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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An Exploration of Cross-Cultural and Transtemporal Translation Strategies Employed in the Chinese-to-English Translation of Selected Chapters From Huangdi Neijing·Su Wen
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Tang, Lin
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is increasingly explored and valued in biomedical, technological and policy domains internationally, including in China and in English-speaking countries such as New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and more. Given this growing interest among healthcare researchers and the wider public, the present study aimed to explore the Chinese to English translations of two TCM texts since the cultural underpinnings and original philosophy present serious cross-cultural and transtemporal challenges. This research set out to explore the translation strategies employed in two selected chapters of the Huangdi Neijing·Su Wen from Chinese to English, focusing on the challenges posed by cross-cultural and transtemporal contexts. Using a multi-methodological qualitative approach, the research integrated a study-specific taxonomy for comparative analysis, expert validation via a Delphi-style method with an expert panel of professional translators, and a reception study with English-speaking TCM users in Auckland, New Zealand. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis approach. The findings reveal that discourse-level coherence depends on the consistent rendering of recurring terms; conversely, lexical variation weakens conceptual links and interrupts the reasoning chain. The research found that plain English at times recasts TCM concepts as biomedical or general wellness frameworks, causing a "frame shift" that weakens original nuances. Furthermore, the translator's voice and register were found to shape authority as much as lexical accuracy. Professional translator participants prioritised hybrid solutions that balance conceptual integrity with readability, emphasising that consistency outweighs sentence-level fluency. Meantime, end-users prioritised "making sense" and viewed natural English as a marker of trust, though they cautioned against meaning drift. They favoured pinyin with brief in-text glosses for clarity but cautioned against excessive reading loads, while also accepting unfamiliar English vocabulary as long as it remained consistent and briefly explained. This research therefore contributes an evidence-based account of how cross-cultural and transtemporal challenges jointly shape TCM translation. It proposes a practical taxonomy for evaluating translations involving both cultural and temporal distance, serving insights for producing accessible, trustworthy translations for learners and consumers in everyday health contexts.
Identification of Novel Transcription Factors Involved in Regulating the Production of Lignocellulolytic Enzymes in Myceliophthora thermophila
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Lai, Yapeng
Fossil fuels such as crude oil, coal, and natural gas are non-renewable energy resources that are increasingly depleted due to heavy exploitation driven by global population and industrialisation. Their combustion also contributes to global warming and environmental pollution, posing significant threats to human health and the environment. Therefore, the exploitation of renewable and environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuel is urgently required. Lignocellulosic biomass, the most abundant renewable resource on Earth, can be converted into biochemicals such as glycolic acid, xylitol, xylonic acid, and xylo-oligosaccharides, and into fermentable sugars for the production of biofuels, making it a potential substitute for fossil fuels. The thermophilic filamentous fungus Myceliophthora thermophila secretes large amounts of thermostable lignocellulolytic enzymes, including cellulases and xylanases, which enable efficient degradation of lignocellulose. However, the native production levels of these enzymes in this fungus are generally lower than those of mesophilic fungi such as Trichoderma and Aspergillus species. Lignocellulose degradation in filamentous fungi is regulated by a complex transcriptional network involving various transcriptional activators and repressors. To date, only a limited number of transcription factors have been identified in M. thermophila that regulate cellulase and xylanase biosynthesis, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, impeding rational strain engineering. The aim of this thesis was to identify and characterise transcription factors involved in cellulase and xylanase regulation in M. thermophila and to elucidate their molecular mechanisms. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of M. thermophila grown in Avicel and glucose was firstly performed to identify candidate transcription factors. To facilitate functional studies, a CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing tool and a constitutive promoter (Ppdc)-driven overexpression system were developed. Using these approaches, three transcription factors, MtFKH1, MtHAC-1, and MtCLR-2, were shown to regulate cellulase and/or xylanase production. Through molecular genetic analyses and comparative transcriptomic profiling, the regulatory roles of these transcription factors were elucidated. MtFKH1 is the first forkhead transcription factor identified in M. thermophila, which negatively regulates the expression of major cellulase and xylanase genes and plays an important role in fungal sporulation. The EMSAs indicated that MtFKH1 directly binds to the promoter regions of bgl1, cbh1, and xyn1. The bZIP transcription factor MtHAC-1 exerts dual regulatory effects on cellulase and xylanase production. It plays a positive role during the early phase of growth on Avicel (48 h) but acts as a repressor in the middle and later stages (72 and 96 h). The EMSAs suggested that MtHAC-1 can bind to the promoter regions of both bgl1, cbh1, egl2, xyn1, and xyr1. Thus, it regulates cellulase and xylanase gene expression through two mechanisms: direct binding, and modulation of the crucial xylanolytic activator Mtxyr1. MtHAC-1 was also found to be associated with the expression of genes of the 26S proteasome system. The Zn2Cys6-type transcription factor MtCLR-2 acts as a pivotal activator of cellulase production. The EMSAs and RT-qPCR analyses indicated that MtCLR-2 regulates cellulase gene expression by directly binding to the promoter regions of major cellulase genes egl2 and bgl1. Moreover, MtCLR-2 is involved in the transcriptional regulation of approximately half of the ribosomal protein genes. This thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of the transcriptional regulation associated with lignocellulose degradation in M. thermophila. The findings expand the repertoire of known transcription factors involved in cellulase and xylanase expression and provide novel targets for engineering of M. thermophila to elevate lignocellulolytic enzyme production.
