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Geospatial Approaches to Enhancing Urban Flood Resilience in Auckland, New Zealand: Implementation of Innovative Mitigation Strategies
No full textFlooding is a major threat to urban resilience, particularly in rapidly urbanising coastal cities like Auckland, New Zealand, where urban growth and climate shifts increase flood risks. This study addresses the gap in integrating multi-criteria decision-making tools with Geographic Information System to enhance flood resilience strategies. A novel combination of the Analytic Hierarchy Process and spatial analysis was used to develop a high-resolution flood susceptibility model, analysing seven key factors, including slope, land use, rainfall intensity, and drainage density. The results show that 16% of Auckland is highly susceptible to flooding, 63% moderately susceptible, and 21% at low risk. The model, validated against historical flood data, demonstrated 82.98% accuracy. These findings offer actionable insights for urban planners, enabling dynamic floodplain management and real-time decision support systems. This research provides a framework for sustainable urban planning and disaster mitigation, advancing both theoretical and practical approaches to flood resilience
Person, Paideia, Politeia: The Person, Education, and Politics in Person-Centered Psychology
No full textThis article, based on a keynote speech delivered at PCE2024 in Athens, Greece, aims to strike some keynotes on the theme(s) of the conference, that is, person, paideia (education), and politeia (politics). Despite its centrality to person-centered psychology, the concept of the person is under-theorized. First, expanding on Schmid’s identification of two strands in Rogers’ thinking about the person (the individualistic and the relational), the article explores the contextual person, that is a person who is inevitably embedded in a number of contexts, not least their culture. Second, the article revisits the radicalism of Rogers’ ideas about education, including that of educating therapists, and considers this in the light of the pressures on training as manifested in neoliberal institutions–and institutes–of education/training. Third, the article considers person-centered politics, specifically, the politics of theory, and how person-centered psychology can represent itself externally with more coherence and confidence–for the betterment of people, education and the (political) world. Notwithstanding this presentation as a journal article, its style retains something of the directness of the original form in addressing the original in-person and online audience–and, now, the reader
Overlooked by Design: Challenges and Opportunities of Incorporating Human-Centred Perspectives and EDI in IT Development In the AI Boom
No full text[from Introduction] Over the past decades, Information Technology (IT) has transformed nearly every aspect of daily life, changing how people communicate, learn, work, and socialise. IT systems are now deeply embedded in everyday routines, from widespread internet access and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to essential tools such as Gmail, WhatsApp, and online shopping services (Campbell-Kelly et al.). How-ever, a problem remains: the frequent oversight of Human-Centered De-sign (HCD) in IT development. Historically, IT development has focused more on technical performance, efficiency, and rapid deployment— often at the expense of considering user perspectives (Cajander). Integrating Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles into IT development amplifies these challenges. In this chapter, “integrating EDI into AI” refers to the deliberate embedding of equality, diversity, and inclusion considerations throughout data design, algorithm development, stakeholder engagement, and governance, to ensure that AI systems mitigate bias and serve diverse communities fairly. And yet, integrating EDI is vital to prevent technology from perpetuating or exacerbating structural inequities, particularly for marginalised communities
Preserving Tradition Amidst Modernity: The Hybridity of Food Practices
No full textTraditional socio-cultural practices surrounding food, vital for cultural preservation and continuity, are increasingly contested due to modern influences such as globalisation and economic growth. These shifts can significantly impact consumption routines and disrupt long-held traditions. While such lifestyle and food-practice shifts can threaten consumers’ sense of ontological security, more attention is needed to understand how these contestations are negotiated and managed. Drawing on theories of practice, we explore how consumers negotiate contestations amid the tensions arising between tradition and modernity. This ethnographic study of 31 middle-class households in India reveals how consumers actively (re)configure material and competence-based elements of food practices to preserve traditional meanings while negotiating modern influences. This study offers theoretical insights into the hybridisation of practices, illustrating how consumers fluidly adapt to sustain cultural continuity and restore ontological security
Examining the CRAFT Program’s Impact on Student Musicians’ Well-Being Compared to Controls
No full textConsciousness, Relaxation, Attention, Fulfillment, and Transcendence (CRAFT) is a neuroeducational program for self-actualization, happiness, and well-being grounded in yoga, mindfulness, positive psychology, and emotional intelligence. The present study was devised to build on preliminary CRAFT research by examining the effectiveness of CRAFT to enhance tertiary students’ physical, psychological, and emotional well-being. Accordingly, tertiary student musicians (n = 93) were assessed on psychophysical measures before and after participating in a 3-arm non-randomized controlled trial—conducted once a week for 60–90 min over 7 months within courses based on CRAFT (CRAFT group, n = 28), Alexander Technique (active control group, n = 32), or regular music instruction (inactive control group, n = 33) at a higher conservatory. Measures included surveys of mindfulness, music performance anxiety (MPA), emotional regulation, well-being, and psychological distress, as well as tests of lower body balance and flexibility. Statistical and practical significance of the between-group differences in change scores was tested through planned contrasts and Cohen’s d ESs ± 95% CIs. CRAFT participants reported statistically and practically significant improved levels of overall mindfulness (d > 0.96), non-reactivity (d > 0.78), and left leg balance (d > 1.24) compared to active and inactive controls; observing mindfully (d = 0.68) and cognitive reappraisal (d = 0.79) compared to active controls; and right leg balance (d = 0.69), flexibility (d = 0.70), proximal MPA (d = −0.57), dread/scrutiny MPA (d = −0.69), depression (d = −0.73), anxiety (d = −0.68), and overall psychological distress (d = −0.65) compared to inactive controls. Notwithstanding some limitations, this study supported CRAFT as an effective intervention to multidimensionally enhance tertiary student musicians’ well-being and resilience. Larger multi-arm studies with students from other disciplines are needed to substantiate these findings
