Hi everyone,
I am Sahajiya Nath, a PhD candidate in the Rhetoric and Writing program at Virginia Tech. I am conducting a research study as part of my doctoral work, under the direction of my faculty advisor Dr. Sweta Baniya, that explores how the academic institutions as well as government organizations disseminate legal and technical information to the dependents of international students (aka F-2 visa holders) that impact their lives. I am inviting participants to this IRB-approved study (25-1187) who are currently in or have ever been on F-2 visa. If this sounds like you, or if you know someone who might be interested, please feel free to share this information with them.
I will set up an individual interview with the participant via Zoom (approximately 45–60 minutes) as per their schedule. The interview will be loosely structured around questions related to these broader themes: visa application process, work, labor, identity, and accessibility.
This participation is voluntary. The participant may skip any question or stop at any time without penalty. The responses will be confidential—no names or identifying details will appear in any publications or presentations.
I request all interested participants to please fill out this initial contact form to start the discussion: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerdTEaBn72GQ4M1XEZmUTcGLxPOkAlPpBQog7IbuOa2ls3Mw/viewform?usp=dialog
Should you have any questions about the study, please contact me at sahajiya or Dr. Sweta Baniya at baniya. This study has been approved by the Virginia Tech Institutional Review Board. For questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the VT IRB at irb.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Sahajiya Nath
Sahajiya Nath
PhD Candidate, Rhetoric and Writing
Department of English | Virginia Tech
450 Shanks Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061
sahajiya | pronouns: she/her