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Immersion in Discomfort: At the Intersection of Worldviews Toward Co‐Governing With Integrity
No full textIn the drive to embrace more inclusive, equitable, and respectful approaches to research, academics are increasingly encouraged to engage with diverse and alternate knowledges, including with First Nations and Indigenous Communities. Yet for those working at the intersection of different worldviews—known as the “cultural interface”—the experience can be accompanied by feelings of discomfort. We recognise discomfort as a personal, inner emotion of vulnerability that alerts us to unspoken, difficult conversations; to challenged beliefs and assumptions; and to the limits of our own knowledge. As a group of academics working at the cultural interface, we identify common themes across our collective experiences of discomfort, including fragility and guilt, helplessness, fear, ignorance, shame, challenged conceptions of time, and finally connection and relationality. By openly discussing and confronting our experiences of discomfort, we demonstrate that immersion in discomfort is a journey that provides opportunities for learning, understanding, and fostering co‐governing partnerships with integrity.</p
Social Entrepreneurship: Gender, Family and Social Relationships in India
No full textThis thesis explores the familial dynamics that shape the experiences of female social entrepreneurs in Delhi, India. It explores the enabling and inhibiting relationships within their families and examines how familial capital transformations influence their entrepreneurial journey.Employing a qualitative approach, this study delves into the familial relations that serve as pivotal factors in the lives of female social entrepreneurs. Through semi-structured interviews with fifteen female social entrepreneurs, critical discourse analysis is utilised to analyse the data.Female social entrepreneurs leverage familial capital to attain cultural, economic, and social capital, fostering their personal growth. The study indicates the transfer of social capital and its critical role in human capital development. With enhanced social capital, female social entrepreneurs pursue financial independence, benefiting both themselves and their communities. Interestingly, many married female entrepreneurs receive support from their mothers-in-law, possibly due to augmented symbolic capital. Despite their financial autonomy, female entrepreneurs seek financial advice from fathers or husbands.Patriarchal traditions exhibit signs of weakening, with female entrepreneurs actively participating in household decision-making and challenging societal expectations. Elderly parents find acceptance in daughters' households, while women prioritise education over societal norms, recognizing its significance in elevating social status and achieving financial security.This thesis sheds light on the transformative role of familial relationships in empowering female social entrepreneurs and underscores the evolving cultural landscape propelling their success in India. This research contributes to expanding the body of knowledge pertaining to female social entrepreneurs in India. It also gives an understanding of the weakening of patriarchy pertaining to the middle class households in Delhi, India.</p
Designing Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalysts Based on Transition Metal Oxides
No full textDue to our growing global population and escalating energy demands, concerns over future energy security are intensifying. The development of eco-friendly and sustainable energy production pathways is not only urgently needed, but also represents a significant scientific challenge. Moreover, the creation of low-cost and highly-efficient electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems is crucial to achieving the optimal utilization of renewable energy sources. Electrochemical water splitting has emerged as one of the most promising methods for scalable and sustainable hydrogen production. Electrocatalysts for both the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are crucial in enabling rapid water splitting. Compared with the HER, the OER is a more complex process with sluggish kinetics, given that it encompasses not only four sequential proton-coupled electron transfer steps, but also a challenging spin state transition. Therefore, the rational design of high-performance OER electrocatalysts with enhanced catalytic efficiency is of the utmost importance. Our research has successfully employed electronic structural engineering strategies to modify the physicochemical properties of electrocatalysts, thereby improving their catalytic activity and accelerating the reaction kinetics. As a proof-of-concept, we have developed electrocatalyst design strategies rooted in electronic structural engineering, including doping engineering, heterostructure engineering, coordination modulation, and two-dimensional (2D) morphology engineering. These strategies have been effectively applied to tune the catalytic performance of layered Co2Mo3O8 for accelerated water splitting kinetics.As discussed in Chapter 4, clear structure-property correlations have been established and the impact of coordination structure modulation on catalytic activity have been detailed. In this instance, a coupled heteroatom doping approach with 2D engineering was utilized to activate the dual coordination sites (both tetrahedral and octahedral sites) and enhance the oxygen electrocatalysis performance of FeCoMo3O8. The formation of the Fe-O-Co bond within the catalyst significantly enhances the adsorption of reaction intermediates. Additionally, the presence of