Time & Ethics Matters

Privacy & Ethics Considerations

The Devising Infrastructure Strategy in Disruptive Futures study project adheres to the ethical guidelines outlined in the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council's National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007). The research project has ethics approval from the University of the Sunshine Coast Human Research Ethics Committee. The approval number is S221746 dated 31 August 2022.

If you participate in this research project, you will be asked to provide your consent, undertake some pre-workshop reading and complete two workshops with Richard MacGeorge, the Lead Researcher. You will be provided with a Research Project Information Sheet and consent form to complete if you agree to participate. Prior to the workshop sessions, expectations, methods, process and resulting reporting will be further outlined and any questions or concerns you have about the research will be addressed. 

The workshops are expected to be conducted online at a mutually convenient time. With your permission, meetings will be audio-recorded and transcribed. For invited collaborators who would like to be involved but cannot attend online an electronic in-person conversation can occur. To protect collaborator privacy, the data will be kept confidential, anonymized, and converted into narrative form in the research outputs. If names are mentioned, they will be replaced in the transcript of the workshop with pseudonyms. Before each workshop preparatory material will be provided as pre-reading for reflection. 

Though not expected, should there be any sensitive topics to be explored during the workshop these will be highlighted in advance of the workshop. The findings of the workshops will be shared with collaborators to check accuracy and to allow collaborators to comment. Preparation for the workshops will take less than one hour and the workshops will have a duration of two hours each. The workshops will be held in accordance with the format provided in the workshop details and questions listed there will be asked, but they may alter as the research goes on.  

Participation is voluntary and in your private capacity, though you are recommended to check your terms of employment to ensure your participation is not restricted by your employer. Participation, or not, is not expected to adversely affect your relationship with your employer, though if you believe there is a risk, this should be identified and discussed with the team and possibly your employer to find ways to ensure your protection. If you would prefer not to participate, you are welcome to propose an alternative candidate for consideration by the Lead Researcher as a participant in their place 

If you decide to take part and later change your mind, you are free to withdraw at any time up to the point at which data is aggregated and analysed for the project. Please contact the Chief Investigator to discuss withdrawal.  

Further details are enclosed in an invitation letter sent to potential collaborators.