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Tino rangatiratanga in highly modified systems : a comparative case study of Waituna and Waitarakao coastal lagoons.
No full textWaituna and Waitarakao coastal lagoons in Aotearoa New Zealand are highly modified socio-ecological systems facing increasing pressures from anthropogenic activities and climate change. Integral to the wider cultural landscape, these lagoons hold deep significance for mana whenua as mahinga kai and places of whakapapa. Despite ongoing modification – including colonisation, land-use change, drainage, and pollution – the relationship between mana whenua and these lagoons endures. This research explores the intersection of tino rangatiratanga and governance in highly modified socio-ecological systems, investigating how mana whenua engage with, experience, and respond to the management of these culturally vital waterbodies. Using a comparative case study approach incorporating document analysis and semi-structured interviews with mana whenua, this study examines the socio-ecological nature of these systems and how historical processes of modification have led to their current degraded state. The research highlights limitations of current governance structures, which often prioritise short-term economic gain over long-term sustainability and fail to adequately recognise mātauranga Māori and the expertise of mana whenua as environmental practitioners. The study demonstrates that empowering tino rangatiratanga and enacting kaitiakitanga require transformative governance change, moving beyond existing freshwater management paradigms. Recognising and respecting mana whenua rights and responsibilities, which extend intergenerationally, is essential not only for restoring ecological integrity but also for achieving environmental justice and cultural continuity. The research findings have implications for freshwater management policy and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand and offer insights into Indigenous-led governance of modified ecosystems globally
Tree Canopy Cover in Hamilton 2023
No full textThe aim of this report is to provide local authorities in New Zealand with a basic understanding of the urban tree canopy cover within their cities and towns
Synthesis and characterisation of poly glycerol sebacate bioelastomers.
No full textContext: Surgical meshes have been used in multiple areas of the human body, especially to treat hernia defects. However they are controversial regarding postoperative complications. Research Motivation: Bioelastomers are not currently used in the commercial production of surgical meshes. Nonetheless they have potential advantages in that the mechanical properties of bioelastomers may provide mechanical stimuli that promote faster wound healing in soft tissue applications. Objectives: There is need to better characterise the bioelastomers, i.e. determine those properties that are important to biomedical engineering designers who are considering potential future implant applications. Results: This thesis describes the characterisation of one of the bioelastomers, specifically polyglycerol sebacate (PGS), by reporting on chemical structure, thermal behaviour (glass transition temperature, crystallisation temperature, shrinkage, decomposition temperature), and mechanical properties (Young’s Modulus, strength, elongation). The work also reports on the use profile for the material, i.e. the medical implications (hydroscopic properties), manufacturability of meshes, and the product design implications. Findings: Two synthesis routes were attempted, microwave and conventional inert gas and oven. This work e established that the microwave route is not currently reliable. Conventional synthesis for PGS using inert atmosphere and curing in a vacuum oven, was successful. Originality: This work makes the novel contribution of showing a comprehensive characterisation of poly glycerol sebacate, including the rheology which has not previous been reported in the literature. In addition, the work shows that the curing temperature of 140 oC as cited in the literature, resulted in a material with the correct chemical composition but showing different molecular segmental thermal behaviour. The work makes an additional contribution of offering a conceptual model of how the factors affect mesh infection, chronic pain, and hernia recurrence. Using this a risk assessment framework was developed. This quantifies risk of complications, based on the frequencies reported in the literature
A two-step ionothermal synthesis of MFI zeolite framework and its potential applications in adsorption and catalysis
