Abdollahi, Mohammadreza (PhD, Poultry Nutrition, 2011)

"Influence of feed processing on the performance, nutrient utilisation and gut development of poultry and feed quality"

Mr Abdollahi investigated the effects of pelleting temperature in relation to grain type (maize, wheat and sorghum) on the physical pellet quality, performance and nutrient utilisation of meat chickens. Under the conventional pelleting process, which uses high temperatures, good pellet quality is obtained at the expense of nutritional quality. His findings showed that the balance between the negative effect of high pelleting temperatures on nutrient availability and the positive effect on pellet quality is relevant in determining the performance of poultry. Negative effects of high temperatures on the nutrient availability of pelleted diets have not been delineated previously due to the combined effects of pelleting temperature and feed form when investigating pelleted diets. Another important finding was that good quality pellets can be manufactured at low conditioning temperatures by pre-conditioning addition of moisture and pellet die manipulations.

Ananthanarayanan, Umapathy (PhD, Accounting, 2011)

"Audit committee independence and expertise, institutional ownership, and executive compensation as determinants of audit fee in the post-SOX era (in the USA and New Zealand)"

Mr Umapathy's research focuses on the determinants of audit fee in the post-SOX era. Audit committee independence and expertise, institutional ownership, and executive compensation factors are some of the important determinants of audit fee because they affect audit risk, especially in the post-SOX era in the USA and after the establishment of the Corporate Governance Principles in New Zealand. The findings of his research suggest that audit committee independence and expertise are no longer significant audit risk indicators in both the USA and New Zealand. Institutional ownership, however, reduces audit risk and audit fee in the USA, and to some extent in New Zealand. For executive compensation, the results in both countries show that higher compensation leads to higher audit risk and higher audit fee.

Balan, Prabhu (PhD, Nutrition, 2011)

"Effects of orally administered ovine serum immunoglobulin in the normal and salmonella enteritidis-challendged growing rats"

Immunoglobulins (lgs), proteins synthesised by animals, are the first line of defence against invading pathogens. They can be extracted from animal blood and used prophylactically and therapeutically. Mr Balan, using physiological, immunological, molecular and microbiological techniques, has shown that feeding an ovine Ig fraction enhances growth performance, modulates various indices of immune function, increases the numbers of beneficial lactobacilli in the gut and also influences gut mucin content in the normal and Salmonella enteritidis - challenged rat. He has also found that intact ovine Ig can be detected in the luminal contents of the digestive tract of growing rats given an ovine Ig fraction orally. The results contribute to knowledge of how ovine Igs can modulate and enhance key indicators of gut function, immunity and overall growth performance in mammals.

Baillie, Shauna (PhD, Zoology, 2011)

"Population genetic connectivity and biogeography of the New Zealand bellbird (Anthornis melanura) and their avian malaria parasites"

In the face of major redistributions of species due to habitat loss and environmental change, Ms Baillie set out to describe and better understand the population genetic connectivity and malaria parasite community structure associated with an avian host, the New Zealand bellbird Anthornis melanura. Ms Baillie found that, despite large-scale extirpations, the bellbird remains genetically diverse, and hosts both exotic and endemic malaria parasites. That variation in habitat and an animals’ social ecology are non-exclusive forces affecting sex-biased gene flow and parasite levels is discussed. Ms Baillie’s thesis outlines the importance of dispersal, retention of remnant forests and evolutionary trade-off strategies in the maintenance of genetic diversity and endemic host-parasite communities.

Barry, Amber (Doctor of Clinical Psychology, 2011)

"The search for a routine outcome measure for multidisciplinary interventions with young people in New Zealand"

Ms Barry investigated the use of structured questionnaires to track the outcomes of multidisciplinary interventions with young people. Her research provided New Zealand’s first systematic and comprehensive review of these routine outcome measures, updating the last comparable review completed for Australia in 1997. Based on this review, nationwide focus groups, and a postal survey of practitioners, the Ohio Youth Problems, Functioning, and Satisfaction Scales was recommended as the best available for New Zealand at present because it offers the necessary balance of breadth of content, brevity, and psychometric strength. Stakeholder consultation indicated minor wording changes would improve its appropriateness for the local context, a small field-test indicated excellent reliability with a New Zealand sample, but future work to validate the measure for use here was recommended.

Barry, Manuela (PhD, Ecology, 2011)

"Shelter aggregations, social behaviour, and seasonal plasma corticosterone levels in captive and wild Duvaucel's geckos (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii)"

Ms Barry explored the social behaviour of Duvaucel’s geckos using a series of experimental studies and field observations. She also documented and compared seasonal steroid hormone patterns of a wild population and a captive breeding-for-release colony to assess whether captive individuals experienced chronic stress i.e. showed a long-term elevation of stress hormone levels. Results suggest that Duvaucel’s geckos may possess a social system of high complexity: young and adults showed a year-round tendency to share shelter-sites and were able to discriminate between body scents of conspecifics in several social contexts. The hormone study provided valuable baseline data on seasonal dynamics of hormone patters and confirmed that the captive colony did not suffer from chronic stress. Ms Barry’s research delivers the first insight into the social behaviour and basic endocrinology of Duvaucel’s geckos, which is not only relevant for their conservation management but also provides a solid foundation for future research.

Baudracco, Javier (PhD, Animal Science, 2011)

“Efficiency of pasture-based dairy systems: field and modelling studies”

Mr Baudracco conducted field and modelling studies to develop and validate two simulation models, one animal model (e-Cow) and one whole-farm model (e-Dairy) that can predict physical and economic performance of pasture-based dairy systems; exploring interactions between cow genetic merit, feeding level and market prices. Two field experiments were carried out to validate the simulation models. Stochastic simulations using e-Dairy suggest that for New Zealand dairy systems, the increase in stocking rate from 2.8 to 3.5 cows/ha together with an increase in imported supplements from 0.15 to 1.45 t DM/cow/year can be profitable only when milk price is higher than $NZ5.5/ kg milk solid. The e-Cow model was made available online and can be used for teaching, research and extension purposes. The e-Dairy model can be used to explore the trade-offs between profit and the associated risk of different dairy systems.

Biering, Susan (PhD, Physics, 2011)

"The unusual structure of the mercury chalcogenides: Relativistic effects in the solid state"

Ms Biering's research explored the origin of the unique solid-state structures and electronic properties found in mercury chalcogenides. The complicated crystallographic properties observed for the mercury chalcogenides are in stark contrast to the behaviour of the lighter zinc and cadmium chalcogenides, which is surprisingly against the trend suggested by the periodic table of elements. Carrying out comprehensive quantum chemical simulations to investigate several ambient as well as high-pressure phases of zinc, cadmium and mercury chalcogenides, Ms. Biering was able to show for the first time that the unusual behaviour of the mercury chalcogenides is caused by the effects of relativity due to the heavy mercury nucleus. Understanding why solids form in specific ways causing particular properties can be crucial to manipulating them in a targeted way for special applications.

Birks, Keith Stuart (PhD, Economics, 2011)

"An economic perspective on the law: Is there “legal failure”?"

Mr Birks considered the operation of the law from the perspective of an industry delivering a service. Specific characteristics of the service are identified, distinguishing it from other economic activities. Findings indicate areas of inefficiency and unintended consequences in service delivery. Problems are also identified in law making by politicians. Improvements can result from a greater awareness of the limitations of law. Methodological issues were also investigated, providing findings that are relevant to economists when considering policy recommendations based on economic analysis.

Bishop, Peter Andrew (PhD, Soil Science, 2011)

"Polymer coated controlled release agrichemicals as mitigation tools in pastoral farming"

Mr Bishop developed and tested a number of polymer-coated, granular, controlled-release urea and nitrification inhibitor products designed to reduce nitrate leaching from pastoral farming. He has shown in a field trial that coated, controlled-release urea can be applied in a single application of up to 150 kg nitrogen per hectare without increasing nitrate leaching and without creating nitrogen surpluses in pre-grazed pasture. Avoiding nitrogen surpluses in pasture decreases urinary nitrogen concentrations and decreases indirect nitrogen leaching from urine patches. By polymer coating the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) its longevity in soils was increased and therefore the inhibitory effect lengthened. A simulation model was constructed to explain the controlled release of DCD and its inhibition of nitrification of urine nitrogen. This model was useful in predicting the long-term effectiveness of polymer-coated DCD and illustrating the commercial potential of such products.

Bolitho, Wendy Anne (PhD, Sociology, 2011)

"Silent invocations: Music, sublimation and social transformation"

Applying a wide range of musical experience to the close reading of Jacques Lacan’s Seminars and writings, Ms Bolitho’s thesis makes the case that ‘music’ – understood as a performative and creative trans-subjective act of structuring sound – constitutes an alternative form of artistic ‘writing practice’. As a social-cultural process analogous to psychoanalysis, musical improvisation and composition offer a constructive model that allows an expansion of Lacan’s concept of artistic sublimation. Following Jacques Attali’s suggestion that our intention is ‘not only to theorise about music, but through music', Ms Bolitho’s research suggests that musical paradigms of understanding embrace the dynamic flux of human relationality, and that music-making – as a cultural practice – enables a reconsideration of artistic sublimation and its potential as a site for social transformation.

Bolwell, Charlotte Frances (PhD, Veterinary Epidemiology, 2011)

"Epidemiological studies of early exercise and measures of training and racing performance in Thoroughbred racehorses"

Miss Bolwell’s research investigated the effect of early exercise in young Thoroughbred horses on subsequent racing performance. Miss Bolwell used epidemiological studies to collect information from studmasters and trainers over a two year period. Miss Bolwell found that the exercise accumulated at a young age and during race training was associated with reaching important training and racing milestones. Miss Bolwell’s findings indicate that current exercise regimens in young horses could be modified in order to reduce losses within the racing industry and allow more horses to have successful training and racing careers.

Boyack, Jennifer Elizabeth (PhD, Education, 2011)

“An exploratory study of primary school music leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand: Who they are, what they do and why”

Ms Boyack explored the work of generalist primary school teachers who fulfil music leadership roles in their schools. Ten teachers with a range of teaching experience were interviewed about their music leadership work, and observed leading music activities of their choice. Key findings related to the interplay of personal and professional factors in the development of these teachers’ identities as primary school music leaders; the complex, multi-faceted nature of the role; and the broad significance of their work to the teachers themselves, the children they teach, and their school communities. The study has practical and theoretical implications for teachers, teacher educators and curriculum leaders at institutional and policy levels.  It also contributes to international research concerned with music’s place in the primary school curriculum, the role of music teacher leaders in sustaining music in primary schools, and the value and benefits associated with music teaching and learning.

Brewer, Naomi (PhD, Epidemiology, 2011)

“Epidemiological studies of cervical cancer in New Zealand”

Ms Brewer studied demographic differences in stage at diagnosis and cervical cancer survival in New Zealand between 1994 and 2005. She showed that there were major ethnic inequalities, even after adjustment for socio-economic position, and assessed whether these were due to factors such as screening history, stage at diagnosis, comorbid conditions, and travel time and distance to the nearest General Practitioner and cancer centre. Over half of the women who developed cervical cancer had never been screened. Regular screening lowered the risk of a late stage at diagnosis. However, the higher risk of late stage diagnosis in Māori women was not explained by differences in screening history or travel time, whereas in Pacific women it was almost entirely due to these factors. For cervical cancer mortality, more than one-half of the excess relative risk in Māori and Pacific women was explained by differences in stage at diagnosis and comorbid conditions.

Burgelt, Petra Kristina (PhD, Psychology, 2011)

"Contemporary migration between developed countries: Transformation processes towards actualizing authentic selves and lives"

Why do people from Germany move across the world and start new lives in Australia and New Zealand? To answer this question and to understand the migrants’ perspectives in the context of their life course experiences, Dr Buergelt accompanied German migrants on all phases of their migration journey to Australia or New Zealand for 2 years. She repeatedly lived with them in their homes, participated in their lives, and listened to their experiences and interpretations. She synergised 34 years worth of information in four empowering composite migrant stories and four variations summaries that paint an inspiring and insightful picture of the physical and psychological migration processes. The seed for migrating was already planted in childhood and was especially nurtured by contact with nature, reading and travelling independently. The desire to fulfil their need to actualise their selves and live authentic lives motivated participants to migrate. Living conditions in Germany hindered being authentic and created dis-ease; living conditions in ANZ facilitated authenticity and well-being.

Cain, Trudie (PhD, Sociology, 2011)

"Bounded bodies: The everyday clothing practices of larger women"

Fat and indeed, fat people, are discursively constructed as problematic in contemporary western society. Given this, Ms Cain explored how fat women negotiate the problematic construction of their bodies through their everyday clothing practices. To do so, she conducted ethnographically-inspired fieldwork, asking her larger-sized participants to keep clothing journals, rummage through their wardrobes with her, take photographs, and allow her to accompany them while they shopped for clothes. Her research found that despite numerous social practices that exclude larger women and position them on the margins of society, larger women are agentic, managing the marginalisation of their bodies in numerous creative and resourceful ways. In doing so, fat women transform sites of exclusion into spaces of inclusion, legitimising their larger bodies in the process.