Soul Place: Anam Áite
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Mazenier, Janet
Connecting Home, Spirit and Heritage Through Painting This research investigates anam áite (Irish term for ‘soul-place’), through painting-based, practice-led inquiry grounded in phenomenology, materiality, and the affective qualities of place. It asks how might contemporary painting practices evoke the spirit of place and engage with its affective, environmental and ancestral dimensions? Soul Place: Anam Áite is a journey to better understand how painting can express concepts of place in Aotearoa New Zealand and Ireland. The research is materially engaged and process-based, emphasising the agency of matter and the collaborative relationship between artist, medium and methods as they relate to the agency of matter. I use cold wax medium as it serves as a key element of my practice for its ability to hold uncertainty, flux, and transformation. The wax, pigment, and surface behave in ways that exceed intention. They crack, absorb, resist, and transform. These intrinsic material responses evolve into methods of their own, guiding the direction of the work and fostering a collaborative rather than unilateral practice. This approach resonates with new materialist and phenomenological perspectives, where material is understood not as passive but as an active participant in shaping the world. Artworks are conceived as durational artefacts, containing traces of ecological, ancestral, and perceptual time. Through material transformation, the research sees painting as an agentive, ethical, and attentive practice. Painting is positioned as a form of worlding and world-bending, where spirit, matter, and memory converge to evoke the resonance of place and the complexity of entangled existence. This research contributes to contemporary discourse on painting by proposing a materially and philosophically grounded approach to art-making that is responsive to place, time and relationality.
Framing Public Relations: Media Portrayals and Journalistic Perceptions in New Zealand. A Qualitative Study Using Framing and Attribution Theories
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Bedi, Daljit Singh
Public relations plays an important role in how organisations engage with the outside world, yet it often receives negative media coverage that portrays it as a manipulative tool. Such a perception of public relations may overshadow its potential to promote communication and trust between organisations and their audiences. Through the lenses of attribution theory and framing theory, this study investigates how New Zealand news media contribute to these portrayals. It emphasises that the news media’s portrayal of public relations is influenced by journalists’ personal prejudices and professional ethics. By exploring this relationship, the study highlights the discursive link between journalists’ perceptions of public relations and its portrayal in the news media. This study explores a research gap by examining how journalists in New Zealand’s news media perceive and portray public relations. The distinctiveness of this area in New Zealand’s cultural and media landscape has often been overlooked in global research. Public relations and journalism interact uniquely in the country’s bicultural context, limited professional networks, and evolving digital landscape. Concurrently, the convergence of public relations, marketing, journalism, and organisational publishing brought about by the digital transition has heightened tensions between the two fields, undermining journalists’ gatekeeping authority and raising doubts about practitioners’ tactics. Three research questions guide this study: RQ1. How is public relations portrayed in New Zealand news media coverage? RQ2. How do New Zealand news media journalists perceive public relations and its practitioners? RQ3. What are the sources of New Zealand news media journalists’ perceptions of public relations and its practitioners? This study combines the analysis of news stories from well-known New Zealand national news media outlets with semi-structured interviews with journalists from those outlets. The goal is to understand journalists’ perceptions of public relations, the challenges it presents, the factors that influence their perceptions, and how all these shape its portrayal in the news media. Public relations is often referred to by journalists as spin or a disaster, which implies that its practitioners may be unethical. According to social identity theory, this perspective emphasises journalism’s independence and accountability while also underscoring the distinction between in-groups (journalists) and out-groups (public relations practitioners). Attribution processes reinforce this divide by portraying public relations behaviours as internally motivated and controllable, thereby legitimising ongoing scepticism and negative portrayals in the media. Often, the public relations team is blamed for issues, even when the actual problems arise from deeper organisational decisions. During a crisis, journalists have the power to shape public opinion by suggesting that public relations practitioners control the narrative, which can create the perception that they prioritise storytelling over substance. The study shows that these negative or mixed perceptions are not random but arise from a broader system of shared newsroom practices, cognitive schemas, institutionalised professional norms, and organisational constraints. Persistently unfavourable opinions about public relations stem from journalism’s organisational constraints, such as strict deadlines, reliance on reliable sources, budgetary strains, and a workplace culture that encourages mistrust of practitioners. Over time, this scepticism becomes ingrained in deeply held beliefs, which in turn strengthen and perpetuate the very depictions that journalists encounter in the news. This research combines framing and attribution theories to demonstrate how journalists’ internal attributional reasoning interacts with external media frames, thereby affecting the portrayal of public relations in the media. This interaction accounts for both the enduring unfavourable perceptions and the symbolic reinforcement of power imbalances and professional boundaries between journalists and practitioners. The results provide a theoretically informed and contextually relevant understanding of the portrayal of public relations in the New Zealand news media, emphasising its effects on professional credibility and the developing connection between the two domains in a swiftly shifting communication landscape.
