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 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.Item Co-Creating the “In” of Inclusion(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Echsel, AngelikaDespite global commitments to inclusive education as a human right, understanding of how inclusive education functions as a contextual, situated process within everyday school settings remains limited. Drawing on human rights frameworks, occupational science perspectives, and Dewey’s transactional philosophy, this study examined how two Swiss primary school communities collectively created inclusive education through shared occupational situations. The study employed a two-phase, sequential design. Phase one began with an international scoping review to answer the research question: “How is inclusive education in mainstream education at primary school level created?” Analysis of 26 studies from 14 countries, revealed that inclusive education unfolds through shared occupational situations, with emphasis on the extent to which these situations can be changed (their changeability) and the ways the social context shapes children’s experiences of inclusive schooling. The findings suggest the need to shift to a more nuanced understanding of inclusive practices, while acknowledging the diversity of such practices within specific cultural contexts internationally. Phase two sought to answer the question: “How is inclusive education created in mainstream schools in Switzerland for children aged between 8 and 12 years?” This phase comprised embedded case studies of two Swiss primary school classes, guided by Stake’s case study methodology and Dewey’s transactional theory. Multiple stakeholder perspectives were explored, including children, teachers, parents, assistants, therapists, and school leaders, through participant observations, interviews, and document analysis, Data were analysed using Stake’s strategies of direct interpretation and categorical aggregation, with findings synthesised into case-specific assertions. Representation of all stakeholders' actions and experiences from both the Oak and Village School cases provided nuanced, holistic, situated, and contextualised understanding of two distinct communities. The findings revealed that inclusive education develops through collective co-creation of shared occupational situations where all stakeholders engage in ‘doing together’. Children themselves identified doing together as essential to their school experience. Multiple perspectives illuminated how inclusion unfolded differently across contexts: intentional structuring of collaborative and individualising occupations, through sustained teaching partnerships generating creative freedom, allocation of resources to classes rather than individuals, and democratic leadership cultivating inclusive cultures. The findings call for a paradigm shift in inclusive education. The concept of individualising class communities bridges the individual-collective dichotomy, demonstrating how social collective aspects and academic individualised learning integrate to address needs of ‘all’ children rather than ‘some’ with special needs. Critically, tensions function as generative forces when engaged through reflective dialogue, while therapists’ external positioning creates paradoxes requiring examination. This study demonstrates that the ‘in’ of inclusion lies not in placement within given systems, but in collective co-creation of spaces where all engage in ‘doing together’. This study provides epistemological foundations and empirical evidence for transforming inclusive education practice, research methodologies, and policy frameworks.Item Exploring 4E+ Cognition and Spiritual Wisdom in eXtended Reality Interaction and Experience Design(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Taheri, AliNote: This is practice-oriented research and the practice is presented in the PhD website: Fables of Naranj The eXtended Reality (XR) medium, as one of the pivotal components of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), demonstrates the 4IR’s capability to blur the lines between the physical, digital, and biological realms. In the rapidly evolving domain of XR, the medium itself is poised to become a transformative influence on user cognition and emotional engagement. As the adoption of interactive and immersive media continues expanding, the design of interaction and the crafting of immersive experiences play a critical role in shaping the user experience of this emerging medium. This, in turn, significantly influences technology, academic research, culture, and society. However, current design paradigms within this technological landscape remain predominantly reductionist and mechanistic, prioritising efficiency and control at the expense of holistic human and cultural considerations. To fully harness the transformative potential of XR as an emerging medium, there is a need to move beyond these established approaches. Here, embracing design methodologies that are more attuned to the complexities of human experience and cognition is crucial. This research explores the connection between ancient philosophical traditions and modern technological practices, applying these insights to XR interaction and experience design. By integrating principles of 4E+ cognition (embedded, extended, embodied, and enacted cognition, along with the affective dimension), Neoplatonism, Perennial wisdom, and Ishraq (Illuminationism), the study aims to create experiences that engage users on cognitive, affective, and spiritual levels. The aim of this research is to develop a design approach that leverages recent XR technologies while incorporating cultural and philosophical considerations. Furthermore, it examines the practical applications and potential contributions of the integrated 