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More than a flock: Writing for and about sheep with empathy in contemporary Australian children’s literature
No full textThis project investigates how human-sheep relationships in contemporary Australian children’s literature may be analysed through a framework of empathy. Specifically, this project challenges perceptions of, and enhances empathy towards, sheep. The project includes a Young Adult (YA) novel entitled “More than a Flock” and an exegesis, both of which seek to liberate sheep from the margins of farmed animal stories. In the exegesis, I analyse a selection of Australian picturebooks and middle grade novels published between 2004 and 2024 that feature sheep, and I show how they rely on stereotypical representations of sheep as woolly commodities, counting devices, or as a being who possesses singular subjectivity. Informed by sheep cultural histories, literary animal studies scholarship, and my own immersion in the lives of sheep, the novel is crafted to encourage adolescent readers to reflect upon social justice issues from animal welfare and animal rights perspectives in relation to a domesticated, farmed species. As demonstrated by animal stories such as Black Beauty (1877), the representation of animals in literature is a powerful tool that can raise awareness about animals and enhance empathy toward the highlighted species. “More than a Flock” challenges the dominant discourse surrounding the stereotypical representation of sheep in Australian children’s literature by representing sheep as unique sentient beings who experience fulfilling lives. “More than a Flock” seeks to fill a gap in contemporary Australian children’s literature by providing, to my knowledge, the first YA novel that depicts the lives of sheep and the humans who exist alongside them while highlighting the ways humans use or exploit sheep. Another objective of the project overall is to encourage other writers to reconsider how they write about sheep within children’s literature
Home is where the heart is: The effects of nostalgia on tourist citizenship behaviour
No full textNostalgia, as a psychological phenomenon that reconnects tourists with memories and idealised homelands, serves as a potential antecedent to tourist citizenship behaviour. However, existing research has yet to elucidate its underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions. Grounded in Affective Events Theory, this study examines the mechanisms by which personal and historical nostalgia influence tourist citizenship behaviour via the mediation of place attachment and explores the moderating role of cultural proximity. It finds that both types of nostalgia positively impact tourist citizenship behaviour, with place dependence and place identity as mediators. Cultural proximity enhances only the links between personal nostalgia and tourist citizenship behaviour. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of nostalgia and tourist citizenship behaviour and provides practical insights for developing nostalgia-driven marketing strategies in tourism destinations
Joint trajectory and beamforming optimization for IRS-assisted multi-antenna UAV covert communications with a finite blocklength
No full textA novel intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted multi-antenna unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) covert communication (IRS-UAVCC) with a finite blocklength is studied, in which the IRS is exploited to enhance the covert transmission capability of moving multi-antenna UAV and weaken the detection capability of a warden. Our goal is to maximize the UAV covert transmission rate by jointly optimizing the multi-antenna UAV’s trajectory (UAVTR) and transmit beamforming (UAVTB), and the IRS’s phase shift matrix (PSM). To tackle this non-convex problem, we decompose it into three sub-problems. Firstly, the semidefinite relaxation (SDR) technique is employed to solve the two sub-problems of UAVTB and IRS’s PSM. Secondly, by applying the successive convex approximation (SCA) technique, the non-convex multi-antenna UAVTR optimization sub-problem is reformulated into a convex one. Finally, an efficient block coordinate descent (BCD) structure is proposed to obtain a suboptimal solution for the original optimization problem. To further reduce the complexity, a low complexity penalty dual decomposition with gradient projection (PDDGP) method is developed to obtain the optimal moving multi-antenna UAVTB and the IRS’s PSM. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed algorithm in IRS-UAVCC with a finite blocklength
Moving forward with Maboo Liyan Boorroo: River monitoring and communicating heritage and River Keeper Stories: Research workshop III summary report