Midwifery Lecturers' and Students' Experiences of Using Virtual Reality as a Teaching and Learning Tool: Hermeneutic Phenomenological Research
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Welfare, Melanie
Using hermeneutic phenomenology informed by Heidegger (1927/1962) and Gadamer (1960/2013) as both a philosophical stance and methodology, this research has explored the experiences of midwifery educators and students who have used virtual reality as a teaching and learning tool. This thesis presents three distinctly different but interconnected studies which move beyond evaluating virtual reality as a technological innovation to explore the more nuanced aspects of the participants’ experiences by examining phenomena revealed through their stories. A systematic qualitative literature review established the foundation for this research by synthesising current literature regarding the use of virtual reality in midwifery education. Three themes emerged: being safe, the learning experience, and learning limitations, which together identified both the emerging potential of VR and significant gaps in understanding how it is experienced by participants. Following ethical approval by Auckland University of Technology Ethics Committee, eight midwifery students and seven midwifery educators were recruited from one educational institute in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Guided by the principles of hermeneutic phenomenology, data was generated through two complementary methods: an educators’ focus group and individual student interviews. The data was analysed through an iterative process which moved consistently between the parts and the whole of participants’ crafted stories until phenomena emerged. Student participants described virtual reality as a space that was simultaneously safe, supportive, and deeply revealing. They valued the opportunity to practise, make mistakes, and inhabit the role of a midwife without the fear of causing harm to a real person. Students’ stories revealed the phenomenon of Seen and Unseen Pressure. The hidden burdens carried by midwifery students during their education, were surfaced and revealed through their experiences within virtual reality. From a Heideggerian (1927/1962) perspective, virtual reality placed students within the world of midwifery practice where they encountered the expectations, uncertainties, and responsibilities they are “thrown” into, allowing them to engage with their emerging professional identities. Educators’ experiences demonstrated how virtual reality’s pedagogical potential is realised through their relational presence with students, which allows them to respond in supportive ways when the pressures students experience are revealed. The emergent phenomenon “Expert Lens versus Novice Wonder” demonstrated how educators instinctively inhabit virtual reality as practitioners, with the critical implication being that while their own expert lens is invaluable, their presence as experts must not overshadow the pedagogical potential of virtual reality for students. Alongside this, educational institutes must ensure that the transformative potential of virtual reality is sustainably embedded within the curriculum, honouring educators’ time by providing a comprehensive programme of education and ongoing support. The synthesis of the three studies shows that virtual reality is more than a technological innovation; rather it becomes a relational, interpretive, and identity-shaping environment. Virtual reality’s promise lies not in its realism but in its ability to open a space of “becoming,” for students and educators alike. A hermeneutic-experiential pedagogical framework for the use of VR in midwifery education is proposed. The central element of the framework is the virtual reality immersive encounter, with three interrelated elements; professional becoming, interpretive meaning-making, and relational pedagogy, it offers a theoretically grounded model reframing virtual reality as a powerful pedagogical space that helps to develop confident, reflective, and relationally attuned midwifery practitioners.
Composting as a Repair Methodology for Cultural and Ecological Revitalisation: Scaling Deep with Te Pā o Rākaihautū
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Peryman, Preston Bailey
This practice-oriented thesis explores composting as a repair methodology for cultural and ecological revitalisation. Centred in a research partnership with Te Pā o Rākaihautū, a Kura-a-Iwi in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand, the project repositions composting beyond waste management to examine it as a relational, political, more-than-human, and ontological practice of rift-repair. The research asks how composting can support whānau-whenua reconnection, soil restoration, kai motuhake, and eco-cultural revitalisation while engaging the material, social, and institutional conditions shaping urban organic waste management. The thesis is situated within practice-based design research, combining co-designed action research with a first-person, practice-embedded methodology. Knowledge is generated through sustained participation in composting across multiple sites, seasons, collectives, and governance interfaces, rather than through detached observation alone. Drawing on first-person and more-than-human design research, composting is treated as a living, time-based infrastructuring practice: an arrangement that convenes humans, nonhumans, materials, tools, whenua, regulations, and institutions within shared processes of maintenance, breakdown, negotiation, and transformation. The study is grounded in field-based composting trials co-designed through 20:20 Compost Collective and developed in close relationship with Te Pā and Ko Mahi Ko Ora. These trials worked with food scraps, green waste, carbon materials, microbial processes, labour, odour, contamination, land access, and regulatory constraint. Across the research, composting operated across three inseparable scales: material practice, collective arrangement, and institutional interface. The Companion Flipbook supports the written thesis by visually documenting this praxis as it unfolded across sites and seasons. Conceptually, the thesis brings more-than-human design scholarship into dialogue with Decolonising Methodologies, Metabolic Rift Theory, eco-feminist care ethics, and Te Ao Māori concepts including whakapapa, mauri, kaitiakitanga, and whanaungatanga. It argues that designing-with living systems in colonised landscapes cannot be reduced to interspecies attentiveness alone; it must also engage the institutional and colonial arrangements that shape how care is organised, whose responsibilities are recognised, and how relationships between people, place, and organic matter are sustained or disrupted. The thesis contributes a situated account of composting as rift-repair: a methodology for reconnecting organic matter, soil, people, place, and responsibility. It also articulates intensifying attentiveness as a methodological capacity within first-person, more-than-human design research, where rigour emerges through prolonged care, documentation, responsiveness, and accountability. The conclusion frames composting as cultural infrastructure and as a way of scaling deep: not a finished model to replicate, but a living methodology for transforming values, relationships, and conditions so that discarded materials, damaged landscapes, and disrupted relations can become substrate for new forms of life, learning, and leadership.