high-spin cations is instrumental in establishing an unobstructed spin channel that facilitates electron transport. Furthermore, the structural design of this catalyst enabling specific transition metals to fully occupy a designated coordination site opens up the potential for the rational design of highly efficient catalysts. By selectively activating different sites, it becomes possible to create catalysts that are not only cost-effective, but also boast superior performance, thereby pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in the realm of catalyst design for energy conversion applications.In another case, discussed in Chapter 5, a heterostructure engineering strategy was applied to develop a CoFe2O4@CoFeMo3O8 magnetic electrocatalyst with a tailored electronic structure. This novel heterostructured electrocatalyst, CoFe2O4@CoFeMo3O8 composite, with intrinsic electric and magnetic fields, was designed for highly efficient overall water splitting. The formation of the electric field governs the dynamics of electric charge, leading to optimized adsorption of reaction intermediates and a concomitant reduction in the energy barrier for electron transfer. Moreover, the heterostructure leverages a localized magnetic field to enhance the transfer of spin-polarized electrons, which significantly accelerates the OER process. Additionally, the pronounced sensitivity of these magnetic heterostructures to external alternating magnetic fields (AMF) suggests a potential avenue for further enhancing catalytic performance through external stimuli. Through the fine-tuning of the intrinsic properties of electrons, encompassing both charge and spin, the CoFe2O4@CoFeMo3O8 electrocatalyst has demonstrated remarkable intrinsic OER activity.This study broadens the scope of design strategies for the development of efficient electrocatalysts based on transition metal oxides, and they are applicable to water electrolysis and other relevant electrocatalysis applications.</p
Securing Software-Defined Networks against Timing Side-Channel Attacks
No full textSoftware-Defined Networking (SDN) is a networking technology that allows the programming and efficient management of networks. The Software-Defined Networks (SDNs) separate the orchestration of traffic forwarding (control plane) from the actual execution of traffic forwarding (data plane), allowing a network administrator to control and manage the network. This allows network applications to regulate the forwarding behaviour and policy of a network efficiently by utilising a logically centralised control plane managed by an SDN controller. The adaptation of SDN to modern networking is significant because it provides flexibility in designing and controlling a network, unlike conventional networks. Today’s communication networks demand high data speeds, swift deployment, high availability, and programmability. SDN can meet these requirements with a programmable architecture and centralised controlled design. However, this transformation has led to new security challenges.The advent of SDNs has given rise to advanced security threats, including timing side-channel attacks. Owing to the separation of the data and control planes, SDN is vulnerable to timing side-channel attacks. An adversary with malicious intent can gather network data, including flow tables, routes, controller types, ports, and other parameters, by exploiting timing information. The focus of the current mitigation strategies for timing side-channel attacks is largely on minimising them through network architectural changes. This significantly increases the overhead of SDNs and makes it difficult to identify the origin of the attack. Existing techniques for mitigating timing side-channel attacks can mitigate the effects of such attacks to some extent. Nonetheless, these approaches are incapable of detecting the presence of an adversary or timing probe activity within a network, making them vulnerable to security breaches. To secure resilient SDN deployments, it is necessary to conduct comprehensive research that not only identifies the attack activity but also formulates an adequate response.This thesis addresses the problem of timing side-channel attacks in SDNs by presenting and examining comprehensive methods for their mitigation. This thesis aims to provide an extensive framework that includes detection, response and prevention mechanisms to enhance the security of SDNs against timing side-channel attacks. The solutions proposed in this thesis demonstrate a significant level of compatibility with existing SDN infrastructure, exhibiting a high degree of computational efficiency while utilising minimal resources.The detection mechanisms aim to identify potential adversaries or timing probe activities within an SDN by monitoring and analysing network traffic patterns. The methodology encompasses the creation of a comprehensive dataset of network traffic and the use of machine learning techniques for detection purposes. The machine learning methodology was adopted for this solution because it delivers faster and more accurate results. Unlike conventional methods, it can precisely detect the attack activity in an SDN and determine the attack source. To address the identified timing side-channel attack queries, a response mechanism was implemented. This entails devising a feedback-oriented response to counter the identified source, such as blocking or diverting it, while minimising any adverse effects on legitimate network traffic. This methodology is characterised by an automated data-driven approach that enables prompt and effective responses. This thesis presents a proactive technique for effectively controlling timing side-channel attacks in SDNs by