Campbell, Catherine Grace (PhD, Social Work and Social Policy, 2011)

“A study of the career pathways of Canadian young adults during the decade after secondary school graduation”

Ms Campbell considered how young people in Canada constructed their career pathways after they graduated from secondary school. The majority of participants in her study either did not know what they wanted to do when they graduated from secondary school or subsequently changed their minds. Whatever plans they had when they graduated from secondary school typically changed as they experienced unpredictable events and other internal and external influences that changed, or at least modified, the pathways taken. She found that participants used five strategies as they found a career-related place: navigating, exploring, drifting, settling and committing. Six career design principles were identified that provide guidelines for how young people can engage in the process of finding a career-related place in a way that is proactive while at the same time accepting that career pathways may be uncertain.

Chen, Jianyu (PhD, Plant Physiology, 2011)

"The physiology and control of regreening in spathes of Zantedeschia"

Spathe regreening is a primary determinant limiting quality of Zantedeschia as a cut flower, pot- or landscape-plant. Ms Chen investigated the physiological mechanism of regreening, and how this process is controlled by various factors including fruiting, light and plant hormones. Regreening was found to result from the accumulation of chlorophyll, retention of carotenoid and redifferentiation of chloroplasts from chromoplasts within the spathe tissue. By integrating both light and hormonal factors, she identified several treatments that postpone regreeening and extende display life up to 100%. These treatments have immediate commercial potential.

Chua @ Yeo, Gek Kee (PhD, Bioprocess Engineering, 2011)

“Process optimization and scale-up for the production of a diagnostic monoclonal antibody against congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)”

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) is a relatively rare human genetic disorder. Its effective clinical management requires early diagnosis, preferably at birth. Ms Chua developed and scaled-up an inexpensive process for producing a monoclonal antibody for use in early diagnosis of CAH. Her process is expected to allow production of significant quantities of the antibody for evaluation in diagnostic clinical trials.

Clement, Alastair (PhD, Geography, 2011)

"Holocene sea-level change in the New Zealand archipelago and the geomorphic evolution of a Holocene coastal plan incised-valley system: The lower Manawatu valley, North Island, New Zealand"

Mr. Clement focused on reconstructing sea-level changes in the New Zealand region during the past 10,000 years to provide context for an investigation of the evolution of the lower Manawatu valley during the same period. A New Zealand-wide north-south trend in sea-level fluctuations driven by a range of external forcing mechanisms was identified. In the Manawatu, Mr Clement reconstructed the geomorphic and stratigraphic evolution of the valley in response to these sea-level fluctuations and the influx of sediment from the adjacent axial ranges. A 3D model of the sub-surface stratigraphy of the valley was constructed, as were palaeogeographic maps and a series of conceptual models of the evolution of the valley during the last 10,000 years.

Coles, Leah Theresa (PhD, Nutritional Science, 2011)

"Predication of cellular ATP generation from foods in the adult human: Application to developing specialist weight-loss foods"

The growing prevalence of obesity has led to the development of many specialist weight-loss foods, designed to contain as little energy as possible. Current calculation models used to predict how many kilojoules or calories a food contains use generic calculation factors based on the protein, fat and carbohydrate content of the food. However, this approach may not give an accurate reflection of how much useful energy the body actually receives from a food because every food is unique in terms of how much gets digested and absorbed by the body. Ms Coles developed a new laboratory method that predicts how much of a food’s energy is digested and then translates this into how much useful energy the body receives from that food. The model has been successfully validated and is a valuable tool for food technologists developing specialist weight-loss foods to help predict which foods are the least ‘fattening’.

Corich, Stephen Paul (PhD, Information Systems, 2011)

"Automating the Measurement of Critical Thinking in Discussion Forums"

Critical thinking is seen as an essential skill for survival in the 21st century and those involved in education agree that encouraging students to think critically is an essential requirement of the educational system. Mr Corich used an action research framework to build and test a tool designed to automate the process of measuring evidence of critical thinking among individual participants in a discussion forum. Mr Corich found that automated tools have the potential to assist in the measurement of critical thinking abilities and are worthy of further investigation.

Croy, Philippa Marie (Doctor of Clinical Psychology, 2011)

“An Investigation of the outcomes of Psycho-Oncology Interventions”

Cancer can cause considerable distress, impacting significantly on a person’s quality of life, psychologically, emotionally, socially, spiritually and functionally. Although internationally, psychological interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing this impact, in New Zealand research on this topic is limited. Ms Croy found that the provision of psycho-oncology interventions by a New Zealand psycho-oncology service significantly reduced distress in patients and family members. It also significantly increased their levels of wellbeing and coping. She also examined clients’ perceptions of their cancer journey, and of the psycho-oncology service. Five factors were perceived by clients to be most beneficial. These included receiving individualised support, talking to someone who was not family, receiving expert/professional support, regaining a sense of control, and service availability and flexibility. In summary, interventions provided by Massey’s Psycho-Oncology Service had a significantly positive impact on patients’ and their families’ lives. These results are consistent with overseas studies.

Dean (nee Gounder), Farzana (PhD, Linguistics, 2011)

“Restorying indenture: The first Fiji Hindi speakers narrate Girmit”

Ms Dean’s research is on life narratives about the indentured labourers in Fiji. Rather than trying to understand Girmit, as this system was called, through official documents, this research examines radio broadcast interviews in Fji Hindi with the surviving Girmitya who came to Fiji before 1916. She analyses their interpretations and positioning with respect to the nature of Girmit identity and whether it confirms or denies the dominant presentation of indenture history circulating in the community. Using frameworks from linguistics and psychology her research uncovers moments of resistance and accommodation, showing that understanding the indentured labour period in Fiji from the inside must take into account narrators’ roles as characters, their sense of agency as well as the culture and context in which the stories were told.

de Haan, Irene (PhD, Social Policy and Social Work, 2011)

"A good start: Supporting families with a first baby"

Mrs de Haan investigated how new parents in diverse circumstances experienced transition to parenthood and the types of support found useful during this time. She used a narrative approach and a resilience perspective in analysing results. Mrs de Haan found that participants were unprepared for the realities of life with a baby and that current policy and service provision does not always meet actual needs. A more flexible, responsive set of services might be created by customising standard services to more closely match needs and preferences of specific groups of new parents.

Dias, Francisco (PhD, Animal Science, 2011)

"Supplementation of palm kernel expeller to grazing dairy farms in New Zealand"

Mr. Dias investigated the nutritional value of a by-product from the palm oil industry called palm kernel expeller (PKE), which is used to supplement grazing dairy cows in New Zealand. He conducted several laboratory based experiments, a dairy cow grazing experiment in late lactation and an indoor digestibility experiment with sheep to determine the digestibility and feeding value of this feed when fed with pasture. He found that PKE is a supplement with a moderate energy content and digestibility, which when used to supplement high quality pastures will decrease the overall energy concentration of the diet. However, when PKE is used to fill feed deficits in late lactation milksolid responses can be obtained, and its supplementation increases the milkfat concentration of the milk. This research will help farmers to decide when to use PKE to get the best results from it.

Di Stefano, John (PhD, Fine Arts, 2011)

"Moving Images of Home: Transnationalism, displacement and the moving image"

Mr Di Stefano's research examines shifting concepts of home and belonging within the context of transnational migration, and extends contemporary notions of diaspora by examining the complex construction of affiliations between ethnic, national and sexual identities. His research proposes that the camera can function as an invaluable mediator of people, places and events in relation to narratives of belonging by operating at the register of a witnessing device to the trauma of displacement.

Dillon, Stephanie Kim (Doctoer of Clinical Psychology, 2011)

“Towards a typology of youth sexual harmers in Aotearoa, New Zealand”

Mrs Dillon undertook exploratory research with a sample of New Zealand youth who had sexually harmed others. The project explored the possibility of discerning subgroups of similar youths within the sample. The results suggest a typology of these youth is possible, and that effective interventions need to focus on the primary difficulties present for the particular subgroups

Duncan, Wayne Alan (Doctor of Education, 2011)

“Understanding the nature and function of empathy in synchronous multimedia conferencing”

Mr Duncan explored empathy, or the interpretation of the internal frame of another, within a relatively new online collaboration tool; synchronous multimedia conferencing (SMC). Using case study methodology from within the lens of a hermeneutic perspective, he investigated conferencing participants’ heuristic understandings of empathy. The findings indicated that participants’ experiences and understandings appeared to be influenced by a number of factors including respondents’ degree of engagement and the richness of their multimedia conferencing experiences. Themes identified in the research led to the development of an exploratory model of empathy in SMC that facilitated the development of a range of additional participant models. These models suggested that multifaceted relationships exist between the participant, the physical environment, and the social environment, bound together through empathic interaction.

Durie, Meihana Kākatārau (PhD, Maori Studies, 2011)

"He Kawa Oranga: Maori engagement in the 21st Century"

Increasing Māori success in education and sport by drawing on Māori values, cultural world views, and customs was the premise for Meihana Durie’s thesis. Consultation with tribal experts, in-depth observations of cultural applications in modern times, and three case studies involving tertiary education within a Māori context, Māori immersion education, and excellence in sport and secondary education, informed the thesis. Mr Durie showed that performance was enhanced by the inclusion of cultural protocols - kawa – in the day to day operations of modern organisations and that kawa can continue to be adapted to meet changing Māori needs. His research has important implications for Māori achievement across a range of ages, endeavours, and situations.

Ko te tūāpapa o tēnei kaupapa rangahau nā Meihana Durie, ko te tiki atu i ngā mātāpono, āronga, tikanga hoki ā te Māori kia āhei ai te whakatutuki i ngā taumata whakatiketike o te ao mātauranga me te ao hākinakina hoki. He pukenga mātauranga koia i whai wāhi mai ai o rātou nā reo ki roto ki tēnei kaupapa. I āta tirohia hoki ngā huihuinga tāngata kia mārama ai te titiro ā te hunga kaumātua ki ngā pūtake tikanga tuku iho. E toru anō ngā kaupapa mātauranga i āta whakamāramahia: he whare wānanga; he kohanga reo / kura kaupapa Māori; he kura mātauranga / hākinakina hoki. Ko te ngako o te hua e āta mārama mai ana, ko te āheinga o tēnei hanga ko te kawa kia eke taumata ai te tini tāngata i roto i ngā kaupapa Māori hūhua atu o te ao hou. He pānga nui anō kei tēnei rangahau ki ngā reanga katoa e whakapiki taumata ata, i te whānuitanga o ngā whainga, tūmanako, wawata hoki.

Durpoix, Dorothee (PhD, Ecology, 2011)

(pronounced Dur pwa)

"Farmers' attitudes and behaviour towards the natural environment: A New Zealand case study"

Farmers have a crucial role in looking after New Zealand’s environment but we still know little about the factors influencing their attitudes towards conservation. Ms Durpoix assessed attitudes towards the natural environment, and in particular towards native forest, of farmers with and without native forest on their farms. She also studied the environmental behaviour of farmers with forest, and the factors that explain farmers’ pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. Her most significant contributions were, first, adapting an existing model to allow the assessment of farmers’ environmental attitudes and behaviour; second, showing how farmers with and without forest on their farms differed in how they related to native forest; and third, showing that direct experience with nature, interactions with family, and knowledge, especially self-confidence in ecological knowledge, were particularly important in understanding farmers’ environmental attitudes and behaviour.

Elliot, Anne-Grete Nøhr (Doctor of Education, 2011)

(pronounced Elliot, Annə-Gretə Nör [Danish])

“From Preservice Teacher Education to the Primary Classroom: An Investigation into Beginning Teachers’ experiences with Information and Communication Technology”

Mrs Elliot researched what helped or hindered a group of beginning primary teachers in using information and communication technology in their classroom. She found that a majority of beginning teachers in her sample were less well prepared in information and communication technology than in other areas, most had insufficient support from mentor teachers and colleagues, and all wished they had learnt more about using educational technology during their preservice teacher education. The thesis concluded that to succeed in the challenge to use educational technology meaningfully to enhance learning, beginning teachers need appropriate support within a collaborative school culture and they must be adequately prepared for first-year teaching with technology. The study has implications for beginning teachers, mentor teachers, principals, teacher educators and policy makers.

Eng, Amanda Jane (PhD, Epidemiology, 2011)

"Workforce survey of occupational exposures and health effects in New Zealand"

Ms Eng’s thesis was based on the first workforce survey of occupational exposures and health effects in the New Zealand working population. She found that occupational exposure to dust, chemicals and certain physical factors remains common in the New Zealand workforce. Substantial differences in exposure prevalence were observed between males and females and Māori and non-Māori workers both within and between occupations. Her thesis also showed that workplace exposures are a risk factor for asthma, with printers, sawmill workers, and bakers, being more likely to have asthma. Finally, her thesis found that work-related stress was associated with asthma.