No full textThis study explores the ionothermal synthesis of MFI-type zeolites using the ionic liquid (IL) [BMIM]Br, with a focus on framework development and functional performance. By tuning synthesis parameters of temperature, Si/Al ratio, and employing a two-step heating strategy, well-crystallized ZSM-5 materials with enhanced porosity were obtained. Structural characterization by XRD, SEM, and N2 physisorption confirmed that the two-step synthesis improved crystallinity and microporosity, while also promoting uniform mesopore formation and better pore accessibility. Functional assessments, including room-temperature N2 adsorption, methylene blue adsorption, and catalytic toluene methylation, were conducted. Using the two-step heating treatment, the N2 adsorption capacity of ionothermally synthesized zeolites increased from 2.57 cm3 g− 1 to 3.86 cm3 g− 1, and methylene blue adsorption (within 6 h) improved from 61.18 mg/kg to 74.54 mg/kg. Furthermore, toluene conversion rose by 11 %, and xylene selectivity increased by 10 %, confirming the enhanced structural properties achieved through the 2-step heating treatment. Kinetic modeling indicated a shift from diffusion-limited physisorption in single-step samples to chemisorption-driven processes in two-step products. The recyclability of [BMIM]Br was demonstrated after single-step use, but structural degradation occurred following reuse from high-temperature treatments. Comparisons with TPAOH-templated hydrothermal syntheses further highlighted the superior structural direction offered by ILs. These findings advance the understanding of crystal growth in ionothermal systems and emphasize the potential of ILs in tailoring high-performance zeolite materials for catalytic and adsorption applications
Reflections on pedagogies of care: A shared commitment across borders.
No full textWhat shapes pedagogies of care with one-year-olds? What do
environments centred on pedagogical care with one-year-olds
look like in different countries? These and similar questions have
driven our research team since 2016, when we first came together
with a shared concern – the often-overlooked role of the teacher
in nurturing one-year-olds’ learning and developmental journeys in
caring, relational, and responsive ways.
What did we learn from our research with infant-toddler teachers
in early childhood education (ECE) centres in Hong Kong, China
(HK), Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), the United States (US), and
England (EN)? Despite differences in contexts, we found a unifying
commitment to fostering autonomy, valuing childhood, and
embracing the power of play. We explored these shared values
through a unique methodology, LIVME (Layered Interpretation
of Video-cued Multivocal Elicitation)(Cooper et al., 2022). This
allowed for deep, dialogic engagement with teachers, families, and
researchers across cultures. We drew on an understanding of culture
as encompassing:
A broad spectrum of values, belief systems, social
behaviours and norms that influence our perceptions,
decisions and interactions. … Culture is embedded in how
we think and respond to others, permeating our everyday
existence and influencing both our present actions and
future intentions. (Cooper et al., 2025, p. 16)
What also emerged was a kaleidoscopic view of pedagogies of care –
similar in principle but distinct in practice. This metaphor, introduced
by Sacha (EN), captures the dynamic interplay of cultural nuances,
shared humanity, and Froebelian educational philosophy that shaped
our project findings
The effects of cultural values, social norms, and personal attitudes on place attachment and pro-environmental behaviours : a case study of Hanoi (Vietnam).
No full textPlace attachment is a key concept in the social science literature, reflecting how human–place connections shape behaviours and cultural or societal transitions. In an era of globalisation, migration, and technological change, its growing complexity calls for deeper insight to inform policies that promote well-being, empathy, and sustainable development.
This study focuses on human-place attachment and pro-environmental behaviour across three groups of stakeholders in Hanoi (Vietnam) with different interests, needs, and perceptions towards a place, the local-born residents, the domestic migrants, and the domestic tourists, under the lens of collectivist cultural values, social norms, and personal attitudes, during the place transformation from a war-torn city to a modern urban hub.
A mixed-methods design was employed to address the research questions and hypotheses, incorporating in-depth semi-structured interviews and surveys conducted in Hanoi from December 2023 to January 2024. The findings suggest that social bonding plays a significant role in fostering place attachment among Hanoi residents and tourists, reflecting roots in a village-based, collectivist culture shaped by natural geography, demographics, and agricultural livelihoods. Experiences of wartime and frugal living before the 1986 Reform highlight a distinct psychological place dependence, which helps explain human–place attachment under limited material conditions, beyond the functional place dependence commonly reported in prior studies. In Hanoi’s modern history, shifts in cultural values, social norms, and attitudes have influenced attachment and pro-environmental behaviour (PEB), as shown by group differences in interests and intergenerational cultural tensions evident in the SEM results.
