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RMIT's Artificial Intelligence Assurance of Learning Typology
No full textRMIT's Artificial Intelligence Assurance of Learning Typology is a quick guide of the seven key themes required, including their associated factors and decisions, when designing curriculum and teaching activities. It is structured according to principles of constructive alignment as a logical sequence that enables decision-making as an educator to maintain academic quality.The typology considers artificial intelligence in a cooperative learning paradigm, where educators view artificial intelligence and students as collectively working together to achieve outcomes for appropriate use cases. Considering student collaboration with technology as similar to other collaborative work, such as group work, can be helpful. Group assessment work, which assesses both the process and the product, reflects collaborative work in relevant industries or professions.</p
Thermal Stability of Protic Ionic Liquids
No full textWhile protic ionic liquids (ILs) have found great success as solvents for a broad range of applications, little is known about their degradation when exposed to temperatures above ambient for extended periods of time. Here, we report the thermal stability of six protic ILs, namely, ethylammonium nitrate, ethylammonium formate, ethylammonium acetate, ethanolammonium nitrate, ethanolammonium formate, and ethanolammonium acetate. The effect of heating each ionic liquid to 60 °C for 1 h or 1 week (sealed or open to the atmosphere) was evaluated by considering the changes to water content, pH, mass, thermal phase transitions, and molecular structure after each treatment. Heating each of the six ILs when sealed led to measurable shifts in their water content and 10 wt % pH, but there was no significant change in their mass, thermal phase transitions according to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), or molecular structure using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectra, indicating that the samples were largely unchanged. The samples that were heated open to the atmosphere also displayed no significant changes after 1 h but displayed significant changes after 1 week.</p
Development of Biochar and Cement-Based Materials for Urban Runoff Quality Improvement
No full textHeavy metals are one of the major chemical pollutant groups in urban runoff. Porous concrete is a potential alternative to conventional runoff management systems with the ability to remove heavy metals and it is the main application of cement-based products in urban runoff treatment. The cement paste is the main contributor to the removal capacity of the porous concrete. The major drawbacks of porous concrete are the high pH (>8.5) of the effluent water, decalcification of the porous concrete and leaching of adsorbed pollutants. Overall, the addition of adsorbent materials to the porous concrete increase’s removal efficiencies (7% - 65% increase) without neutralizing the effluent pH. Meanwhile, the addition of reduced graphene oxide is successful in reducing the leachability of the removed heavy metals. The addition of pozzolanic materials can lower the effluent pH while maintaining similar removal efficiencies to unmodified porous concrete. Nevertheless, understanding of the impact of adding biochar to cement-based treatment systems remains limited. Hence, this study was focused on evaluating the feasibility of biochar and cement mixed adsorbents for heavy metal removal from urban runoff.
Most biochar used has been synthesized under controlled laboratory conditions using furnaces purged with inert gases. Therefore, in this first phase of this study, the removal of Cu, Pb and Zn using biochar synthesized with paddy husk and sawdust feedstocks in an industrial scale double chamber downdraft pyrolysis reactor was carried out. The effect of pyrolysis temperature and the effect of feedstock in the removal of Cu, Pb and Zn was evaluated by conducting batch adsorption experiments. Synthesized adsorbent materials were characterized using proximate analysis, zero-point charge, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The biochar yield was in a lower range compared with the literature attributed to the higher heating rate (50 °C/min) in the pyrolizer. The paddy husk biochar and sawdust biochar synthesized in the temperature range 350-450 °C and 450-550 °C performed best in the removal of the three heavy metals. Surface complexation, co-precipitation, ℼ-electron interactions, physical adsorption and surface precipitation were the main mechanisms of removal of the three heavy metals.
In the second phase of this study, the effects of the type of biochar, the percentage of biochar addition, and the particle size of the biochar on the removal efficiency of Cu, Pb, and Zn, as well as the effect of contact time on the removal efficiency of Cu, Pb, and Zn, along with the compressive strength. The peak intensities of OH-, CO32- and calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) peaks increased with increasing biochar addition levels, reflecting increased hydration product formation. The reduction of particle size of biochar causes the polymerization of the CSH gel. However, no significant changes were observed in heavy metal removal, irrespective of the percentage of biochar addition, the particle size of biochar, or the type of biochar added to the cement paste. Heavy metals bonded with OH-, CO32- and CSH functional groups. The results demonstrate that biochar can be used as a cement replacement without negatively impacting heavy metal removal. However, neutralization of the high pH is needed before safe discharge.