Fa’alau, Fuafiva (PhD, Sociology, 2011)

"Organisation and dynamics of family relations and implications for the wellbeing of Sāmoan youth in Aotearoa, New Zealand"

‘Family’ plays a fundamental role in the wellbeing of Samoan youth in New Zealand. How families are formed, structured and organised influences the levels of wellbeing of their adolescent members. Miss Fa’alau explored the correlation between structural and organisational patterns in Samoan families and levels of wellbeing of youth in these families. Her research identified both 'positive' and 'negative' connections between characteristics of family and Samoan youths’ wellbeing. The research also highlighted the diversity which exists in Samoan family structure and organisation in New Zealand and concluded that social policy will be most successful when it acknowledges this variety in its models.

Fernando, Warnakulasuriya Mary Ann Dipika Binosha (PhD, Food Technology and Microbiology, 2011)

"The effects of rice fibre on probiotic fermentation"

Ms Fernando investigated the role of rice fibre in stimulating the growth and corresponding SCFA (Short Chain Fatty Acid) formation of human faecal micro-flora and individual and co-cultures of probiotics. She also evaluated the effects of environmental factors on the adhesion of probiotics to rice fibre. Exploring the functional properties of the rice fibre has provided a better knowledge on the effect of rice or rice based fibre in the human gut. The information obtained in this study suggests that rice fibre could be used to prevent human diseases by promoting healthy human gut flora, supporting the idea that rice is an important natural source of dietary fibre.

Flannagan, Suzanne Joy (Doctor of Business Administration, 2011)

"Enabling promise delivery: The influence of internal marketing communication"

Ms Flannagan investigated how companies communicate with employees regarding advertised brand promises and the influence of this communication on an employee’s ability to embody the brand and deliver on these promises. Her study revealed several factors influencing the effectiveness of internal channels of communication, demonstrated the importance of collegial relationships in organisational feedback, and assessed the significance of commitment to values on employee perceptions of the company’s ability to deliver on its promises. Ms Flannagan’s findings are illustrated in a framework that provides a potential methodology for designing internal marketing communication strategies and measuring the effectiveness of implementation based on the outcomes identified by the research.

Frater, Thomas Gregory, (PhD, Science, 2011)

"Energy in New Zealand Apple Production"

The sustainability of New Zealand primary production has come under close scrutiny in recent years, particularly since the emergence of the global climate change debate. Mr. Frater examined the energy content of New Zealand apple production and calculated associated sustainability indicators. Global food supply chains impinge on a broad range of scientific, social and ethical issues. A principle methodology for investigating the sustainability of food production is the life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology. Mr. Frater investigated the extent to which normative presuppositions underpin the LCA methodology, and argued that an LCA investigation constitutes a form of intervention. He proposed a refinement of the LCA approach for studying global food supply systems that would take greater account of the normative presuppositions (such as ethical and moral boundary judgements) of researchers conducting such investigations, and recognise tacit knowledge imbedded in the methodology itself.

Fullard, Luke (PhD, Mathematics, 2011)

"Modelling the initiation of a hydrothermal eruption: The shock tube model"

Hydrothermal eruptions are an impressive phenomenon of nature. They are similar to geysers in that they erupt liquid water and steam, yet can be much larger, less predictable, and usually also erupt hot mud and rock. Mathematical models have been used in the past to study these eruptions but none have dealt with the initiation of an eruption. Mr Fullard developed a new model and numerical method to solve the associated flow equations. This model is able to simulate the first few seconds of an eruptive event from which he was able to infer conditions which increase the risk of a hydrothermal eruption. His research is a further step in predicting such eruptions, and protecting life and property at risk of damage from such an event.

Gerdelan, Antony Paul (PhD, Computer Science, 2011)

"Hybrid artificial intelligence algorithms for autonomous agents"

Modern film and game productions make use of computer-driven actors.  These characters or vehicles need to move through their environment without crashing. This work experimented with a variety of different motion controllers for such actors based on a kind of decision-making called "fuzzy logic". Implementations for large crowd scenes, physically simulated vehicles, and games are benchmarked and discussed.

Gibson, Lorena (PhD, Social Anthropology, 2011)

“Hope, agency, and the ‘side effects’ of development in India and Papua New Guinea”

Ms Gibson explored how women living in urban poverty in India and Papua New Guinea hope and act for development. She conducted ethnographic fieldwork with four grassroots-level organisations running development initiatives in education and income-generation led by Muslim women in Howrah and Kolkata (India), and Christian women in Lae (Papua New Guinea). Data was gathered using a variety of qualitative methods and involved repeated visits to each city to observe changes over time. Her research illustrated how women from very different contexts struggled to create more meaningful lives for themselves and their families in similar ways while sometimes reproducing the inequalities they sought to transform. Her work identified a number of ‘side effects’ of development, including collective hope and collective agency, which sustain collective action in the face of adversity and failure. Her findings have practical implications for supporting and enhancing the success of grassroots development organisations.

Goldberg, Julia (PhD, Evolutionary Biology, 2011)

"Speciation and phylogeography in the New Zealand archipelago"

Ms Goldberg utilized DNA sequence data of native terrestrial animals to explore processes in the evolution of New Zealand’s biota. The research dealt with the important question of how the current biota has developed since the ancient break-up of Gondwanaland, in particular considering the contributions from geologically recent arrivals via dispersal and speciation. This study showed that colonization, speciation and extinction are all important factors when considering the evolution of the complex current assemblage among and between the taxa studied. Ms Goldberg’s research contributes significant knowledge to the origin of New Zealand biodiversity, its evolutionary place in the Australasian region, and our understanding of evolution on islands.

Hammond, Kirsty Joan (PhD, Animal Science, 2011)

“Methane emissions from ruminants fed white clover and perennial ryegrass forages”

Nearly 50% of New Zealand’s greenhouse gases come from agriculture, and the biggest source is methane from pasture digestion by sheep and cattle. Miss Hammond researched methane reduction by evaluating a database of measurements and then undertaking a series of sheep trials. Her research showed there was less opportunity for selecting animals with low methane production than previously believed, and the amount of methane from digestion was not strongly related to ryegrass composition. There were no differences in methane emissions between sheep fed either white clover or ryegrass, but she showed the energy loss to methane decreased as intakes increased. Her research provides additional incentive for feeding animals well to achieve high productivity and lower quantities of methane per product. This is a win-win situation for farmers and productivity as well as our environment.

Hay, Iain David (PhD, Microbiology, 2011)

“Regulation and export of alginate in Pseudomonas aeruginosa”

Mr. Hay investigated the molecular mechanisms that lead to the overproduction of the exo-polysaccharide alginate by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The production of alginate by this bacterium is a key factor leading to chronic pulmonary infection of cystic fibrosis patients. Mr. Hay identified two novel mechanisms the bacteria uses to regulate the production of alginate. He also characterized several proteins involved in the secretion of alginate; in doing so the first protein-protein interactions of a longtime proposed multi-protein secretion complex were identified. These results provide insights into a poorly understood process in a clinically important bacterium.

Hay, Kathryn Susan (PhD, Politics, 2011)

“Agenda success? The prospects for sub-regional human rights arrangements in the Pacific”

Regional human rights arrangements such as a charter, commission or court, operate in all United Nations-defined regions except for the Asia-Pacific. Ms Hay examined the likelihood of a Pacific human rights mechanism being advanced by the leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum. Interviewing a range of legal experts, United Nations and government officials, academics and human rights activists, her findings indicated that there is moderate evidence of the preconditions necessary for the development of this policy idea. However, the receptivity and political will of the Pacific leaders will ultimately determine agenda success for sub-regional human rights arrangements.

Hollings, James (PhD, Journalism, 2011)

"The courage to speak: How investigative journalists persuade reluctant whistleblowers to tell their stories"

Investigative journalism is based on two pillars of information gathering – documents and human sources. Yet little attention has been given in the journalistic literature to best practice for developing reluctant, vulnerable sources with high‐risk information. This thesis used a case study approach to analyse four high-profile examples of New Zealand investigative journalism based on revelations by such people. Using interviews with both the sources and journalists, and drawing on persuasion and social psychology theory, Mr Hollings found that these whistleblowers went through a rigorous, highly calculated, and also emotional decision-making process, and put the journalists through a series of tests to gauge their expertise, independence and trustworthiness. Based on his findings, he proposes a model of best practice for journalists wishing to persuade these people to speak out safely and effectively. This model emphasises building a good relationship with the whistleblower through clear, honest communication and close, on-going engagement.

Hutchings, Scott Christopher (PhD, Food Science, 2011)

"Oral processing of heterogeneous foods"

Mr Hutchings’ research focused on the chewing of heterogeneous foods – foods with more than one food component. Research was undertaken on food matrices containing embedded peanut pieces, where the particle breakdown pathway and particle size distribution of food bolus ready for swallowing was assessed. Results showed the physical properties of one food component can influence the breakdown of another food component in a heterogeneous system. In particular, the matrix influenced the rate that the peanut particles were broken down, and the spread of peanut particle size in the food bolus ready for swallowing. These findings may allow food manufactures to design foods with improved sensory and nutritional benefits.

Irawanto, Dodi Wirawan (PhD, Cross-Cultural Leadership, 2011)

"Exploring Paternalistic Leadership and its Application to the Indonesian Context"

Mr Irawanto investigated whether Paternalistic leadership is a model of leadership practice that can be applied in the Indonesian context. Indonesian society is characterised by highly collectivist values linked to its Javanese cultural heritage. Mr Irawanto surveyed staff in the Indonesian public sector using a Paternalistic leadership instrument developed in Taiwanese research. He discovered seven factors respondents considered important in the leadership style of their superiors. Several were the same as those identified in the Taiwanese research. A new factor, Visible leadership, was identified as applicable to the Indonesian context. Interactions between respondent demographic information and the factors making up Paternalistic leadership indicated that the construction of the leader-follower relationship was stable. Mr Irawanto’s findings contribute to the development of an indigenous leadership model that could potentially assist in efforts to improve the leadership capacity of Indonesia.

Jacobs-Garrod, Laura Marie (PhD, Defence Studies, 2011)

“The humanitarian and the soldier: Partners for peace? A Study of U.S. and New Zealand Military-NGO Relations”

Over the past two decades, military forces and aid workers have found themselves co-existing time and again on unconventional battlefields. Ms. Jacobs-Garrod’s research focused on the relationship between the military and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and its implications for international interventions. Her study identified the strengths and weaknesses of the military-NGO relationship using New Zealand Defence Force and United States Military experiences. While efforts have been made to coordinate their respective missions, the relationship between the military and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) remains ad hoc. Ms. Jacobs-Garrod demonstrated that this improvisational approach to military-NGO relations yields uneven and, often, inefficient results in responses to complex emergencies. Additionally, her dissertation offers practical recommendations to improve military-NGO relations and, in turn, international responses to complex emergencies.

Jeon, Hyunok (Doctor of Clinical Psychology, 2012)

"Hybridising identities by Korean mothers and daughters in New Zealand"

Ms Jeon interviewed Korean mothers and daughters in Auckland to document how these migrant women develop resilience through reconstructing their identities after migration. Her research demonstrates how these women are engaged in constant processes of negotiating hybridised identities through dealing with cultural difference, changed socio-economic status, altered gender roles, and generational transformations. These women function as folk anthropologists as they go through processes of learning and revising both Korean and Kiwi culture. Ms Jeong’s research shows how the ‘authenticity’ of a culture is challenged and how migrants create resilience as they actively formulate new identities. Her research also contributes to critical understandings of cultural competency for health professionals in proposing that culture should be understood as performative, interactive and constantly changing, rather than as the fixed traits of an ethnic group.

Jeyakumar, Paramsothy (PhD, Soil Science, 2011)

"Copper and zinc dynamics and bioavailability in soils amended with biosolids"

Mr Jeyakumar’s research examines the effect of biosolids derived copper and zinc on forest trees (poplar and pine), mycorrhiza and soil microbial activity. It also focuses on the specific soil factors affecting bioavailability of biosolids derived copper and zinc as well as proposes suitable amendments which can lower the biotoxicity of these metals. The study provided information on improving the current environmental regulations with respect to heavy metals that seek to protect agriculture land, human and animal health, and soil and drinking water quality, in scenarios where biosolids are applied to soil.

Jeyanathan, Jeyamalar (PhD, Animal Science, 2011)

“Investigation of rumen methanogens in New Zealand Livestock”

Methane is one of the important greenhouse gas in New Zealand. Methanogens which are living in the rumen of ruminants produce this methane as a byproduct of feed fermentation. Vaccine and small molecular inhibitors are two of the promising methods to reduce this methane emission from New Zealand grazing ruminants. For the successful vaccine development, the methanogen diversity in the rumen of New Zealand ruminants should be known. Similarly, to find out the vaccine target genome sequencing of important methanogens is needed. In my study, I studied the methanogen diversity of farmed ruminants in New Zealand as well as I isolated one novel methanogen from rumen for genome sequencing.

