Masters Degree Theses

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The effect of biochar as a partial replacement of cement in cement mortar mixture and its mechanical properties
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Wazir, Paras
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) pollution is one of the leading causes of present day environmental issues. The construction industry, having a huge cement production contributes to these issues such as global warming and climate change. According to Mota-Panizio et al., (2023), the third largest CO2 emission contributor is cement production. Several research has been done on agricultural waste solutions which includes the use of rice husk, sugarcane bagasse, and biochar as a partial replacement to cement mortar and concrete. This study will focus on the use and benefits of biochar as a partial replacement to cement, not only results in a decrease in usage of cement, lessening CO2 but as this study will show, it will also help in improving the mechanical properties of cement mortar. The biochar used in this study is a Pinus Radiata Sawdust Biochar, a commercial biochar made in New Zealand. This study finds that 2-3% of biochar as a partial replacement to cement in cement mortar is the optimum percentage with a D50, 0.0172mm particle size and with an 818m2/kg specific area, in which the mechanical properties would prove to be better than that of a pure cement mixture. To determine the internal curing ability of biochar, it is observed in the 3rd batch , a mix with 2% of biochar water cured for 3 days has the same 28-day compressive strength as the control mix was cured for 7 days. It is also found in this experimental study 1-3% of biochar replacement with cement mortar gave increased compressive strength compared to plain cement mortar in all days of curing. While biochar can be produced from agricultural wastes, it can also be derived from forest waste. Not only does it help in eliminating CO2 emission, it also adds commercial value to forestry waste providing an opportunity to use rather than discard it. One consequence of climate change is an increase in the number of extreme weather events such as Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. The effects of this were made worse in some parts of the country due to accumulated forestry waste which blocked waterways making the flooding worse and damaging essential infrastructure. The main questions this study asks are: How does Biochar influence the mechanical properties of cement mortar such as flexural strength, flowability, and compressive strength? How is the incorporation of Biochar to cement mortar significant in lessening the increase of CO2 emission? And In which ways can the use of Biochar help improve forest waste management most especially in New Zealand? To answer these questions, conducted tests of flowability, compressive strength, flexural strength, TGA, and SEM Analysis that would determine which percentage best depicts the effect of biochar to cement mortar and analyze the mechanical properties of cement mortar when combined with Biochar.
Things inside things
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024-11-15) Thornley, Jessica
Things Inside Things is a collection of autofiction that revolves around a single mother and her two young daughters. It is at once an intimate account of single motherhood and an ode to, a call to arms for, the maternal bond as irreducible, sacred–the thing at the centre of all things. Made up of fragmentary scenes, poetic prose, and short stories, the narrative moves back and forth in time, across hemispheres, through shifting points of view and recurrent characters painting readers into the living and breathing layers of one single mother’s experience and world. Taking inspiration from writers Katherine Mansfield and Lucia Berlin, Things Inside Things bucks linear plot convention for a form that is voiced, sensory and shaped by the physicality of emotion. If this is a collection that advocates for the joy, reward and importance of the mother-child bond it is also one in which that bond does not come easy. Inside the walls and skin of these stories a mother seeks help for chronic maternal anxiety, navigates the loss of relationship break down with her children’s father, holds space for paternal and cultural ties that must span distance, be sustained over Zoom calls, and navigates the emotional and material weight of mothering alone. Above all this is body of work that seeks to hold ordinary, domestic days to the light. That pays homage to the everyday maternal and relational moments of connection, rupture and repair that shape who we are and can–if we let them–transform us. These are not stories of martyrdom. Rather, they give us motherhood as a creative, radical and transcendent force. Where a daughter’s ‘sturdy seven-year-old legs with downy hairs intact and lit up are holier than all the Gods of all religions’, where female friendship is a haven of ‘light, smile lines, vast and loyal as the seasons’ and within which we witness a mother, a woman, a writer finding herself on the page.
A community psychology-based evaluation of the you good? You Good! program delivered by Jade speaks up educational trust in Aotearoa. Empowering tamariki emotional literacy, supporting mental health and encouraging well-being.