4E+ cognition approach in designing experiences and human-computer interactions (HCI) for XR. This is achieved by incorporating artistic inquiry and practice-oriented research, proposing a set of design principles extracted from best practices tailored for this emerging field of HCI. The research methodology in this study is holistic, integrating heuristic and Illuminationist (Ishraqi) approaches to develop an understanding of the potentials of XR as an experienced-based interactive immersive medium. This illuminationist heuristic methodology, coupled with the art of steering (cybernetics), guides this exploration, allowing for adjustments and refinements as insights emerge. The study adopts a practice-oriented methodology, embedded in real-world projects developed at Auckland University of Technology’s AppLab. These projects serve as a testing ground where theoretical insights are transformed into practical artefacts, which in turn push the theoretical envelope further. The significance of this research extends beyond the technicalities of XR design to encompass a rethinking of how we approach technology, culture, and user experience and cognition in the digital age. Integrating philosophical and spiritual elements ensures that the XR environments developed are not only technologically advanced but also intellectually and spiritually enriching. One outcome of this study was the promotion of a deeper connection between the inner self and the physical environment in HCI design. It challenges the prevailing trend in contemporary HCI that often leads to detachment from the body, reality, and the essence of human existence. The study resulted in a significant shift in the author's ontological perspective, transitioning from a conventional epistemological paradigm and the Cartesian dualistic approach towards adopting a 4E+ cognitive framework. This innovative framework holds the potential for synthesising oriental and occidental philosophical viewpoints, providing a more comprehensive understanding of cognitive processes in XR. Findings indicate that the integration of 4E+ cognition and ancient wisdom into HCI and experience design fosters deeper cognitive and spiritual connections. This paradigm shift in embracing a 4E+ cognitive framework offers a culturally informed structure for XR design. It has significant implications for the design and application of emerging technologies, art, education, and the preservation of cultural heritage. In the broader context of creative technology, this research contributes to understanding how emerging immersive technologies can be harnessed to enrich human experience. It highlights the importance of integrating philosophical and cultural perspectives into technological development, ensuring that innovation is guided by a deep respect for human cognition and the insights of spiritual wisdom. Designers can adopt this perspective in their problem-solving and decision-making processes during the creation of complex projects. The thesis contributes to the field of creative technology by providing a set of principles to enhance the approach to problem-solving and improve the design of emerging interactive media. The philosophical and theoretical knowledge derived from this research also holds the potential to impact the practices of art and art research, as well as real-world projects in the creative industry. Moreover, an essential practical outcome of the research is the utilisation of interactive media platforms in the gamification of cultural and natural heritage. The objective was to create an interactive experience that fosters engagement among younger generations with the ideas and viewpoints inherent in a particular cultural or philosophical perspective. These findings, coupled with a change in the epistemological perspective on human experience, from the Cartesian duality to a 4E+ and transcendent naturalism view, hold significant transformative potential. This shift could drive positive change across creative fields.Item Trauma to Tyranny: The Comic Book as a Counterpoint to Collective and Individual Narcissism(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Panaita, ElenaThis practice-led thesis investigates how the design of a comic book might serve as a device for critiquing a socio-political construct. The thesis considers ways in which autobiographical, visual storytelling can be used to translate complex theoretical concepts into emotionally resonant narratives that expand the reach of academic discourse, so it becomes accessible to a wider audience. Methodologically, the study integrates autoethnographical research with heuristic inquiry, using contextual reading and self-reflection to examine personal, social, political, historical, and cultural conditions. The significance of the study lies in the use of comic book design to advance discussions on the impact of childhood and intergenerational trauma on the formation of psychological disorders (including the development of individual and collective narcissism), and the shaping of authoritarian family and societal structures. In doing so, the study highlights how unprocessed trauma can perpetuate cycles of abuse and authoritarianism, where fear, control, and denial become devices of manipulation. In the context of global authoritarianism and the suppression of marginalised voices, the comic book Upgraded Gods makes evident the importance of resistance and provides insight into a struggle to reclaim personal agency, truth, and freedom. As such it offers an independent, subjective counter-narrative that confronts controlling rhetoric and fragmented collective memory.Item Negotiating Tradition, Modernity, and Intergenerational Roles: Chinese Multigenerational Family RV Tourism in Western Contexts(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Dong, YeThis thesis