Participants wanted for research into public views on mobile phonesand health

Dear group users,

I am a PhD student conducting research into public views on the topic
of mobile phone use and health.

The research will include a series of 5 online 'focus (lasting about
an hour in length). For this I am looking to recruit 12 members of
the public, who are interested in the issue of mobile phones and
health (but who do not class themselves as experts in this area).
They will be asked to look at some information on a website and then
engage in a discussion with other participants in a designated chat
room.

My research is interested in the issue of public engagement in science
and technology decision-making, and in particular with reference to
new technologies and their associated possible risks to health (in
this case mobile phones and EMFs).

I intend to set up an innovative form of the 'citizen's jury' method,
whereby members of the public can discuss issues which they feel are
pertinent, including mobile phone use, base station siting and debates
concerning the biological effects of RF radiation. (Please note I can
send more detailed information about the study if you should like to
know more).

Participants will be paid for their time.

Anyone interested in taking part in this research, please email me on
[email protected] or call me on 07727087065

Yours sincerely,

Simon Williams
PhD Researcher
Cardiff Institute for Society, Health and Ethics,
Cardiff University

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In message [email protected],
BGN <[email protected]> Proclaimed from the tallest tower:

> On Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:25:05 -0700 (PDT), Swills
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> My research is interested in the issue of public engagement in
>> science and technology decision-making, and in particular with
>> reference to new technologies and their associated possible risks to
>> health (in this case mobile phones and EMFs).
>
> Does your research really think that mobile phones are "new
> technologies" still?
>
> Do you live in a bunker with only a candle to light the empty space?

Depends on how you define 'new'.
It's still new technology compared to the internal combustion engine, TV or
even computers...

--
Regards,
Chris.
(Remove Elvis's shoes to email me)

On 20 Aug, 10:36, "ChrisM" <[email protected]> wrote:
> In message [email protected],
> BGN <[email protected]> Proclaimed from the tallest tower:
>
> > On Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:25:05 -0700 (PDT), Swills
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> My research is interested in the issue of public engagement in
> >> science and technology decision-making, and in particular with
> >> reference to new technologies and their associated possible risks to
> >> health (in this case mobile phones and EMFs).
>
> > Does your research really think that mobile phones are "new
> > technologies" still?
>
> > Do you live in a bunker with only a candle to light the empty space?
>
> Depends on how you define 'new'.
> It's still new technology compared to the internal combustion engine, TV or
> even computers...
>
> --
> Regards,
> Chris.
> (Remove Elvis's shoes to email me)


Thanks Chris and BGN -

Yes the term new was used rather vaguely here, but Chris is right in
that it is a RELATIVELY new technology, and one whose usage has grown
exponentially in the last decade or so - so I would say it is a
relatively new technology.

However, BGN in terms of my research, it is defined as new or rather
emerging, precisely because knowledge, or scientific consensus, on the
possible long term effects of mobile phone use (or EMF exposure
generally) is still far from being settled. This is where the ethical
consideration comes in, of whether and why we should rapidly roll out
a technology when the long term effects on health are unknown and
unpredictable. In turn, this is why it is a good subject for members
of the public to have their say.

So anyone interested in having their say - I would love to hear from
them to discuss their participation.

Also - BGN: Far from being a technophobic Luddite, I actually own two
mobile phones of my own, and would also find it pretty difficult to
post messages on this group, and indeed conduct online research, if i
did not own a computer. Thanks for the fair question though.

Regards,
S