Comparative Effectiveness of Educational Interventions in Neurological Disease for Healthcare Workers and Students: A Systematic Review
No full textOBJECTIVES: To assess the comparative effectiveness of educational interventions in neurological disease for healthcare workers and students.
DESIGN: Systematic review.
DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase and Cochrane through to 1 June 2025.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Studies evaluating neurological disease educational interventions with a comparator group (observational cohort/randomised controlled trial (RCT)) were included.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-compliant systematic review was conducted (PROSPERO: CRD42023461838). Knowledge acquisition and educational methodologies were collected from each study. Study outcomes were classified using the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick four-level model (learner reaction, knowledge acquisition, behavioural change, clinical outcome).1 Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for non-randomised studies and the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for RCTs.2 3
RESULTS: A total of 67 studies involving 4728 participants were included. Of these, 36 were RCTs, and 31 were observational studies. Virtual interventions were the most common (67.2%, n=45 studies), primarily targeting either medical students (46.3%, n=31 studies) or specialists (40.3%, n=27 studies). Overall, 70.1% (n=47) of studies demonstrated outcomes in favour of the intervention. However, few studies used K&K level 3/4 outcomes, with two studies evaluating behaviour change (level 3) and three assessing clinical outcomes (level 4 combined with other levels). No study exclusively assessed level 4 outcomes. Meta-analysis of 22 RCTs with calculable standardised mean differences (SMDs) (n=1748) showed a significant benefit of interventions (SMD 0.75, 95% CI 0.22 to 1.27, p=0.0056).
CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights a growing body of research particularly focusing on virtual techniques, specialist audiences and treatment-oriented content. Few studies assessed changes in practice or patient care. Non-specialists remain underrepresented. Future studies should prioritise assessing the clinical impact of educational interventions within non-specialist audiences
Managing Academic Integrity in the AI Era: A Project Management Lens on Academic Integrity
No full textThis study investigates how AI-integrity initiatives are put into practice in higher education by focusing on IT project management, governance, and the delivery of educational technology. It explores the development of the Egg & Basket Quiz prototype as an example of technology-based learning intervention, while also addressing gaps in institutional policy and integrity. The research uses a mixed methods design to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from 25 students and 3 faculty members. The results reveal that AI is frequently used, with 72% of participants using it weekly. There is also uncertainty about institutional rules, which points to project risks related to governance, ethical compliance, and stakeholder involvement. The study is framed as a project of organizational change and digital transformation, based on PMBOK principles for managing risks and stakeholders, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for user engagement, and insights from academic integrity literature. The findings show that adopting AI-integrity requires careful planning, leadership, stakeholder involvement, risk management, and step-by-step solution development, which are all key elements of IT project management. This research offers a project-management perspective on implementing ethical AI-integrity initiatives in higher education
Reciprocity: Finding the Right Balance in Work-Integrated Learning
No full textThe debate surrounding financial support in work-integrated learning (WIL) has intensified. This paper explores whether paying all placement students is both sustainable and equitable. Through duoethnographic narratives from WIL educators, it examines contemporary experiences and perceptions of payment and value. For WIL relationships to be meaningful, agreements between students and organizations must be mutually beneficial. The paper examines how this mutuality might be achieved by rethinking the notion of ‘payment.’ Drawing on indigenous Māori knowledge systems of value, it introduces concepts of utu and koha, to shift focus from transactional payment to relational value. Embracing reciprocity in WIL fosters a spirit of collaboration and unity, emphasising the significance of relationships and shared commitments. Further embracement of the foundational frameworks associated with utu challenge traditional transactional mindsets, advocating for a more holistic, culturally sensitive, values-based approach to financial support in the context of learning and professional development
Adjustment of the Surface Wettability of Cellulose-based Aerogels Derived From Harakeke and Their Application in Oil/Water Separation
No full textThe increasing incidence of marine oil spills poses a significant threat to both marine ecosystems and human health. Among the various methods for oily wastewater treatment, adsorption is considered as the most promising solution due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and high efficiency. Consequently, the development of high-performance, environmentally-friendly oil adsorbing materials for the removal and recovery of spilled oils have attracted substantial research interest. Cellulose-based aerogels as an emerging class of porous materials, exhibit promising properties, including ultra-low density, high porosity, and high specific surface area, making them particularly effective for adsorbing oily pollutants from wastewater. These characteristics position cellulose-based aerogels as promising candidates for widespread applications in oil spill remediation. However, there still exist some problems for the current reported cellulose-based aerogels, such as the complicated fabrication process, difficulty in recycling, and their inferior mechanical robustness, which limited their practical applications.
