Doctoral Theses
Permanent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/4
The Doctoral Theses collection contains digital copies of AUT doctoral theses deposited with the Library since 2004 and made available open access. All theses for doctorates awarded from 2007 onwards are required to be deposited in Tuwhera Open Theses unless subject to an embargo.
For theses submitted prior to 2007, open access was not mandatory, so only those theses for which the author has given consent are available in Tuwhera Open Theses. Where consent for open access has not been provided, the thesis is usually recorded in the AUT Library catalogue where the full text, if available, may be accessed with an AUT password. Other people should request an Interlibrary Loan through their library.
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Item A Conceptual Framework for Global DevSecOps: Delphi-AHP Study(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Zhao, XiaofanContext: DevOps has become mainstream in the Software Engineering (SE) industry and academia, enhancing software development performance by bridging the gap between development (Dev) and operations (Ops). However, security requirements are often overlooked and devalued because they are perceived as hindrances to the high velocity required in DevOps. DevSecOps, as a security-oriented variant of DevOps, aims to integrate security into DevOps implementation by promoting collaboration among development (Dev), operations (Ops), and security (Sec) teams. Meanwhile, academia and industry’s interest in another trend – Global Software Engineering (GSE), has also significantly increased. GSE is a business strategy that arranges software development teams geographically distributed across the world. The foundational idea of DevOps/DevSecOps is to reduce functional silos and foster collaboration, and it encounters magnified challenges in GSE contexts due to geographical, temporal, linguistic, and cultural distances. Researchers and practitioners have paid attention to DevOps adoption in GSE, yet a research gap exists between DevSecOps and GSE that warrants academic investigation. Aim: This research aimed to provide an in-depth understanding of DevSecOps and its adoption in GSE by developing an empirically grounded conceptual framework. Methods: This research was divided into two stages. First, a Multivocal Literature Review (MLR) study was conducted to explore the current state of DevSecOps. A Thematic Analysis (TA) was performed to identify, synthesise, and analyse themes within the data for reporting MLR results and to further establish a conceptual framework as a theoretical basis for the following research. Second, an empirical study was conducted to validate, refine, and upgrade the MLR findings. It employed a qualitative research methodology, incorporating a quantitative survey that combined a Delphi survey and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The Delphi-AHP study consisted of three survey rounds with 18 international participants, who are DevSecOps experts with various roles, including academic, industrial, managerial, and technical. The data were collected via an online survey that used multiple question formats, including AHP pairwise comparisons, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions. A dissent analysis was conducted to determine whether there is consensus or dissent regarding DevSecOps. Results: The MLR study identifies five aspects of DevSecOps research (Definitions, Challenges, Practices, Tools/Technologies, and Metrics/Measurement), collects related themes of each aspect, and generates a “DevSecOps CPTM (Challenge-Practice-Tool-Metric) Model (Version 1.0)” by integrating the themes of the latter four aspects. An unexplored area relating to the application of DevSecOps in GSE has been identified. Subsequently, the Delphi-AHP study evaluates and prioritises the identified challenges, practices, tools, and metrics, collects new items into each aspect, identifies slight differences between local and global DevSecOps, and upgrades the DevSecOps CPTM Model from Version 1.0 to 2.0 by incorporating additional GSE aspects. Additionally, the dissent analysis reveals that dissenting opinions exist on DevSecOps between the SE industry and academia. Conclusion: This research provides implications for both practice and theory by providing an in-depth understanding of DevSecOps and its adoption in GSE. As the key artifact, the DevSecOps CPTM Model (Version 2.0) is presented to effectively support SE academia and industry by providing a broad landscape and a prioritised breakdown of DevSecOps, from which researchers and practitioners can select an area of focus to enhance their knowledge or practice. With DevSecOps spanning many stages of the lifecycle, the framework will enable the exploration of new emphases and future opportunities, such as AI-driven DevSecOps practices and tools.Item Submaximal Torque Control at the Shoulder in Young, Healthy Adults: The Effects of Dual Tasking, Fatigue and Taping(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Adams, ThomasThe shoulder is a highly mobile joint, particularly the glenohumeral joint, which sacrifices articular stability for increased mobility. To compensate, the joint relies on the complex actions of muscles, especially the rotator cuff, to provide functional stability. The sensorimotor system integrates peripheral sensory feedback, central processing and efferent muscle output to ensure coordinated muscle activity, maintaining joint stability. Much of the research on shoulder sensorimotor control has focused on proprioception and almost exclusively on joint position sense and movement appreciation, with far less attention to torque control. Studies of torque control could offer insight into sensorimotor control under conditions that may pose an injury risk. The aim of this research was to investigate submaximal torque control at the shoulder in healthy young adults under conditions of dual tasking, fatigue and shoulder taping. Three experimental studies were undertaken. The first, an observational cross-sectional study, investigated dual tasking and submaximal torque control of the shoulder internal and external rotators. The addition of a visual Stroop choice reaction task resulted in a dual task effect, with significant decreases in torque accuracy and steadiness during torque matching and tracking tasks. The second study, also of repeated measures design, examined the effects of an intermittent, duty-cycled, isometric fatiguing protocol on torque control in young healthy adults. Despite noticeable fatigue, torque matching accuracy and steadiness did not significantly differ between conditions. In the final study, a randomised crossover trial, participants performed shoulder torque matching and tracking tasks with and without a common shoulder taping technique. Taping had no significant effect on torque control. The main conclusions of this research were fourfold. 1) Cognitive dual-tasking impairs the ability of healthy individuals to match submaximal target torques and maintain steady torque output, suggesting the need for further research into motor-cognitive dual tasking in injury prevention and rehabilitation. 2) An intermittent isometric fatigue protocol did not significantly affect torque control in healthy young adults. However, applying this protocol to individuals with shoulder injuries and sensorimotor deficits might yield different results, offering important clinical insights. 3) A commonly used taping technique for shoulder injury prevention did not impact torque control meaningfully in healthy individuals. Similar to the fatigue findings, the effects of taping might differ in individuals with impaired sensorimotor control due to injury. 4) The studies used the same shoulder position and target torque, limiting the generalisability to other levels of torque or shoulder positions. Future research should explore the effects of varying target torque levels and other shoulder positions relevant to potential injury.Item A Portable, Non-Pharmacological Intervention for Chronic Pain Management(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Parikh, Ankit ParimalChronic pain affects approximately 20% adults in the Western world. It is difficult to treat and has a negative impact on an individual’s physical and mental health, sleep, and overall quality of life. Globally, it costs billions of dollars in healthcare and lost productivity. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), a neuromodulation technique, is a potential non-pharmacological treatment for chronic pain. VNS activates brainstem regions involved in descending pain inhibition, likely increases endogenous opioid release, modulates cortical nociceptive processing, and has anti-inflammatory effects. All these mechanisms are believed to have an antinociceptive effect. While VNS requires surgical implantation, transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a non-invasive, more accessible, safer and cost-effective alternative. Research also suggests that synchronising VNS with the exhalation phase of respiration - respiratory gated (RG) stimulation - enhances activation of pain-modulating brainstem regions. However, RG taVNS studies have been limited to laboratory settings due to the lack of portable equipment. This research aimed to develop a non-invasive portable taVNS system that offered RG stimulation. Additionally, it explored the use of heart rate variability (HRV) as a potential biomarker of stimulation efficacy, to enable future closed-loop stimulation. In Study 1, the accuracy of the prototype in-ear and fingertip-based photoplethysmography sensors was evaluated against a gold standard 12-lead electrocardiography system for measuring vagally mediated HRV parameters, such as the root mean square of successive R-R interval differences and the high-frequency component of HRV. A prototype stretch sensor was also evaluated for detecting the onset of exhalation, compared to a gold standard sensor. Thirty healthy participants wore the prototype and the gold-standard equipment to measure HRV and changes in respiratory state during 10 minutes of normal breathing and deep slow breathing. The results showed that the prototype fingertip-based sensor and stretch sensor were sufficiently accurate for integration into the RG taVNS system. The findings of Study 1 were used to develop a custom sensing system. Additionally, a custom in-ear electrode and a mobile application were developed. A portable kit was assembled to enable home-based RG taVNS, comprising these systems and a commercial stimulator. Study 2 evaluated the feasibility of a future single-centre clinical trial of home-based RG taVNS in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Twelve participants with active RA participated in this study, which required three hospital visits and performing 12 RG taVNS sessions from home over 2 weeks. Feasibility outcomes were promising, with 90% session adherence, high usability ratings (9/10), and strong acceptability (average 66%, general 87%) ratings. No severe treatment-emergent adverse events were reported. While the single-arm study design precludes causal inferences regarding the effects of RG taVNS on treatment outcomes, medium to large pre- to post-intervention effects were observed in reducing pain interference, grip pain intensity and psychological distress. Medium effects were also observed in reducing resting pain and tumour necrosis factor-α levels. Effects on other outcomes were minimal. Larger effect sizes observed in some outcomes in the second week raise the potential that longer interventions may enhance benefits. Overall, the findings of this thesis have led to the development of a novel portable RG taVNS system that could be used in future, fully powered clinical studies.Item Ecotourism and Community Empowerment: A Case Study of Whale-Watching Tourism in China with Insights from New Zealand(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Zhang, XiaoWhale-watching is one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors. However, previous research has paid little attention to the impacts of whale-watching on local communities. Also, research on tourism empowerment has mostly focused on the outcomes of empowerment, with limited exploration of empowerment as a dynamic process and the underlying factors that influence it. Therefore, there is a need to better understand how whale-watching empowers host communities, which factors shape empowerment processes, and how community empowerment impacts the sustainable development of tourism. This study explores the process of community empowerment, factors that influence empowerment (especially sociocultural factors) and their implications for sustainable tourism development in two whale-watching communities: Sanniang Bay, China and Kaikōura, New Zealand. A mixed-methods design was adopted, combining in-depth interviews and questionnaire surveys to comprehensively reveal the complex process of community empowerment and its outcomes. This study finds that community empowerment is a dynamic, ongoing, and context-sensitive process that leads to multidimensional outcomes involving the continuous interaction of different types of power ('power within,' 'power to,' 'power with,' and 'power over'). In Sanniang Bay, tourism management rights are controlled by the government and external enterprises, and residents lack effective channels for participation in decision-making, limiting overall community empowerment. In contrast, in Kaikōura, the residents have greater autonomy in resource management and tourism operations through institutionalised participation mechanisms, and the outcomes of empowerment are more stable and comprehensive. In addition, the study identifies three key factors that influence community empowerment: internal factors, external factors, and factors related to tourism development. At the same time, this study applies Hofstede's revised cultural framework to systematically explain the profound impact of sociocultural factors on the empowerment process. Based on the findings, this study proposes a conceptual framework for the dynamic process of community empowerment, which embraces 'soft' empowerment outcomes (psychological, social, and cultural) and 'hard' empowerment outcomes (economic, political, and environmental). This framework highlights the interactive relationship between intangible interpersonal changes ('soft') and tangible institutional structural changes ('hard') during the empowerment process. Moreover, the study proposes two new concepts: (1) 'Perception of fairness,' which emphasises the role of fairness in psychological empowerment; and (2) 'Authority over cultural representation,' which emphasises the control that communities have in expressing their own culture. This study deepens the theoretical understanding of power dynamics in community empowerment, demonstrating how empowerment can enhance economic, social, and environmental sustainability, as well as community resilience. Methodologically, a China-centred dual case study approach, with Kaikōura used as a supplementary reference case, provides a rigorous yet flexible research pathway for empowerment studies. In practical terms, this study offers implications for tourism policymakers and local communities, emphasising the importance of fair benefit distribution, inclusive governance, sustained community capacity building, and culturally and environmentally sensitive practices. It also highlights community unity, autonomy, and collective organisation as the essential foundations for effective empowerment and sustainable tourism development.Item An Intelligent Forecasting Method for Hierarchical Load Structure in a Residential Market(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Parkash, BarkhaElectricity is an essential resource in the modern world, underpinning nearly all aspects of daily life. In recent years, the residential electricity consumption profile has evolved significantly due to the increasing penetration of non-linear loads such as electric vehicles (EVs) and localised generation from rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems. These changes pose new challenges for utility operators, who must manage infrastructure while ensuring a stable balance between electricity demand and supply. Accurate load forecasting is, therefore, critical to avoid mismatches that may compromise grid reliability and efficiency. In the residential sector, electricity consumption patterns vary widely between households, influenced by socio-demographic factors such as income, household size, and occupancy patterns. These contribute to diverse load profiles, necessitating a deeper understanding of their relationship with electricity usage to develop more accurate and responsive forecasting models. This research advances residential load forecasting by developing a novel top-down (TD) hierarchical forecasting framework. Traditional TD methods typically use fixed historical ratios for disaggregation, which can fail to adapt to dynamic consumption patterns. In contrast, the proposed framework leverages input features from both the aggregated level and the target sub-level, along with cross learning features, to forecast loads across multiple layers of hierarchy. Two model variations are proposed: a two-stage model, where separate neural models are trained for aggregated and sub-level forecasts with the second model utilising output of first model, and an end-to-end model that integrates all inputs into a single learning structure. These approaches enable accurate forecasting across different levels of hierarchy without relying on static assumptions, improving both scalability and performance. A second key contribution is the integration of socio-demographic features and EV charging data into the forecasting models. By incorporating variables such as household characteristics and EV charging behaviours, the study evaluates the impact that these have on the forecasting accuracy. The third major contribution is the investigation of EV charging prices and their interaction with charging time and load forecasting accuracy. As market liberalisation has introduced time varying and dynamic pricing structures, consumers are increasingly responsive to price signals. The thesis analyses how these pricing models affect EV charging patterns and, subsequently, the performance of the proposed forecasting