Overall, the findings underscore the central role of place attachment across all social groups, both as a direct and mediating driver for residents’ and tourists’ PEB. Recent urbanisation has further sharpened the importance of place identity and functional place dependence—alongside social bonding and psychological place dependence, suggesting growing Western cultural influence since the Reform. The Hanoi context also differentiates two forms of PEB, PEB-Individual and PEB-Public, which clarify how behaviours vary by cultural background, norms, attitudes, and place attachment, contributing to both theory and practice
Vertical contracts and downstream coordination in bargaining.
No full textThis thesis analyzes (i) the optimal contract type in vertical relations, (ii) the effects of
downstream bargaining coordination, and (iii) their welfare and policy implications. I
develop a multistage game-theoretic model with an upstream monopoly and a downstream
Cournot duopoly; in the model, the upstream contract type (linear tariffs, fixed fees, or
two-part tariffs) and downstream coordination are endogenous strategic choices. I find that,
generally, the downstream firms would prefer to coordinate in bargaining if it increases
their relative bargaining power vis-á-vis the upstream firm, and that there is no dominant—
nor dominated—contract type. Analyzing the welfare and policy implications, I find that
bargaining coordination in the interest of the downstream firms is more likely to benefit
consumers if downstream competition is strong or if the relative pre-coordination bargaining
power of the downstream firms was sufficiently high. The result holds when taking total
welfare into consideration as well. This suggests that there exist scenarios where allowing for
bargaining coordination would be in the best interest of competition authorities
The capacity of dissolved organic matter from native New Zealand vegetation to bind dissolved copper and zinc.
No full textDissolved organic matter (DOM) is a heterogenous and complex mixture of organic molecules that can mitigate the toxic effects of metal contaminants commonly found in stormwater and aquatic environments. In river systems, DOM originates from diverse sources, and its heterogeneity makes DOM-metal complex formation challenging to predict. One approach to understanding DOM-metal interactions is to examine binding behaviour and compositional changes across different DOM sources with environmentally relevant metals. The primary objective of this research was to assess the capacity of DOM derived from three native New Zealand plant species (Mānuka, Kōwhai, Pōhutukawa) to bind dissolved copper (Cu²⁺) and zinc (Zn²⁺). Batch adsorption experiments were conducted, and two analytical methods were employed: UV-spectroscopy and ultrafiltration. These methods measured short term ( Mānuka > Pōhutukawa. Consequently, DOM-metal binding was assessed at a fixed DOM concentration of 5 mg C/L (pH = 6.5 ± 1). Metal addition led to progressive increases and decreases in SAC340, S350-400 and spectral peaks at maxima 294 nm, 320 nm, 340 nm, 380 nm, 400 nm and 420 nm. In single Cu²⁺ experiments (949 μg/L), 23 – 87 % of Cu²⁺ was removed and therefore complexed from solution across all DOM types. DOM binding of Cu²⁺ between plant types followed the order: Kōwhai > Pōhutukawa > Mānuka. For Zn²⁺ (1,167 μg/L), removal and complexation were significantly less, between 9 – 37 % and, between plant types, followed the order: Kōwhai > Mānuka > Pōhutukawa. In the ultrafiltration results, high molecular weight fractions were responsible for binding the most with dissolved metals, forming DOM-metal agglomerates > 0.45 μm. In combined metal experiments, Cu²⁺ exhibited stronger competitive binding, removing 93 – 75 % of Cu²⁺ and 51 – 19 % of Zn²⁺. Zn²⁺ still was observed to bind to DOM, especially in Kōwhai, likely due to the heterogeneity in binding sites including carboxyl, phenolic and amides. SAC340 and S350-400 responses indicated that metal concentration dependent responses were most elucidated in Mānuka and Pōhutukawa DOM, but less so for Kōwhai, potentially due to the high precipitation and removal of chromophoric DOM from solution. Overall, the temporal response in DOM-metal binding was rapid, as expressed by the immediate increase/decrease in SAC340 and S350-400 within 30 seconds, and the high amount of Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ removed in the ultrafiltration results. DOM-metal binding between Mānuka, Kōwhai and Pōhutukawa likely reflect biphasic (two-stage) behaviour, where high affinity binding sites – carboxyl and phenolic functional groups are utilised first and exhibit fast initial adsorption onto the DOM surface. The formation of stable complexes are much slower and more gradual, saturating binding sites and occupying lower affinity functional groups at later timepoints. This either causes rearranging the structure of the DOM molecule, exposing more aromatic groups, or remobilisation of dissolved metals back in solution, depending on the plant type