recommending a preventive approach. The prevention mechanism is founded on a response randomisation technique that conceals the original response time information from attackers and introduces random delays in the response timing. This effectively inhibits attackers from exploiting such attacks by minimising the variance in probe packet response timings. attacks.The key findings of this research include the use of machine learning algorithms for detection, the implementation of a data-driven automation approach for response, and the development of a response randomisation technique for prevention. This thesis makes a notable contribution to the field of SDN security by addressing the limitations of conventional techniques against timing side-channel attacks. This thesis seeks to improve the security of SDN deployments and mitigate the risks associated with timing side-channel attacks by presenting comprehensive methods for detecting, responding, and preventing such attacks. The proposed solutions demonstrate their compatibility with the current SDN infrastructure and prove to be computationally efficient, requiring minimal resources. The overall design findings show that our approach is successful in mitigating timing side-channel attacks in SDN.</p
The acceptability of mindfulness-based interventions to reduce burnout in nurses: A cross-cultural comparative study
No full textBackground: Burnout, characterised by emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment, poses a significant challenge for nurses in their professional lives, potentially impacting their well-being, patient safety, and the overall caregiving process. Extensive evidence supports the efficacy of interventions aimed at reducing the risk of burnout, with numerous systematic reviews highlighting the success of mindfulness-based approaches. However, there has been no investigation regarding nurses' perceptions of the acceptability of these interventions, warranting further investigation.Aim: The primary aim of this higher-degree research program was to explore nurses’ perceptions of the acceptability of mindfulness-based interventions to reduce the risk of burnout.Methods: Using an embedded mixed-methods approach, quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently with emphasis placed on the quantitative data. Nurses from Australia and Jordan were invited to complete a questionnaire exploring the acceptability of mindfulness-based interventions to reduce the risk of burnout. The questionnaire included a 39-item scale which was theoretically informed by Sekhon’s Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. The questionnaire included professional and demographic data and three open-ended questions. Nurses were also invited to participate in semi-structured interviews.Quantitative survey data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Construct validity and reliability of the instrument were established using exploratory factor analysis. Qualitative data were analysed using manifest content analysis for the open-ended survey questions and a deductive-inductive content analysis for the semi-structured interviews.Findings: Of the 194 survey respondents, 56.7% (n=110) were Australian nurses, and just over half (52.6%) were female. The mean age of survey respondents was 36.6 years (range 19 to 69 years), more than half had a bachelor’s degree (59.3%), and most were working as clinicians (90.2%). The majority of participants (86.6%) reported they had experienced burnout and approximately half (55.7%) indicated that they had practiced some form of mindfulness.The 20-item ACCREDIT Scale had a four-factor structure, acceptability to the individual, the profession and the organisation, and barriers to implementation. The internal consistency was high, the overall Cronbach’s alpha for the final scale was 0.93, with subscales ranging from 0.72 to 0.91. Overall, 83% of respondents agreed that mindfulness-based interventions were acceptable to reduce the risk of burnout however, differences between Australian and Jordanian nurses were noted, with Jordanian nurses reporting lower overall scores on the ACCREDIT Scale (89.6 vs. 99.5, pAnalysis of the open-ended questions revealed adequate staffing/ ratios (35%), and management/ workplace support (32%) were the most common suggestions for preventing burnout. Respondents considered mindfulness-based interventions were more likely to be maintained long-term with allocation of regular work time (36.5%).Findings from the semi-structured interviews (n=12) revealed that although nurses were open to and interested in mindfulness-based interventions, barriers such as time constraints, heavy workloads and staff shortages, along with financial and physical space limitations, meant they were likely to struggle to incorporate mindfulness-based interventions into their workday. Interview participants in a clinical role suggested that including mindfulness-based interventions in their workday may impact on workflow and compromise patient care. Cultural differences were evident, with Jordanian nurses describing prayer as a mindfulness practice, emphasizing its role in alleviating stress among the Muslim nursing community. Of the two nurse managers interviewed, while they agreed that mindfulness-based interventions to reduce nurse burnout were acceptable from their perspective, both expressed concerns about the financial implications of implementing these interventions in their clinical setting.Conclusion: This study has identified that while nurses reported mindfulness-based interventions to reduce the risk of burnout were on the whole acceptable, barriers such as workload, resource and financial constraints, and cultural differences need to be addressed for successful implementation. The study also highlights differences in acceptance and perceptions between Australian and Jordanian nurses, as well as between clinical nurses and nurse managers, suggesting the need for a comprehensive understanding of both the practical and cultural challenges associated with implementing such interventions in the clinical setting.</p