investigates the underexplored phenomenon of Chinese multigenerational family tourism through recreational vehicle (RV) travel in Western contexts. Despite the rapid expansion of Chinese family tourism research, limited scholarly attention has been given to three-generation family journeys or RV travel, resulting in gaps in the literature. Conceptualising RV tourism as a mobile cultural dimension, the research examines how tradition and modernity, collectivism and individuality, and intergenerational roles are negotiated across the pre-trip, on-trip, and post-trip phases. To capture the complexity of multigenerational dynamics in RV family tourism, this research employed Charmaz's Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology, complemented by netnography and adapted whole-family interviews, and adopted a child-inclusive, parent-comprehensive, and grandparent-sensitive design. Data were collected between 2022 and 2024 from eight families across three generations, using methods adapted to Chinese cultural norms and pandemic conditions. The analysis combined iterative grounded theory coding of interviews with thematic mapping of digital platform content. This integration of semi-structured interviews with netnography captured narrated experiences and digital representations, allowing for comprehensive insights into the co-construction of family voices and identities. This approach advances methodological innovation in studying Chinese multigenerational tourism in mobile, digitally mediated, cross-cultural contexts. Findings demonstrate that RV tourism serves as a site of cultural transmission, emotional restoration, digital detox, aspirational consumption, and the tension inherent in the nexus of education, work, and leisure travel. The three findings chapters examine grandparents, parents, and children separately. Chapter 7 presents thematic and theoretical models grounded in empirical data to capture the distinctive dynamics of each generational cohort. Chapter 8 advances this synthesis by situating the integrated framework within a broader theoretical model. This scaffolded structure ensures both depth in understanding generational particularities and breadth in theorising their interconnections. The research contributes original, integrative, and theoretical models, including the Family Dynamics in RV Travel Model and the Xiaozi Dimensions in RV Family Tourism. The thesis makes significant theoretical contributions by extending Bourdieu's framework through the introduction of environmental and learning capital. It reconceptualises harmony as negotiated resilience; and by developing the culturally grounded Chinese 4X Framework (filial duty: Xiao孝; efficiency: Xiao 效; positivity: Xiao 笑; and lifestyle aspiration: Xiaozi 小资), it captures the interplay between heritage and aspiration. Contributions to cultural value are made by situating the interdependent Chinese self within mobile and digitalised contexts, illustrating how intergenerational bonds are recalibrated through emotional labour, spatial intimacy, and social media representation, while reinterpreting Chinese values such as Shan Shui (mountain–water aesthetics), Zhong Yong (the Doctrine of the Mean), and harmony within diversity. These dimensions are situated within contemporary leisure travel practices and developed into a culturally-nuanced framework, the Theoretical Framework of Cross-Cultural Dynamics of Chinese Family RV Travel in Western Countries. The diversity of multigenerational expressions underscores society's capacity to experiment, adapt, and manage changing circumstances. By documenting and analysing the practice of multigenerational Chinese family RV tourism in a Western context, this thesis enriches tourism scholarship. It advances Chinese culture-centred perspectives within the broader global academic discourse.Item Collective Resilience: Gender Dynamics and Adaptation to Climate Change in Isan Region, Thailand(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Maiwong, WilailakClimate change has emerged as a significant global challenge, particularly for vulnerable groups in developing countries. In Thailand, rural women in the northeastern (Isan) region play a pivotal role in their village livelihoods and climate change adaptation strategies. However, their voices and contributions are often marginalised in policy and decision-making processes. This thesis examines the factors influencing women’s adaptation to climate change, including their perceptions and strategies, with the aim of enhancing the engagement of local villagers, particularly women, in climate change adaptation initiatives. Drawing on critical theory and the Participatory Action Research (PAR) framework, a mixed-methods study was conducted across two villages over five phases of the research process. The NVivo thematic coding system was utilised to analyse the dynamics of women’s roles in climate change adaptation within these rural villages. Five key themes emerged from the thematic analysis: economic challenges; social dynamics and gendered roles in community development; resource management; climate perceptions and adaptive capacity; and collective resilience. Economic challenges, social dynamics and gendered roles in community development and resource management influenced the responses of local women to climate change. Women developed adaptive strategies grounded in generational knowledge and shaped by their perceptions and experiences of climate change. This was reflected in their positive sentiments when discussing successful initiatives and in the negative emotions they expressed when addressing challenges. The vital role of women as leaders and income earners within their villages underscores their function as agents of change. The findings suggest that empowering women in decision-making processes could amplify their voices, fostering collective responses based on the resilience inherent in each village, which were reflected in community forest conservation and maintaining agricultural practices. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the intersection of gender and climate change, offering insights into adaptive responses specifically tailored for women. It emphasises the necessity of promoting transformative climate change adaptation. The research advocates for inclusive policy measures that enhance women’s agency, support community-based capacity building and resilience, and incorporate gender-responsive strategies into local and national adaptation initiatives.Item Foundations of Cognition: Loosely Coupled Oscillators as Correlates of Affective States Within the Central Complex of the Fruit-fly (Drosophila melanogaster)(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Garnell, SaulAffective Neuroscience is a field that explores the neural mechanisms underlying emotions and affective (proto-emotions) states. Seeking behavior, one of the seven affects proposed by Jaak Panksepp, plays a vital role in exploration, learning, and decision-making. This thesis investigates the neural mechanisms that underlie this enigmatic drive through an integrative approach that combines principles from various domains of science, including Comparative Neuroanatomy, Computational Affective Neuroscience, and study of dynamic systems such as Loosely Coupled Oscillators. By examining homologous brain structures across species, with a particular interest in those regions that might plausibly be involved in the neural processes associated with seeking behavior, and employing computational models in neuroscience, this research aims to shed light on the complex interplay between neural activity and affective responses. My work seeks to elucidate plausible mechanisms governing SEEK (capitalized in this context), ultimately enhancing our understanding of brain function and providing insights into the neural basis of emotional responses. By simulating neuronal motifs and circuits within the mid-brain and basal brain systems of the fruit fly, this thesis aims to provide insights into brain functions related to SEEK. This work contributes to the ongoing discourse on Cognitive Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence (AI) by employing analytical and computational tools of neuro-science and signal analysis to bridge the explanatory gap in understanding of SEEK and seeking behavior. This thesis employs a novel computational framework to identify stable oscillatory points in pairs of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the fan-shaped body of Drosophila, aiding in the pathfinding and testing of neural circuits associated with SEEK behavior. The study’s key achievement is the identification of these stable points, revealing dynamic neural interactions and contributing to the understanding of neural oscillations in the fan-shaped body’s architecture. The framework is efficient and reproducible for future studies. Additionally, the research explores the significance of SEEK in cognition, utilizing Drosophila’s central nervous system to probe the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying SEEK behavior. The thesis also demonstrates how Spiking Neural Network models support the investigation of SEEK and affective neuroscience. Lastly, it examines how SEEK’s relationship to Wilson-Cowan-like motifs and behavior can be applied to the Free Energy Principle and Bayesian Inference, providing in-sights into brain function and decision-making. The future direction of the thesis states that further experimental validation is needed to strengthen these findings. By advancing our knowledge of seeking behavior, this research could have far-reaching implications for various fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, psychology, and neuroscience. By creating more accurate models of emotional processes in AI systems, we can develop machines that exhibit adaptability, efficiency, and human-like decision-making capabilities. This work's findings could pave the way for a new generation of AI systems capable of understanding and responding to emotional stimuli in a more nuanced manner, thereby improving their ability to function effectively in com-plex, dynamic environments.Item Te Kōti Rangatahi o Mātaatua – Marae Youth Court: A Site of Limitless Potential(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Black, StellaThis thesis explores what tikanga is, its philosophical foundations, and how te ao Māori worldview and historical experiences have shaped the tikanga of Te Kōti Rangatahi o Mātaatua, a marae-based Youth Court. Using kaupapa Māori methodology, pūrākau, observations, noho wahangū reflexive practice, and in-depth interviews with four kaumātua, the research led to the development of an original analysis framework: Te Pepe Ao Uri Whāriki using ngā hiki matau – the rightward strands. This framework weaves together the voices of kaumātua and observational data to create ngā kāwai toro, representing the extended strands of the whāriki that reflect the broader tikanga domains and their expressions through Māori epistemology, ontology, cosmogony, and metaphysical thought. This thesis also incorporates ngā hiki mauī as the leftward strands, which highlight the core tikanga values of Te Kōti Rangatahi o Mātaatua: kaumātuatanga and rangatiratanga, whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, wairuatanga, and kotahitanga, each with the same corresponding kāwai toro whenu. Together, these elements reveal tikanga as a dynamic, relational system, enabling te pānga o pepe ao uri, the butterfly effect, to be understood in terms of how tikanga lives, evolves, and impacts all those involved in Te Kōti Rangatahi, especially rangatahi