In the third phase of this study, the use of biochar modified with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as an adsorbent for heavy metal removal was tested along with an evaluation of the impact of competing ions and nutrients on the adsorptive removal process. The cement-modified biochar composites, featuring functional groups from biochar and hydrated OPC, exhibited significantly enhanced adsorption capacities for Cu, Pb, and Zn, approximately 3.3, 2.4, and 6 times higher, respectively, compared to unmodified biochar upon introducing 1.5% (v/v) OPC. The Langmuir monolayer adsorption model accurately described the adsorption data, with heavy metals binding to functional groups like C=C and C=O, CO3-2, silanols (Si-OH), siloxanes and calcium silicate hydrate. There were negligible effects from NO3- on the removal of Cu, Pb and Zn, PO43- ions enhanced Pb removal, and NH4+ ions slightly reduced the removal of all three metals, while humic acid increased removal. The findings indicate that using OPC boosts heavy metal adsorption, and insights into the influence of competing ions and nutrients apprise strategies for using OPC-modified biochar in practical applications.
The final phase of this research was focused on evaluating the environment and economics of the process of absorption of Cu, Pb and Zn from synthetic stormwater utilizing industrially synthesized paddy husk biochar (PHBC), cement-modified biochar adsorbent and comparing it with commonly available adsorbent, activated carbon and zeolite. The results showed that adding 1.5% (v/v) of cement to biochar decreased the overall negative impact on the environment compared to plain biochar. The total global warming potential (kg CO2 eq) was lowest for the cement-modified biochar and was approximately 2 times lower than that of PHBC. For cement-modified biochar, zeolite and PHBC between 50-90% of the impact was from the raw material collection. The SDBC had the highest sensitivity towards transportation distances among the adsorbents considered. The cement-modified biochar adsorbent took precedence in multi-metal systems due to its heightened adsorption capacity. About 50% of the cost saving was obtained by using cement-modified biochar compared with plain PHBC due to increased adsorption capacity.
Also, the potential application of the cement-modified biochar was evaluated in the fourth phase. Column testing revealed a loss of permeability likely due to heavy metal precipitates, making the cement-modified biochar ineffective as a filter. Furthermore, pH adjustment was necessary for safe discharge due to elevated effluent pH levels. The cement-modified biochar can be used as a secondary filter. When using a dosage of 0.25 g/L, an acceptable effluent pH and maximizing adsorption capacity for the heavy metals can be achieved. Contact time studies indicated that optimal removal requires a detention time of 3.5 hours. Overall, this study provided insight into the behavior of cement and biochar composites in removing heavy metals, identified the main removal mechanisms and stability of the removed heavy metals along with evaluating possible applications. Future research work should prioritize reducing the required contact time for removal, thereby enhancing the material's applicability in pollutant remediation efforts.</p
Blue light district: a digital ethnography of an online forum for male sex tourists
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Innovations in Design Methodology of Lattice Structures with Bio-Inspired Features
No full textThis thesis advances the design methodologies of bio-inspired hollow and porous lattice structures, progressing from the unit cell level to the lattice level and ultimately to the multiscale optimization of engineering structural components, aimed at enhancing structural performance. A beam theory-based analytical model is introduced to predict and control the deformation, stiffness, and strength of uniform hollow lattice structures under various compressive strains, enabling tailored stress-strain behavior and stable deformation. Functional grading strategies are explored, demonstrating their ability to mitigate stress shielding, prevent shear band formation, and achieve superior energy absorption and mechanical properties. Multiscale topology optimization methods are proposed for designing hollow and bio-mimicking porous structures, incorporating micro-level thickness grading and macro-level shape optimization to create lightweight designs with exceptional stiffness and strength. Bio-inspired features such as porcupine quill-like pores are integrated into lattice infillings, enhancing bending resistance and ductility through stochastically distributed and functionally graded pores. These methodologies are validated through fabrication techniques like powder bed fusion and fused deposition modelling, as well as experimental analysis, highlighting their potential for creating high-performance structures applicable to aerospace, biomedical, and mechanical industries.</p
Institutional Disorientations: Spirallings of a Design Practice within Entrenched Structures
No full textEmerging from personal experiences working in the public sector and academic settings, this practice-based investigation approaches institutions – such as government agencies and design schools – as sites for political transformation and imagination. I started this inquiry to reflect on my design practice, aiming to understand dynamics of reproduction and deviation within institutional spaces. I do that by articulating a practice of patainstitutioning. The term combines the participatory design concept of institutioning with a pataphysical twist, being pataphysics the science of imaginary solutions and laws governing exceptions.