Wellbeing of primary-aged boarding students in Australia
No full textBoarding represents an important part of the educational landscape in Australia providing educational access for students from rural and remote areas of Australia. The residential education of students aged 9-12 years, forms an essential part of this provision of access to an adequate education.The goal of this study is to fill an important gap in educational knowledge in an under-researched area of social science and educational psychology. This research explores the impact of boarding on the wellbeing of students aged 9-12 years in Australia and the degree to which a residential education meets their needs. It investigates how their experience of boarding impacts on their engagement with their boarding school and the factors which influence their successful experience of boarding. This takes into consideration that primary boarders have very different social- emotional needs than secondary boarders and that wellbeing is linked to engagement through the dimensions of adaptive coping, belonging, life satisfaction and positive emotions.A mixed methodology was adopted for this study. The main sample comprised of 32 full and part-time boarders in the setting of the two major institutions in Australia which take in primary-aged students. A survey assessing student engagement and wellbeing was administered to students at both sites. Boarding staff and students were interviewed, and other data included an imaginary letter on their ideal boarding school written by students, photographs of boarding spaces as well as observational notes. The survey was analysed using a descriptive-analytical approach for indicators of adaptive coping and life satisfaction, positive emotions and belonging through school engagement. The analysis of the qualitative data was guided by the research questions and a theoretical framework derived from Upadyaya and Salmela-Aro’s (2013) model of school engagement. The analysis of the quantitative data raised additional questions for exploration in the analysis of the qualitative data.Findings from both the quantitative and qualitative analysis indicated that the majority of the students had high levels of wellbeing and engagement with their boarding school. While some experienced homesickness, this was generally associated with the lived experiences within the process of their transition into boarding. However, they had overcome their feelings of homesickness by the end of the year. Factors impacting on the successful experience of boarding included friendships, relationships with parents, peers and staff, a small and intimate boarding environment, extra- curricular activities and the students’ personal characteristics. A key finding of the study, which is rarely touched on in the boarding literature, was the tension evident between pastoral care and reinforcement of discipline in the context of residential care in primary boarding.These findings led to recommendations about the provision of genuine and enacted levels of individual care central to the wellbeing of children aged 9-12 years at primary boarding school. Such individualised care also involves the development of a small and intimate home-away-from-home in the primary boarding house environment.Given the limited knowledge about care for and the wellbeing of boarding students aged 9-12 years, these are important findings because this group of boarders has very different welfare-related needs than adolescent boarders which leads to likely different experiences in boarding. Furthermore, successful experiences of boarding also influence students’ engagement with their schooling.The results of this study are important to consider for primary-aged boarding and day students and the stakeholders involved in their education. These include current and future parents, boarding providers and staff, professional organisations as well as future researchers interested in wellbeing linked to engagement and students’ experiences in primary schooling. It is concluded that, due to the scarcity in research in these fields, this original research provides a solid basis for further and more comprehensive research into residential and non-residential education at primary level.</p
Irritability as a Transdiagnostic Construct Across Childhood and Adolescence: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
No full textThis meta-analytic review examined irritability across childhood and adolescence as it relates to symptoms of common mental health disorders in these periods. Of key interest was whether the relationship between irritability and symptom severity varies according to symptom domain. This was tested at the level of broad symptom dimensions (internalizing versus externalizing problems) as well as discrete diagnostic domains (e.g., anxiety, depression, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; autism spectrum disorder). Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of five databases was conducted to identify studies reporting on associations between irritability and mental health symptoms in samples of children aged 2-18 years. Meta-analytic tests based on random effects models examined concurrent and longitudinal associations between irritability and symptom severity. Meta-regression tested potential moderators including symptom domain, child age, sex, informant type, and study quality. 