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024-11-14) Webbon, Abigail
This evaluation was completed for Jade Speaks Up (JSU) Educational Trust to provide feedback from school teachers and whānau who were involved in the You Good? You Good! (YG?YG!) program, delivered by JSU Educational Trust to schools across Aotearoa. The evaluation goal was to collate the narratives of participating school staff, whānau, and JSU Educational Trust trainers, contrasting experiences and perspectives to determine program effectiveness. This program is for schools, management, and teachers who work with tamariki, to help teachers and students understand anxiety and develop skills and strategies to have self-agency. JSU Educational Trust developed YG?YG! in 2021, and in 2022 the YG?YG! pilot program was implemented. This evaluation had three research objectives: 1) Identify and collate the experiences of school staff and other key stakeholders when implementing the YG?YG!, 2) Identify the strengths and barriers to inclusion for tamariki in schools where the program was delivered, and 3) Draw on the stakeholder narratives to assess the program's ability to achieve its goal: enable tamariki to be more agentic in responding to early signs of anxiety in themselves and others. Information for this evaluation was collected from four sources: 1) Focus groups with JSU trainers, 2) Interviews with school staff, 3) Online surveys with school staff, 4) Archival supervision, and 5) Literature review. Data collected was interpreted through the use of thematic analysis, informed by Community Psychology principles, and the “Six C” framework, guided by He Awa Whiria. Thematic analysis was completed by coding themes and categories from data sources. The findings from this empirical research engagement informed the analysis and discussion on program effectiveness. The findings and analysis found that forming a program design and approach informed with respect for the community’s needs and world-views can enable recognition, awareness and inclusion. A way for the program to begin to do so is to collaborate with communities. Including researchers from a local community can enable empowerment, build social power, and create responses that promote the needs of the involved communities. The program can champion the field and those they work with by being accountable and enabling transparency. The program can take an inclusive approach to sustaining its relationships, content relevance, and development for tamariki emotional well-being. The program can work on cultivating and empowering participants to be active partners, enabling the program to be shaped with equity in mind. Key to program efficacy is acknowledging change and encompassing adaptation. The way to do this is to consider local health issues driven by who experience them, elevating the voice of the community. Change and need cannot be determined without considering the voice of involved communities. By taking participants feedback, the program can create change for tamariki mental health, whilst acknowledging system and structural barriers, striving for community competence. Importance lies within the work the program does to enable and support those affected by external factors. The program can acknowledge these challenges, and provide hope that community competence can be achieved. To conclude, recommendations are presented for JSU Educational Trust to consider.
'You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever': Sapphic desire, vampires, and constructing kinship
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Theunisz, Marie
This thesis explores the figure of the sapphic vampire in Carmilla (1872) by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, The Blood of the Vampire (1897) by Florence Marryat, The Gilda Stories (1991) by Jewelle Gomez, and Fledgling (2005) by Octavia Butler. I argue that these texts present the sapphic vampire as the embodiment of the death drive and display ambiguous familial/sexual relationships in order to challenge heteronormative constructs of family. I utilise Lee Edelman’s arguments from No Future: Queer Theory and the Death Drive to analyse vampiric, queer kinship as a future that does not focus on the child, and Kath Weston’s Families We Choose: Lesbians, Gays, Kinship to unpack the concept of the chosen family and its value for queer people who desire kin, examining the way familial structures are broken down and biological ties rendered secondary to chosen ones. In Chapter One I analyse the scenes in which the vampire feeds, unpacking the use of breastfeeding imagery to show the tension between maternal roles and sapphic relationships inherent in the texts. I show how the narratives respond to idea of love and lust, as well as their troubled relationship with post- menopausal women. Chapter Two considers how, lacking a biological family of her own, the sapphic vampire creates familial bonds through recruitment or reproduction. Given the correlation these texts create between queerness and vampirism, I argue that the family building within these narratives presents alternatives to heteronormative constructs of kinship. Throughout I compare the contemporary texts to their Victorian counterparts, tracing the ways in which the depictions of queer kinship that the Victorian texts had to eradicate could be celebrated in those of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century. I will explain the significance of what has or has not changed, and how this affects or is representative of shifts in attitude towards queer people and the families that they choose. This thesis demonstrates the power of the desire that the literary sapphic vampire feels, and the value of the family she chooses.
Step up: Using social prompts to reduce lift usage in a university context
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Talwar, Heena
Abstract: This study, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a pro-social message, incorporating the concept of "watching eyes," to encourage stair use over lift usage in a university setting. Physical inactivity is a significant global health issue, and promoting simple physical activities like stair climbing can contribute to better health and environmental sustainability.
