Avy

     My name is Brian Gehring and I am a member of the MSOEE program at APU. I am conducting research for my Master’s Thesis in Outdoor and Environmental Education over the coming winter season from February through May. I am requesting your voluntary participation in my research. You may choose to stop your participation at any time without penalty. I expect that your participation will take approximately five to ten minutes to complete.
     The research study will examine risk taking behavior of backcountry users while recording meaningful demographics and specifics about specific behaviors related to the exposure, assessment, and preparedness of avalanche danger. The study seeks to answer what tools and skills are being utilized by the backcountry user. Surveys and mechanical counters will provide primary data collection.
     Participant confidentiality will be protected throughout this research study. Data will be kept confidential as surveys will be destroyed after the data is recorded in electronic format. Afterwards, data and individual responses will only be identified by random number assignment. Contact information, if given by participant, will be protected and only used by the primary researcher to provide access to follow up surveys, notification of prize selection, or to provide copies of final results. Identifying information and contact information will not be accessed by anyone other than the primary researcher. No names or identifying specifics will be published as a result of this research.
     This research study has been reviewed and approved by APU’s Institutional Review Board and is authorized by The United States Forest Service.
     A copy of this letter is yours to keep. If you have any questions about how this investigation is to be conducted please contact me: Brian Gehring, 907-564-8208, bgehring@alaskapacific.edu, 4101 University Dr, Anchorage, AK 99508. You can also contact my Thesis Chair: Eeva Latosuo, elatosuo@alaskapacific.edu , 907-564-8208.