119 studies met inclusion criteria with a total of 122,456 participants. A significant and positive association was found between irritability and severity of concurrent overall psychopathology in the order of a moderate effect size, while small to moderate effect sizes characterized the association between irritability and later mental health outcomes in prospective data. Further variation in this association was seen across specific diagnostic domains and methodological moderators. Findings support the conceptualization of irritability as a transdiagnostic construct reflecting emotion dysregulation across diverse forms of psychopathology in childhood and adolescence. Further research into the risk mechanisms underlying irritability is needed, in addition to translational approaches to early intervention.</p
The effect of a nurse-led intervention to decrease frailty status of Ethiopian older people: A quasi-experimental study
No full textBackground: A global increase in the number of frail older people emphasises the need for preventive interventions. Despite this, interventions targeting frailty in sub-Saharan Africa are limited by a range of factors; including competing demands to manage infectious diseases, maternal and child health, and a lack of awareness about frailty. This poses challenges to the health of the ageing population in low-income sub-Saharan African countries, such as Ethiopia where this PhD study was undertaken. To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, no prior studies have attempted to assess the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions to reduce frailty in Ethiopia or any other sub-Saharan African country. Considering the growing older population and the high burden of frailty, developing a frailty measurement instrument and a nurse-led frailty intervention on older people will contribute to designing health promotion programs for older people in sub-Saharan African countries.Aim: This study aimed to design, implement, and evaluate a nurse-led intervention to decrease frailty of older people in Ethiopia.Objectives: To achieve the overall aim of this thesis, the specific objectives were to:evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions for community-dwelling older people through a systematic review;cross-culturally adapt, validate, and test the reliability of a frailty measurement instrument to an Amharic version;measure the relationship between frailty, nutritional status, depression, and quality of life; anddevelop, implement, and evaluate the effect of nurse-led intervention in community-dwelling frail older people in Ethiopia.Methods: Different research methods and analytical approaches were employed to address the objectives of this research. The first objective was addressed using a systematic review. The systematic review included experimental studies reporting the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions for community-dwelling older people. The second objective was addressed using a cross-sectional study design. This study included translating and adapting the original English language version of the Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI) into Amharic version (TFI-AM) and undertaking validity and reliability testing of the TFI-AM version. The third objective evaluated the relationship between frailty, nutritional status, depression, and quality of life from a cohort of older people living in Ethiopia to reduce frailty prior to an intervention study. The last objective was addressed through a pre-, post-, and follow-up single-group quasi-experimental design. Community-dwelling individuals 60 years and older living in a regional location in Ethiopia were invited to participate in a 24-week program designed to decrease frailty and associated health consequences.Results: Study I was conducted to determine the efficacy of a nurse-led intervention in reducing frailty among community-dwelling older people using a systematic review. Of the six studies identified, samples ranged from 40 to 1387 older people who were eligible for inclusion. The results demonstrated that nurse-led interventions for older people with frailty had positive effects on their physical functioning, nutritional status, quality of life, perceptions of social support, and mental health; more specifically depression. This review also identified that there was a lack of evidence about nurse-led interventions for community-dwelling older people living in sub-Saharan Africa.Study II was conducted to adapt a valid and reliable frailty measurement for a nurse-led frailty interventional study in Ethiopia. This study is the first to test a frailty measurement instrument in a developing country, specifically the sub-Saharan country of Ethiopia. The TFI was chosen as the measurement tool to adapt. The TFI was translated into Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia, and a cross-cultural adaptation study to determine the validity and reliability of the TFI for use in Ethiopia was undertaken. The results revealed that the internal consistency of the TFI-AM was very good with an overall Cronbach alpha value of 0.82. The item content validity index value ranged from 0.83 to 1.0 and the total content validity index average for the instrument was 0.91.Study III was a baseline study conducted using the TFI-AM to measure the relationship between frailty, nutritional status, depression, and quality of life from a cohort of older people living in Ethiopia prior to participating in an intervention study to reduce frailty. The results revealed that participants with higher frailty scores had poorer nutritional status (rs = -0.46, p Study IV was conducted to evaluate the effects of a nurse-led intervention with 68 community-dwelling frail older people over 60 years living in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The nurse-led intervention was a 24-week program that focused on six components of health and well-being relevant to frailty: ageing and age-related changes, healthy nutrition, physical activity, mental health, social interaction and support, and an overall discussion on the components of the interventions. Each of the six components was provided each month for six consecutive months. Outcome measures were collected immediately before the intervention (baseline: T0), immediately post-intervention (T1), and 12 weeks post-intervention (T2). Immediately after the intervention, a significant reduction was found in the TFI-AM and Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) scores of participants. There was an improvement in nutritional status, activity of daily living, and quality of life scores. Twelve weeks post-intervention, improvements were maintained in nutritional status, activity of daily living, and the overall frailty status of participants. However, improvements in depression and most of the quality of life domains were not sustained over the 12 weeks of follow-up.Conclusions: The study commenced with the identification of the factors that are most influential in nurse-led interventions addressing frailty among community-dwelling older people; that is, physical functioning, nutritional status, mental health, and quality of life. The interventions improved primary and secondary health outcomes of community-dwelling frail older people. Community nursing services and primary care services in the region need to commit to implementing this intervention if such changes are to be sustained. They need to regularly screen frailty, nutritional status, depressive symptoms, and quality of life of community-dwelling older people. The findings generated from this study provide sufficient evidence for community nursing services to consider implementing the intervention to promote the health and well-being of older populations. It was shown to be efficacious at a local level and now regional and federal implementation could undertake health economics modelling to determine the value for money of the intervention more widely. This nurse-led intervention was effective when evaluated using a pre-post design in a sub-Saharan African country and demonstrates its potential to be implemented in other African regions as well as low-income countries outside sub-Saharan Africa. This study will support the WHO’s goals to develop a public health framework in the field of frailty and inform the development of a model for integrated care for older people (ICOPE) living with frailty. The findings of this study provide valuable insights to inform actionable strategies aligned with the objectives of the “UN Decade of Healthy Ageing”. To sustain the positive changes in this intervention, a collaborative effort between community health nurses and local health officials and organisations is needed. As a result, a long-term sustainability plan could be developed through the integration of existing health systems and mechanisms for continuous monitoring of participant health and program progress, and make a contribution to enhance the quality of life of older people.</p
<i>walking back: toward geographies of belonging</i>
No full textwalking back: toward geographies of belonging is a Country-led research project situated between creative arts and human geography. It emerged from an invitation to walk with Country as a response to grief and a way to begin healing in the aftermath of the Australian Black Summer fires (2019/20). The main aims of walking back are ethical and methodological. The research asks what are the ethics of walking with Country as a non-Aboriginal person; how can walking repair senses of belonging and relations of care with place and Country in south-east Australia; and is it possible to walk oneself into place? Situating the project within academic scholarship brings the walker into relationship and guidance with Wadi Wadi elder Aunty Barbara Nicholson and Yuin Knowledge Holder Dr Anthony McKnight. Slowing the research down to nourish relationships reveals ways to enact respect and reciprocity to ethically ground the walking back research beyond the formal human ethics requirements of the university. This slow work of nurturing relationships accounts for the first long part of the walking back research.Australian Aboriginal Country is a spiritual and sentient entity comprising of the more-than-human including earth, sky, sea, water, flora, fauna and humans. Country is the mother to whom all belong, where everything is infinitely patterned together and interconnected. In the second part of walking back, the researcher walks daily over a one-month moon cycle in May and June 2024, in two local places. Guided daily walking develops a practice of place and permissions, into deeper relations, that centres Country. Country walks the researcher into patterns of more-than-human kinship, revealing how the self is porous and how place is agential and unbounded. The nature of the research shifts from a Western hierarchical approach to relational: where everything is interconnected and in relation. Concepts of artist, performer, protagonist, audience and author are troubled. Walking is slowed, undone, decolonised, and relearned. Walking becomes less about doing so much as it is about being: embodied in place – feeling, sensing, seeing. The land reveals itself as text, brimming with more-than-human voices. What are the responsibilities of living reciprocally in