models. It highlights that price driven charging behaviours introduce additional uncertainty and volatility into load profiles, which must be accounted for in effective forecasting strategies. Together, these contributions offer a robust and adaptable framework for residential load forecasting that accommodates evolving consumption patterns. The proposed methodology is not only scalable and data efficient but also tailored for practical deployment in modern power systems, offering utility providers and stakeholders a valuable tool for planning and operational decision making.Item Formulation and Evaluation of Advanced Buccal Mucoadhesive Systems for Cannabinoid Delivery: In-Situ Gels and 3D Printed Films(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Nagaraj, AnushreeThe resurgence of interest in plant-derived therapeutics has positioned cannabinoids, particularly Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), as promising pharmacological agents with demonstrated analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiemetic, and neuroprotective effects. However, their clinical translation remains hindered by low aqueous solubility, extensive hepatic first-pass metabolism, and poor oral bioavailability (<10–20%). Conventional oral and oromucosal dosage forms, including oils, capsules, and sprays such as Sativex, often yield variable absorption and unpredictable pharmacokinetics, leading to inconsistent therapeutic responses and unwanted psychoactive effects. These limitations underscore the need for alternative delivery systems capable of bypassing hepatic metabolism, enhancing cannabinoid absorption, and ensuring controlled drug release. This thesis aimed to develop and optimize buccal cannabinoid delivery systems, including thermoresponsive mucoadhesive in-situ gels, ion-activated in-situ gels, and extrusion-based 3D bioprinted mucoadhesive films to address the abovementioned shortcomings. Buccal delivery offers a non-invasive and patient-friendly route that enables direct absorption into the systemic circulation, allowing for rapid onset of action and improved bioavailability. Two distinct in-situ gelling mechanisms were employed in the development of cannabinoid formulations, with the gelling polymers combined with either hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) or Carbopol 934 to produce mucoadhesive in-situ gels. The first approach involved the formulation of thermoresponsive in-situ gels using Poloxamer 407, optimized through factorial design to achieve ideal sol–gel transition temperatures, appropriate viscosity, and mucoadhesive strength. These formulations exhibited reversible sol–gel behaviour, transitioning from a free-flowing liquid at room temperature to a cohesive semi-solid gel at 37°C. The second formulation platform focused on ion-activated in-situ gels, utilizing gellan gum, κ-carrageenan, and a novel κ/ι-carrageenan blend that gelled upon exposure to salivary cations. The κ/ι-carrageenan system formed a synergistic polymeric network balancing rigidity and flexibility, resulting in enhanced gel strength, elasticity, and mucoadhesion compared to single-polymer systems. Both thermoresponsive and ion-activated gels demonstrated prolonged mucosal residence, with Carbopol-based formulations exhibiting superior mechanical strength, mucoadhesion, and physicochemical properties compared to HPMC-based gels. The systems displayed biphasic release profiles, characterised by an initial lag phase (~15–30 minutes) followed by sustained cannabinoid release over 4 hours. To further improve stability and storage properties, ion-induced in-situ gels containing Carbopol were developed into freeze-dried formulations that could be readily rehydrated before administration These lyophilized systems retained their gelling capacity and preserved over 94% of cannabinoid content after six months, offering improved storage stability and eliminating the need for strict cold-chain conditions. The third approach involved using 3D bioprinting to fabricate extrusion-based mucoadhesive films composed of HPMC and Carbopol matrices, enabling precise control over geometry, thickness, and cannabinoid loading. HPMC-based films demonstrated excellent mechanical integrity, uniform drug distribution, and sustained cannabinoid release over 2 hours. This work demonstrated the feasibility of employing bioprinting techniques for producing individualized cannabinoid dosage forms with enhanced pharmacokinetic predictability. This work also introduced a novel formulation strategy integrating multiple terpenes as permeation enhancers with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes of cannabinoids within the developed buccal systems, providing a complementary mechanism to enhance both solubility and buccal absorption. This thesis provided a comprehensive foundation for buccal delivery of cannabinoids by integrating formulation optimization, physicochemical and rheological characterization, ex vivo permeation, and stability evaluation. The findings underscore the potential of mucoadhesive buccal systems to overcome the pharmacokinetic limitations of oral cannabinoids, reduce required doses, enhance patient compliance, and support the clinical translation of cannabinoid therapies for conditions such as chemotherapy-induced nausea, appetite stimulation, chronic pain, and multiple sclerosis.Item Process Matters: The Effects of Process Variables on Patient Outcomes in Musculoskeletal Care Pathways(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Harvey, DanielIn New Zealand and globally, the burden of pain, disability, and related healthcare costs due to musculoskeletal conditions is increasing. Researchers and clinicians have endeavoured to tackle this growing issue through various diagnostic and treatment-focused management strategies. Given the limited success of existing assessment and treatment methods, there has been a recent shift among clinicians, researchers and funders towards promoting value-based care for musculoskeletal conditions. This approach enhances efficiency and incentivises better patient outcomes by emphasising the importance of care processes. Consequently, value-based care presents an opportunity to investigate how individual processes experienced by patients during their rehabilitation, known as process variables, impact outcomes for musculoskeletal patients within New Zealand's care pathways. However, there appears to be limited evidence and understanding in the existing literature regarding the role of process variables and their impact on patient outcomes. To address this gap, this thesis primarily aims to investigate how process variables affect patient outcomes in musculoskeletal care pathways. A series of three studies was developed and are presented in this thesis. In the first study, to better understand what a process variable is within a musculoskeletal care pathway, a nominal group technique (a consensus-based approach) was employed among New Zealand experts in the management of care pathways. The operational definition clarified that a process variable is a modifiable factor, within a pathway, that can be measured and when changing it may lead to different operational or patient outcomes. In the second study, a focus group approach was used to explore patient perspectives on process variables in musculoskeletal care pathways, aiming to identify what patients consider important during their rehabilitation journey. Several process variables were identified, including the timeliness of treatment, the order of care, the coordination of care delivery, quantifying progress, equity of access, and patient navigation. Four themes emerged from the reflexive thematic analysis: 1) process matters, 2) how quantifying progress facilitates patient engagement, 3) the benefits of equitable access of care, and 4) recovery is made easier with navigation. In the third study, an observational cohort study retrospectively examined a database of patients with musculoskeletal injuries receiving care within musculoskeletal rehabilitation care pathways. Quantile linear regressions were utilised to analyse the associations between process variables and the outcome measures reported by patients at discharge. Significant associations with varying degrees of effect were found between process variables and patient outcomes in some surgical and non-surgical musculoskeletal care pathways. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that process variables can significantly influence patient outcomes in musculoskeletal care pathways, both positively and negatively. Therefore, this thesis urges clinicians, funders, health system planners, researchers and educators to prioritise the identification, measurement, and utilisation of process variables within musculoskeletal care pathways to enhance patient outcomes.Item Enhancing Athlete Profiling Through Technology-Integrated Multiple Hop Testing: Implications for Physiotherapy and Strength and Conditioning(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Sharp, AnthonyMultiple hop tests, such as the triple hop (TH) and quintuple hop (QH), are commonly used in strength training, conditioning, and physiotherapy to evaluate lower-limb function, monitor return-to-sport (RTS) progress, and measure athletic performance. Traditionally, these tests quantify total distance jumped, which offers limited insight into movement strategies. Advances in affordable technology, including smartphone videography to computer vision tracking, present opportunities to improve the diagnostic value of these assessments, but their validity, reliability, and practical usefulness are still under-investigated. Given this information, this thesis addressed the overarching question: can technology integration into multiple hop testing provide greater diagnostic insight to better inform physiotherapeutic and strength and conditioning practices? To answer this, the work was structured across four sections, each targeting a specific set of research questions. The current literature on TH and QH tests was reviewed in Section 1, evaluating their reliability, utility, and relationship to performance. Findings highlighted that while the TH is reliable and commonly used, the QH remains under-researched, with limited evidence on its validity and sensitivity. Furthermore, reliance on distance as the sole outcome measure limited diagnostic value, underscoring the need for alternative metrics and accessible technologies to capture movement strategies. The feasibility of smartphone videography for assessing multiple hop performance was investigated in Section 2. Using free software (Kinovea) with tablets and smartphones, strong between-rater (ICC = 0.85-1.00), within-rater (ICC = 0.98-1.00), and test–retest (ICC = 0.47-0.93) reliability for spatiotemporal variables such as flight time, ground contact time, and total time were found. High levels of agreement were found when these variables were compared to gold standard force plates, although small systematic biases were observed. It was established that smartphone-based approaches provided valid, reliable, and cost-effective alternatives for hop diagnostics in field and clinical environments. In Section 3, the physical and biomechanical demands of TH and QH tests, inter-limb asymmetries, and their relationship to sprint performance were explored. Successive hops imposed progressively greater eccentric braking demands, with vertical braking impulses increasing by ~32% and horizontal braking impulses by ~56%, highlighting the importance of graded progression in rehabilitation contexts. Kinetic analyses showed average asymmetries of up to 40% in braking impulses, with some reaching 96%. These asymmetries are often hidden when only using distance outcomes, which averaged 4.7% and peaked at 12.7%. Hop distances correlated strongly with 10-40 m sprint times (r = 0.70-0.80), with reactive strength index horizontal (RSIhor) identified as the strongest predictor of sprint ability (r = 0.49-0.71). Finally, given the high shared variance between TH and QH variables, it is recommended that practitioners use only one of the tests in their assessment battery, the choice of which depends on the injury and athletic status of those being tested. The focus of Section 4 was to translate the research findings of the thesis into applied resources for practitioners, using a “Masterclass” framework to bridge theory and practice. This synthesis provided physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches with practical guidance on implementing multiple hop assessments, monitoring asymmetries, and applying hop diagnostics to rehabilitation and performance enhancement. This thesis presents original research that expands the understanding of how multiple hop testing can enhance diagnostic insights in athletic profiling. The findings demonstrate that simple, cost-effective technologies can be effectively integrated into assessments, providing valid and reliable measures of both athlete movement and outcome strategies. Although limitations included cross-sectional designs, male dominated samples, and a focus on TH and QH tasks over other hop-based assessments, the research establishes a framework for incorporating hop assessments into applied practice. Future research should validate emerging technologies like AI-driven video analysis and inertial measurement units, broaden normative data across sexes and performance levels, and explore longitudinal and applied outcomes in clinical and elite sport environments.Item Kraken the Code: On Decoding Deep-sea Squids Via Host-associated Microbiota (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida)(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Maranzana, MarinaMicrobial symbiosis with marine hosts facilitates the adaptation and survival of the host, expanding the range of habitable niches available to them in the deep ocean. Research on the microbiomes of deep-sea organisms is increasing due to their recognised importance for providing insight into the physiology, ecology, and behaviour of host organisms; however, much remains to be studied. The microbiota of deep-sea oegopsid squids is an emerging field, with the majority of oegopsid squids' microbiota still unknown. Deep-sea squids are of considerable economic, scientific, and ecological importance, yet there is a lack of data on their life histories and ecologies. This is due to the challenges of studying them in situ and the inaccessibility of deep-sea samples, which limits research availability. Therefore, this PhD thesis aimed to increase our limited understanding of Southern Ocean deep-sea oegopsid squids by investigating their bacterial communities for the first time using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Nine different squid species from five distinct families belonging to the order Oegopsida were sequenced. To start, a single species was used to assess the intraspecific variability between sexes by analysing the digestive tract microbiota of five females and five males of Aotearoa’s endemic Southern arrow squid, Nototodarus sloanii. The core microbial taxa observed were Mycoplasma and Brachybacterium, and no significant differences were observed between the sexes. When no significant differences were observed among any individuals within a species, the bacterial community composition variability among species within the same genus and between genera within the same family was investigated. No significant difference in microbial richness was observed among species or between genera; however, a significant difference in microbial beta diversity was observed between squid genera. Mycoplasma and Brachybacterium (which has not been previously reported in cephalopods) are the two most common and abundant microbial taxa found in all researched deep-sea squids. Mycoplasma was seen to be mainly associated with the digestive tract and beak of all squid species, and the BD1-7 clade was the most abundant bacterium in the gills of all the ommastrephid squids. The opportunistic collection of a single species, Todarodes filippovae, at two distinct locations (the Chatham Rise and the sub-Antarctic) enabled a preliminary description of differences in body site microbiota between the two locations within a single species. Both the Chatham Rise and sub-Antarctic digestive tract samples mainly consisted of Brachybacterium. However, the sub-Antarctic beak samples were primarily composed of Mycoplasma, while the Chatham Rise beak samples were mainly made up of Aurantivirga. Once the intra- and inter-genus variability was established, the four ommastrephid deep-sea squids were compared with four different deep-sea oegopsid squids known for storing ammonia in their muscle tissues for buoyancy. This was done to assess variability in the microbiota among deep-sea squids with different body chemistries. A significant difference was observed between the ammoniacal and non-ammoniacal squids. Across all squids except Onykia robsoni, the beaks harboured similar bacterial communities but with different relative abundances. For all squid species, the same was true for the brain, inner eye fluid, and ommastrephid gills. In contrast, for all squid species except Taningia danae, the siphon and reproductive organs showed the greatest variation in both microbial abundance and diversity among squid taxa, although some general trends could be observed within the ammoniacal (which contained more Mycoplasma) and non-ammoniacal squid groupings (which had more BD1-7 clade). Lastly, due to the opportunistic collection of a rare deep-sea oegopsid squid in the Ross Sea, the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), and the availability of a public dataset on NCBI on the microbiota of seawater from the Ross Sea a preliminary assessment of the transfer of microorganisms between the surrounding environment and host organism was conducted, as well as a first description of the microbiota of six body sites of the colossal squid. The bacterial genus Pseudomonas was the only observed taxon in both datasets; however, another bacterial taxon, Pseudoalteromonas, which was observed in all the Ross Sea seawater depth samples, was also observed in several deep-sea squids investigated in this thesis. Mycoplasma, which was seen to be the most abundant bacterium in the colossal squid, was not present in any of the seawater samples from the Ross Sea dataset. Investigating the microbiota of deep-sea squids is essential in furthering our