No full textThis Report provides a summary of activities and outcomes from the Maboo Liyan Boorroo Workshop III, held in June 2025. Three community Workshops have been held, involving an external multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional research team (the research team) visiting and working with the Yurmulun Pandanus Park Community and the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council River Keepers. This visit followed two workshops with the community held in November 2021 (see Voices for the Martuwarra: Mapping Values with Fitzroy River Communities, 2021) and August 2022 (see Working together for Maboo Liyan Boorroo, 2022). This summary report provides detail on Workshop III discussions, activities and outcomes and outlines steps and responsibilities for building on the Workshop to grow River Keeper monitoring and storytelling
Supporting careers, strengthening institutions: A framework for understanding the careers of university professional staff
No full textIn recent decades, universities have undergone profound transformations shaped by globalisation, digital disruption, new accountability regimes, and shifting societal expectations. While considerable scholarly and public attention has focused on academic staff within these institutions, far less has been devoted to understanding the evolving roles and contributions of professional staff. This report addresses that gap by bringing much-needed visibility to the increasingly complex, strategic, and professionalised work undertaken by professional services staff in higher education. This report foregrounds the career trajectories and aspirations of university professional staff. It sheds light on the opportunities and constraints that shape their advancement. By tracing what these staff value such as security, mobility, autonomy and values alignment, and how manage they manage their complex needs, the report reveals the systemic conditions that enable, or inhibit, their careers. Investing in careers is not only a matter of equity and recognition, but also essential to institutional resilience, innovation, and long-term success. As higher education continues to evolve, professional staff must be recognised not just as enablers of academic work, but as professionals in their own right, with distinct careers, ambitions, motivations and contributions
A deep dive into taught postgraduates’ participation in work-integrated learning
No full textThis study draws on national data to explore postgraduate participation in different types of work-integrated learning (WIL) in Australia. Despite considerable interest in WIL engagement in higher education, research is primarily focused on undergraduates with relatively little known about participation in postgraduate cohorts and how this varies across disciplines. Consequently, this study analyses how 119,000 graduates of Australian postgraduate coursework degrees engaged in work-based WIL (e.g., internships/placements); non-workplace WIL (e.g., projects/consultancies) and global WIL experiences between 2020 and 2023. In addition to breakdowns by discipline and international/domestic student status, the study examines relationships between WIL engagement and personal, study and work-related factors. The findings provide educators and institutions with important benchmarks on WIL participation in different disciplines, including areas of growth and opportunities for improving access and engagement. Further, the study discusses potential ways to increase engagement in WIL to better leverage its capacity for building talent pipelines and enhancing career success
CuI-derived CuxO thin films development via thermal oxidation for lead-free perovskite solar cells
No full textThe development of low-cost, stable, and efficient hole transport layers (HTLs) is crucial to the advancement of lead-free perovskite solar cells. In this work, a solution-based oxidation process is employed to convert spin-coated copper iodide (CuI) films into mixed-phase copper oxide (CuxO) thin films comprising Cu₂O and CuO. Oxidation occurs under moderate temperatures (200–300°C), leading to uniform, compact, and highly conductive p-type films with tunable bandgaps. Structural, morphological, and optical analysis confirms successful phase transformation, and measurements of Hall effect reveal maximum mobility of holes of 26.7 cm2 V−1 s−1 for double-coated films annealed at 300°C. Device simulations via SCAPS-1D using these measured properties predict that CuxO HTLs can make high-efficiency lead-free perovskite solar cells with Cs₂AgBi₁−xSbₓBr₆ absorbers. While experimental device integration is yet to be demonstrated, this research lays the foundation for oxidized CuI-derived CuxO as a potential candidate inorganic HTL for green photovoltaics and offers thoughtful guidance for subsequent experimentation
Decarbonising the UK pulp, paper and printing sector: Balancing sustainability and global competitiveness through insights from LMDI and MRIO analysis