Khan, Robert (PhD, Management, 2011)

"A study of Indian Migrants in New Zealand: Their migration and settlement management and experiences"

Fiji’s two military coups in 1987 prompted an exodus of Fiji Indians to New Zealand and presented challenges for the migrants and for this country’s policies and settlement programmes.  Using a systems theory perspective the experiences and perceptions of fifty Indian migrants were acquired through in depth interviews. The information obtained was analysed to not only record and reflect on the experiences of the migrants but also to evaluate the management of the process of settlement of these migrants.

Since most of the migrants were skilled and professional, with a high standard of English, and relative familiarity with New Zealand life they had high expectations that did not materialise. The research findings indicated that the New Zealand government policies focused on the management of entry and not on settlement. Once in New Zealand the migrants found it difficult to obtain employment, were faced with instances of cultural insensitivities and general lack of support from government agencies. Most help and support came from church and community organisations that were not funded by the government.  It was concluded that New Zealand should adopt some of the policies of managing the settlement of migrants that Canada and Australia have implemented. As a first step it is recommended that an organisation specifically dedicated to migrant help and support be established that combines functions currently spread among a variety of government offices. This organisation would advise migrants on issues such as jobs, health and schooling as well as identify and support any training and development needs.

Lal, Ramesh (PhD, Information Technology, 2011)

“Strategic factors in agile software development method adaptation: A study of market driven organisations”

Mr Lal investigated how two highly successful international computer software vendors adapted their software development methods to become agile organisations. This study, undertaken in both New Zealand and Australia, revealed that it is critical for such organisations to adapt agile software development methods to their own requirements in order to develop high quality software products in a dynamic, market driven environment. The most significant contribution of this study is the identification of the underlying adaptation factors which can transform a product development organisation into an agile organisation. This research has important implications for software development practitioners, since it suggests that simply adopting a few agile practices is not enough to achieve success. Rather, software development organisations must adapt and transform their practices at every level in order to achieve and sustain innovation and market leadership.

Lang, Stephen Kenneth Wilfred (PhD, Education, 2011)

“Bicultural Responsiveness in Aotearoa New Zealand: An immigrant counsellor’s perspective”

Mr Lang investigated how non-Māori counsellors in Aotearoa New Zealand respond to the call by Māori for non-Māori to honour and respect the indigenous culture. Motivated by a request from The Right Honourable Pita Sharples for counsellors to develop their bicultural responsiveness, Mr Lang, as an immigrant counsellor, turned the focus onto his own response to this call, and produced this auto ethnographic research. He found that the development of bicultural responsiveness was slow, and prone to relapse, though gains have been made. Non-Māori through engagement with Māori, need to be willing to acknowledge mistakes, make amends, and become wiser in the process. The requirement by the New Zealand Association for Counsellors – Te Roopu Kaiwhiriwhiri o Aotearoa, for all counsellors to engage in bicultural consultation will provide increased opportunities for interaction. Such dialogue can lead to the refocusing of counselling to help achieve holistic forms of well-being typified by hauora.

Lethbridge, Louise Anne (PhD, Animal Science, 2011)

"Lameness of dairy cattle: Factors affecting the mechanical properties, haemorrhage levels, growth and wear rates of bovine claw horn"

Lameness is one of the main economic and welfare issues faced by the global dairy industry. The research undertaken by Mrs Louise Lethbridge was completed in collaboration between Massey and Exeter University in the UK to assess the health, mechanical and functional properties of bovine claw horn. Louise found puncture resistance more effective than elastic modulus in elucidated changes in the health and mechanical properties of claw horn. The studies concluded that claw horn related issues were the main cause of lameness and while individual animals can exhibit high levels of claw horn disruption, there were immediate management factors such as genetic selection and crossbreeding, animal handling and dietary microbial supplementation that provided opportunities to enhance claw horn health, improve animal welfare and the human working environment, along with increasing economic productivity within the dairy industry.

Leong, Woon Ying (PhD, Animal Science, 2011)

"Studies into factors responsible for the acceptability of pork on the Singaporean market"

Ms Leong investigated novel methods of manipulating components of pork quality with the long-term goal of devising and characterising production and processing systems that satisfy consumer demands in Singapore while being profitable for the New Zealand pork industry. She achieved this by imposing treatments on pigs or pork that were expected to enhance pork quality and then quantifying the effects in terms of consumer acceptability in the market place, sensory analysis by trained panels, and selected aspects of product composition.

Lilley, Spencer Charles (PhD, Education, 2011)

“The information seeking behaviour of Māori secondary school students”

Mr. Lilley’s research used Karen E. Fisher’s information grounds theory to investigate the places where Māori students congregate to obtain, share and exchange information, and the barriers they encounter when accessing information. He established that these information grounds can be found in three distinct locations: school; social situations and cultural settings. Each of these have distinct zones where information seeking and exchanges take place. His research discovered that the types of information barriers encountered by students varied according to the cultural context that information was being sought in, with the results demonstrating that those students who have a strong sense of cultural identity experience fewer barriers in either of the two cultural worlds they are part of. The study concludes with a presentation of a model, based on tikanga Māori principles, that defines the information behaviours within and between the networks that meet at the information grounds.

Maea, Samisoni Fotu (PhD, Banking Studies, 2011)

"The efficiency of the commercial banks in six Pacific Island countries"

The primary objective for this thesis is the measurement of commercial banks efficiency in six Pacific Island Countries. The small number of banks in this dataset enables a structural investigation to explain the fundamental sources of bank efficiency. A key feature of this thesis is to promote a sense of appreciating the uniqueness of banking operation in the region and the complexity of the banking industry. Practical relevance is ensured by focussing on the impact of banking supervisors’ prudential requirements in bank efficiency and the performance of bank management. Resulting efficiency scores and ratings are strengthened by the employment of a series of practical and innovative measures to explain the sources of bank efficiency variation. In addition, another series of comprehensive validating procedures are employed to reaffirm resulting efficiency scores. The key research finding is the identification of liquidity requirements as the main source of bank inefficiency. Capital requirements are not only ineffective in promoting bank efficiency but in the absence of formal liquidity requirements, they become a contributing factor for causing asset deterioration. Asset quality is inversely related to bank efficiency. Scale inefficiency is unusually large compared with reported scale inefficiency in the literature and in most countries, it dominates technical inefficiency.

Martinez-Smagghe, Emmanuelle Valerie (PhD, Zoology, 2011)

(Pronounced Martinez-Smarg)

"Responses of South Island Hector's dolphins (Celhalorhynchus hectori hectori) to vessel activity (including tourism operations) in Akaroa Harbour, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand"

Ms Martinez investigated the behavioural responses of the endemic and endangered Hector’s dolphin to vessel traffic, in particular tourism operations, in Akaroa Harbour. Her study revealed that the dolphins are susceptible to intense tourism activities and that vessel presence affects their activity budget. Ms Martinez also found that methods of approach and swimmer placement have an effect on their behaviour. Furthermore, her results suggest that although these dolphins become more tolerant over time, some level of sensitisation to seasonally high levels of vessel interactions is also evident. Ms Martinez’ research has implications for the long-term management of the local tourism industry.

Mason, Robyn (PhD, Human Resource Management, 2011)

"Learning at work: A model of learning and development for younger workers"

Developing employee skills and knowledge is critical to an organisation’s success. Organisations need to pay particular attention to developing younger, inexperienced workers who will become the core workforce. Based on the findings from a questionnaire completed by 1700 full-time workers aged 16 to 24 the present study proposed and tested a structural model of learning and development for younger workers. It examined the impact of several contextual and individual factors on young people’s orientation to learn; that is, their learning-related confidence, attitudes, motivation, and behavioural intentions. The study found that both contextual and individual factors influence younger workers’ behavioural intentions through different aspects of the development process. There was also some evidence that certain factors are more relevant for younger workers than previous studies have found for older workers, suggesting that life-stage is a potentially important consideration when developing employee capability.

Maubach, Ninya Bernadette (PhD, Marketing, 2011)

“The Effects of Front-of-Pack Nutrition Information and Product Claims on Consumers’ Product Evaluations and Choice Behaviour”

Better food labelling has been suggested as a tool to combat the obesity epidemic. Ms Maubach examined the effects two front-of-pack label formats, the Percent Daily Intake and Multiple Traffic Light labels, had on consumers’ attitudes and behaviour when compared to the existing Nutrition Information Panel. Furthermore, Ms Maubach examined whether the addition of nutrition-content and health claims influenced parents’ use of nutrition information. Her research found that the Multiple Traffic Light labels enabled parents to simplify the complicated task of evaluating the nutritional value of a children’s breakfast cereal. These labels also reduced the effect of product claims, as parents were more likely to choose products with claims even when the nutritional profile was poor. From this, Ms Maubach concluded that graphic labels are more likely to make it easier for consumers to make healthier food choices in distracting shopping environments.

Maxwell, Robert James (PhD, Management, 2011)

“What’s the value in ‘Boot Camps’: Means-end perspectives on motivational intervention in the outdoors”.

Motivational intervention courses or ‘boot camps’ for long-term unemployed aim to improve employment options and/or outcomes for participants. Mr Maxwell evaluated two outdoor motivational intervention programmes, Outward Bound’s Catalyst course and the Army’s Limited Service Volunteers (LSV), to determine their outcomes and identify the processes involved in producing them. This study is the first to focus on the specific population group attending motivational intervention courses, and found that the ‘boot camps’ increased participants’ self esteem, self confidence, self awareness and sense of belonging.

McGovern, Derek John (PhD, English, 2011)

“Eliza undermined: The romanticisation of Shaw’s Pygmalion”

Mr McGovern’s research examined the metamorphosis of Bernard Shaw’s 1912 play Pygmalion from anti-romantic satire to conventional love story through a series of screen and musical adaptations that successively undermined the playwright’s feminist conception of his work, culminating in the 1964 film My Fair Lady. Mr McGovern focused on Shaw’s numerous attempts to counter the romanticisation of Pygmalion, most notably in a 1938 screenplay adaptation, and then in the final revision of his play in 1941. However, Mr McGovern found that, ironically enough, Shaw’s interventions not only laid the foundation for the romanticized adaptations that followed, but obscured the superiority of his original play.

McIlhone, Amanda Elizabeth (PhD, Physiology, 2011)

(Surname pronounced Mack – ill – own)

“Some characteristics of brain electrical activity in the domestic chicken”

Miss McIlhone investigated some characteristics of brain electrical activity in chickens. The studies revealed information on the onset of consciousness in incubating and hatching chicks, the effects of anaesthesia on the chicken’s brain activity, the ability to record responses to pain in anaesthetised chickens and the effects of certain euthanasia methods. The results provide information relevant to the welfare of chickens and highlight differences between bird and mammalian brain activity that should be explored in future studies.

McKenzie, Fiona (PhD, Epidemiology, 2011)

“Ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in breast cancer survival”

Ms McKenzie investigated inequalities in survival for women diagnosed with breast cancer among different ethnic and socioeconomic groups. She found that neither risk factors for breast cancer nor tumour differences in women appeared to explain these survival inequalities. However, early disease detection and diagnosis were important determinants of survival among the different groups. Her research also demonstrated that socioeconomic position alone did not explain the survival differences seen among ethnic groups.

McWha, Sarah Ishbel (PhD, Psychology, 2011)

“What’s in a name? Job categorisation, relationship building and work motivation in aid organisations”

Aid organisations operating in lower-income regions around the world are often staffed by local and international employees who work together toward the common goal of poverty reduction. Ms McWha’s research uncovered a hierarchy of job categories within which workers are mutually positioned on the basis of characteristics of their social, cultural and economic backgrounds. These job categories are underpinned by power and status and reflective of relative pay and benefits. Ms McWha identified that job categorisation, and the social and economic inequities between the categories, not only reinforces divisions between workers but also negatively impacts work motivation, particularly amongst local employees. Ms McWha developed a quantitative measure of aid worker relationships which she utilised to provide the first systematic evidence for the vital role of relationships between both local and international workers in tempering the negative impact of inequity between workers, and ultimately in the success of aid initiatives themselves.

Md Yunus, Mohd Amri Bin (PhD, Electrical Engineering, 2011)

"Planar electromagnetic sensors for environmental monitoring"

Mr. Amri developed a sensing system based on planar electromagnetic sensor for the application of water quality monitoring in natural water source. He investigated ninety six novel planar electromagnetic sensors based on the combination of meander sensor and interdigital sensor, where a best sensor was identified based on the simulation and experimental results. The best planar electromagnetic sensor has been used to estimate the amount of nitrate contamination in manawatu river with the assistance of a method, based on independent component analysis. He also successfully used a low cost sensing system based on the planar electromagnetic sensor for water quality monitoring. In conclusion, the work is on a problem of strong socio-economic impact and is simple enough to promise inexpensive implementations for practical usage.