understanding of their life history and ecology. This will also provide insights into how changes in oceanic conditions resulting from anthropogenic pressures could affect their health, as their microbial symbionts are thought to be linked to pathogen prevention and nutrient assimilation. This body of work represents the first microbiota study of cephalopods of the Southern Ocean and the first microbiota study worldwide of deep-sea squids belonging to the families: Octopoteuthidae, Onychoteuthidae, and Cranchiidae.Item Rohingya Refugee Background Students Negotiating Aotearoa New Zealand’s Educational Practices and Institutions(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Chowdhury, SorowarEducation is pivotal in successful refugee resettlement, with refugee students navigating diverse discourses within resettlement countries' educational systems. These discourses predominantly shape their subjectivities: identities governed by both internal (self)-analysis and external forces of power. While extensive research exists on refugees' educational opportunities globally, there is a gap regarding refugee background students' (RBS’) navigation of New Zealand's education system. This study examines Rohingya RBS’ educational aspirations and their negotiations with New Zealand’s education system. New Zealand, known for its diversity and inclusivity, presents various challenges for RBSs within its education system. Despite its welcoming stance, refugees often struggle with adapting to the educational complexities. This research employs Foucault’s theories of power, knowledge, and discourse, using Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA) to explore the language and knowledge construction processes affecting Rohingya RBS. It examines how power dynamics within New Zealand’s education system, shaped by global colonialism, capitalism, and neoliberalism, govern these students. The study focuses on six purposively selected Rohingya RBS, three secondary students and three adults. It analyses a range of data: relevant government policy documents, interviews with educators and refugee coordinators, and classroom observations and interviews with Rohingya RBS. The analysis focusses on an interplay between statements, discourses, and discursive formations. It identifies and maps discourses and discursive formations, drawing on the Rohingya RBS' experiences. The study identifies three major neoliberal discourses: English language acquisition, educational opportunities, and aspirations. Each comprises three peripheral discourses. Under English language acquisition, the discourses include language learning, language barriers, and learning alternatives. Educational opportunities encompass access to education, quality of education, and alternative opportunities. Aspiration discourses cover personal aspirations, collective refugee aspirations, and alternatives to aspirations. These discourses provide a framework for interpreting and presenting the findings. The research finds that New Zealand's educational discourses of opportunity and ‘success’ are closely linked to English language acquisition, which, in turn significantly shape Rohingya RBS' aspirations. These discourses encompass broader societal narratives, such as integration, economic self-sufficiency, and cultural adaptation. The study explores how Rohingya RBS negotiate their educational pathways, highlighting the challenges related to English language proficiency and diverse educational practices that impact their academic progress and self-perception. Central to this thesis is the notion that academic success for RBS in New Zealand hinges on English proficiency, which determines their academic potential and aspirations. This leads to theories of linguistic governmentality, positioning the English language as a key element in successful resettlement. This thesis contributes to the development of more effective educational policies and practices for severely persecuted populations like the Rohingya in New Zealand and similar jurisdictions.Item Next-Generation Wireless On-Chip Communication Using Terahertz Antennas(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Paudel, BiswashThe exponential growth of data-driven technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), high-definition sensing, and wireless chip-to-chip interconnects, has intensified the demand for ultra-high-speed, energy-efficient communication systems. Conventional microwave and millimetre-wave solutions are reaching their physical and spectral limits, prompting a shift toward the terahertz (THz) band (0.1–10 THz) for next-generation wireless networks. The THz spectrum offers unprecedented bandwidth and spatial resolution but remains hindered by propagation loss, fabrication tolerances, and integration constraints within semiconductor environments. These challenges define a crucial research gap in realizing compact, low-loss, and CMOS-compatible THz antenna systems. This thesis addresses that gap through the design and modelling of advanced on-chip and substrate-integrated THz architectures. First, a stacked substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) pyramidal horn antenna is proposed to achieve beam symmetry, high gain, and planar compatibility. The design employs multilayer dielectric loading and Gaussian excitation to balance E- and H-plane radiation, demonstrating efficient operation around 210 GHz. Second, a broadband, probe-less rectangular-waveguide (RWG) to SIW mode converter is introduced, enabling low-reflection TE10 to TE20 transitions and compact interfacing between metallic and planar structures. Finally, the thesis models intra- and inter-chip THz communication channels using realistic on-chip antennas and packaging materials, evaluating coupling efficiency, loss mechanisms, and spatial field behaviour for Wireless Network-on-Chip (WiNoC) applications. Collectively, these works contribute new insights into THz front-end integration, demonstrating that multilayer SIW antennas and mode converters can deliver high performance and scalability within chip-scale systems. The research establishes a foundation for CMOS/BiCMOS-compatible THz transceivers, paving the way for future 6G and Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) platforms. Future work should focus on fabrication, experimental validation, and reconfigurable metamaterial loading to further enhance bandwidth, tunability, and practical deployment of on-chip THz systems.Item An Evidence-Based Framework for Whole-life Cost Analysis of Residential Buildings in New Zealand(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Samarasekara, Herath Mudiyanselage Samadhi NayanatharaThe construction industry plays a crucial role in the global economy, with residential building projects accounting for a significant share of activities, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and New Zealand. Whole-life Costing (WLC) is increasingly recognised as a vital approach to fostering economic sustainability, facilitating informed decision-making, and enhancing resilience in construction projects. However, despite its acknowledged advantages, there is no tailored WLC framework available for residential buildings, particularly in New Zealand. This absence of a specific, context-aware framework has led to the underutilization of WLC principles and inadequate lifecycle cost management within the sector. This thesis fills the research gap by creating a WLC framework specifically designed for residential buildings in New Zealand, considering the unique environmental, social, regulatory, and seismic challenges the country faces. Thus, this research aims to develop a WLC framework that considers all elements to enhance the estimation accuracy of residential buildings for long-term economic sustainability, benefiting industry professionals, policymakers, homeowners, and researchers involved in New Zealand's residential. This research adopts an interpretivist philosophy, applying an inductive approach and qualitative methodology. The study was structured in three stages: a systematic literature review and framework document analysis; 22 semi-structured interviews with industry stakeholders, including quantity surveyors, architects, engineers, project managers, facilities managers, homeowners, and government representatives; and a validation phase involving five expert participants. Initially, 80 factors influencing global Whole-life Cost (WLC) estimation were identified and refined to 37 key factors relevant to New Zealand’s residential construction context. System dynamics modelling, through causal loop diagrams, was then used to uncover complex feedback loops and interactions among these factors. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) subsequently prioritised them, ensuring accurate weighting and contextual relevance. In the validation stage, expert reviewers assessed the selected factors for clarity, relevance, and applicability to the New Zealand context. Their feedback was thematically coded to identify consensus and capture suggestions for refinement. This rigorous process enhanced the robustness of the framework, confirmed the prioritisation outcomes, and strengthened its practical applicability for industry stakeholders. Significant obstacles to WLC implementation include methodological complexity, a lack of local whole-life cost data, fragmented industry practices, and insufficient integration with standard procurement and project delivery systems. The validated framework addresses these challenges by including components for acquisition, construction, operation, maintenance, end-of-life, and external social and environmental costs. Key validation insights highlighted the importance of seismic resilience, variations in regional climate, material evaluation, differences in labour productivity, supply chain resilience, and the need for integration of local climate data. Recommendations also emphasised usability improvements, such as pre-populated datasets, scenario modelling, example case studies, and dashboard interfaces with dropdown menus. The development of the New Zealand-specific Whole-of-Life Cost (WLC) framework represents an innovative and dynamic approach that effectively bridges theoretical concepts with practical applications. It enables stakeholders to reconcile initial construction costs with long-term operational efficiencies, resilience to hazards, and commitments to environmental sustainability. This research contributes significantly to the literature and practice of lifecycle cost modelling, providing guidance for sustainable housing development that aligns with the nation's economic and sustainability objectives. The framework serves as a vital resource for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers dedicated to improving the accuracy of lifecycle cost assessments, advancing sustainability initiatives, and incorporating holistic, long-term perspectives into the residential construction sector in New Zealand.Item Elucidating the Concept of Task Challenge in Stroke Rehabilitation(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Gomes, EmelineStroke is a life-altering experience that can profoundly impact a person’s identity, function, participation, and wellbeing. These impacts extend beyond the individual, with significant consequences for whānau and society. Reducing the impact of stroke is therefore a critical priority and rehabilitation plays a central role in this endeavour. Stroke rehabilitation involves a biopsychosocial and person-centred process that can promote recovery and support people to (re-)engage in meaningful life roles. This process is commonly described as being underpinned by core principles, including timing, person-centred care, and challenge. Although many of these underpinning principles have been extensively researched and endorsed in clinical guidelines, several remain poorly understood, inconsistently implemented, and variably effective in clinical practice. As the impact of stroke continues to grow, gaps between research and practice are likely to widen, further limiting the capacity of rehabilitation to respond to the needs of people with stroke. This highlights a pressing need to advance stroke rehabilitation and the principles that inform it. One potential avenue for advancing stroke rehabilitation lies in optimising the principle of ‘challenge’. Prior literature has variably referred to challenge as “how hard a task is” or the “amount of physical or mental effort put forth by a person”. Emerging research suggests that, when carefully tailored to the person, challenge may produce better rehabilitation experiences and outcomes. Yet, despite its therapeutic potential, challenge remains poorly understood, and in turn, risks being suboptimally applied in both research and practice. To enhance its use, a comprehensive understanding of the concept is required. Therefore, this doctoral thesis aimed to advance understanding of the concept of challenge in stroke rehabilitation. Adopting a pragmatist philosophical position, this thesis comprised three interrelated qualitative studies exploring challenge from the perspectives of people with stroke, whānau, and rehabilitation therapists. Study A, a concept analysis study, captured how challenge is conceptualised in the stroke rehabilitation literature from the perspectives of people with stroke and physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language therapy disciplines. A principle-based framework was used to ask philosophical questions of the literature and build a theoretical understanding of challenge. This analysis delineated key conceptual components, characterising challenge as a multifaceted, multidimensional, and dynamic concept in stroke rehabilitation. This informed a proposed definition of challenge as an interaction between the task, the person’s ability, and their subjective experience, which when optimised to the individual, may foster learning, recovery, and engagement in rehabilitation and everyday life. Study B, a video-reflexive ethnography study, explored how people with stroke, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language therapists understand and experience challenge in stroke rehabilitation practice. Findings revealed four interrelated themes: (i) Challenge is an interpretive lens, (ii) The terms and conditions of engaging with rehabilitation challenge, (iii) Making challenge make sense, and (iv) Meeting or leaving each other in the challenge. These themes demonstrated that challenge in stroke rehabilitation practice is shaped by nuanced personal and relational dynamics. People with stroke and therapists often viewed challenge through their unique experiential and professional lenses, respectively. Explicit and implicit practices could facilitate shared understanding and the co-construction of meaningful experiences of challenge, grounded in trust, emotional safety, and mutual attunement. However, when genuine collaboration was lacking, this risked misaligned understandings, a strained therapeutic relationship, and could diminish the perceived value of stroke rehabilitation. Study C, a focused video analysis study, examined how challenge is operationalised in stroke rehabilitation practice. Three intersecting practices were identified: (i) Structuring the temporal phases of challenge, (ii) Establishing the macro-architecture of challenge, and (iii) Modulating challenge through micro-calibrations. These practices described when, what, and how challenge-related work was enacted across a rehabilitation session, and encompassed an interplay of explicit and implicit technical and relational practices. While both people with stroke and therapists actively contributed to these practices, the extent and nature of their influence and collaboration varied according to the task, personal and relational dynamics, and the rehabilitation context. Taken together, this thesis elucidates the key conceptual components of challenge, foregrounds the central role of the therapeutic relationship in shaping its experience, and articulates how it is dynamically implemented in practice. The integration of these theoretical, experiential, and practical findings advance understandings of challenge beyond ambiguous descriptions and toward a robust conceptual foundation capable of strengthening both research and practice. In doing so, this thesis offers clear direction for optimising the use of challenge in ways that may enhance experiences of and outcomes from stroke rehabilitation.Item A Director's Process for Staging Ancient Greek Tragedy in an Era of Crisis—Fragility, Resilience, Resonance(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Luton, HollyThis creative practice doctoral research explores how staging Ancient Greek Tragedy in contemporary contexts might inform our current lived experiences in an era of crisis. I, as researcher and director, reflect on my own body of work directed for the purposes of this research—two productions, staged in a contemporary manner in non-theatre sites: Euripides’ Women of Troy and Aeschylus’ Agamemnon. These productions, along with a post-production reflective drama workshop with the actors, served as testing sites of iterative discovery for the research. In 2020, I created my own theatre company, Corvus Theatre Co., which has enabled me to stage my productions through an exploratory research mode and professional theatrical setting. Undertaken during a time marked by local, national, and global turbulence—from pandemics to economic uncertainty, institutional and cultural reckonings, conflicts, and political instabilities—making theatre under such conditions was neither easy nor straightforward. Crisis, I argue, is our zeitgeist—the spirit of our age. Despite this turbulence, I positioned my research to see crisis as something to embrace, embody, and employ rather than merely a storm to weather—engaging with and utilising crisis as an opportunity to navigate, re-imagine, and make sense of our era through theatre. Staging ancient Greek tragedy in contemporary contexts, I highlight the enduring power and relevance of these plays to resonate with and provoke reflection on themes concerning war, women, power, trauma, survival, and resilience. How do we make sense of ourselves and our theatre practice in these chaotic and turbulent times of crisis? Staging my productions by necessity in unconventional non-theatre spaces—spaces designed without the intention of theatrical