searching, collecting and organizing information resources from the web.

What are the risks involved in this study?

The risks associated in this study are minimal, and are not greater than risks ordinarily encountered in daily life.

What are the possible benefits of this study?

If successful, this study may contribute to our understanding of what kinds of technologies could be useful in Emergency Management practice. For example, the outcomes of these sessions will inform my research group’s next project as well as provide a white paper and journal article for the fields in and around Computing, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and the future design of technologies that use those computational techniques.

Do I have to participate?

Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may refuse to participate in chat and can just watch as we work through several scenarios and prototypes.

Who will know about my participation in this research study?

The data collected in this research project will be kept confidential. Your identifying information will not be stored with the data; however, we cannot guarantee your confidentiality during the meeting due to the platforms involved and so others present may see your username. Reports of this study will not include individual data in any form through which you could be identified. Data from this study will be stored in the aggregate, scrubbed of dates, times, and usernames. No identifiable information (e.g., your name, contact information, will be collected of any kind.

Whom do I contact with questions about the research?

If you have questions regarding this study, you may contact Dr. Hamilton (bilhamil @nmsu.edu) or Dr. Lalone (njligm @rit.edu).

Whom do I contact about my rights as a research participant?

This research study has been reviewed by the Human Subjects’ Protection Program and/or the Institutional Review Board at Rochester Insitute of Technology. For research-related problems or questions regarding your rights as a research participant, you can contact Dr. Lalone (njligm @rit.edu).