The ecological consequences of stream sedimentation for freshwater macroinvertebrates in the Te Awanui/Tauranga Harbour catchment
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Lea, Brooklyn
Sedimentation is a significant stressor in streams and rivers globally. The natural sediment regime paradigm posits that human activities have greatly altered the natural transport of sediment in river networks and that land-uses leading to increased bank erosion and surface runoff have resulted in large quantities of fine sediment being deposited in streams and rivers. In New Zealand, land conversion from native forest to pastoral agriculture has dramatically increased riverine sediment loads, making deposited fine sediment (DFS) a major stressor that negatively impacts stream ecosystem health. Consequently, DFS is an important attribute managed under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020. However, uncertainties remain in how best to monitor the effects of DFS, and what impacts different land-use types have on stream ecosystems in addition to the adverse influence of sedimentation. In my study, I surveyed 24 stream sites allocated evenly to three land-use types (native forest, pastoral agriculture, and horticulture, e.g. kiwifruit orchards) in the Tauranga Harbour basin. I measured habitat attributes, including DFS, and sampled stream macroinvertebrate communities at each site. Using macroinvertebrate data, I calculated and compared taxonomic and trait-based metrics as indicators of ecosystem health across land-use types. I used a variety of metrics, including the Macroinvertebrate Community Index (MCI) and its quantitative equivalent, the QMCI, the Average Score Per Metric (ASPM) index, and community-weighted mean trait abundances, including facets of functional diversity to assess impacts on stream health. I found that human land uses negatively influenced stream health, indicated by greatly reduced MCI, QMCI, and ASPM scores. Although DFS explained most of the negative influences on macroinvertebrate communities in pastoral and horticultural streams, there were differences between native forest and horticultural streams not accounted for by DFS that contributed to declines in ecosystem health. I also found that sediment-specific macroinvertebrate metrics (sediment ‘decreasers’) were the best indicators of DFS impacts on stream health. Contrary to my predictions, I did not find that functional diversity was strongly reduced by land use or DFS, although several key traits responded to these stressors. Notably, life history trait modalities involving the number of reproductive cycles per year and oviposition site responded strongly to DFS and land use, indicating potential mechanisms contributing towards the impacts of these stressors on macroinvertebrate communities. ii My study points to the need to continuously manage the deposition of fine sediment in streams to help mitigate the adverse effects of human land use. Future research should further explore the role that fine sediment and other stressors associated with human land uses play in the degradation of streams ecosystems in the Tauranga Harbour basin. Quantifying land use and land cover (LULC) attributes using geospatial tools will help further explore the relationship between catchment properties and macroinvertebrate responses. Additionally, issues regarding trait syndromes, trade-offs, and database inconsistencies must be addressed to better understand the mechanistic links between specific macroinvertebrate traits and fine sediment.
Workload demands during ball-in-play periods: A comparative study of locomotive and contact metrics in professional male and female rugby union players.
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024-10-31) MacDonald, Chantal
Title: Workload Demands during Ball-in-Play Periods: A Comparative Study of Locomotive and Contact Metrics in Professional Male for Female Rugby Union Players. Purpose: Rugby Union is a high collision-based sport demanding the best physical, technical, tactical and decision-making capabilities of players to influence success on the field. Various factors affect the ability of females and males to perform and meet the demands of match-play. This thesis was developed as a pilot study and employed an innovative design that examined and compared contact and workload metrics between female and male professional rugby players, aiming to explore differences in match play. Methods: Data were collected from 60 professional male and female rugby players, from two professional 2023 New Zealand National Provincial Rugby teams. All participants wore GPS units (Apex Pro Pod, STATSport, Newry, NIR). Each match was filmed and coded using a Sportscode video analysis software package (Sportscode 12.4.3, Sportstec, Australia), where contact and GPS metrics during Ball-in-Play periods were identified and recorded throughout the match. GPS and Sportscode data for each Ball-in-Play period for each match were combined in a bespoke software package. Differences between the sexes for each metric were analysed using Welch’s t-test with the level of significance set at P<0.05 and the magnitudes of the standardised differences were calculated using effect sizes determined by Cohen’s d (Hopkins, 2009, 2017). Tests for equality of variances, normality, and the examination of outliers were conducted in IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 27) and the few metrics that failed normality testing were log-transformed. Results: Males locomotive metrics (GPS measures) and impacts (accelerometer measures) were typically significantly greater than females showing large to moderate magnitude differences. On the other hand, contacts were often significantly higher for females with small to large magnitude differences. Conclusion: The differences between males and females were likely a combination of genetic differences, and differences in how the respective games were played, and the males in this study typically had greater full-time professional training support and resources. Due to these differences, altering female threshold standards for specific intensive locomotion metrics to suit the physical capabilities of females, may give more of an accurate representation of game demands. On the other hand, providing greater resources to female rugby union players for similar periods to the males may reduce the differences observed in this study.