Motif-based Graph Representation Learning for Recommender Systems
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Zhang, Yuqi
While graph-based collaborative filtering makes use of the rich user–item relational structure in recommender systems, standard graph neural networks focus mainly on pairwise dependencies, which limits their ability to capture higher-order information that strongly affects recommendation accuracies. This thesis studies how to make graph-based collaborative filtering more robust and powerful by injecting network motifs into graph neural networks. We formalise common bipartite motifs with up to four nodes and demonstrate their integration into representation learning. Building on this, we propose four methods. First, MGSR introduces a motif-level attention mechanism that aggregates motif-induced neighbours in a single layer, which captures higher-order context and outperforming strong baselines on ProgrammableWeb dataset. Second, to scale motif usage beyond small graphs, we design fast generation algorithms for motif adjacency matrices and a lightweight MotifGCN that integrates these matrices into propagation with no extra parameters. Our experiments show that MotifGCN outperform state-of-the-art baselines on four real-world datasets. Through theoretical analysis, we demonstrate that motifs alleviate over-squashing compared with standard layer-wise propagation on original adjacency matrix. Third, we develop MGGCL, a motif-guided contrastive framework that constructs two motif-augmented views so that contrast learning emphasises stable co-interaction signals and alleviates popularity bias introduced by high-degree nodes. Experiment results show consistent performance improvement over baselines, especially on skewed datasets. Finally, we address heterophily with MoHeGCL, which treats each user-anchored triad as a supervision unit, assigns soft homophily labels online, and switches between feature alignment and separation per neighbourhood through heterophily-aware propagation. This improves ranking quality while keeping training costs comparable to SimGCL. Together, these components demonstrate that motif-aware modelling offers a principled way to strengthen message passing, design interpretable self-supervision, and adapt to graphs with different homophily level. We also discuss limitations of our research and outline several future directions.
Pacific Youth Health Entrepreneurship in Auckland Aotearoa New Zealand: Using Talanoa Participatory Action Research to Support Pacific Youth to Develop Fruit and Vegetable Enterprises
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Sa'u Lilo Fefiloi, Losi
This thesis explored Pacific youth health entrepreneurship in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, focusing on how Pacific youth can be supported to develop fruit and vegetable enterprises that contribute to good health outcomes. This research is situated within the context of youth as transformative leaders, persistent health inequities, and the rising burden of non-communicable diseases among Pacific communities, where diet-related risks remain a major contributor to poor health. Recognising the potential of Pacific youth as innovators, leaders, and change Pacific youth, I sought to understand how participatory and culturally grounded approaches could foster entrepreneurship that strengthens both health and community well-being. I adopted a Talanoa Participatory Action Research (TPAR) methodology, grounded in Pacific research epistemologies, to guide the research process. Twelve Pacific youth engaged in iterative cycles of talanoa, reflection, and action. Their storytelling (in the Pacific sense) or data (in the Western context) were generated through talanoa sessions with meaningful collective storytelling and were thematically analysed using a Pacific lens. The TPAR process itself transpired as an artefact of knowledge, embodying the collective wisdom, creativity, and aspirations of Pacific youth and how this may benefit wider Pacific communities. The findings reveal that Pacific youth envision fruit and vegetable enterprises as opportunities for economic sustainability and culturally anchored pathways for promoting healthy eating, strengthening identity, and building intergenerational connections. The TPAR artefact highlight’s themes of cultural values, community reciprocity, health advocacy, and digital innovation as central to Pacific youth entrepreneurship. Importantly, this qualitative study demonstrates how culturally embedded participatory methods, such as TPAR, can empower youth to lead enterprise solutions while challenging structural barriers to health equity. This research contributes to Pacific community practice by providing a model of youth-led, culturally grounded health entrepreneurship. It provides insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to address Pacific health inequities through strategies that integrate entrepreneurship, food security, and cultural identity. More broadly, the thesis advances scholarship on decolonial methodologies and participatory approaches that position Pacific youth as Pacific youth of change in health and enterprise innovation.
Finite Element Modeling and Analysis of the Asymmetric Friction Connection (AFC) With and Without Belleville Springs (BeSs)
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Alizadeh, Fatemeh
This research investigates the seismic performance of the Asymmetric Friction Connection (AFC) and its enhanced form, the Optimised Asymmetric Friction Connection (OAFC), which serve as the primary energy-dissipating components of the Sliding Hinge Joint (SHJ) system for low-damage moment-resisting steel frames. The study focuses on developing, validating, and applying advanced finite element models and analysis (FEM/FEA) to interpret and expand upon the experimental findings previously conducted by Dr Shahab Ramhormozian, thereby providing a deeper understanding of the connection’s sliding behaviour and performance optimisation. The experimental programme by Dr Ramhormozian provided full-scale AFC and OAFC test data under quasi-static and dynamic cyclic loading, including bolt-tension evolution, clamping-force variation, and sliding hysteresis. In the present research, these results were analysed in detail to identify the mechanisms governing post-sliding bolt-tension loss and to establish the optimal installed bolt pretension level. It was observed that bolts tensioned to approximately 50–60 % of their proof load offered the most stable and repeatable sliding performance, whereas higher pretension levels induced excessive plastic deformations and accelerated tension degradation. Using ABAQUS/Standard, this study developed nonlinear FEMs for both AFC and OAFC assemblies, supported by mesh-convergence, element-type, and contact-interaction investigations to ensure accuracy and computational efficiency. The validated models adequately reproduced the experimentally observed hysteresis loops, clamping-force evolution, and bolt-tension variation. Incorporating partially deflected Belleville Springs (BeSs) in the OAFC models demonstrated markedly improved preload retention and smoother force–displacement responses. Furthermore, wear-induced degradation was simulated through temperature-controlled contraction, reproducing the experimentally observed reductions in clamping force and sliding resistance over cyclic loading. Comparative analyses showed that while the conventional AFC experienced up to 60 % clamping-force loss, the OAFC limited this reduction to 15–20 %, resulting in superior energy dissipation, improved self-centring capability, and enhanced durability. The developed FEM framework thus provides a validated, detailed computational tool for parametric studies and design optimisation of OAFCs and related low-damage seismic systems. Overall, this thesis refines and extends the interpretation of prior experimental results through advanced numerical analysis, contributing to the design and implementation of resilient, friction-based steel connections for low-damage seismic structures.