performances, but which I adapted for performance—I discuss how we might utilise and employ found spaces and come to recognise them as sites of theatrical possibility and potential during this era. I explore how crisis fosters opportunities for resilience, while simultaneously revealing the fragilities within our practice. I consider whether, as artists, we should wait for a crisis to be a catalyst for change, or if we have an obligation to prepare ourselves and our practice for the next once-in-a-lifetime crisis? As a critical storytelling device, I use the myth of Pandora’s Jar—recontextualised by Natalie Haynes —to symbolically convey this era as a moment of fragility and resilience. Significantly, in a moment of peripeteia, my production of Agamemnon was cancelled after the first full dress rehearsal due to health and internal human resource crises—situations which fundamentally challenged my assumptions underpinning my methodology. This disruption prompted anagnorisis, a deeper reflection from me about the limitations of seeing crisis as an opportunity—revealing that some crises cannot always be harnessed, redirected, or made generative. The collapse of Agamemnon became a critical point in my journey—a site that exposed the fragility of both theatre practice and practitioner, acknowledging that resilience has its limits. My final creative practice component for examination, An Exhibition of a Director's Process: Staging Tragedy in an Era of Crisis, demonstrated the processes involved in producing, directing, designing, rehearsing, and performing the two productions for a public audience. The exhibition consisted of artefacts, resources, properties, costumes, and set pieces and includes photographs, videos, commentary, and written artefacts that document the process and challenges of staging the two productions. The exhibition invited attendees to contribute their own moments of fragility and resilience in making and participating in theatre in an era of crisis—placing our moments of chaos and our hopeful expectations into Pandora’s Jar.Item Drawing on Grief: Illustrating Narratives of Loss Through Documentary and Animation(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Hoyle, ElizabethGrief is both a deeply universal human experience and an intensely personal one, shaped by the circumstances and emotions of those who experience it. Responding to this inherent duality, this practice led study employs heuristic inquiry to investigate how a filmmaker working at the intersection of animation and documentary might artistically visualise intimate narratives of grief and loss. The research is guided by the central question: How might a documentary filmmaker artistically approach interviews of grief by synthesising rhythm, imagery, and sound? The study positions animated documentary as a creative mode capable of evoking imagination and offering subjective insight into emotional and psychological states that are otherwise difficult to articulate. In the study, three individuals’ recorded experiences of loss constitute points of origin. Their edited interviews are combined with illustration, animation, and sound design to create short film texts that express experience inside the world of actualities. The resulting short films— Grief Elizabeth, Grief Stephen, and Grief Star—are distinct works that together form a stylistically cohesive suite designed to evoke a contemplative engagement with the complex nature of mourning. Across the three films, the researcher’s presence as storyteller is embedded in the visual and sonic composition, shaping the narrative in ways that invite both empathetic identification and reflective space for the viewer. The practice and exegetical discussion extend current discourses on the nature, practice, and implications of animated documentary making, offering an artistic lens to a growing corpus of work that considers the complexity and diversity of grief. Additionally, the project demonstrates how ‘aroha’ can be ethically and meaningfully integrated into documentary practice when working with participants, shaping a mode of collaboration grounded in care. It also shows how a post-disciplinary approach to artistic inquiry can harmoniously draw together thinking from diverse fields to enrich both method and form. Finally, the three documentaries illustrate how recorded interviews can be crafted as a form of poetic language, in which collage and sound operate as a distinctive expressive syntax.Item Ritual Design for Mythic Hygiene(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Lewis, MarshallReclaiming the Golden Calf is a creative work about a grieving son who stumbles upon his deceased mother’s virtual afterlife – the Golden Calf Elevator & Café. There he enrols in a therapeutic workshop, Ritual Design for Mythic Hygiene, during which he re-envisions personal, family and cultural myth. The thesis creatively explores a speculative condition called amythic death anxiety, whereby the absence of functional myth – amythia – exacerbates dysregulated death anxiety, leading to psychological dis-ease, including debilitating anxieties, compulsions and excessive guilt and shame. The thesis argues: If we are dissatisfied with our psychosocial outcomes, then we should consider, amongst other mitigating strategies, experimenting with our mythic narratives and related rituals. Reclaiming the Golden Calf demonstrates Ritual Design for Mythic Hygiene as an experimental method and genre of creative practice through which one seeks more personally meaningful myth. The thesis also demonstrates creative writing as a ritual behaviour for addressing amythia, dysregulated death anxiety, and the pursuit of symbolic immortality.Item The Development of Chinese Novice University English Teachers’ Professional Identity in Interaction: A Multimodal (Inter)action Analysis(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Zhou, JingOver the past two decades, teacher identity has attracted increasing scholarly attention, particularly in teacher education and professional development. However, the complex processes underpinning novice teacher identity formation remain underexplored. To address this gap, this thesis presents a longitudinal multi-case study of four novice EFL teachers in China, observed across one academic semester. The study employs a Multimodal (Inter)action Analysis (MIA) framework (Norris, 2004, 2011, 2019). Drawing on three rounds of video-recorded classroom observations and semi-structured interviews conducted throughout the semester, the study examines how identity is constructed across interactional, institutional, and sociocultural dimensions. This doctoral research is presented in a thesis-by-publication format, comprising three published articles (Articles I–III). Collectively, the research captures how novice EFL teachers negotiate personal aspirations and institutional demands through both discourse and embodied action. Article I explores the identity struggles of one teacher (Caroline), revealing tensions between her imagined ideals of relaxed, student-centred teaching and the realities of exclusion and resistance within a high-power-distance institutional culture. Multimodal analysis highlights the emotional labour and adaptive identity work required for professional integration. Article II follows two novice teachers, Mandy and Yable, as they transition from textbook-centred delivery to a more student-centred, interactive pedagogy. By analysing changes in multimodal resources—such as gaze, gesture, and vocal modulation-the study shows how embodied communication facilitates pedagogical innovation and identity empowerment. Article III examines how four early-career lecturers navigate the competing demands of teaching and research under intensified “publish-or-perish” pressures. Divergent identity trajectories are identified: some participants resist institutional pressures to maintain teaching-oriented identities, while others strategically integrate research commitments into their professional self-concept. Multimodal analyses reveal how identity work is negotiated not only through language but through bodily enactments within academic communities. Together, the findings illustrate that novice EFL teacher identity development is a dynamic, multimodally mediated process shaped by discursive, relational, and institutional forces. The thesis advocates for teacher education and higher education policies that recognise the embodied dimensions of professional identity work, foster emotional resilience, and support more integrated models of teaching and research engagement. These insights aim to inform sustainable professional development strategies for novice educators, with implications extending beyond China to other international contexts.Item Mechanical Joineries for Deployable Reciprocal Shells Through Auxetic Behaviour (DR STAB)(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Jayachandran, SurendarDouble-curved shells are admired in architecture for their strength, elegance, and efficiency, yet they remain difficult to build, costly to fabricate, and often impossible to reuse once completed. Conventional approaches rely on custom components and rigid geometries that limit flexibility and increase labor