No full textThe United Kingdom\u27s pulp, paper, and printing sector (UKPPP) contributes ∼6 % of the nation\u27s industrial CO2 emissions. While these emissions have declined since 2000, mainly because roughly half its paper mills closed due to global competitiveness challenges, other factors influencing emission dynamics (e.g., carbon intensity, energy intensity, fossil fuel dependency, economic structure, and activities) remain quantitatively unevaluated in comparison to other top global PPP countries (TGPPP). Additionally, the UKPPP relies on imports from TGPPP. Yet, a comprehensive modelling of the ecological CO2 emission exchanges and a comparison of sectoral production structures and emission dynamics between these entities have not been conducted. This analytical gap hinders the gauging of the effectiveness of decarbonisation plans, impacting wider UK climate policy. Consequently, this paper employs a two-step, top-down modelling approach, utilising logarithmic mean divisia index and environmentally-extended multi-region input-output frameworks to examine the sectoral emission driving factors between 2000 and 2019. The analysis reveals that across the aggregate 20-year period, efficiency gains from improved energy intensity contributed minimally to emission mitigation, despite overall improvements in carbon intensity and reduced fossil fuel dependency, primarily induced by an increased proportion of solid biomass and biogas. Importantly, despite the UKPPP\u27s improved carbon intensity, CO2 emissions are effectively leaking to other TGPPP, with the exception of Russia, where the UK is a net exporter of emissions, highlighting a critical need to rethink current bilateral trading mechanisms. Macro-level sector-specific strategies encompassing new circular business models, supply-chain re-configurations, and consumption-based carbon budgeting to both decarbonise the UKPPP and keep it globally competitive are proposed
How climate for green initiatives drives eco-innovative and citizenship behaviours: The role of green engagement and green values
No full textPurpose This study proposes and tests the nexus between climate for green initiatives, green innovative behaviour, organisational citizenship behaviour for the environment, green work engagement, and individual green values. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted the explanatory research design, where data were gathered from 374 star-rated frontline employees at two different waves within a one-month interval. The data retrieved from the respondents were analysed using descriptive and inferential (partial least squares structural equation modelling) statistics. Findings The study revealed that a climate for green initiatives positively and significantly relates to green innovative behaviour and organisational citizenship behaviour for the environment. Also, the results revealed that green work engagement mediates the said relationships. In addition, individual green values significantly moderate the nexus between climate for green initiatives and organisational citizenship behaviour for the environment, but do not moderate the nexus between a climate for green initiatives and green innovative behaviour. Practical implications Managers should cultivate a strong green climate and actively engage employees in sustainability efforts, as doing so drives pro-environmental behaviours, especially among those with strong green values. Originality/value To the best of our knowledge, this study presents a pioneering investigation into the behavioural dynamics underpinning employee green behaviours, as well as brings to bear original insights that challenge the conventional wisdom and existing assumptions in the hospitality industry literature
More prioritisation on food security – Exploring what initiative leaders envision for a food secure regional Australia
No full textFood security is a particular challenge in rural, regional and remote locations due to complexities associated with food availability, access, utilisation, stability, agency and sustainability dimensions. Existing approaches, such as emergency food relief, have been found to inadequately address these challenges, suggesting that a comprehensive portfolio of solutions could be more effective. Understanding what food security initiative leaders operating in these areas consider important will help establish a shared goal to guide the development of a portfolio approach. This paper aimed to determine government and community-led food security initiative leaders\u27 visions of a food secure regional Australia. This qualitative study was conducted across inner regional, outer regional, remote and very remote townships in Western Australia. Participants\u27 perspectives of a food secure region were sought through semi-structured interviews. A total of 101 participants provided evidence for 148 food security initiatives. Many initiative leaders\u27 visions focused on improved access to food and education programs such as food growing and food literacy programs. Less emphasis was placed on solutions such as community-led food security action and advocacy for increased government support and funding. Participants typically described existing and siloed solutions that, despite their widespread implementation, have been critiqued for their inability to adequately address the complexities of food security. This suggests a disconnect between participants\u27 visions and a more effective portfolio approach. More time should be invested in enhancing community and interest holder’ understanding of systems change and a portfolio approach to bridge this gap