Information Sheet for Survey Respondents

Welcome to the DIY Biology Survey. Thank you for your interest in participating in this project. Please read this information sheet carefully before deciding whether to participate or not. If you decide to participate in this survey, we thank you. However, if you decide not to take part, there will be no disadvantage to you of any kind and we thank you for the consideration.

What is the aim of this survey?
This survey is conducted by the Global Young Academy (GYA) in collaboration with Sunway University and funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. The aim of the survey is to explore the global landscape of DIY Biology and understand the challenges and opportunities in the field. We plan to use this information to inform policies that can help support the maximizing of benefits and minimizing of the associated risks related to the DIY Biology field.

Who are we looking for?
We seek people who know what DIY Biology is and are of ages 18 years and above and from any region of the world. We appreciate as many responses as possible to gather data on all regions.

What will participants be asked to do?
Should you agree to take part in this project, you will be asked to participate in an online survey consisting of mostly multiple-choice questions and some short answer ones. This online survey should take about 10-20 minutes depending on your reading speed and comprehension. The survey is divided into a few sections – (A) Introduction, (B) DIY Bio Community Lab-related Questions, (C) Regulation and Safety Questions, (D) Challenges and Future Prospects and (E) Demographic Questions.

What sort of data/information that will be collected and what will be the potential use of it?
The survey contains both general and specific questions regarding yourself and your activities in DIY Biology. No personal details such as email addresses or any other personal identifying information will be collected in this survey unless requested. All your responses are kept confidential and will only be assessed by the researchers in this project. Do note that the results of this survey will be stored by Sunway University and may be used in any future research or follow-up studies. Your anonymity will always be protected. The results stemming from this survey may be published in the form of report(s), journal articles and popular science journals or online articles.

Can participants change their mind and withdraw from the project?
You may withdraw from participation in the project at any time during the survey and without any disadvantage to yourself.
Will I suffer from risks and discomforts by participating in this research?
Given the nature of this study, it is highly unlikely that you will suffer harm or discomfort by taking part. This survey has been approved by the Sunway University Research Ethics Committee (SUREC2019/041) and is conducted in accordance with Sunway University’s Code of Practice for the Ethical Conduct of Research and the Research Governance and Integrity Policy. If you have any concerns about the ethical conduct of this research, you may contact the Committee through the Research Ethics Committee Administrator (+603-74918622 ext 7546). Any issues you raise will be treated in confidence and investigated and you will be informed of the outcome.

Will I benefit from participating in this research? 
You will receive NO DIRECT BENEFIT from this research. However, your contribution to this research will aid in the future development of policies that may indirectly benefit your research and interests in the DIY Biology field as well as protect the society and environment.

Will I receive any compensation from participating in this research?
No financial reimbursements or recruitment incentives will be given to participants.

How is the anonymity and confidentiality of data collection and records protected?
All information which is collected through the survey will be kept strictly confidential, stored in a secure and locked office, and on a password protected database. Anonymized data may also be stored in data archives for future researchers interested in this area. If requested by you, your personal data (address, telephone number) will be kept after the end of the study so that we are able to contact you about the findings of the study and possible follow-up studies (unless you advise us that you do not wish to be contacted).  All research data will be kept securely for 7 years.  After this time your data will be disposed of securely.  During this time all precautions will be taken by all those involved to maintain your confidentiality, only members of the research team will have access to your data.

What if participants have any questions?
If you have any questions about our project or with regards to this survey and/or ethics-related enquiries, please contact:

Professor Dr Abhi Veerakumarasivam                       
Principal Investigator                                                  
abhiv@sunway.edu.my 
+603-7491 8622 ext 7175 

The research summary will be available in due time and if you wish to be updated with the outcomes of this research, you will be given an option to enter your email address at the end of the survey.

By clicking next, you have read the disclaimers above and consent to participate in this research study.

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