demands. Addressing these challenges requires new systems that combine structural efficiency with adaptability. One promising direction lies in bringing together two powerful principles: reciprocal framing, which distributes loads through interdependent members, and auxetic geometries, which expand and contract in controlled ways. When integrated, these principles open the possibility of creating shells that can be flat-packed, deployed into complex three-dimensional forms, and retracted for reuse. The key to achieving this lies in mechanical joinery. In this study, joints are designed not as secondary connectors but as the main drivers of motion and stability. Through a combination of digital modelling and physical prototyping, systems such as ratchets, one-way bearings, and hybrid locking mechanisms were tested to guide expansion, rotation, and locking. The findings highlight a pathway toward adaptable, reusable architectural systems that minimize material waste and assembly effort. Potential applications include temporary architecture, disaster relief structures, and remote construction. By linking geometric intelligence with mechanical precision, this work lays the foundation for a new class of deployable and sustainable building systems.Item Reconfigurable Metasurface for Microwave Energy Absorption and Reflection in Next Generation Wireless Systems(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Ojukwu, HenryThis thesis presents the design, development, and experimental validation of a functionally reconfigurable metasurface capable of dynamically switching between electromagnetic (EM) energy absorption and reflection within the 4–6 GHz microwave frequency band. The proposed metasurface addresses the growing demand for adaptable and multifunctional platforms in next-generation wireless systems for energy and spectrum management. By integrating a single PIN diode into each unit cell, the design achieves dynamic reconfigurability with reduced structural complexity, offering a compact and efficient solution compared to existing architectures. The research begins with a comprehensive review of the theoretical foundations of metasurfaces, their electromagnetic properties, and their applications in wireless systems. A critical analysis of existing literature identifies key challenges, including design complexity, scalability, and the inability to achieve simultaneous multifunctionality. These insights inform the development of a novel metasurface unit cell, optimized for dual-mode operation. The unit cell design incorporates a split-ring resonator (SRR) and an inner square patch (ISP), with a PIN diode enabling seamless switching between absorption and reflection modes. Full-wave simulations using the Finite Element Method (FEM) validate the unit cell’s performance, achieving high absorption efficiency and strong reflection characteristics. An 8×8 metasurface, constructed from the optimized unit cells, is fabricated and experimentally characterized. In reflective mode, the metasurface demonstrates high reflection efficiency across the 4–6 GHz band, with measured results closely aligning with simulations. In absorptive mode, the metasurface achieves peak absorption efficiencies of 95–98% within its primary absorption band (4.74–5.0 GHz) and exhibits relatively broadband performance, maintaining over 80% absorptivity across the 4.6–5.2 GHz range. The metasurface is further evaluated for RF energy harvesting, integrating a power combining network (PCN) to aggregate captured energy. Experimental results demonstrate a maximum DC output of 370.8 mV at the optimal absorption frequency of 4.74 GHz, confirming the metasurface’s practical viability for energy harvesting applications. A novel hybrid operational paradigm is introduced, enabling simultaneous absorption and reflection within the same metasurface structure. By spatially partitioning the array into absorptive and reflective regions, the metasurface achieves concurrent dual-mode functionality, validated through both simulations and experiments. The hybrid configuration demonstrates effective absorption in the lower frequency range (4.0–4.75 GHz) and strong reflection at higher frequencies (5.0–6.0 GHz), showcasing its potential for adaptive spectrum management and interference mitigation. The thesis concludes by highlighting the metasurface’s versatility and scalability, with potential applications in wireless sensor networks, electromagnetic interference suppression, and self-sustainable communication systems. While minor discrepancies between simulated and measured results are attributed to fabrication tolerances and environmental factors, the overall performance validates the design methodology. Future work will focus on improving fabrication precision, optimizing hybrid configurations, and advancing the metasurface toward reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) with dynamic phase control and beam steering capabilities. This research contributes a significant advancement in metasurface technology, offering a multifunctional, reconfigurable platform that bridges the gap between energy harvesting and wave manipulation, paving the way for innovative solutions in next-generation wireless systems.Item Paradoxical Emotional Intimacy: Negotiating Filial Emotion and Family Well-being in the Liminal Space of Chinese Intergenerational Travel(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Chen, JingIntergenerational family travel in China provides a distinctive lens for understanding how cultural values, emotional practices, and relational expectations are negotiated across generations. While family tourism is often portrayed as a harmonious pursuit of ‘happy family time,’ its more ambivalent dimensions remain underexplored, especially in contexts shaped by filial piety (xiao) and relational ideals of harmony. This research study addresses this gap by investigating how Chinese families experience and interpret intergenerational travel, focusing on how filial duty, emotional negotiation, and relational ethics influence the pursuit and perception of family well-being. Guided by a constructivist grounded theory methodology (CGTM), this research study, which combines individual and family group interviews, employed a whole-family approach that enabled multiple generations to co-construct meaning through conversation. This relational and multi-voiced design was further enriched through auto-driven photo elicitation, which evoked emotion and memory, deepening engagement. Reflexivity was embedded throughout the process, and interpretations were continuously revisited and refined through open and focused coding, constant comparison, and memo writing. These iterative analyses traced how emotions, moral reasoning, and cultural scripts interacted within what was theorised as a liminal emotional space, a temporary and transformative setting where familial ties, cultural scripts, and moral understandings of happiness converged and were reconfigured through emotional practice. The theorisation that emerged from this process reveals that intergenerational family travel experiences were characterised by emotional complexity and ambivalence. Aspirations of care and intimacy coexisted with obligation, sacrifice, and conflict. These tensions extended beyond contrasts between ‘wanting to’ and ‘having to’, appearing as misalignments between generations and through shifting hierarchies of authority and the gendered emotional labour. Such recurring tensions reflected deep cultural logics through which intimacy, hierarchy, and happiness were continually reconstituted. Within the liminal emotional space of travel, these logics were both reaffirmed and transformed, showing how Confucian ideals of filial duty interacted with contemporary values of autonomy and emotional expression. This research study theorises about paradoxical emotional intimacy, proposing intergenerational family travel as a liminal emotional practice where emotion and morality intersect to reshape kinship ties. This theorisation is supported by four interrelated pillars: the cultural ambiguity of filial piety (xiao), the cultural structuring of emotional experience, conflict as liminal emotional practice, and paradoxical well-being. Together, they illuminate how intergenerational relationships are not fixed entities but dynamic processes sustained through emotional negotiation and cultural interpretation. Empirically, the research study situates family well-being within Chinese cultural frameworks of filiality and relational ethics. Conceptually, it demonstrates that emotion is a relational and moral practice through which cultural meanings are reinterpreted. Methodologically, it exemplifies the value of a relational, multi-voiced CGTM approach that integrates dialogue, visual elicitation, and reflexive engagement to capture family emotional complexity. In a society where traditional moral language coexists with modern aspirations for self-realisation, intergenerational travel becomes a space where families reimagine what it means to love, care, and be happy together. The theory of paradoxical emotional intimacy illuminates the interweaving of culture, emotion, and morality in the continual shaping of family life and its meanings.