Māori. The thesis argues that Te Kōti Rangatahi o Mātaatua is a powerful site of connectedness and restoration, while also cautioning against the risk of superficial engagement when tikanga is constrained within Pākehā systems. Ultimately, this thesis is a koha to my tīpuna and mokopuna mō āpōpō, calling for the protection and valuing of tikanga spaces, the elevation of kaumātua leadership, and the creation of whare wānanga-like spaces and the use of wānanga moments where rangatahi can learn who they are, where they come from, and how our histories and tikanga continue to shape our futures.Item A System Dynamics and Network Analysis of the Interactions Between Factors Affecting the Implementation of Integrated Project Delivery in New Zealand(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Bin Asad, SaadIntegrated Project Delivery (IPD) is a collaborative approach that unites people, systems, business structures, and practices to reduce waste and enhance sustainability in construction projects. IPD aims to improve schedule, quality, cost, and safety while promoting positive collaboration based on mutual respect and trust. Despite the abundance of literature on IPD, a comprehensive analysis of the interactions between factors and their implementation has yet to be conducted. This study aimed to fill that gap by identifying the interactions between factors that hinder the implementation of IPD through three data collection methods: systematic literature review (SLR), semi-structured interviews (SSI), and a system-wide survey questionnaire. From the literature, 127 factors to IPD were identified, and their interactions were deduced using deductive reasoning. The identified factors and their interactions were structured to identify IPD implementation challenges in New Zealand (NZ) through eighteen experts within the construction industry. For validation, the findings obtained from the experts were triangulated with the wider NZ construction sector. The factors were grouped according to their themes, including Legal, Financial, Technological, Organisational, Collaboration, and Governmental. VOSviewer software was used to identify the most frequently repeated factors in the existing literature, and their interactions were identified through manual coding and visualised using Vensim software. Additionally, NVivo software was used for infographics related to the results. Furthermore, the SPSS software was used for validating the results through identification of the statistically significant interactions; 88 out of 142 interactions passed the t-test through their p-values. Various analysis methods, including degree of centrality, eigenvector centrality, and causal chain analysis, were employed to identify the critical factors and chains influencing the implementation of IPD in NZ. IPD factors specific to NZ were identified to aid in better comprehension of the impact of the identified critical factors. The NZ-specific factors included a lack of factual information about outcomes from IPD, a limited number of contractors and consultants, federal vs local council model policy and governance conflicts, industry opting for traditional models, experienced professionals’ mindset, a history of liquidation of contractors resisting risks, subcontractors taking main contractor roles, and project size. The validated results revealed resistance to change, lack of technology use, lack of IPD awareness, lack of industry standardisation, and client’s resistance to change as the most critical factors. Additionally, through causal chain analysis, the critical chains of factors were identified; the heaviest chains in terms of centrality weightages were deemed critical. Finally, the results were simplified in the form of a framework for easier dissemination of the findings. This research provides valuable insights regarding the interactions between the factors of IPD, which will aid researchers and practitioners in implementing sustainable construction practices in NZ.Item Characterization of Gut Microbial Composition and Diversity of New Zealand Wild Abalone (Haliotis iris) Under Potential Environmental Influences(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Guo, JinchenAbalone (Haliotis spp. in Phylum Mollusca) are marine gastropods that have a wide distribution between intertidal and subtidal zones from tropical to subarctic waters in both hemispheres. Abalone are exclusively herbivores grazing on various seaweed in their natural habitats that contribute to maintaining healthy algal reef ecosystems. Additionally, abalone also possess high economic value as a popular shellfish seafood choice in Asia and Pacific Islands. In Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), Haliotis iris is an endemic abalone species that is both farmed and caught in the wild. Differentiated abalone growth rates among the wild abalone populations are historically documented. While the exact explanations for this growth rate phenomenon are unclear, food digestion and nutrient absorption is one research avenue being looked at due to their energy and nutrient support roles. The gut microbiome (the microorganisms, mostly bacteria, and their genes in the gastrointestinal region of the digestive tract) of abalone plays an essential role in the host’s food digestion. Previous studies on abalone gut microbiomes revealed that abalone gut microbiomes could be mainly influenced by diet and environmental conditions. However, such gut microbiome investigations have only been conducted on farmed stock of H. iris and not on wild populations. Commercial fisheries of wild H. iris contribute substantially to the total abalone production in NZ. Given the differentiated growth rate concern and the significance of the wild abalone populations to NZ’s abalone fisheries, it would be beneficial to evaluate the gut