Simulating Mixed-Phase Clouds Over Coastal Antarctica During a Significant Snowfall Event in a High-Resolution Regional Model
No full textGlobal climate models and reanalysis products have revealed large, persistent downwelling shortwave radiation biases over the Southern Ocean and coastal Antarctica, likely caused by the incapability of models to accurately simulate frequent low-level mixed-phase clouds in these regions. In this study, we use the ground-based observations collected at Davis, Antarctica during the Precipitation over Land and The Southern Ocean field campaign in austral summer of 2019 to assess the capability of the high-resolution regional Unified Model (UM) to reproduce precipitating clouds off coastal Antarctica. We test the new UM RAL3 (Regional Atmosphere and Land 3) configuration with double-moment Cloud AeroSol Interacting Microphysics scheme and bimodal cloud fraction scheme, running at the spatial resolution of 1.5-km. We compare it to the previous RA2M configuration with a single-moment cloud microphysics scheme and unimodal cloud fraction scheme. The RAL3 exhibits marginally degraded meteorological conditions relative to RA2M compared with observations. For cloud properties, the UM regional models can generally simulate the phase, vertical structure and timing of events during the sublimation and precipitation periods. Nevertheless, overestimated ice water path and potentially underestimated liquid water path (LWP) contribute to positive surface shortwave biases and negative longwave biases. The RA2M simulates more LWP, though we suggest for the wrong reasons due to its ice nucleating parameterization. Our results suggest that the new double-moment cloud microphysics combined with bimodal cloud fraction parameterizations, while having reduced performance in some respects, has large potential to better represent low-level mixed phase clouds for this region
The migrant experience of decent and meaningful work : a qualitative exploration.
No full textNew Zealand increasingly attracts skilled migrants seeking personal and professional growth, safety, and political freedoms. However, many migrants arrive in New Zealand and realise that their qualifications are not recognised by employers, often forcing them into work for which they are overqualified. Under these conditions, questions arise about migrants' access to – and experiences of – decent and meaningful work. Research examining decent and meaningful work among migrants, particularly those who are overqualified, is scarce and primarily has focused on barriers to accessing decent and meaningful work. The present study addresses gaps in the literature by qualitatively exploring how skilled migrants’ views and experiences of decent and meaningful work evolve and inform career and life decisions and outcomes. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with skilled migrants in New Zealand who had worked in roles for which they were overqualified at some stage in their careers. Thematic analysis identified four key themes that characterise skilled migrants’ experience of decent and meaningful work: access to meaningful work, redefining the role of work, deriving meaning amidst occupational change and professional identity resilience. This study makes important contributions to the literature by providing insight into the subjective and evolving nature of decent work, and how migrants experience meaningfulness in work roles and environments where traditional sources of work meaning may be compromised. This study offers valuable practical implications, demonstrating that promoting and facilitating decent and meaningful work for skilled migrants enhances their overall wellbeing and quality of life and how doing so, is in the best interests of organisations