Positioned in the intersection of creative practice and critical theories, the research program is put in motion through two collaborative experiments: the Cabinet of Bureaucratic Wonders and the Patadesign School. The experiments were relatively protected environments that allowed me to understand more about institutional compositions while offering spaces for generative disorientation into and out of my practice. What I arrived at are tentative contours of patainstitutioning, formulated after making postcards with institutional micro-landscapes, and placing them in a spiral topography. The postcards were dynamic alignments of practice and theory that supported me in discovering how designing acts can work as disorientation devices, in their political capabilities of configuring and reconfiguring entrenched infrastructures.
The research contributes an orientation and a precedent for creative practitioners working from inside formal institutions. I suggest lines of thinking and action, and invite practitioners to be attentive to the contingency and heterogeneity of institutional sites of practice, encouraging self-reflexivity towards intrinsic contradictions, and approaching familiar infrastructures as non-definitive fields of action.</p
Factors Affecting Social Media Use by Entrepreneurs and the Impact of this Use on the Opportunity Recognition Process
No full textSocial media is believed to play an essential role in supporting entrepreneurial business and opportunity recognition. However, little is known about the factors that drive social media use and how social media capabilities impact entrepreneurial opportunity recognition. In exploring the role of social media to understand the potential role of social media use on entrepreneurial opportunity recognition, the study was based on the TechnologicalOrganization-Environmental (TOE) and the Opportunity Recognition Frameworks. A mixedmethod study was conducted with data collected from a developed economy (Australia) and a developing country (Nigeria). An initial research model was developed based on the extant review of literature on social media use and entrepreneur opportunity recognition. Firstly, qualitative data were collected via interviews with 14 entrepreneurs, which identified eight factors under four broad categories (technology, environment, individual and social media platform factors) that influence entrepreneur social media use. Also, five social media capabilities were identified (networking, searching, observing, experimenting, and social media data analytics) to drive entrepreneurial opportunity recognition. Comparing the qualitative data with themes developed from published literature, the initial research model was revised.In the second stage, a survey of 568 entrepreneurs was used to validate the model and its associated relationships. The analysis suggests that four general factors influence social media use; platform perception, absorptive capacity, platform abuse and external pressure. In addition, the use of social media was found to influence opportunity recognition through four of the five identified capabilities: searching, observing, experimenting, and data analytics. However, the findings indicate differences on how social media capability drives opportunity recognition amongst entrepreneur in Australia and Nigeria, which can be explained based on their individualist and collectivist culture respectively. Interestingly, the multi-group analysis revealed that the influence of social media capabilities on opportunity recognition might vary depending on the entrepreneur's gender and the age of their business. The theoretical contribution and practical implications of the findings to social media companies, entrepreneurs, and policymakers were discussed. The study limitation includes being a cross sectional study, focusing on small businesses and evaluating two countries.</p
Atmoscapes: Finding Place in a Spatial Practice
No full textAtmoscapes: Finding Place in a Sculptural Practice
This practice-led research enquires into the significance of place within the context of
a studio-based practice. Approached from a personal viewpoint the research draws
on dusky memories of specific landscapes alongside reimagined concepts of
atmosphere to realise an atmoscape. Informed by a background in theatre and
somatic education, the research focuses on the historical and sensory relationship
between the material and the maker seeking to broaden preconceived notions of
location and dislocation. Investigating the visceral properties of the materials, in
particular plaster and its origins creates a performative dialogue that draws on
theatrical elements to generate a series of sculptures that interweave the temporality
of theatre with the solidity of sculptural materials.