microbiome of wild H. iris and explore how and why the gut microbiomes change. An initial step in evaluating the gut microbiome and the digestion assistance function is to explore the composition and diversity of the gut microbial communities, or “gut microbiota”. The present thesis utilized the amplicon metagenomic sequencing technology to investigate the gut microbiome of wild H. iris populations in Cook Strait and Chatham Islands. The overall thesis goals were to: 1) investigate the gut microbial composition and diversity of wild H. iris populations and 2) investigate some environmental factors that could potentially influence the host’s gut microbiota. This thesis includes an introduction chapter, literature review chapter, three experimental chapters, and a synthesis and conclusion chapter. The literature review (Chapter 2) defines key concepts related to microbiome research, how microbiomes are generally assessed, provides some major influencing factors on abalone gut microbiomes, with an emphasis on dietary and aquatic physical and chemical factors, and pinpoints some suggested future research directions. The experimental chapters (Chapters 3 - 5) utilized Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology to evaluate the gut microbiomes of five wild H. iris populations with a specific focus on the associations of gut microbiome shifts to seaweed diet and over time in NZ. Chapter 3 compared the gut microbial composition and diversity among three abalone digestive regions and the microbiota between abalone’s gut and the surrounding seaweed and sediment in Cook Strait. This revealed that the microbial composition was similar between the foregut (esophageal pouch) and hindgut (intestine), and the microbiomes of the lower section of the digestive tract (foregut and hindgut) were different from that of the buccal cavity of the animals. Moreover, abalone gut microbiome was significantly different from that of the ambient seaweed and sediment samples. In Chapter 4, assessments on the gut microbiota and consumed algal content of four wild abalone populations in the Chatham Islands (CI) revealed differentiated gut microbiota across study sites and between age groups. Moreover, gut content microscopic results also revealed that the observed gut microbiome differences could be related to consumed seaweed type and algal availability. Lastly in Chapter 5, a two-year abalone gut microbiota evaluation on CI was executed and observed that the gut microbiomes of the wild H. iris populations at Ascots Beach and Owenga Harbour changed significantly overtime, with the gut microbial diversity was lower between March-May in 2021 compared to March 2021, November 2021, and April 2022. The observed gut microbiome changes presented in Chapters 4 and 5 could be related to specific seaweed diets and/or oceanographic condition changes over the sampling period, which need to be further investigated through additional field observations and targeted feeding experiments. The present thesis is the first gut microbiota documentation on NZ wild H. iris. The results indicated that seaweed and sediment microbiota by themselves are unlikely to influence the abalone’s gut microbiota. Instead, the gut microbiota of wild H. iris could be potentially affected by consumed seaweed availability and type as well as the changes of oceanographic conditions. Microbiome data collected from wild H. iris digestive tract and the ambient seaweed and sediment in this thesis can be the baseline for future gut microbiome research in NZ. While targeted experiments under controlled conditions need to be further conducted to specifically test the seaweed and environmental parameter hypotheses, seaweed- and oceanography- associated findings from this thesis provide informative predictions on the food digestion efficiency and nutritional and health states of local wild abalone stocks, ultimately influencing the harvesting time and quantity of this iconic species.Item Development of New Self-centring Rocking Systems by Incorporating Resilient Slip Friction Mechanisms: Applications in Structures and Storage Tanks(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Sahami, KavehRocking systems, encompassing walls, columns and frames, have emerged as effective structural configurations in mitigating seismic hazards by providing the desirable displacement ductility, demonstrated by their robust bilinear elastic response. Initially conceptualized for gravity load applications, their resilience across various natural disasters (including hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes) has substantiated their competence as primary lateral load-resisting structures. In recent decades, this conventional concept has been augmented by incorporation of energy dissipation mechanisms and hold-down systems to enhance the structure hysteresis performance by reducing the amplitude of oscillation during an event. This has fostered a low-damage, stable, and reliable seismic performance. The fundamental efficacy of rocking systems is attributed to the rotational freedom provided to structures, facilitating the synchronicity with seismic motions and consequently mitigating the impact of seismic forces on structural components and their connections. To ensure the stability of such systems, integration with stabilizing mechanisms is imperative. Moreover, the inclusion of additional damping mechanisms is critical for maintaining deflections within permissible limits. The utilization of self-centring friction dampers, which includes both restoring and energy damping features, is particularly advantageous for rocking system applications. This research focused on the seismic performance of two distinct applications of rocking systems equipped with self-centring friction dampers: cylindrical steel liquid storage tanks and rocking panel