Melbourne, Te Waaka (PhD, Maori Studies, 2011)

"Te Wairua Komingomingo o te Maori: The spiritual whirlwind of the Maori"

The Venerable Te Waaka Melbourne examined Māori spirituality; Te Wairua Kōmingomingo o te Māori (The Spiritual Whirlwind of the Māori). Te Wairua Kōmingomingo o te Māori, explains Māori understanding of spirituality connected as it were to the people, land, language, and its customary conditions. Mr Melbourne makes the point that within the confinements of the marae Te Wairua Kōmingomingo o te Māori reinforces meaningful ongoing spiritual synergies and evolving dialogues for Māori and non-Māori. He also argues that while Christianity has taken a monopoly on Māori spirituality never-the-less, the marae and Te Ao Māori (Māori World views) continue to reinforce Te Wairua Kōmingomingo o te Māori. (The Spiritual Whirlwind of the Māori).

Melser, Paul Marinus (PhD, Fine Arts, 2011)

“Pictures of the Body: Painting as Praxis”

The research in Pictures of the Body asks how painting can produce empathy and reflexivity in an audience. Paul Melser exhibited an installation of reduced and abstracted paintings based on contemporary media images of conflict between demonstrators and police. Central to his argument is the incorporation of the ideas of Relational Aesthetics and Horizon Linking in the paintings. The exegesis argues that the relationship between artist and viewer, as established through the form of artistic expression, is a crucial part of any critique.

Miclette, Isabelle (Doctor of Clinical Psychology, 2011)

“The past in the present: A mixed methods evaluation of a group intervention for loneliness and well-being among older people”

Recent research has shown loneliness in old age to be a major risk factor for a variety of deleterious psychological and physiological outcomes. Ms Miclette developed and evaluated a therapeutic group intervention aimed at preventing and alleviating loneliness to increase the well-being of older people. A mixed methods design allowed the examination of both the impact and process of the intervention, as experienced by four groups of older people living in a retirement facility in New Zealand. The results of Ms Miclette’s research showed a high level of satisfaction with the intervention, and provided preliminary evidence for its usefulness over a time period of two months. Loneliness was conceptualised by participants as a normal challenge of life which can be actively addressed by connecting with others in meaningful ways.

Mitic, Milena (PhD, Genetics, 2011)

"Investigation of the molecular basis of symbiosis between Epichloe festucae and perennial ryegrass"

Milena Mitic’s research focused on investigating signaling mechanisms between the endophytic fungus Epichloë festucae and its symbiotic host, perennial ryegrass. This symbiotic relationship is of great importance for agriculture since endophytic fungi are beneficial for the grass but produce substances that can harm livestock causing diseases such as ryegrass staggers. In her project, different genetic approaches were used to identify new genes important for the regulation of the symbiosis. She identified a novel function for one of the fungal genes involved in calcium signalling and showed that another plays a crucial role in establishing the symbiotic relationship. At the same time, her work on another mutant that could not infect plants provided new insights into the early stages of plant host colonization and identified candidate genes for the regulation of this important process.

Moebis, Anja (PhD, Earth Science, 2011)

"Understanding the holocene explosive eruption record of the Tongariro Volcanic Centre, New Zealand"

The research of Ms Anja Moebis was focused on the Holocene history of explosive eruptions of the Tongariro Volcanic Centre. Anja established a high-resolution stratigraphic record of the eruption and repose periods of Ngauruhoe, Red Crater and Ruapehu by untangling complex, multi-source sequences in sub-aerial and lacustrine sediments. She developed a robust geochemical fingerprinting method that allowed her to trace for the first time razor-thin volcanic deposits to their source volcanoes. This method provided the base to derive the eruption frequency and magnitude distributions for each volcano. For Ngauruhoe, where the established eruption record constitutes the entire evolution of the volcano, Anja was able to demonstrate that the frequency and magnitude of eruptions follow regular temporal pattern. These are largely controlled by the ascent and crustal contamination of new magma batches. The recognition of this time-variant behavior provides the key to forecast the probability of future eruptions and to constrain their potential hazard.

Mohandesan, Elmira (PhD, Evolutionary Genetics, 2011)

"The evolution of the Mitochondrial DNA in Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus)"

The enigmatic tuatara from New Zealand, occupies a central place in the evolution of vertebrates. Tuatara have changed little anatomically over the last 200 million years. They grow slowly, reproduce slowly and have a very slow metabolism. This suggests that tuatara have slow rates of molecular evolution. Mrs. Mohandesan analyzed complete mitochondrial genomes of this ‘living fossil’ recovered from modern tuatara and sub-fossils up to 5,000 years old and examined the rates of molecular evolution and the population genetic structure of this reptile. She found although tuatara have remained largely physically unchanged over very long periods of evolution, they are evolving, at a DNA level, very rapidly. In addition, based on diverse phylogenetic analyses she suggested that there is only a single species of tuatara. This is in contrast to the widely accepted classification that there are two species of tuatara. These findings will be helpful in terms of future biological studies and the conservation of this endangered species.

Mohd Said, Farhan Binti (PhD, Bioprocess Engineering, 2011)

“Monascus ruber ICMP 15220 fermentation for the production of pigments”

Ms Mohd Said’s research focused on production optimization of red pigments for possible use as colorants in foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. A new isolate of the fungus Monascus was used in studies of pigment production by two different types of fermentation processes. A preferred production process was identified and conditions were established for attaining a high productivity of the desired pigments.

Mooney, Nicholas Patrick (Doctor of Clinical Psychology, 2011)

“Predicting offending within the New Zealand Youth Justice System: Evaluating measures of risk, need, and psychopathy.”

Mr Mooney’s previous work experience with youth offenders recognised the need for youth justice professionals to have access to valid and reliable risk assessment measures. Such measures can be used to help predict and plan interventions. His research therefore examined the predictive validity of three empirically grounded risk assessment measures. These were the Youth Level of Service/ Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI), the Youth Psychopathic Traits Inventory (YPI), and the Inventory of Callous/ Unemotional Traits (ICU). These measures were administered during a 90 minute assessment interview with 114 youth offenders aged between 14 and 17 years. All three measures accurately predicted further antisocial behaviour after six-months. However the YLS/CMI, which assessed risk factors amenable to change, provided the strongest prediction of re-offending. Clinical psychologists practicing within the New Zealand’s youth justice system are encouraged to consider such measures in order to better intervene with young people at risk of reoffending.

Mulvaney, Fraser John (PhD, Animal Science, 2011)

“Investigating methods to improve the reproductive performance of hoggets”

Mr Mulvaney examined the differences in hogget and mature ewe reproductive performance. He also investigated whether farmers’ negative perceptions of breeding hoggets was warranted based on live weight at their subsequent mating and their reproductive performance as 18 month old ewes. He found that compared to mature ewes, fewer hoggets were bred. Of those that did breed, there were less pregnancies and foetuses at pregnancy diagnosis and fewer lambed, and weaned a lamb. Lambs born to hoggets were lighter at birth and weaning. However, there were no differences between mature ewe and hogget foetal loss or lamb survival. Mr Mulvaney further found that more hoggets offered ad-libitum levels of pasture pre-mating and during the mating period were mated, lambed and were heavier at weaning compared to hoggets offered medium levels of pasture. There was no difference in foetal loss, lamb survival and lamb live weight at weaning between nutritional treatments.

Munro, Roslyn (Doctor of Clinical Psychology, 2011)

“Journeys through adolescence: Narratives of teenage boys”

Contemporary youth discourses tend to frame teenage boys as ‘trouble’ and ‘troubled’, yet there has been little investigation into how boys make sense of their everyday social contexts. Ms Munro’s research explored ways that teenage boys do identity work and negotiate their social relationships. Her participants were male high school students who provided narrative accounts of personally significant events during their adolescent years. The research showed boys to be competent social actors who construct multiple identities and draw on resources afforded by their social, cultural, and institutional connections. Insights were generated into ways that they are influenced by, and respond to, age and gender stereotypes. Ms Munro’s research offers ideas for how clinical psychologists may work more effectively with teenage boys by privileging meanings boys attach to their experiences and deconstructing ‘common-sense’ understandings of adolescence and adolescent boys.

Nainoca, Winifereti Ubianalaca (PhD, Resource and Environmental Planning, 2011)

(Pronounced Nah-ee-know-tha, Winnie-fay-ray-tee Oo-bee-ah-nah-latha)

"The influence of the Fijian way of life (bula vakavanua) on community-based marine conservation (CBMC) in Fiji, with a focus on social capital and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK)"

Community-based conservation is picking up momentum globally. Ms Nainoca investigated the influence of the indigenous Fijian way of life on community-based marine conservation (CBMC) in Fiji. From her findings, Ms Nainoca used the common Fiji mud crab as a metaphor to illustrate interconnectedness in an indigenous Fijian world, in which kinship plays a crucial role. She argues that the Fijian way of life, like the crab, has to adapt to external changes to survive, and remain relevant. This adaptation can be facilitated by dialogue (talanoa) through which CBMC stakeholders can share, reflect upon and reframe their worldviews, perceptions and ultimately practices, for the success of CBMC. The findings from this research have implications for, and relevance to other community-based conservation sites.

Nghiem, Thi Hong Nhung (PhD, Economics, 2011)

"Optimal forest management for carbon sequestration and biodiversity maintenance"

Managing planted forests for carbon sequestration and biodiversity maintenance has become increasingly important in times of rapid climate change and the loss of biodiversity worldwide. Ms. Nghiem analysed private and socially optimal management strategies for planted forests, and suggested an appropriate policy for promoting multiple-use forests. Her results show that payment for carbon sequestration services of planted forests in Vietnam is feasible. Direct payments are an appropriate policy tool to encourage household forest owners to lengthen rotation ages in order to enhance biodiversity.

Nguyen, Long Van (PhD, Applied Linguistics, 2011)

"Computer-mediated collaborative learning in a Vietnamese tertiary EFL context"

Mr Nguyen investigates the nature of both synchronous and asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) and how these two modes of communication may complement each other and contribute to collaborative learning in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom environment in comparison with the traditional face-to-face classroom. This classroom-based research takes the form of collaborative problem-solving experiments in a group of EFL students in a large university in Central Vietnam. Results from the study indicate promising avenues for the application of various CMC technologies in the language classroom. The study seeks to provide solutions for the four key issues emerging from the research, including classroom boundary, the sociotechnical affordances of the CMC environment, the teacher’s roles in the CMC environment, and product-oriented versus learning-oriented collaborative learning styles.

Nisbet, Alistair Jon (PhD, Computer Science, 2011)

"Encryption key management in wireless ad hoc networks"

The ability to communicate securely within a wireless ad hoc networking environment has significant benefits for uses in areas such as the military, education and disaster management among others. Mr Nisbet developed an encryption key management protocol for use in rapidly deployed ad hoc networks where there is no prior knowledge or prior planning in terms of the size, number of members or intended use of the network. The main contribution of Mr Nisbet’s research is a new protocol that provides security by creating and distributing encryption keys entirely after network formation, with simulation used to show that performance is superior under certain circumstances to other protocols.

Ord, Katherine Ann (PhD, Education, 2011)

"Bodies of knowledge: Early childhood teachers’ experiences of their initial teacher education programme and sense of preparedness for teaching"

Adults working in early childhood education services are increasingly being required to gain tertiary level teacher qualifications. Yet little is known about how early childhood teacher education students engage with and understand their learning to teach process, or what being well-prepared for teaching means to them. Ms Ord’s research explored this gap in the teacher education literature. Working with two groups of newly qualified teachers (field-based and pre-service) her results indicated that all felt significantly knowledgeable as an effect of teacher education. Most teachers expressed a strong desire to hold this knowledge as practice knowledge; knowledge that resides in practices and not just ‘in the head’. These findings make a contribution to what constitutes ‘knowledge’ and ‘knowing’ for teachers and importantly links early childhood teacher education to teacher education more broadly.

Ortiz Catedral, Luis (PhD, Conservation Biology, 2011)

"Aspects of the biology of managed populations of two Cyanoramphus parakeet species in New Zealand: Breeding biology, pathogen screening and translocation"

Predator management and translocation are two of the most important conservation techniques used in New Zealand. In this study, I used parakeets as models to document aspects of biology and management of threatened parrots combining both these techniques. I document the natural recolonisations of red-fronted parakeets on Raoul Island following the eradication of introduced cats and rats, the translocation of red-fronted parakeets to Motuihe Island, and the breeding biology of Malhberbe’s parakeets on Maud Island following the release of individuals bred in captivity. Also, I present an analysis of the prevalence of selected pathogenic microorganisms of conservation concern; describe a new strain of the beak and feather disease virus. Finally, I present a discussion about a framework to advance the conservation of New Zealand parrots incorporating pathogen and disease management in the context of translocations.

Paewai, Shelley Ruth (PhD, Educational Studies, 2011)

"A critical systems view of quality assurance in New Zealand universities"

Ms Paewai used a critical systems design to examine quality assurance in New Zealand universities, combining information from multiple sources to investigate perceptions at different levels of the New Zealand system. Her research suggested that current approaches to quality assurance are not directed at improving the ‘core business’ of universities. Instead, they are focused on financial and activity-based accountability, aspects which are insufficient for improving the quality of teaching, learning and research. Ms Paewai identified areas where the quality assurance system could be improved, including enhanced understanding of purposes and terminology, and clarification of the roles and functions of various agents and agencies. She argued that articulating the relationship between quality assurance, accountability and quality improvement would better enable standardised mechanisms such as performance reporting and audit to be accommodated alongside the more flexible approaches required for the improvement of teaching, learning and research within universities.