From screen to soul: A study of digital tools connecting Hare Krishna youth with their cultural heritage.
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024-06-30) Sinclair, Charlotte
As human society advances in modernity, cultural traditions that provide meaning and inner fulfillment can become obscured. This study explored the utilisation of digital technology in educational settings to enhance the engagement of Hare Krishna students with their cultural heritage. It focused on exploring the balance between structured learning and the freedom for students to explore their interests and discover new aspects about their culture. The study was qualitative in nature, involving six students and seven parents. The students created digital videos that illustrated their lifestyle and culture, presenting tradition through a contemporary medium. The videos were presented at an evening event to their parents and the topic of incorporating digital technology to explore and present the Hare Krishna culture was discussed. Findings indicated that the children demonstrated significant intrinsic motivation, and the purposeful use of technology combined with clear learning objectives, enabled them to deeply engage with both the process and the content. The study also revealed the importance of personal interactions in educational contexts, suggesting that while technology serves as a valuable tool, it should complement rather than replace traditional methods of cultural transmission. This research contributes to the broader discourse on educational technology by demonstrating how digital tools can be effectively utilised to support the sharing of cultural heritage and facilitate dynamic connections.
Sill road
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Marshall, Abigail
Nola Clark stays Inside, always. She loves a few things about living on the Road: her big sister Lauren, her cat Milton and her friend Seb. She worries about a few things: the winnowing wind of the desert beyond her window, the gnarled hands of the travelling Mapper, and her sister’s inability to keep out of trouble. Set in an alternative reality to the Cold War, the world of Sill Road is one where people fear the Outside air will kill them. To protect themselves, houses are linked by covered-in Roads. These structures are advanced in large cities. In New Zealand’s Central Plateau, however, things are much more rickety. Growing up, Nola’s neighbourhood is content to broil in the heat of their enclosed world. But the thing with Roads is that something’s always coming along them. In the unexplained absence of her sister, Nola and the whole community are forced to choose whose story to believe. Sill Road is a novel about family, a closed door and relationships held together by firm beliefs. Toying with themes of faith, survival and love gone wrong, the story bores into the heart of group survival. It examines how we use narratives to build a world we can survive. It looks at what happens to the people who don’t fit inside those stories. It is about the things we’ll do to save each other. It is about how there is nothing harder than changing our minds.
Effect of spacers on axial capacity of cold-formed steel back-to-back gapped channel sections
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Divi, Seshagiri Rao
The use of cold-formed steel (CFS) gapped back-to-back channel sections is becoming popular, especially in New Zealand and South-East Asia. Introducing a gap between the back-to-back channels enhances resistance to lateral-torsional buckling. Previous research has investigated gapped built-up channel sections with spacers but hasn't determined the optimal number of spacers relative to length. Also, little attention has been given to how transverse spacing affects the axial capacity of these sections. This study fills those gaps by developing and validating a non-linear elastoplastic finite element (FE) model against experimental data. A parametric study of 1000 FE models examine the effects of column length, CFS section thickness, materials properties, and spacer spacing, on the axial capacity of gapped built-up columns. Key findings include: (1) Up to a column length of 4000 mm, three equally spaced spacers optimize compressive strength in gapped sections. (2) Optimal transverse spacing aligns with the channel web depth, offering no significant strength increase beyond 1.5 times the web depth. (3) Gapped sections show a substantial average increase (424%) in compressive strength over single-channel configurations, and a moderate improvement (125%) compared to non-gapped built-up sections. (4) FEA results closely match the predictions of AS/NZS4600:2018, differing by only 5% in compressive strength.