Acute Carbohydrate Strategies for Resistance Training Performance
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) King, Andrew
Carbohydrate (CHO) is critical for moderate-to-high-intensity exercise; however, its relevance to resistance training (RT) performance is unclear due to inconsistent findings, limited mechanistic evidence, and overreliance on endurance-based nutritional guidelines. This thesis elucidates the role of CHO ingestion and mouth rinsing (CMR) as potential ergogenic aids for RT performance by integrating systematic evaluation and update of the literature (Chapters 2 - 4); characterisation of applied nutrition practices in RT-centric athletes (Chapters 5 & 6); and experimental cross-over trials (Chapters 7 & 8), including preliminary evidence of acute CHO ingestion’s influence on subcellular glycogen utilisation during RT (Chapter 8). A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to quantify the acute effects of CHO on RT performance and identify ergogenic response moderators (Chapter 2). Across studies with varying designs, CHO produced small improvements in total session volume when pre-exercise fasts exceeded 8 hours, and large improvements when session durations exceeded 45 minutes. An updated meta-analysis (Chapter 3) incorporating recently published trials and corrected data extractions refined these estimates as a small effect across the same sub-groups. A network meta-analysis was subsequently conducted to rigorously synthesise CMR data for acute RT outcomes (Chapter 4). The network structure allowed for the simultaneous modelling of multiple active comparators (e.g., CMR with maltodextrin, glucose, or maltose) and non-active comparators (e.g., taste matched placebo and water only rinses, or no-rinse control). Relative to placebo, CMR did not improve maximal dynamic strength but produced moderate and small effects on peak force and total session volume, respectively. Two international surveys characterised the general and peri-workout nutrition practices of drug-tested powerlifters (Chapters 5 & 6). Athletes periodised their nutrition across training phases and reported peri-workout nutrition strategies broadly aligned with sport nutrition guidelines. Pre-training nutrition was prioritised, with many athletes consuming CHO-containing meals before RT, with general and peri-workout CHO practices varying by sex, weight class, age class, and competitive calibre. To test whether CHO ingestion, independent of energy provision, enhances RT performance, a double-blind, isoenergetic, cross-over trial compared high-CHO (1.2 g/kg), low-CHO (0.3 g/kg), and calorie-less placebo breakfasts before a ~90-min, high-volume RT session (Chapter 7). Volume performance did not differ between conditions, indicating performance may not be sensitive to CHO dose when EI and expectancy are controlled. Finally, a case series examined the effects of acute CHO ingestion versus an energy-matched placebo on high-volume lower-body RT volume and total and subcellular glycogen compartments (Chapter 8). Preliminary data suggest an ergogenic effect of CHO on volume performance. Total muscle glycogen decreased by approximately 50 - 77% from pre- to post-exercise, representing a substantially greater depletion than previously reported in the literature. Subcellular glycogen depots exhibited similarly large pre- to post-exercise reductions, and neither total nor subcellular glycogen measures demonstrated consistent differences between high- and low-carbohydrate conditions. Collectively, this thesis clarifies the contextual role of CHO ingestion and CMR as potential RT ergogenic aids, advances their mechanistic understanding through novel subcellular analyses, and provides applied insights informing RT-specific sport nutrition guidelines.
Tempered Radicals Fostering Inclusion in New Zealand’s Manufacturing Industries
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Griffiths, Christopher
Global workforce mobility and technological change have created increasingly diverse workplaces where inclusion must extend beyond visible demographics to embrace differences in values, identity, and life experience. Organisations seeking to unlock the benefits of diversity while managing tensions must create inclusive climates where all individuals feel belonging and are valued for who they are. Tempered radicals are individuals committed to organisational success while holding values that at times diverge from dominant norms. They offer potential as champions of inclusion, as their experience of difference may heighten awareness of exclusion and provide insight into fostering belonging for others. A concept introduced by Meyerson and Scully (1995), tempered radicals pursue subtle, patient strategies that respect organisational objectives while remaining true to their values. Their tempered nature makes them less visible, yet they act as catalysts for meaningful change through incremental, context-sensitive approaches. Although tempered radicals have been recognised as change agents, research has yet to investigate their ability to foster inclusion in the workplace. Furthermore, little is known about how their approaches vary across organisational levels, particularly within manufacturing contexts. This study addresses both gaps through two progressive research questions: (1) How might tempered radicals foster inclusion in the workplace? and (2) How do their approaches differ across frontline, supervisory, and managerial levels within manufacturing organisations? The research employed a two-phase qualitative design grounded in an interpretive paradigm and social constructionist epistemology. Narrative inquiry enabled collaborative exploration of participants’ lived experiences. Data were drawn from participants across frontline, supervisory, and managerial roles in New Zealand manufacturing organisations. Phase 1 used purposive sampling and thematic analysis to identify tempered radical attributes and strategies. Phase 2 then introduced Leximancer computer-assisted analysis to compare inclusion strategies across hierarchical positions. Phase 1, guided by Meyerson’s (2008) framework, confirmed four defining attributes: (1) difference from dominant culture, (2) desire to succeed and fit in, (3) staying true to values and identity, and (4) implementing change, and a spectrum of strategies from quiet resistance to alliance building. Phase 2 then revealed hierarchical variation: frontline actors emphasised relational inclusion and micro-acts of cultural disruption; supervisors focused on operational adaptation and team cohesion; and managers integrated inclusion into strategic processes while maintaining organisational legitimacy. Theoretically, this research advances tempered radicalism from an agency-oriented change approach to a multilevel systems perspective by introducing both a model and a framework. First, the Tempered Radical Inclusion Model explains how attributes translate into action through three mechanisms: (1) drawing on outside experiences to bring authentic selves to workplace challenges; (2) pursuing meaningful change benefiting both organisation and society; (3) and leveraging ambivalence between organisational objectives and personal values. Second, the Multilevel Tempered Radical Approach Framework reveals how frontline workers build relationships and capability, supervisors bridge divides, and managers establish strategic conditions for cross-level coordination. Practically, this study offers guidance for organisations to recognise tempered radicals as key enablers of inclusion, foster environments that encourage dialogue, and embed practices that support level-appropriate strategies. This study explains how tempered radicals operate as invisible change agents across manufacturing hierarchies. By demonstrating that inclusion work varies meaningfully across levels while drawing on common foundational attributes, the research underscores the critical role of tempered radicals in shaping workplaces where belonging and authenticity can coexist.