This research engages with the precarious notion of place as a physical and
mnemonic encounter and seeks through the act of a sensory, bodily and material
connection to construct new narratives that explore personal interpretations of
placing oneself in the world.</p
Mycelia Inkblots
No full textDr Manny Ling | Artist statementAbstract: The installation titled Mycelia Inkblots draws inspiration from the intricate growth patterns of mycelia—the thread-like structures found in fungi. Through the medium of ink on absorbent paper, the artist replicates the organic processes observed in nature. Each inkblot becomes a unique entity, embodying both beauty and occasional chaos. This installation delves into the underlying concepts of a mycelial tapestry — weaving a generative network of simplicity, complexity and interconnectivity found in mycelial ecosystem.This art work won the Gold InventX Award (peer reviewed) at the SPACE exhibition at MMU, Malaysia in October 2024.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The installation invites viewers to contemplate the interplay between organic generative processes and artistic expression. By observing the inkblots, we explore themes of uniqueness, interconnectedness, and the delicate balance between order and disorder.The inkblots emerge spontaneously, guided by the flow of ink. Some appear weightless, suspended in the air like spores carried by the wind. Others assert their presence with bold, invasive forms that intertwine and overlap—an organic generative state. The layering of inkblots creates a network—a mycelial tapestry—where each element contributes to the whole.Each inkblot possesses its own form and voice. The artist’s hands, ink, and water transform simple entities into intricate microcosms. Just as fungi exhibit diverse shapes and behaviors, these inkblots express their beauty in myriad ways. Occasionally, this beauty veers into the unconventional and even the destructive, mirroring the complexity of natural ecosystems.The installation becomes an immersive encounter where the viewers can explore the mycelia inkblots from both sides of the paper, revealing hidden details and alternate perspectives. When a light source is applied (perhaps using a smartphone), the inkblots come alive—a transient dance of shadows and illumination. This interactivity underscores the ephemeral nature of life and art.Mycelia Inkblots serves as a metaphor for existence itself—a reminder that beauty emerges from chaos, and individuality contributes to the collective whole. As viewers engage with this living tapestry, they become part of the ongoing dialogue between art, science, and the natural world.Materials: Chinese Xuan paper scroll approximately 6000 cm x 30 cm, Chinese Ink, Chinese Brushes, Pipette, WaterAbout Dr Manny LingDr. Manny Ling holds the position of Interim Deputy Dean at the School of Communication and Design and oversees the BA Design Studies program as Senior Program Manager at RMIT Vietnam. His unique perspective as a Chinese practitioner in the realm of Western art and design has significantly shaped his creative practice. Dr. Ling is captivated by the interplay of contrasts and contradictions in his work, exploring themes such as the intersection of traditional craftsmanship with digital innovation, the fusion of Eastern and Western aesthetics, the balance between historical reverence and contemporary expression, the harmony of motion and stillness, the elegance of simplicity against the richness of complexity, and the interplay between meticulous planning and creative spontaneity.</p
You're in the Right Spot. Responding to Pregnancy and Homelessness: Evaluation of the Cornelia Program
No full textThe Cornelia Program is a critical intervention for women experiencing pregnancy and homelessness who would otherwise have few specialised housing and support options. The perinatal and antenatal periods are crucial for establishing stability, security, good health, and assured parenting practices that have long-term impacts on the lives of mothers and their children. Using a longitudinal, mixed-methods approach, this evaluation aimed to understand whether the work of the Cornelia Program has helped the women and their babies using the service, and how effective the program has been to this end. In total, the research team engaged 35 stakeholders comprising 15 service users, seven Cornelia operational staff, five senior managers from partnership organisations, and eight participants from seven external service providers. Alongside this qualitative data, administrative data from the Cornelia Program and routine perinatal data from the Royal Women’s Hospital were collected and analysed to help inform the findings of this report. This report provides evidence that the Cornelia Program is delivering an essential service that is achieving outstanding longer-term results, particularly in the areas of housing sustainment, service engagement, mother-baby bonding, and parenting skills.</p