Comestay
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Russell, Botimi
I see myself at about eleven years old walking along the River Nun, the rain spitting, unsuitably clad in my wet dungarees. I remember thinking, Mammy Water is the luckiest deity. She never gets drunk, everyone sings her praises, and she gets the best out of everyone. I wondered to myself if perhaps she could hear, not just my words, but my thoughts. My fate seemed sealed, set in stone at the riverbank before I was born. My parents called me Botimi, which means ‘Comestay’ in the Izon language, so that, hopefully, I’d live‒‒unlike the two babies before me who never even got the chance to sprout their first teeth. Comestay is a collection of personal narratives written through the multiplicity of the self. Within these essays, I explore an array of memories, including those of my mother and my grandma. It takes us on a voyage beyond the banks of the River Nun in Oporoma, Nigeria, where my parents were born, and out into the turquoise waters of my first Swedish summer. The river intrigues me. In summer, at dawn, it mirrors my soul’s deepest desires. During a Swedish winter, however, it morphs into a cold rock, much like my truth—the story behind my severed clitoris. From women protesting outside the Australian Parliament House, carrying placards advocating for change, to disturbing incidents in a New Zealand bar, where two brothers spike drinks and commit acts of rape, the narratives shift. I’m compelled to confront my own demons; thrown in jail for wearing a white, loosely woven, knee-length dress. It is through these encounters that I find the strength to explore the enduring impact of violence on women’s bodies‒‒across landscapes and generations. Through extensive research and the interweaving of my personal stories and memories, I aim to shed light on the profound and lasting effects that trauma can have on women. Like a river that starts with a trickle and gains strength along the way, I navigate these narratives with a curious mind. How does the global impact the personal? What does it truly feel like to be black, a woman, a mother, or a daughter, in a world that is designed to exclude you? These essays go beyond observation, asking some tough questions and serving as a rallying cry for action. They are a call to not only advocate for greater gender equality, but also for deep systemic change. They aim to contribute to the growing body of work seeking to create a more equitable and inclusive world for all. Every life matters, regardless of background or colour. Black, white, pink or brown. As we come together in strength, like the river, we become a force of nature, carving new paths, and reshaping our world for future generations.
Experiences of NCEA: The challenges and limitations
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024-12-18) Arnerich, Amelia
Aotearoa New Zealand is not exempt from the prevailing issue of student disengagement in education that has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. Failure to adequately engage in schooling can prove harmful as it increases the risk of an individual becoming NEET. Youth not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET) is a policy concern, as it demonstrates disengagement in both education and the community which can be detrimental to the economy and society. An engaging curriculum, relevant to the 21st century, is necessary to retain student interest in school. In 2002, the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) was introduced as Aotearoa’s main senior secondary school qualification system. The standards-based qualification attempted to address educational inequalities and respond to the need for a dynamic and engaging curriculum. Specifically, NCEA intended to improve accessibility and achievement for marginalised students, providing all individuals, regardless of ethnicity or social standing, the equal opportunity to achieve a senior secondary school qualification. NCEA’s objectives are to prepare students for further training, education, the labour market and to equip them with the skills necessary to actively participate in wider society. This thesis carried out a study on NCEA. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the establishment, implementation, and reform of NCEA policy and practice, to better understand experiences, challenges and limitations encountered by students. The research questions included: How have education policies changed over time in Aotearoa?; What are some of the issues and problems associated with NCEA in practice?; According to academic commentary and past student views, to what extent has NCEA achieved its purposes and objectives? How do some past students view their experience of NCEA? This study utilised a mixed methods approach, examined relevant literature and conducted a survey of past NCEA students. The online survey was designed to evoke insights on student engagement; views on NCEA’s capacity to provide access to relevant 21st century learning; fairness in assessment practices; the extent to which students felt prepared for the workplace and civic duties, school implementation of the qualification system and the NCEA Change Programmes' policy refinements. The survey was an opportunity to enhance past student voice in policy discussion. Findings revealed that the majority of participants were engaged in their learning in some capacity. However, the survey also revealed there was widespread dissatisfaction with NCEA. The literature demonstrated that although NCEA was founded on egalitarian principles and implemented to alleviate educational disparities, it continues to perpetuate pre-existing inequalities. Disengagement and NEET youth remain an ongoing issue. Participants who attended higher decile schools generally had a better NCEA experience. Participants who attended lower decile schools were dissatisfied, in part due to the lack of available educational opportunities. This thesis argues past student experiences highlight engagement and relevance issues in the education system. Additionally, NCEA’s flexible design which enables interschool variation can negatively affect marginalised individuals such as Māori, Pacific Peoples and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Finally, this thesis argues there are historical and contemporary systemic barriers to achieving educational equality.
Disentangling the impacts of anxiety, stress and depression on immunity
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024-04-28) Catherine, Breeze
While immunity and psychological distress are strongly associated, studies seldom consider how different types of distress relate to immune functioning. The literature tends to emphasis the impact of stress on immunity. The present study estimated the unique contributions of stress, depression and anxiety on immune function in culturally diverse samples of adults from Italy, New Zealand and India. The participants were Italian (n = 1061), New Zealand (n = 1037), and Indian (n = 384) volunteers. Stepwise multiple linear regression and dominance analysis were used to analyse differences in immunity uniquely explained by anxiety, depression, and stress, with immune functioning defined by physical symptoms. While samples from the three countries differed significantly, anxiety consistently explained the greatest proportion of differences in immunity. After accounting for the effect of anxiety, stress and depression explained only small portion of variation in immune functioning, differing between countries. The association of anxiety with immune functioning was consistent across three different countries and the unique impact was further confirmed by the results of dominance analysis. These findings suggest a clear link between anxiety and immunity, when disentangling between distress types. This challenges the prevailing stress- disease model and calls for further research into the impact of anxiety on immunity. If future research supports a causal link where anxiety precedes immunity deficiency, interventions to reduce anxiety may improve immune functioning and health outcomes in the general population.