Harakeke, or known as Phormium tenax is a monocotyledonous plant with long leaves, endemic to New Zealand and Norfolk Islands. It is a culturally significant source and treasure to Māori, and used to be the important export goods in New Zealand. However, in contemporary times, harakeke is primarily cultivated for landscaping purposes. The objective of this thesis is to assess the potential of using harakeke fibre as precursor material to fabricate cellulose-based aerogels. If harakeke fibre can be processed to fabricate cellulose-based aerogels through appropriate process, it could not only serve as an efficient and environmentally friendly adsorbent for oily wastewater remediation, but also create a new avenue for the comprehensive utilisation of the traditional harakeke plants.
Based on the above hypothesis, this thesis investigates the use of raw harakeke fibre as starting material for the fabrication of cellulose-based aerogels, explores their surface modification methods, and evaluates their performance for oil adsorption. The main findings of this thesis are as follows:
(1) A sequential chemical purification process was applied to raw harakeke fibres, involving treatment with acidic sodium chlorite solution to remove lignin, followed by potassium hydroxide solution treatment to remove the hemicellulose. This process successfully extracted pure cellulose fibres with an average diameter of 14.54 μm from the raw harakeke fibres. Additionally, it was determined that cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) with an average diameter of 61.54 nm could be obtained from the extracted cellulose fibres through a simple ultrasonication treatment using a probe ultrasonicator at an output power of 1500W.
(2) Superhydrophobic cellulose-based aerogels were successfully prepared by first freeze-drying the harakeke-derived CNFs to obtain the pristine cellulose aerogels, followed by gas phase surface modification using methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) through chemical vapour deposition (CVD). The aerogel became superhydrophobic with water contact angle of 153° after silane modification. The structure and properties of CNF aerogels before and after modification were characterised by various methods, and the mechanism of gas phase modification using MTES was systematically studied. The oil sorption capacity of modified aerogels ranged from 90 to 146 g/g for various oils and solvents. The kinetic study results indicated the oil adsorption process of this aerogel obeys the pseudo-second order kinetic model.
(3) Based on the aforementioned aerogel preparation method, superhydrophobic, magnetic aerogels were prepared from harakeke raw fibres to address the challenge of difficulty in recycling the oil saturated aerogels. Fe3O4 nanoparticles were deposited on the surface of aerogels by adding them in the CNF water suspension before freeze-drying. After a subsequent silane hydrophobisation treatment, the resultant aerogel showed magnetic properties, superhydrophobicity (WCA=150.3°) and outstanding oil adsorption capacity (up to 113.49 g/g for silicone oil). it was found that the addition of Fe3O4 nanoparticles not only rendered the aerogel with magnetic properties, but also contributed to a higher hydrophobicity, which is ascribed to the increased surface roughness. The magnetic aerogels can be easily controlled to move using an external magnet which greatly facilitates the recycle process.
(4) In order to improve the mechanical robustness of cellulose-based aerogels, 1,2-Bis(trimethoxysilyl)ethane (BTMSE) and MTES were added into the CNF suspension as crosslinker and hydrophobic modifier, respectively. Directional freeze-drying was applied to prepare aerogels with aligned channel structures. Compression test showed that the yield point of silane modified aerogels appeared at a higher strain rate, which indicates a better mechanical robustness. Moreover, directional freeze-drying endows the aerogel with aligned channel structure and honeycomb like cross section morphology. The result aerogel showed a much higher shape recovery rate after releasing the compressive load in comparison to the conventional freeze-dried ones