Welcome to Research Commons

Research Commons is the University of Waikato's open access research repository, housing research publications and theses produced by the University's staff and students.

Communities in Research Commons

Select a community to browse its collections.

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Recent Submissions

Race‐centred me‐searching for racialised Asian researchers in Aotearoa New Zealand
(Taylor & Francis, 2026) Aquino, Paolo; Tan, Kyle K. H.; Dam, Lincoln; Cassim, Shemana; Nguyen, Minh Hieu; Dutta, Mohan
‘Me‐search’, or the intentional process of exploring one's positionality, is increasingly recognised as foundational to decolonising and anti‐racist research. Yet in Aotearoa New Zealand, racialised Asian researchers have few praxis‐oriented resources that speak to our liminal positioning within Eurocentric academic institutions and that recognise both our responsibilities to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to the communities we research with and belong to. Through a series of tuakana–teina conversations, six Asian academic researchers engaged with questions structured around the 4Rs: racialisation, restructuring, relationality and reflexivity. We present narrative summaries that foreground context, tensions and praxis, demonstrating what me‐search can feel like in practice: iterative, relational and responsive to shifting responsibilities. Key threads for the conversations included trust and ‘relationships first’ approaches, refusing inclusion as ‘diversity’ without Te Tiriti accountability; naming whiteness and accounting for privilege and complicity in knowledge production; and building from cultural selves, ancestors and Asian philosophies while resisting the homogenisation of ‘Asian’. We offer the 4Rs as a flexible starting point that invites adaptation, critique and ongoing collective learning with scholars, policy colleagues and communities, towards accountable, race‐centred research practices.
Palaeoenvironment and volcanic processes of the Wairēinga Falls lava, Te Mata Quarry
(The University of Waikato, 2026) Wilde, Sarah; Pittari, Adrian
This study characterises the Wairēinga (Bridal Veil) Falls lava flow and reconstructs the palaeoenvironmental and volcanic history associated with this lava flow at Te Mata Quarry through integrated field observations and laboratory analyses. Stratigraphic logging, petrographic analysis, grain-size analysis, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and portable XRF (pXRF) were used to investigate volcanic and sedimentary units exposed throughout the quarry. The sedimentary sequence beneath the lava flow contains glauconite and abundant bioclastic material, indicating deposition in a shallow marine environment associated with the Oligocene Te Kuiti Group. In contrast, buried wood and coal horizons, and hyaloclastite beneath the basalt, which unconformably cross-cuts the Te Kuiti Group, demonstrate that a wet terrestrial valley had developed prior to lava emplacement in the late Pliocene/early Pleistocene. The Wairēinga Falls lava flow was emplaced at approximately 2.57 Ma into this water-influenced palaeovalley. Hyaloclastite preserved along flow margins provides evidence of lava–water interaction, indicating that surface or near-surface water strongly influenced cooling and fragmentation during emplacement. Petrographic and geochemical analyses reveal a compositionally homogeneous basalt consistent with previous studies of the region. However, structural features including variable columnar joint spacing, multidirectional joint orientations, and rosette jointing suggest a complex emplacement history involving multiple flow units and the development of lava tubes, indicating spatial variability in emplacement processes despite a uniform magma composition. The overlying Kauroa Ash sequence, particularly the T5 tephra, provides regional context and supports correlations with volcanic activity in the central North Island, including the Ongatiti Ignimbrite. Together, these findings place the lava flow and its emplacement environment in the Te Mata Quarry within the broader volcanic evolution of the Alexandra Volcanic Group, and improve understanding of lava emplacement processes, in a wet palaeoenvironment.
Editorial: Wearables for human-robot interaction and collaboration
(Frontiers, 2025-12-09) Zhang, X; Dwivedi, Anany; Leng, Y; Liarokapis, M; Lahr, GJG
Factors controlling the statistics of magnetic reconnection in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence
(American Physical Society, 2026-01-22) Khan, MB; Shay, MA; Oughton, Sean; Matthaeus, WH; Haggerty, CC; Adhikari, S; Cassak, PA; Fordin, S; O'Donnell, D; Yang, Y; Bandyopadhyay, R; Roy, S
We study the statistics of dynamical quantities associated with magnetic reconnection events embedded in a sea of strong background magnetohydrodynamic turbulence using direct numerical simulations. We focus on the relationship of the reconnection properties to the statistics of global turbulent fields. We show that the distribution in turbulence of reconnection rates (determined by upstream fields) is strongly correlated with the magnitude of the global turbulent magnetic field at the correlation scale. The average reconnection rates, and associated dissipation rates, during turbulence are thus much larger than predicted by using turbulent magnetic field fluctuation amplitudes at the dissipation or kinetic scales. Magnetic reconnection may, therefore, be playing a major role in energy dissipation in astrophysical and heliospheric turbulence.
Relational engagement in engineering: Developing an indigenous engagement framework for practice with Mana Whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand
(The University of Waikato, 2026) Poulsen, Benjamin; Bertram, Danielle; Owen, Mahonri
Engagement with mana whenua (territorial rights holders) is a vital part of competent engineering practice across Aotearoa New Zealand. Despite the existence of a large number of Indigenous Engagement Frameworks (IEFs), engineers seeking to engage face challenges in accessing, interpreting, and applying the available guidance in ways that respect Māori (Indigenous New Zealander) authority. Therefore, the research conducted here aims to the development of a practical IEF and accompanying spatial map to support early and culturally appropriate engagement with Māori. Through a literature review and interviews with iwi (nation) representatives and museum curators, the study identified key gaps in accessibility and usability of existing frameworks. Many of the IEFs reviewed assumed a certain level of prior knowledge and experience from the user, which limited their effectiveness for engineers unfamiliar with engagement processes. Interviewees further emphasised the importance of relational engagement in achieving culturally appropriate and effective outcomes. While engineers often rely on structured processes, the interviews found that effective engagement with mana whenua requires flexibility, time, and relationship-building. Rather than prioritising one approach over the other, the most effective result will come from finding a balance between structured processes and relational practice. The research highlights the need for practical guidance that supports engineers in navigating relational and culturally grounded engagement practices. An iterative design process was used for the development of the IEF and accompanying spatial mapping tool, which were presented in the form of a practical booklet and interactive map that balances the desire for procedural guidance with prompts that encourage relationship-building. The study also demonstrates the practical and theoretical value of using site-specific taiao (environment) knowledge within engineering contexts, while emphasising the relational and reciprocal nature of engagement. Limitations of the study and opportunities for future research, such as including iwi-led spatial mapping and the potential for a reciprocal engagement framework, are also discussed. This thesis contributes to a culturally grounded IEF designed to support engineers in conducting respectful and effective engagement with mana whenua.