Te mana o te wahine: Young mothers healthcare experiences in pregnancy, birth, and into motherhood
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Kolo, Mia Elaine
In Aotearoa-New Zealand being a young mother is often associated with clinical and societal ‘risks.’ Younger women have higher rates of maternal depression and suicide, complications during birth, and their babies are more likely to be born preterm, and of smaller gestational age and weight (Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee, 2012; Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand, 2023b, 2023a). Research also indicates that young mothers experience stigmatisation and discrimination that they attribute to their age and/or ethnicity (Adcock, 2016; Makowharemahihi et al., 2014; Rawiri, 2007; Ware, 2019). In discussion with researchers, discrimination was the topic that young mothers at He Puaawai Teen Parent Centre wanted to talk about. They shared a strong desire to see change in the way that doctors, nurses, and midwives service young parents and were passionate about ensuring that future young mothers had more support. Thus, in responding to their call, 22 parents, including two fathers attending (or recent school-leavers of) He Puaawai Teen Parent Centre volunteered to participate in this study. This qualitative kaupapa Māori study employed a series of wānanga, individual kōrero, and an investigator-triangulation thematic analysis. The research questions explored both the positive and negative healthcare experiences of this cohort during pregnancy, birth, and into motherhood. The aim of this study was to listen and learn about the experiences of these young parents and co-design informational and/or educational materials to help healthcare practitioners better understand and support young mothers/parents. To spread awareness of the experiences of these young parents, the co-design materials and findings of this study were disseminated via various healthcare seminars and meetings around the Waikato region. The findings of this study contribute to previous research that revealed over the last 20 years young parents have continued to report predominantly negative experiences in their maternity journey. Participants of this study reported experiences of unsolicited judgement and advice, a general lack of manaakitanga (care, empathy, respect), communication, and support from doctors, nurses, and midwives. The relatively small number of positive experiences shared in this study emphasises the importance of manaakitanga regardless of age. An unexpected finding was the impact that receptionists had on young parents’ healthcare experiences, as the face and entry point of healthcare services.
Paper trains
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Abbott, Amber
In the end, it keeps coming back to that. How we’ve got to move past each other. I tell your story in a way that somehow still makes it all about me. I count the trains, burn Bible paper. I’m left inconsolable on the dance floor. I try to paint a bowl of fruit and it always ends up being a self-portrait. I suppose that’s life. You reach your hands out for others, but they’re still your hands. A train is late to the station. Dogs howl in the night. A kitchen tap drips without sound. Lungs fill with lake water. Books remain unread. Words, unspoken. Paper Trains is a narrative-driven collection of poems exploring how people move through grief and the places it can take them. After losing her best friend, the narrator of these poems latches on to everything she can to keep herself afloat. Bad omens, old jackets, blue paper cranes. We follow her journey as she navigates both devastating loss and the unrest of her early 20s. There are ways to stay busy: house parties, coffee shops, home renovation, self-pity, gardening. She moves through spaces to delay moving on. We witness the effects that death has on her relationships with others and the burdens that she must now carry. This is a tale of violence, anger, and isolation. Of forgetting and remembering again. Betrayal. Begrudging hope. Superstitions and bad life choices. Trains always running late.