this vibrant agential more-than-human world?walking back is a self-reflexive, creative non-fiction polyvocal story authored with guides, more-than- human collaborators and Country. The creative research extends scholarship on walking and place in creative arts and human geography; contributing to creative and more-than-human geographies; to inform an ethics of place for non-Aboriginal artists in south-east Australia. walking back demonstrates how centring Country is essential to decolonising scholarly research within hierarchical structures in Australia; and highlights creative practice as a valuable way of learning, knowledge creation, and mode of research. This thesis is just one account of one non-Aboriginal person’s experience of culturally guided walking with Country in south-east Australia. The author recognises this work as nuanced, personal and partial; the path would be different for another asking similar questions. walking back is a body of creative work about two places at a particular time, existing as an archive for future researchers to extend upon.</p
Synthesis of Defective Carbon-based Materials for Efficient Electrocatalysis
No full textBalancing energy distribution through electrocatalytic technologies represents an efficient approach to efficiently using and managing renewable energies like wind, tidal, and solar power. Electrocatalysis allows the transformation of surplus electrical energy into chemical energy, such as hydrogen or other fuels, during periods of excess production. Thereinto, Electrocatalysts enhance the efficiency of these conversion processes, minimizing energy loss and facilitating energy distribution across the grid. The industrial application of electrocatalytic technology is hindered by the scarcity and high cost of commercial electrocatalysts. Therefore, developing efficient and affordable electrocatalysts is crucial for advancing renewable energy technology.Recently, defective carbon-based materials (DCMs) have emerged as competitive alternatives to noble metal-based electrocatalysts. Numerous studies have demonstrated that introducing structural defects into the sp2 carbon lattice can effectively create active sites on the carbons. Furthermore, these structural defects readily interact with other metal/heteroatoms species, expanding the possibilities for electrocatalyst design. This diversity can potentially lead to the development and fabrication of practical electrocatalysts. However, despite notable progress, significant challenges persist in their further development, primarily due to the reliance on traditional "trial-and-error" approaches and a lack of precise synthetic methodologies. Additionally, a comprehensive understanding of active centers and the underlying electrocatalytic mechanisms remains limited. Therefore, the key to advancing the cutting-edge electrocatalysis field, which focuses on sustainable catalytic systems for fuels and chemical building blocks (such as H2, NH3, and urea), lies in the development of advanced synthetic techniques for DCMs.This doctoral thesis presents three interconnected studies focused on the rational design of advanced electrocatalysts through precise control of atomic-scale structures and defect engineering.Specifically, for the first research work, a synthesis strategy was developed to regulate oxygen-modified edge defects (and defect density) in carbon substrates, which enabled controlled metal coordination environments to govern the migration and aggregation behaviors of metal species during pyrolysis. Such strategy is universal for synthesizing monometallic clusters (M = Pt, Ru, Ir, Cu, Sn, Bi, In) on defective graphene that overcome classical nucleation limits. These catalysts demonstrated exceptional performance in two-electron processes (HER: 12 mV overpotential; CO2-to-HCOOH: 97.41% FE at -1.0 V).Extending the defect-mediated strategy, the second work develops SnCu bimetallic atomic clusters anchored on defective graphene (SnCu-DG) for multi-electron nitrate-to-ammonia conversion. Edge defects serve as confined reactors for cluster nucleation, achieving a record NH3 Faradaic efficiency (99.5%) and intrinsic activity (26.1 x 1017 mmol h-1 siteCu-1). Synchrotron and computational studies reveal asymmetric charge polarization at the Sn-Cu-C interface, where Sn optimizes the catalytic microenvironment by enhancing *NO2- adsorption, accelerating water dissociation, and decoupling intermediate adsorption-hydrogenation scaling relations.The third study introduced a hierarchical design integrating defect confinement and spatial effects. This work constructs interlayer Fe atomic clusters (Feacs) within expanded 2H-graphitic carbon. A kinetic-controlled pyrolysis strategy under H2/Ar enables carbon defect-confinement of Feacs between graphite layers, creating spatially matched active sites for CO2 and NO3 co-activation. The interlayer Feacs achieve a urea Faradaic efficiency of 39.80% and a Fe-normalized production rate 7.98 and 9.88 folds higher than conventional Fe particles. In-situ and DFT analyses confirm that the confined architecture promotes *CO adsorption, reduces NH2OH dehydration barriers, and accelerates hydrogenation via defect-mediated water dissociation.Systematically, these works establish a progressive framework for catalyst design: from monometallic cluster control (work 1) to bimetallic synergy (work 2), and ultimately to spatially matched cluster systems (work 3). The series highlights how defect engineering, coordination modulation, and spatial effects can collectively address critical challenges in sustainable energy conversion and nitrogen/CO2 utilization, offering generalizable principles for next-generation electrocatalyst development.</p