Page, Susan Linda (Doctor of Clinical Psychology, 2011)

"An investigation into the presence of seasonal symptoms in a sample treated for depression"

Mrs Page’s research investigated whether seasonal symptoms were found in depression in New Zealand. It was the first study to use a New Zealand sample and explore the expression of seasonal symptoms over therapy. Multilevel analysis allowed symptom change over time to be examined. Depressive and vegetative symptoms of seasonal depression were found to be independent of each other. Vegetative symptoms were more responsive to sunshine and influenced by gender whereas depressive symptoms were not. The findings suggest that seasonal depression is present in NZ in similar proportions to overseas samples and that more research in this area is warranted.

Parker, Kevin Alan (PhD, Ecology, 2011)

"The impacts of translocation on the cultural evolution of song in the North Island saddleback or tieke (Philesturnus rufusater)"

Bird song, like human language, shows great regional variation. Mr Parker used translocated island populations of North Island saddlebacks to study how this variation develops. He found that new songs rapidly emerge following translocation between islands. Critically, the birds themselves distinguish between songs from different islands and show a preference for local familiar songs. Mr Parker’s findings are significant as they demonstrate how conservation management can lead to rapid changes in fundamental biological behaviours.

Peace, Joanne (PhD, Ecology, 2011)

"Comparison of trophic structures between human modified and native forest habitats"

Determining the trophic structure of a habitat is vital to understanding the species composition and interactions of species and individuals within that habitat. Pine plantations in New Zealand are the most common type of silviculture, and mature pine represents a natural comparison for native forests. I have compared these habitats and their contiguous boundary on a variety of trophic levels and temporal scales. Stable isotope and stomach content analyses showed seasonal variation and separation of taxa between and within habitats. Tomtits displayed seasonal and habitat related behavioural shifts, as did their prey availability, and sexes showed striking differences in foraging behaviour. Comparison of tomtit prey availability between habitats over two years has started to clarify the role pine plantation invertebrates play in the diet of insectivorous native birds. This study raised many questions and there is much scope for future research into the trophic structure of pine versus native forest.

Peebles, John Buchanan (Doctor of Business and Administration, 2011)

"Power and influence on the board's agenda: Who determines what corporate directors discuss?"

Mr Peebles examined how the agenda of public listed companies in New Zealand is set. He used theoretical and practical understandings from corporate governance, company law, and power and influence to identify those responsible for agenda setting. Mr Peebles found that directors have a passive acceptance of established systems of agenda-setting, and that there is no formal methodology on how this is addressed at board level. This passivity was discussed by Mr Peebles in terms of power cliques within the board, and was found to support the ‘passive parsley’ syndrome suggested by Irving Olds, former Chairman of U.S. Steel. Mr Peebles’ study suggests that director independence and other factors such as age, experience, ethnicity and gender are secondary to competence and transparent boardroom process.

Petrovski, Kiro (PhD, Veterinary Science, 2011)

"In vitro and in vivo studies on treatment and prevention of bovine mastitis"

The research conducted by Dr Petrovski focused on developing treatments to efficiently prevent and cure bovine mastitis, with particular application to the New Zealand Dairy Industry. Bovine mastitis is a very important disease of dairy cattle, costing the New Zealand Dairy Industry more than $180,000,000 per year. The amount of bovine mastitis on a farm is determined by the number of infections present in cows and duration of each infection. Dr Petrovski investigated strategies to reduce the number of infected cows by helping to develop and apply a novel preventive treatment. Also, treatments were developed to shorten their duration of the infection for cows that were already infected. Implementation of some of the mastitis treatments he helped develop can significantly reduce current losses of cattle and milk production in the New Zealand Dairy Industry.

Phan, Quang Minh (PhD, Veterinary Epidemiology, 2011)

"Epidemiological Studies of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Vietnam"

Mr Phan’s research presented a range of analytical approaches for analysing routine surveillance and outbreak data of highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 in Vietnam. Mr Phan emphasised the importance of effective disease surveillance for early detection and reporting of outbreaks. He proposed that it is essential to design a structured surveillance programme that focuses on identifying risk factors, areas and periods at higher risk, and transmission pathways. Integrated control strategies then need to be adapted for specific conditions. Findings from his research should assist Vietnamese animal health authorities to implement the necessary systems and infrastructure that will allow novel and emerging disease syndromes to be investigated promptly and efficiently.

Playne, Daniel Peter (PhD, Computer Science, 2011)

"Generative programming methods for parallel partial differential field equation solvers"

Computer simulations are important to many fields of research such as physics, chemistry and biology as well as many industry engineering and construction projects. Mr Playne investigated the nature of simulations to distill their key elements and how they can be easily defined. His research shows how these elements can be automatically translated into computer programs that run on modern parallel supercomputers. The main contribution of Mr Playne’s research lies in showing how this system can significantly reduce programmer effort without loss in performance.

Prinsen, Gerard (PhD, Development Studies, 2011)

“Negotiating on a Seesaw. The decentralisation of Education and Health Services in Uganda and Tanzania from a local perspective and in a historical context”

Since the 1990s, development policies favoured the decentralisation of education and health services in Africa. Mr Prinsen examined how this decentralisation affected the engagement of local management committees of schools and dispensaries with central government. His research included more than 400 members of 64 local management committees in Uganda and Tanzania. On balance, central government appears to dominate the institutional framework, but it is essentially and continuously responding to developments in local polities. In a historical perspective, dominance in the institutional framework between local polities and central government seesaws over periods of 15-30 years. In the course of time, the local resources flowing to government varied – ivory, coffee, votes – but typically had limited local value, while commanding high prices on the international market. This secured cash for government, but also a negotiating lever for local polities. The contemporary dynamic around local management committees is exemplary of that historical seesaw.

Rae, Andrew James (Doctor of Education, 2011)

"Psychologists intentional use of reflection as a tool for inquiry"

Reflective thinking is a critical element of effective practice in educational psychology. At the heart of the concept of reflective thinking is the belief that professionals must maintain an open mind to different perspectives in order to challenge their own knowledge, values, beliefs and understandings of any situation they encounter. Mr Rae researched how Ministry of Education, Special Education psychologists use reflective thinking in their practice, how the use of reflective thinking can be enhanced, the effect of enhancing reflective thinking on practice, and the effect of the psychologist's reflective thinking on the services they provided to their clients. He found that through providing opportunities to engage in reflective thinking, psychologists were able to reflect at different levels depending on the situation and that reflective thinking influenced the psychologist's future thoughts, actions, beliefs, and emotions which, in turn, led to a more client focused service.

Read, Lesley Florence Collington (PhD, Health Policy & Social Work, 2011)

"What is this thing called grandparenting: The social, economic and political influences on the role in New Zealand"

This research study set out to explore the nature of grandparenting in New Zealand, reviewing the social, political and economic influences on the role as it is today.

Three distinct models of grandparenting were identified for enquiry. They are:

• The full-time care grandparent with parental responsibilities.

• The grandparent providing regular supplementary care to assist parent/s to fulfil the parenting needs of their children.

• The grandparent with a role characterized as voluntary and varied, outside parent type responsibilities.

An interpretive case study method was chosen. Twenty-four grandparents, some from each model, were either interviewed, or kept a diary of their grandparenting activity over three months. Grandparents were purposefully selected to represent wide variability.

From grandparents in all three grandparenting models there is evidence of a strong emotional commitment to adult children’s families. The grandparents have learnt a model of grandparenting which is carried into the present from past relationship with grandparents, or less often, from observing their parents as grandparents. It is typically expressed in a variety of nurturing and protective behaviours. In this manner grandparents have the potential to provide continuity, stability and a sense of belonging at the micro-social level of the family, and in doing so, at the macro-level, to the broader fabric of society.

When, from social and/or economic circumstance grandparents are parenting grandchildren, or in some cases when they are providing regular, supplementary care, they are likely to suffer a deteriorating quality of life, with health and finances especially affected. Social policies sensitive to both the micro- and macro-social value of grandparents are needed to address their vulnerabilities.

Richardson, Frances Ida (PhD, Nursing, 2011)

"Cultural safety in nursing education and nursing practice in Aotearoa New Zealand"

Cultural safety has been taught within the New Zealand nursing education curriculum since 1990. Cultural safety focuses on how power plays out in the context of health care relationships. Drawing upon narratives of cultural safety from sixteen registered nurses and using an abductive analytical framework, Ms Richardson identified that during times of illness a person can experience vulnerability to professional and institutional practices. This may put their sense of identity and well being at risk. The study considered how nurses in different health care fields consciously used resources and opportunities available to them to open up possibilities for providing culturally safe care. She concluded that cultural safety is about the culture of nursing and the cultures of the settings in which nursing takes place. This research extends current understandings of cultural safety by positioning the concept within relational networks of power and influence shaped by context and fields of practice.

Richardson, Samuel Andrew (PhD, Economics, 2011)

“Assessing the economic justification for government involvement in sports facilities and events in New Zealand”

Mr Richardson examined the economic justification for government involvement in the provision of sports facilities and events in New Zealand. Ex-ante economic impact studies typically predict job creation and income generation from such projects. Mr Richardson’s findings indicated that the realised economic impacts from facility construction and events were in most cases not significant, and as such were a poor justification for government involvement. A stronger justification was found by estimating benefits that accrue to local residents from the consumption of an event. These consumer surplus benefits are not routinely estimated; they should, however, become an integral part of any future facility or event evaluation.

Roberts, Margaret Helen (Doctor of Clinical Psychology, 2011)

"The Roberts anxiety scale for the elderly: Development and psychometric evaluation"

Ms Roberts’ research sought to improve the psychological assessment of anxiety in older adults. Her research took place in two closely related studies. The first focused on understanding how older adults experience anxiety in their everyday lives. This understanding informed Ms Roberts’ second study in which she developed a psychological measure to assist clinicians in understanding and quantifying the experience of anxiety in their older clients.

Robin, Arif Hasan Khan (PhD, Plant Science, 2011)

(Pronounced Aa-reef Haa-saan Khaan Robin)

“Segmental morphology of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.): A study of functional implications of plant architecture”

Looking at the form and function of perennial ryegrass plants at the growing unit level Mr Robin freshly described the detailed structural organisation of the ryegrass plants and functional relations of their growing units. ‘Rate of growing unit formation’ on the grass tiller axis between spring and autumn seasons and their differences due to seasonal weather variation; and a time lag in leaf and root production at the same ‘growing point’ as determined by the grass tiller architecture, modified the root and shoot dry matter balance. Daughter tillers were essentially important in feeding older roots of parent tiller which were of the same or neighbouring in origin. A significant amount of new knowledge on root development pattern and root system morphology of ryegrass plants generated from this research.

Rodley, Christopher David (PhD, Natural Science, 2011)

“Unravelling the genomic structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae”

Mr Rodley investigated how the DNA folds when it is packaged inside Baker’s yeast cells. It is thought that folding and the final three-dimensional organisation of the DNA is important for accessing the information coded within the DNA. Chris’ research included developing the first technique capable of capturing the 3-dimensional organisation of DNA within a cell on a global scale using cutting-edge DNA sequencing technology. This technique was used to map the genomic structure of Baker’s yeast under different growth conditions, demonstrating that genomic structure is dynamic. Furthermore, a novel signalling mechanism between the nuclear genome and a cellular organelle responsible for providing energy was uncovered and investigated.

Scheibmair, Rebecca Leigh (Doctor of Clinical Psychology, 2011)

(Pronounced Shyb-my-er)

"The acceptability and effectiveness of computerised cognitive-behavioural self-help for depression in primary care"

Ms Scheibmair investigated the acceptability and effectiveness of a computerised self-help programme using cognitive behaviour therapy for depression in a primary care setting in South Auckland.  The use of this programme helped to reduce symptoms of depression and improve social functioning and was well liked by patients and GPs.  The use of computerised self-help may be a viable treatment to reduce the burden of untreated depression in New Zealand.

Schlader, Zachary Joseph (PhD, Sport and Exercise, 2011)

"Human behavioural temperature regulation: An exercise approach"

Behavior represents our most effective and preferred mode of regulating body temperature. However, knowledge concerning the control of this behavior in humans is relatively limited. Mr. Schlader established and validated an exercise-based experimental model to evaluate human thermoregulatory behavior. Using this model and other interventions, Mr. Schlader was successful in identifying that skin temperature, thermal perception, and circulatory adjustments all uniquely contribute to the control of this behavior. These findings have a number of applications, particularly in occupational, sporting, and exercise settings in which individuals are repeatedly exposed to hot environments.

Schuster, Erich (PhD, Physics, 2011)

“Hierarchical structure function models of biopolymer networks”

Erich Schuster developed a network model to describe the mechanical properties of enzymatically induced biomimetic pectin gels, utilizing information about the gel’s microstructure gained by small angle x-ray scattering and microrheological studies. The model was found to successfully describe the observed stiffening response upon deformation, which is typical for many biopolymeric systems - especially for the structural networks comprising the cytoskeleton and the plant cell wall.  Thus, this thesis provides for the first time a true bottom-up example to the properties of soft materials, getting one step closer to the smart design of biomaterials.