Computational Nanobiosensing – Drawing Analogies Between Optimisation and Nanobiosensing for Smart Tumour Targeting
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Zhang, Lisa
Nanotechnology has been rapidly developing for early diagnosis and treatment of cancer, with nanoparticles being a large focus. However, traditional drug delivery mechanisms are passive and inefficient, with only 0.7% of nanoparticles reaching the tumour through blood vasculature. In vivo computation, also known as computational nanobiosensing (CONA), replaces nanoparticles with swarms of externally manipulable nanorobots whose movement is controlled by an external actuating system. The biological problem of smart tumour targeting is viewed from the computational perspective as an optimisation problem: nanorobot swarms (computational agents) explore the blood vasculature of high-risk tissue (search space) to locate the tumour (global optimum). Tumour biological gradient fields (BGF) create a fitness landscape, which can be analysed with fitness landscape analysis (FLA) to select and tune appropriate search algorithms for in vivo computation. Key limitations of previous work for in vivo computation are a lack of realistic BGFs that reflect the tumour microenvironment to test search algorithms on; and for FLA, no available measures that consider physical constraints of the in vivo environment. Two realistic tumour BGF models were created using COMSOL Multiphysics software (CFD Module), one highly vascularised, the other less vascularised. The vascular architecture was based on in vivo blood vessel networks in healthy and tumour regions, and blood velocity was used as a BGF. Blood velocity was found to be lowest in the tumour region, not exceeding 100 µm/s, confirming its applicability as a BGF for search algorithm testing. Three new FLA measures were created and validated with numerical simulations on two possible tumour vascular landscapes. These measures addressed the physical constraints of discrete search space, unidirectional blood flow, and nanorobot steering imperfections when using a uniform magnetic field. The less vascularized landscape was found to be more discrete, more heterogeneous, and contain a smaller countercurrent frequency of search direction. This indicated it would be more challenging to solve for than the highly vascularised landscape. These advancements of the CONA framework allow the in vivo search environment to be better visualised and understood for algorithmic development, as well as provide realistic BGFs to test these search algorithms on.
The Barracuda: An investigation of a novel cane pruning technology for avoiding wires in structured vineyard environments
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2022) Harvey, Scott
The viticulture industry, among many others, is trying to improve their product quality whilst facing labour supply challenges and increasing labour costs. The Maaratech research group has been developing human assist technology and an autonomous, prototype grape vine pruning machine to alleviate these issues. The machine is an arched “straddle” platform, containing a camera array, PC, UR5 manipulator, and end-effector. The canes of the grapevine are wrapped around guide wires, making it very difficult for cuts to be made – whether by human or robot. This thesis presents the process of developing and testing a novel technology called the Barracuda, to enable cuts to be made where the wire interferes with a cut. The wire also puts high accuracy requirements on the vision system and manipulator movements if a secondary mechanism was used to separate the wire and cane. The Barracuda was developed as an end effector to alleviate these issues by allowing passive wire separation from the cane. It works by exploiting the diameter difference between the smaller wire, and larger canes. The wire falls into slots, evading the blade, while the cane is cut. Two Barracuda configurations were tested by making cuts on canes wrapped around the guide wire. Config 1 was a single row of teeth, with larger recesses, flat teeth and a blade-guiding chamfer. Config 2 used two rows of teeth either side of smaller recesses and included rounded teeth tips. The components are CNC machined or laser cut. Results showed for both configurations, the 0° position was most effective. The 0° position is where the wire was below the cane, relative to the handpiece. In this position, Config 1 was effective 40.7% of the time, and config 2, 94.5% of the time. Damage to the wire was caused 8.9% of the time for config 1, and config 2 just 2.6% of the time. Both blades received the same rate of blade damage, however the damage was visibly more significant on config 1. From these results, config 2 was the preferred design, but integrating a chamfer from config 1 should reduce blade damage further. It also benefits human assist goals. By allowing cuts on the wire, pruners are able to make cuts quickly and easily with Barracuda-modified secateurs or loppers, removing the need to separate the cane from the wire. The design works around the environment, increases the number of points available for decision making, and allows some inaccuracy in the rest of the robotic system by offering passive wire avoidance with the teeth. The performance of the Barracuda in cut situations involving a wire proved it valuable for integration with current manual pruning methods, and as a cornerstone for robotic pruning development, providing further opportunities for the greater system.