Where Are All the Woke Kids? Lived Experience First: Reordering Media Literacy Practice to Examine 17–18-year-olds’ Interpretations of Gender Performativity and Media
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Usmar, Richard Patrick
Putting their everyday experiences first, this thesis explores how senior high school students in Aotearoa/New Zealand make sense of gendered identities through media literacy practices. It is presented in two manuscript-style chapters, each structured as a standalone article submitted for academic publication. The first paper investigates students’ ideas about gendered identities by reflecting on individuals they admire, the performativity and values of admiration in real life, and the connections they make to media representations. Drawing on Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, the study shows students—particularly young women—demonstrate encouraging levels of critical awareness, while many young men largely fail to show critical thinking, resist notions of gender equality and fall back on essentialist assumptions. The second paper extends this exploration by focusing on how students engage with an ambiguous media text—specifically one that invites audiences to consider multiple readings. By analysing student responses to a video clip that deliberately avoids presenting a fixed message, this study allows students to offer personal reflections and make visible their own ideas about gendered identities. This pedagogical approach empowers learners to examine how representations of gender both conform to and resist dominant norms, fostering deeper critical engagement and self-awareness. Again, responses reveal strongly gendered patterns in media literacy competencies: broadly speaking female students critically engage with context and representation, while male students often reinforce dominant tropes. Together, the papers highlight a concerning persistence of gender essentialism among older male teens, despite recounting real-life admiration for people regardless of their gender identity. The thesis argues for the importance of embedding critical, gender-conscious media literacy into classrooms—both to challenge ingrained assumptions and to support young people in understanding how identity, representation, and social discourse interact with the media they consume and their lived experiences.
Accountability and Sustainability Reporting in a Post-Conflict Region: The Case of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Khudir, Ibrahim
Sustainability reporting as a practice has gained considerable global recognition and is designed to promote corporate transparency and accountability. However, critics argue that multinational corporations operating in developing societies adopt Western notions of accountability when preparing sustainability reports. Such reports, they claim, fail to consider local conceptualisations (grounded in local beliefs and values) of accountability and thus fail to achieve meaningful accountability to local communities. This challenge is particularly evident in post-conflict regions, where fragile, complex, and often volatile political, social, and institutional realities dictate corporate disclosure practices. This research, guided by accountability theory and using an interpretive qualitative design, explores the relationship between sustainability reporting and accountability in the KRI. Data comprised 46 semi-structured interviews, including citizens, tribal leaders, mukhtars (government-appointed officials who act as intermediaries between villagers/local communities and the government), non-governmental organisation representatives, local workers, and managers of foreign oil companies (FOCs). Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify key patterns and locally grounded conceptualisations of accountability. In addition, 18 corporate reports published in 2023, including seven sustainability reports and eleven annual reports from FOCs operating in the KRI, were analysed using qualitative content analysis. These reports were examined to assess the extent to which corporate disclosures align with locally defined accountability dimensions, such as Islamic and tribal accountability. Notably, local oil companies (LOCs) do not engage in sustainability reporting in any form, whether through standalone sustainability reports, annual reports, or corporate websites. Thematic analysis guided the analysis of the data collected. The findings reveal that local stakeholders in the KRI conceptualise accountability as a moral and relational obligation grounded in communal, religious, and social values rather than as a formal, procedural mechanism. In contrast, oil and gas companies, whose operations profit from the exploitation of local natural resources, publish sustainability reports based on global frameworks that conceptualise accountability through economic logics. As a result, sustainability reports that primarily serve the interests of foreign investors offer little, if any, transparency or accountability to local stakeholders who are at the forefront of the sustainability challenges caused by the oil and gas industry. This study makes several significant contributions to sustainability reporting and accountability literature, particularly in the context of a post-conflict developing region. The study conceptualises accountability for sustainability rooted in Kurdish and Islamic values, challenging Western-centric models and advocating for culturally grounded alternatives. It reveals the gaps between corporate disclosures and local stakeholder interests, beliefs and concerns, and the need to conceptualise accountability through the local stakeholders' collective social, moral, and spiritual views and experiences on corporate behaviour, as opposed to Western models of accountability that focus on relationships between the accountee and the accountor underpinned by economic well-being. Furthermore, local oil companies, which are controlled by the KRI government, fail to publish sustainability reports, indicating little, if any, concern for local stakeholders. Addressing the local stakeholder needs, this research integrates Islamic ethics and communal obligations into the discourse on corporate responsibility, thereby extending both theoretical and practical understandings of accountability for developing and Islamic societies. Finally, practical recommendations are offered for policymakers, standard-setters, and practitioners to enhance transparency and promote inclusive accountability with respect to the information needs of local stakeholders.