Schwendel, Arved Schwendel (PhD, Ecology, 2011)

"The influence of stream bed stability and channel dynamics on lotic ecosystems: measurement and methodological advances"

My research focused on the effects of stream bed stability on lotic ecosystems from a methodological perspective. Suitability of bed stability measurement methods for application in research on stream invertebrates, one of the most important functional groups of lotic ecosystems, was investigated. This included test and application of previously not used methods in this context and the development of new and advanced techniques.

Shaffer, Karl Jürgen (PhD, Chemistry, 2011)

“Towards selective small cation chelation”

Mr Shaffer sought to identify ligands which could be used in sensing or sequestering applications for the toxic element beryllium. The bidentate proton sponge ligands initially investigated were ideally suited to binding the B(III) cation (a Be(II) size analogue) in non-aqeuous conditions; however, they were unsuitable for coordination to Be(II) in aqueous systems due to their high basicity. The development of tetradentate fully encapsulating ligands were found to be much more suitable for Be(II) and a tertiary substituted amine which was both water soluble and fluorescent upon coordination to Be(II) was identified. In addition, a fundamentally new type of tetra-coordinate ligand was designed and synthesised.

Sibley, Jonathan Eric (PhD, Management, 2011)

“The relationship between financial capability, financial competence and household economic wellbeing in rural Fijian households in Naitiriri Province, Fiji”

Monetisation is increasing rapidly across the Pacific. Mr Sibley examined rural Fijian villagers’ knowledge of money and financial services, their attitude to money and their financial behaviours; and related this to their household’s economic wellbeing. He found a positive relationship between financial competence and household wellbeing, even in households which were not fully monetised. The findings provide guidance for policy development and related interventions to assist households and communities to both increase levels of financial inclusion and improve the management of household cash-flows.

Smith, David John (PhD, Finance, 2011)

"An analysis of the capital structure determinants and financing behaviour of New Zealand firms"

Mr. Smith investigated the capital structure determinants and financing behaviour of New Zealand firms. First, he examined the relationship between the capital structure of firms and their product markets. Results suggest that New Zealand firms use debt to compete more aggressively against their rivals. This behaviour may be explained by the more competitive trading environment in New Zealand over the last 25 years. He also looked at the capital structure choices made and found consistent trends in the financing policies of firms and in the factors that influence those policies. He further found that the speed of adjustment of firms towards target capital structures varies across industries. The results are of interest to investors and analysts who wish to gain more insight into factors that influence New Zealand companies’ decisions.

Smith, Warren David (PhD, Management, 2011)

"Athlete satisfaction over time: Adapting the Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire (ASQ) to a New Zealand Setting"

Mr Smith’s research focussed on investigating the influence of time on New Zealand athletes’ satisfaction response using the Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire. A methodology was proposed which incorporated understanding the dynamics of both pre- and post-event athlete satisfaction. Mr Smith’s main contribution to knowledge highlighted the hierarchical differences in pre- and post-event athlete satisfaction between team and individual sport athletes. The findings provide a clear framework for significant others such as sport coaches to provide appropriate situation specific responses to athletes under competition pressure.

Snell, Helen Julia (PhD, Health & Social Services, 2011)

"Igniting the diabetes self-care pilot light: Understanding influences on health activation"

Diabetes is a complex long-term condition with self-care being a major component of care. However, it can be demanding, overwhelming and hard to sustain. Health activation is a composite notion comprising health beliefs, knowledge, skill and confidence - all influencing self-care. Mrs Snell measured health activation in NZ adults with insulin treated diabetes, and explored relationships with factors impacting on it and self care. She found health activation dynamic with diabetes-related distress and practitioner communication and decision-making styles affecting active self-care. Participants perceived distinct differences in styles between and within the disciplines of nursing and medicine. This study showed that in addition to diabetes specific expertise, diabetes care should be based on humanistic principles of caring, mutuality, respectfulness and reciprocity. Importantly, the diversity of the multiple disciplines within the diabetes health care team needs to be recognized and their unique skills practiced in concert.

Stringer, Lesley (PhD, Animal Science, 2011)

"Epidemiological studies to inform control strategies for paratuberculosis in farmed deer"

Lesley researched the epidemiology and control of paratuberculosis, or Johne’s disease, an untreatable fatal disease that causes economic losses for deer farmers in New Zealand. She surveyed the deer slaughter population to establish a baseline prevalence of infection, carried out a field trial of vaccine efficacy against clinical disease in over 3000 young deer in the South Island, studied the effects of vaccination on tests for tuberculosis and assessed the performance of diagnostic tests to detect infected deer. Her research showed that infection is widespread in the deer population, that vaccination is effective in reducing clinical and subclinical disease, that both vaccination and natural infection may interfere with tests for tuberculosis and that improved diagnostic tests are needed to detect infected deer. Together the studies enhance our knowledge of different aspects of paratuberculosis control in the New Zealand farmed deer population.

Strong, Catherine Robinson (PhD, Journalism, 2011)

“Female Journalists in New Zealand Daily Newspapers: From Early Career to Gender Gap in Editorship”

Ms Strong investigated the gender imbalance in the editorship of daily newspapers, particularly the barriers and enticers facing prospective female editors. She found that the ingrained hegemonic masculinity of the newsroom culture is partly to blame for the small number of women who reach editor position. This same culture is also to blame for female editors stepping down after a relatively short duration. Her research describes the newsroom as a Glass Bubble model of career development, whereby the female journalists find the culture unattractive and therefore use their skills and experience to shift to other more appealing careers.

Stucki, Paul Frederic (Doctor of Education, 2011)

"Maori pedagogy, pedagogical beliefs and practices in a Maori tertiary institution"

Mr Stucki’s thesis developed a holistic, universal model of pedagogy by bringing together previously disparate elements to create a comprehensive picture that also illuminates the relationships between the various elements. This model was then used to conceptualise a Māori pedagogy highlighting cultural characteristics such as whānau, whakapapa, whenua and tino rangatiratanga that underpin holistic, reflective, relationship oriented and pragmatic methodologies. Within this pedagogy a strong sense of mission for social justice and developing student agency was found to be a key teacher characteristic. The thesis serves as a tool that will support teachers to reflect on and enhance their practice.

Sudnongbua, Supaporn (PhD, Health Sciences, 2011)

"Feelings of abandonment among elderly people in rural Northeast Thailand"

Miss Sudnongbua investigated whether elderly people in a remote rural area of Northeast Thailand felt abandoned after the economic migration of their children. Traditionally, Thai elderly prefer to remain at home and be supported by at least one of their children living with them. Of those surveyed, 43% did not have a child living at home and 20% felt abandoned to some degree. Interviews identified conflict with, and lack of contact from children, economic hardship, illness, and hopelessness as reasons for feeling abandoned. Some participants who followed Buddha’s teaching were better able to accept and endure their poorer life circumstances, and they maintained more positive relationships with their children despite limited contact and financial support.

Sukala, William Read (PhD, Exercise & Sport Science, 2011)

"The South Pacific Islands resist Diabetes with intense training (SPIRIT) study"

In New Zealand, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and associated health problems is very high in Māori and Pacific Islands people. Mr. Sukala’s research was the first to explore the unique cultural issues involved in developing and carrying out a clinical exercise study in obese Polynesian people with type 2 diabetes. The results of his study showed that 16 weeks of high-intensity exercise resulted in large reductions in blood pressure, important increases in cellular-level muscle structures which are known to enhance blood sugar use, and large enhancements in quality of life. Greater health benefits were observed in participants with better attendance. Mr. Sukala’s research highlights the importance of regular exercise for improving health in Māori and Pacific Islands people in New Zealand and reinforces the crucial need for ongoing consultation with religious and cultural leaders in developing novel strategies to enhance large-scale adoption of physical activity habits.

Sulaiman, Ahmad Ziad (PhD, Biochemical Engineering, 2011)

“Use of ultrasound in enhancing productivity of biotechnological processes”

Mr Sulaiman’s work identified ways of enhancing the productivity of bioprocesses by using ultrasound. Sonication was shown to enhance processes involving live microbial cells as well as ones involving only enzymes. Under carefully selected processing conditions, sonication improved the fermentation of lactose to ethanol, the hydrolysis of lactose to simpler sugars and the hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose. Sonication was shown to have a substantial potential for improving a wide range of commercial microbial and enzymatic processes.

Swainson, Natasha Madeline (PhD, Animal Science, 2011)

"Methane emissions and mitigation technologies in cattle, sheep and red deer"

The microbial fermentation of feed eaten by farmed ruminants is an important source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG). Ms Swainson investigated the effectiveness of various methane mitigation technologies. Sheep supplemented with monensin and coconut oil, either individually or in combination, did not result in consistent reductions of methane per unit of feed intake. Feeding them chicory, however, reduced methane per unit of feed intake compared with pasture, and could provide a practical means of reducing emissions. This research also explored animal factors that could affect methane yields. The age of red deer had no impact on yield, but a species difference was found between cattle, sheep and deer fed the same diet. Further research is required to confirm if differences between ruminant species persist when animals are fed fresh forages or treated with methane mitigation technologies.

Tananchai, Pattamawadee (PhD, Biotechnology, 2011)

“Stabilization of enzymes by chemical modifications”

Enzymes are responsible for nearly all chemical reactions that occur in life-forms and are being used increasingly in industrial processes. Enzymes typically do not withstand temperatures much higher than the normal human body temperature. Ms Tananchai’s research focused on making enzymes more resistant to damage by heat. Methods were developed to create new chemical links within enzyme molecules to prevent them from unraveling at elevated temperatures.

Tang, Xuemei (PhD, Food Technology, 2011)

“Controlling biofilm development on ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis membranes used in dairy plants”

Ms Tang’s research focused on improving cleaning strategies for removing biofilms from membranes used in the dairy industry. Biofilms on membranes result in membrane blockage and probable contamination of the final products. The species in the biofilm and their characteristics were investigated. The most significant contribution was to develop sanitising methods capable of removing almost all culturable cells from the biofilms formed on membranes. This removal will help extend the operating time of the dairy membrane plants, reducing production costs. Appropriate cleaning methods may also extend the operating life of the membrane modules.

Thomas, Bindi Ann (PhD, Natural Resource Management, 2011)

“An application of satellite tracking technologies to conserve wildlife: A case study approach”

Ms Thomas assessed the conservation benefits and technical effectiveness of wildlife satellite tracking technology. The four case studies undertaken revealed important ecological insights on the in situ movement and behaviour of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana), Kruger National Park, South Africa; the New Zealand bush falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae), Central North Island, New Zealand; the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), Darwin, Australia; and the northern royal albatross (Diomedea sanfordi), Taiaroa Head, New Zealand and Chile. Her research shows how the use of satellite tracking systems provides conservation agencies with a better understanding of wildlife behaviour and strengthens their ability to improve wildlife management planning.

Thomson, Jasmine Sarah (PhD, Nutritional Science, 2011)

"Effect of leucine-protein high-carbohydrate post-exercise nutrition on subsequent performance and the protein regulated genomic and signalling events governing adaptive remodelling"

Mrs. Thomson investigated the effect of leucine-enriched protein and carbohydrate meals taken after each session of hard training on subsequent prolonged cycling performance. She found their co-ingestion beneficial to performance and in reducing muscle cell membrane disruption. By assessing gene transcription and protein signalling in the muscle she was able to explore the mechanisms behind this. The findings indicate a fine-tuning of the exercise-induced gene expression profile, suggesting attenuation of immune/inflammatory activity, as well as increased tissue remodeling and fatty acid metabolism activity. Signaling to protein translation was increased. These studies have important implications regarding the role of post-exercise protein consumption in enhancing recovery and adaptation to prolonged exercise.

Trejo Araya, Ximenita Isabelle (PhD, Food Technology, 2011)

"Effects of high pressure processing on carrot tissue: A microstructure approach"

High pressure processing is a technology used to extend the shelf life of foods whilst maintaining most of their fresh characteristics such as flavour, odour and nutritional attributes. This technology is already successfully applied to liquids and semi solid foods. Ms Trejo used carrot pieces as a model system to develop understanding of the changes and mechanism involved when applying high pressures of up to 600 MPa to solid plant based products. By understanding the mechanisms occurring at a cellular level, it was possible to interpret and optimize many quality attributes that change during high pressure processing and therefore identify further commercial opportunities for horticultural products.

Tsimba, Rowland (PhD, Plant Science, 2011)

"Development of a decision support system to determine the best maize (Zea mays. L) hybrid: Planting date option under typical New Zealand management systems"

Mr Tsimba’s research involved developing a decision support tool to assist New Zealand maize growers make objective planting decisions to maximise yield and profit. Mr Tsimba found that in most regions, maximum and stable yields could be achieved by planting between 1 and 18 October. However, delaying planting by up to 4 weeks resulted in yield losses of less than 5%, indicating a much wider maize planting window than was previously assumed. Mr Tsimba also found that late maturing hybrids were more exposed to environmental stress and more variable in their production levels than their early maturing counterparts and thus, should not be planted under low yielding or late planting situations. Conversely, early maturing hybrids had limited capacity to increase yield potential under ideal growing conditions and good management, and use of late maturing hybrids in these circumstances showed clear benefits.