Buckling behaviour of cold-formed steel lipped channel sections with edge-stiffened web holes under eccentric compression loading
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024-06-24) Xi, Xianglun
Cold-formed steel (CFS) channel sections with web holes are being increasingly popular as vertical load-carrying members. Traditional unstiffened web holes can significantly reduce the compression capacity, which limits their size and spacing. Recently, edge-stiffened web holes have gained popularity, particularly in New Zealand. These channels often experience eccentric compression loading due to combined lateral and gravity loads when used as vertical members. However, there's a lack of studies on how CFS channel sections with these web holes perform under such conditions. This research focuses on numerically studying the structural behavior of CFS channel sections with plain webs, unstiffened web holes, and edge-stiffened web holes under eccentric compression loading along both major and minor axes. Finite element (FE) models were developed to simulate these sections, considering material nonlinearity and initial imperfections. The FE analysis results closely matched experimental results in terms of compressive strength and failure modes. The study also investigates how factors like section lengths, thickness, hole size, spacing, and load eccentricities influence the compressive capacity of these perforated channel sections. To account for the effects of the aforementioned design variables on the capacity of these CFS channel members, a combined approach leverages the parametrization of Ansys and the superior solver of Abaqus to conduct a comprehensive parametric study, including a total of 3078 FE models. Based on the FEA results from the parametric study, it appears that the direction of eccentricity (i.e., 𝑒𝑥< 0) emerges as the critical factor affecting the capacity of CFS channel sections with unstiffened or edge-stiffened web holes. Specifically, for 𝑒𝑥 < 0, the compression capacity of the channel section with unstiffened web holes reduced by up to 20.55%, compared to a plain channel section; conversely, the channel section having edge-stiffened web holes had a maximum increase of 20.10%, compared to the same channel with unstiffened web holes. However, when 𝑒𝑥 > 0, the influence of different web openings became less significantly. Finally, based on the FE results of the parametric study, an assessment of current design rules, including American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI-S100) and Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS-4600), was conducted. The assessment shows the design capacities under eccentric loading predicted by the interaction equation are conservative by 16%-33% on average for plain channels and unstiffened web hole channels. Consequently, new reduction factor interaction equations were proposed for predicting the eccentric compressive capacity of CFS channel sections with different web openings, and a reliability analysis was conducted to ensure the proposed equations could be reliable.
The role of colour when perceiving goalkeeper size
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Thakur, Vikas
This research examines the effect of the color of a goalkeeper's uniform on perceived size and performance in sports. The main purpose was to determine the impact of particular colors, namely red, yellow, blue, green, and black on the psychological attitudes of goalkeepers during competition. The quantitative approach was used in the study since the participants were asked to guess the size of goalkeepers wearing uniforms of various colors. The results revealed a significant main effect of uniform color on perceived size, with male goalkeepers in red and yellow uniforms estimated to be larger than those in blue (p = 0.008) and green (p = 0.061). In a follow-up experiment, it was found that male goalkeepers were perceived to be 16.8% larger than their actual size (F(1, 85) = 263.748, p < 0.001), while female goalkeepers were perceived as 6.3% larger (mean difference of 10.480, SE = 0.645, p < 0.001). The results show that there is a significant gender stereotype, where male goalkeepers are perceived as larger than female goalkeepers irrespective of the color of the uniform they wear. These results indicate that uniform color can be used as a psychological weapon in sports and that the opponents may be conditioned by the color of the uniforms worn by the athletes. The findings of the study have relevance to the management of sports teams and the design of kits where the use of appropriate colors may be a nonverbal communication edge. However, the generalization of the results as well as the reliability of the results may be limited due to the small number and young age of the participants, restricted color options during the design of the uniform, and other features that may limit the applicability of the research in different sports and cultures.
"Takahi ngā takahanga o ngā tūpuna" - Tramp the pathways of our ancestors
(Thesis, The University of Waikato, 2024) Williams, Taniwha
The rise of reconnecting to holistic approaches to health to improve wellbeing outcomes for Māori has become increasingly prominent in recent years. Such developments have highlighted the need to introduce traditional Māori concepts, values and practices within whānau, hapū and iwi as vehicles for promoting and improving Māori health. This research had two objectives. Firstly, it aimed to explore the process of reclaiming mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge systems) with my whānau who had limited access to te ao Māori (the Māori world). The second objective sought to explore the experiences of my whānau reconnecting with te reo me ōna tikanga (Māori language and culture). Using the Whiti Te Rā as a guide informed the design and structure of the wānanga (workshops). The Whiti Te Rā is a therapeutic model designed to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for Māori by developing and enhancing a cultural identity. Central to this model are six Māori customary practices and values that provide pathways to wellbeing and flourishing mauri. These dimensions also have synergies with other models of health – Te Whare Tapa Whā, Te Wheke. Four tāne (men) from my whānau took part in this research. We used the Pūrākau Method to record, explore, and analyse the narratives that emerged following each wānanga. The key findings from this research included connection to history, whakapapa and wairua; connection to pepeha and cultural practices; connection to self as a Māori; connection through whanaungatanga; and connection to taiao (the environment). This study showed that Māori models of health and wellbeing are consistent in demonstrating their effectiveness in connecting Māori to their language and culture. Despite the impact of colonisation, reconnection to customary practices and values was meaningful and valuable to my whānau. Future research is needed to revitalise, regenerate and reclaim a thriving Māori identity.

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