Mechanical Behaviour of Ti6Al4V Lattice Structures Fabricated by Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Huang, Yawen
The development of Additive manufacturing (AM) techniques, such as electron beam powder bed fusion (EBPBF) or electron beam melting (EBM), allows the production of light-weight metallic objects with complex structures, such as lattice structures and cellular porous structures with limited geometrical constrains. In recent years, PBF-fabricated lattice structures with tailored mechanical properties have successfully been designed and manufactured for various applications such as aero engineering and biomedical engineering, as demonstrated in numerous published works. The mechanical properties of the PBF lattices have been extensively investigated considering uniaxial loadings. However, in the real-life applications, the loading can occur in varied directions and the mechanical properties of the PBF lattices can be affected by the different loading directions (LDs). Therefore, the anisotropic mechanical behaviour of the lattice structures must be well understood. Even though published works have confirmed that the mechanical behaviour of PBF lattices structures is affected by the geometrical features, process-induced defects and post-process treatments, limited attention has been given to the effect of LD with respect to the unit cell direction of the lattice. For biomedical implant applications, particularly in hip implants, compressive loading is dominant, thus, this PhD research focuses on investigate the mechanical behaviour of the EBPBF fabricated Ti6Al4V simple-cubic cell based lattice structures under quasi-static and cyclic compressive loadings considering the orientation-dependant effects with respect to the LD. The SC unit cell has been chosen as it can provide a condition for studying the orientation effects without the ambiguity introduced by more complex unit cell geometries. A series of experimental quasi-static and fatigue tests and simulation models were conducted on different EBPBF lattice samples. Three groups of simple-cubic-cell-based lattice structures were produced by EBPBF with unit cell orientations (UCOs) of [001]//LD, [011]//LD and [111]//LD and subject to quasi-static testing and cyclic compressive testing, followed by detailed examinations. In addition, finite element models (FEMs) were conducted to analyse the compressive behaviour of the lattices. The combined effects of LD and UCO on quasi-static and cyclic compressive properties of the lattices have been studied and discussed, providing insight into the anisotropic quasi-static and fatigue behaviour of the lattices. Then an exploratory study has been conducted, porous femoral stem has been designed based on the findings in SC lattices to meet the required fatigue life of 5×10^6 cycles specified the international standard while maintaining the fully porous surface for bone ingrowth. FE simulations and fracture surface analysis has been conducted to identify the effects of stress concentrations and manufacturing defects on the fatigue strength of the produced porous femoral stems. In addition, the effects of surface defects on the fatigue performance of the EBPBF stems have been investigated using Kitagawa-Takahashi approach. It has been found that both the quasi-static and cyclic behaviours of the simple cubic lattices are strongly dependent on their UCOs with respect to the LDs. Among the three groups of lattices, [001]//LD specimens exhibited the most favourable quasi-static compressive strength, with yield strength up to 200% higher and a 4-6 times higher fracture strain than those of the [011]//LD and [111]//LD lattices, due to their less sensitivity to surface defects. Local stress concentrations were found in non-[001]//LD specimens, resulting in yielding and fracturing of these lattices under low loading levels. Considerably greater orientation-dependent effects have been identified in the compressive fatigue behaviour of the lattices, [001]//LD lattices demonstrated approximately 800% higher fatigue strength at 5×10^6 cycles than the non-[001]//LD structures. The low fatigue strength of the non-[001]//LD lattices resulted from crack initiation readily occurring in the high-tension locations, specifically in the top and bottom nodes within each unit cell. The subsequent sideway growth of these cracks leading to fracturing along (001) will be shown. This failure mechanism is absent in [001]//LD lattices resulting in their significantly higher fatigue strength. Examining the data in the literature has revealed that fatigue strength values of all non-SC lattice structures are low, likely due to the same failure mechanism identified for non-[001]//LD SC lattices in this study. The fatigue testing results of the porous femoral stems have suggested that the cracks always initiated at the tension-concentrated zone at lateral side of the stem. With topologically optimised reinforcement, the EBPBF porous stems have successfully met the required fatigue life as specified in the international standard while maintaining sufficient surface porosity for osseointegration. More importantly, the linear-fracture-mechanics-based analysis of surface defects on the EBPBF stems demonstrated that the lack-of-fusion defects on the stress-concentrated locations was the dominant factor contributing to the reduction of the fatigue life of the EBPBF stem components rather than surface roughness.