Tucker, Corrina Adele (PhD, Sociology, 2011)

“Making resistance politics: the opposition to genetic engineering in Aotearoa New Zealand”

Ms Tucker investigated the politics of the social movement that formed to resist genetic engineering in Aotearoa New Zealand from the late 1990s. The movement developed a network structure that allowed its activists to engage in a wide diversity of tactics but nevertheless share a common sense of purpose. The culture of the movement articulated many concerns about the new technology by embedding them in modes of collective identity that resonate powerfully with popular understandings of what it means to live in New Zealand society. This combination of networking and identity meant that the movement has endured by adapting to changing circumstances and succeeding in mobilising large numbers of people along the way. By combining diversity with unity, GE resistance has become a powerful political presence. The possibility for future mobilisation remains.

Visweswaraiah, Jyothsna (PhD, Natural Sciences, 2011)

"Discovering links between elongation factors and general amino acid control in Saccharomyce cerevisiae"

Amino acids as constituents of proteins, execute almost all biological functions. Hence a steady supply of amino acids is essential. Cells have a signal transduction pathway called general amino acid control (GAAC) for sensing and ameliorating amino acid shortages. Since the sensing is thought to occur constantly on translating ribosomes (factories that produce proteins), the objective of Ms Visweswaraiah’s study was to investigate how both processes happen on the ribosome in baker’s yeast. Ms Visweswaraiah was able to link protein synthesis factors to the GAAC pathway. She showed that these protein synthesis factors regulate factors in the GAAC pathway. Ms Visweswaraiah’s findings suggest a novel mechanism of GAAC regulation. Thus, adding new players to GAAC’s complex regulatory network.

Vudiniabola, Alisi Talatoka (PhD, Nursing, 2011)

"The Fijian Diploma of Nursing curriculum: An indigenous case study of curriculum change"

Ms Vudiniabola used Fullan’s educational change theory and the vanua indigenous framework to examine the introduction of the AusAid funded 2004 Fiji Diploma of Nursing curriculum. She identified problems in the process of curriculum development, the relevance and incompleteness of the content, the unreadiness of the staff and deficiencies in resources as barriers to its implementation. Limited curriculum consultation between teachers, external consultants and indigenous nurse leaders led to the failure of the curriculum to meet its objectives. Ms Vudiniabola argued that neocolonialism underpinned the top-down decision making of indigenous nursing leaders in that in dealing with their indigenous subordinates, they emulated the dominant behaviour of their former colonizers. The curriculum was a colonising tool, reproducing western ideologies and nursing values and producing nurses not adequately prepared to care for indigenous Fijians; rather it contributed to the attrition of Fijian nurses to western countries whose values underpin the curriculum.

Walters, Vicky (PhD, Development Studies, 2011)

“Commericalising water services in urban India and the question of democracy and rights”

Vicky’s research focused on contemporary governance reforms in the south Indian state of Karnataka which aim to commercialise and privatise water services in urban areas. Similar reforms are being carried out throughout the world under the umbrella of “good governance”. The “good governance” discourse suggests that human rights, democracy and commercial reforms are complimentary and reinforcing, and the discourse has been embraced by many international development agencies, NGOs, citizens and governments. This research has shown, however, that commercial reforms in the water sector present serious limitations to democracy in practice and the right to water for the urban poor.

Warbrick, Isaac Barry (PhD, Māori Health & Exercise Physiology, 2011)

“Fitness, fatness and fibre type: predicting insulin resistance in Māori”

Mr Warbrick’s research focused on the role that physical fitness and body composition play in the development of insulin resistance within Māori. Mr Warbrick showed that in Māori, physical fitness and the degree of body fat are related to insulin sensitivity; the precursor to type 2 diabetes. He also showed that maintenance of muscle mass may reduce the detrimental effects upon insulin sensitivity and diabetes risk that is associated with an age related reduction in aerobic fitness. These findings provide insight into more specific exercise prescription for Māori, and his innovative methodology at the interface of Māori research and scientific exercise research methods, also provides a basis for future physiological research involving Māori.

Waugh, William John (PhD, Molecular Bioscience, 2011)

“DNA barcoding the birds of New Zealand”

Mr Waugh’s researched centred upon testing the efficacy of DNA barcoding as a means of distinguishing species when applied to the native and endemic birds of New Zealand. A database of DNA barcodes for these species was constructed and successfully used for identification purposes. In addition, this method was used to identify for further investigation taxonomic groups that showed divergent DNA barcode region haplotypes, indicating potential cryptic species. Where species were difficult to distinguish using DNA barcodes, further analysis was carried out to clarify their taxonomic status. DNA barcodes were also used to identify bird remains from aircraft birdstrike incidents.

Webb, Simon Christopher (PhD, Psychology, 2011)

"Writing truth as non-violence"

Our philosophical arguments about what makes a research claim "valid" or "true" can translate into different ways of conducting research, and these different approaches to research can produce very different results. In psychology, this means that our arguments about the meaning of truth have important ethical and political implications, because different claims about "truth" have different social effects. Mr Webb developed a body of theoretical justifications for treating truth as non-violence, so that research claims traditionally understood as unethical yet "true" can instead be understood as false claims. These theoretical justifications are offered as resources to support research projects that include the minimisation of violence as a primary aim.

Wijayawardana, Aluthge Dona Kalyani (Doctor of Education, 2011)

"Exploring the potential for an alternative teacher education programme for pre-service teacher education in the environmental related activities"

Ms Kalyani explored the potential of an alternative teacher education programme for enhancing Environmental Related Activities primary pre-service teacher education in Sri Lanka. Using a New Zealand university’s Problem Based Learning approach (PBL) for enhancing primary science teacher education she identified the main features of the approach through the analysis of curriculum documents, staff interviews and responses to a student questionnaire. She found PBL an excellent way of enhancing primary science teacher education and looked at how it can be transferred to the Sri Lankan context.

Wirth, Carolyn (PhD, Finance, 2011)

"Capital market implications of resource consent information in New Zealand listed company announcements"

Ms Wirth investigated the implications of resource consent information contained in New Zealand listed company announcements. The key finding of positive valuation effects from capital expenditure announcements when resource consent approval processes are expected to be long suggests that by undertaking voluntary capital expenditures with high environmental compliance costs, listed companies can create strategic advantages. Further findings indicate that the disclosure of resource consent information is newsworthy, and provides valuable information used by investors to assess the economic implications of planned company capital expenditures.

Woods, David (PhD, Decision Science, 2011)

"Modular local search: A framework for self-adaptive metaheuristics"

Metaheuristics are advanced problem solving algorithms that attempt to find the best solution to complicated combinatorial problems such as vehicle routing, airline scheduling, and inventory control. This research developed a framework such that metaheuristics can be expressed as subsets of “modules” from a common library, with a common structure. The standardized modules and structure allow these algorithms to modify themselves during their execution, by varying parameters and modules. This ability introduces the potential for semi-intelligent algorithms that are capable of learning. Novel metaheuristic concepts were developed and tested on the Arc Subset Routing Problem, a new problem which involves scheduling a vehicle to service a subset of roads in a network, such that benefit is maximised subject to a distance constraint. Several new methods for creating test problems and modelling results were also introduced. The findings suggest promising outcomes for these new metaheuristics concepts.

Woolnough, James (Phd, Nutritional Sciences, 2011)

(pronounced: “Wool-no”)

"Standardisation of in vitro carbohydrate digestion methods for predicting the relative glycemic response to foods"

Mr Woolnough investigated the feasibility of replicating human carbohydrate digestion in a laboratory-based in vitro model that mimicked oral, gastric and intestinal phase digestion processes. By measuring the rate and extent to which sugar was released from a range of commonly-consumed foods under simulated human digestion conditions, Mr Woolnough proposed an in vitro method, that, with further validation, could enable routine and affordable analysis and prediction of the likely relative glycemic effects of foods. Such analyses, in future, could form the basis of a new food-labelling system that ranks foods according to their glycemic potency – a useful tool enabling informed food choices in a consumer community that currently exhibits 2.4% global prevalence of type II diabetes.

Xie, Gang (PhD, Statistics, 2011)

"Further developments of two point process models for fine scale time series"

Mr Xie's research further developed two point processes, the Autoregressive Conditional Duration (ACD) model and the Bartlett-Lewis Pulse (BLP) model, for modelling fine scale time series. This is the first time that different ACD models have been evaluated and ranked based on the information-theoretic criteria and the model comparison results can be interpreted. By the successful implementation of the within cell pulse depths dependence structure and the characterisation of a continuum of storm types, he proposed a modified BLP model which significantly improves the original BLP model in producing realistic simulation samples of fine scale rainfall series that are required in many applications

Xu, Luofeng (PhD, Computer Science, 2011)

(Pronounced Luo-feng Xu)

"A study of frequent pattern mining in transaction datasets"

Mr Xu's research was in the area of data mining - extracting useful information from large datasets automatically - and focussed on identifying frequent patterns: sets of items that are often seen together in a dataset. Frequent patterns play an essential role in many data mining tasks, such as identifying useful patterns for areas as diverse as stock markets, universities, and supermarkets. The challenge in data mining is extracting the information from massive databases in reasonable time. Mr Xu has developed effective and efficient algorithms for discovering frequent patterns. He also studied the related problem of how to identify and utilise the power-law-based pattern support distribution of the particular datasets being investigated. These results provide better algorithmic efficiency and better understanding of the mined results.

Young, Arnold (DBA, Management, 2011)

"Insight: Leadership training, organisational context, and transfer of learning – a case study"

Mr Young investigated a leadership development training course, over a period of 15 months, from multiple perspectives and found that managerial and organisational factors were influential barriers to the transfer of learning to the workplace. Peer and subordinate support were found to have much less influence on transfer. The role of formal training was viewed in a new light with the finding that it complemented other forms of workplace learning and acted as a vehicle for socialisation and the transfer of tacit knowledge. In contrast to the traditional view that formal training is irrelevant to the community of practice concept, Mr Young found that it could facilitate participation, identity development and practice in established communities of practice as well as providing a basis for the formation of new communities of practice.

Yuliarti, Oni (PhD, Food Technology, 2011)

"Isolation, characterisation and functional properties of pectin from gold kiwifruit"

This research was concerned with the isolation, physicochemical characterisation and functional properties of pectin from gold kiwifruit cv. Hort16A. The process of extracting pectin from gold kiwifruit was developed by evaluating three different techniques (acid, water and enzyme), four different conditions (time, temperature, puree to solvent ratio and enzyme concentration) and fruit of two different maturities (early-season and main-season fruit). The chemical compositions, physical properties and rheological behaviours of the extracted pectins were determined, underlining the importance of these features to the functional properties of gold kiwifruit pectin. The research revealed that isolated gold kiwifruit pectin presents a high degree of esterification with high molecular weight, the last one being more dependent on the extraction method. This pectin was shown to stabilise acidified milk drinks at lower concentrations compared to other commercial pectins. Additionally gold kiwifruit pectin developed “weak gels” at low pH and in the presence of sucrose.

Zare, Samad (PhD, Linguistics and Second Language Teaching, 2011)

“Home and away: Blogging emotions in a Persian virtual dowreh”

Mr Samad Zare’s research investigated the creation of a virtual dowreh (social circle of family/friends) via Persian language weblogs among a group of Iranian migrants in Australia. The study specifically focused on how the new generation of Iranian migrants use weblogs to form digital diasporas and why they publish their emotional experiences online. Using a socio-cultural framework, a grounded theory approach, and discourse analysis the study explored the expression of emotional challenges, expectations, and cultural performances of a group of Persian diasporic bloggers. The findings suggest that virtual spaces are important places for diasporic bloggers to meet and perform their identities in ways relevant to their Iranian ethnicity and to manage emotional responses to migration. The formation of communities from mutual readership of the blogs means that feedback and support is given in a way that reinforces cultural identity.

Zeisemann, Brigit (PhD, Ecology, 2011)

"Social organisation and mating system of a high-density brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) population"

Ms Ziesemann investigated the social organisation and mating system of New Zealand’s brown kiwi using one of our last remaining high-density brown kiwi populations. Research on kiwi is challenging due to their nocturnal and secretive habits, but by using radio-tracking devices and advanced molecular techniques, Ms Zeisemann found that brown kiwi living in high densities are much more social than former research suggested. Kiwi neighbours overlap in their use of space and many kiwi individuals form long term associations. Ms Ziesemann also found the first evidence of stable trios in kiwi, but her molecular results showed that genetic monogamy is still their main mating system. Ms Zeisemann’s study reveals a previously unknown flexibility in kiwi life history and provides insights into how kiwi may have behaved prior to the arrival of humans in New Zealand.