Human Sensing Using Low Resolution Thermopile Sensors
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Ma, Shengjun
Interest in human sensing has grown substantially in recent years. This growth is driven by applications across diverse domains, including healthcare, residential aged care, security and surveillance, entertainment, and intelligent living environments. A fundamental requirement for many human sensing solutions is the use of device free methods that safeguard user privacy. Although various sensing modalities have been explored, each has its own advantages and limitations. Thermal sensing, which operates by detecting and measuring Infrared (IR) radiation emitted by the human body, is emerging as a promising option for device free human sensing. This thesis presents a device-free and privacy-preserving framework for human sensing applications using the IR signal captured by low resolution thermopile sensors. Machine learning approaches are applied to perform two distinct tasks: localization and fall detection. We develop a scalable, networked thermopile sensing platform to perform these tasks. To the best of our knowledge, no open-source or commercially available hardware platform has been specifically designed for human sensing using low-resolution thermopile sensors. We address this gap by releasing all PCB schematics, firmware, and supporting code. This enables replication and further extension by the wider research community. A 2D CNN–LSTM regression model was developed for localization and trained using data collected from eight participants. The model achieved median localization errors between 0.2 m and 0.3 m. The evaluation was performed on participants whose data were not used for training, ensuring robust and generalizable performance. We systematically examine multiple ceiling- and wall-mounted sensor configurations, ad-dressing limitations of prior studies that considered only a small number of sensors in fixed layouts. The results show a clear dependence of localization accuracy on both sen-sor number and placement. Experimental benchmarking against previous approaches indicates that the proposed algorithm provides improved localization accuracy. To assess scalability, four ceiling mounted sensors were deployed to cover a substantially larger area than reported in existing studies. The system operated reliably in this setting, demonstrating the practical viability of thermopile based localization. We developed a fall detection system that employs machine learning models to automatically identify falls from the IR data captured by the thermopile sensors. Three machine learning classifiers, namely SVM, MLP and RF, were trained on data collected from five participants enacting fall scenarios and performing other activities such as standing and sitting. The accuracy of the fall detection algorithms was evaluated using data from an additional five participants who were not included in the training set. The SVM classifier demonstrated the most consistent performance within the 16 different thermopile sensor configurations investigated. The accuracy varies between 92.5%and 99.2% and depends on the number of sensors and their respective locations. A combination of ceiling- and wall-mounted sensors with overlapping fields of view offered the best balance between coverage and sensor count. However, our experimental results also show that accurate fall detection is achievable with a single sensor, provided the fall occurs within the sensor’s clear field of view.
Developing and Validating a Next-Gen Digital Project Manager Competency Model for Construction’s Digital Transformation
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Owais, Omar
The construction industry is undergoing rapid digital transformation, yet no empirically validated competency framework currently exists to guide Project Managers (PMs) in navigating this shift. Existing models are either generic or fragmented, failing to unite traditional competencies with emerging digital demands. This thesis addresses that gap by developing and validating a Next-Gen Digital PM Competency Model tailored to the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector. Adopting a five-phase mixed-methods design, the study systematically progressed from conceptual exploration to empirical validation. First, traditional PM competencies were identified through an intensive literature review and thematic categorisation, reaffirming their enduring relevance but also their insufficiency for digitally enabled delivery. Second, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), NVivo-assisted thematic analysis, and Large Language Model (LLM) synthesis produced a standardised list of 55 digital competencies across skills, knowledge, and core personality traits, refined through expert validation. Third, these competencies were integrated into a taxonomy, distinguishing between unchanged, digitally enhanced, and newly emerged competencies. Fourth, the taxonomy was empirically tested through a survey of AEC professionals, with Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) revealing seven latent constructs encompassing 25 retained items. Finally, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) validated the model, producing a robust framework of seven interrelated constructs with 22 retained items, demonstrating strong reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. The study is conceptually grounded in international literature and empirically validated using data collected from AEC professionals in New Zealand and Australia, providing a context-specific foundation for a model that is intended to be transferable, while its validation remains grounded in this specific context. The validated Next-Gen Digital PM Competency Model makes three contributions. Theoretically, it unites fragmented competency traditions into a coherent, hybridised framework that reflects the realities of digital construction. Methodologically, it advances competency research through a novel combination of qualitative synthesis, taxonomy development, and sequential factor analysis. Practically, it establishes a validated backbone that functions as a stable yet adaptable foundation. While not a final endpoint, this model provides the basis for future development of guidelines, competency assessment instruments, and self-reflection tools that enable PMs and organisations to benchmark digital readiness and identify gaps in capability, ensuring its progressive operationalisation across workforce planning, professional certification, and training. Beyond its immediate validation, the model also serves as a research and universal backbone, consolidating evidence across competencies, methodology, taxonomy integration, and empirical factor structure. Its stability provides a common reference point for PMs, organisations, and academia, while its adaptability allows contextual tailoring to legislation, culture, and technological maturity. In this way, the model functions as both a rigorous research construct and a practical platform for deployment, charting a clear pathway toward role-specific frameworks, assessment instruments, and international uptake. By bridging traditional strengths with emerging digital demands, this thesis delivers an empirically grounded competency backbone that equips PMs to lead and adapt to the evolving digital future of construction.
A Conceptual Framework for Global DevSecOps: Delphi-AHP Study
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Zhao, Xiaofan
Context: 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.
Submaximal Torque Control at the Shoulder in Young, Healthy Adults: The Effects of Dual Tasking, Fatigue and Taping
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Adams, Thomas
The 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.
A Portable, Non-Pharmacological Intervention for Chronic Pain Management
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Parikh, Ankit Parimal
Chronic 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.
Ecotourism and Community Empowerment: A Case Study of Whale-Watching Tourism in China with Insights from New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Zhang, Xiao
Whale-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.

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