walls. The initial phase of this study investigated the rocking behaviour of conventionally designed cylindrical steel tanks, equipped with an innovative hold-down system to reduce the earthquake load demand and enhance their seismic resilience. This phase was commenced with the experimental component testing to validate the performance of a specially designed self-centring friction damper suitable for this application. Subsequently, a comparative seismic performance analysis was conducted on several case studies of cylindrical steel storage tanks, comparing the effects of the proposed anchorage system with the current state-of-practice such as necked rods and buckling-restrained hold-downs. The second phase of the study proposed a novel rocking panel by integration of self-centring dampers, functioning as shear keys on both sides of the panel (rather than hold-downs). The objective was to introduce a new damage-free rocking system as a primary lateral resisting mechanism, applicable to both new structures and retrofitting of existing earthquake-prone building. Initially, the effectiveness of this system was validated through numerical modelling, followed by the design and testing of a large-scale rocking concrete panel incorporating the proposed configuration.Item Computational Methods in Machine Learning for Privacy Preservation(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Ma, BoA huge amount of data is currently stored online for training deep learning models. Cryptographic techniques such as fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) and secure multi-party computation (MPC) in principle, enable ML over encrypted or distributed data, but they protect the confidentiality of computation and communication and have different threat models and application scenarios. This thesis focuses on a complementary concern: protecting against inference from the outputs of machine learning (e.g., released models or predictions)—such as membership inference, attribute inference, and model inversion—for which differential privacy (DP) is well suited. Differential privacy adds appropriate noise according to a predetermined privacy budget to limit such inference. But even if the differential privacy method is introduced to realize the function of privacy protection, it will have a negative impact on the learning performance of the machine learning model. The main question is, can some methods be found to measure privacy-preserving capability and machine-learning accuracy, and at the same time propose a privacy-preserving method combined with the machine-learning model to balance the trade-off between accuracy and privacy? Based on this question and motivations, in this thesis, a privacy-preserving framework for deep learning that contributes towards solving this problem is presented. This framework consists of three layers pre-processing layer, a model layer, and an assessment layer. The approaches to the proposals consist of three stages of frameworks. The function of the pre-processing layer is to implement privacy-preserving. This approach will generate the required privacy noises for privacy protection. In the model layer, multiple methods for natural language processing and object detection/recognition have been investigated, with the data that has noise injection for the purpose of privacy protection, in this stage, two main approaches have been proposed, they are A privacy-preserving deep transformation self-attention (PPDPTS) and PDPIFSEA algorithms. In the third layer, the function of quality assessment verifies the quality of the model that has been trained to determine whether the output inferred by the model can reach the desired level of privacy. In this framework, the data noises for privacy protection are quantified for deep learning models through statistical-based analysis methods has been proposed, there are BUA TDA, EMPA for quantified image-based datasets, and ABAPER, PBVS algorithms. Our experimental results show that the accuracy produced by the models in this framework is higher than that using other privacy-preserving methods. The original contributions of this thesis are: (1) A novel dynamic entropy-based noise-generating method with differential privacy approaches to improve privacy protections for federated deep learning. (2) A novel distributed stochastic gradient descent for improving the performance of privacy-preserving deep learning. (3) A privacy-preserving deep transformation self-attention (PPDPTS) method was applied to implement a self-attention mechanism on visual features of images to assist privacy preservation. (4) A method to measure the privacy boundary and privacy budget in privacy-preserving deep learning and test the privacy budget for preventing privacy leakage in the output data, and a predictive reconstruction algorithm to predict the distribution of data in the privacy-preserving deep learning model, aligning the privacy budget with prediction results.Item Variation in Soil Microbiomes Associated With Kauri Trees Threatened by Dieback Disease(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) King, ZoeForest ecosystems are increasingly threatened by climate change, land-use pressures, and emerging pathogens, highlighting the need to understand how different ecosystem components mediate and respond to such disturbances. Soil microbial communities are central to nutrient cycling, plant growth, and disease suppression, yet their interactions with soil-borne pathogens in natural forest systems remain poorly understood. This thesis addresses this gap using Agathis australis (kauri), a foundation tree species endemic to New Zealand currently threatened by the soil-borne oomycete Phytophthora agathidicida (causal agent of kauri dieback), as a case study. The work investigated how pathogen presence, tree health, spatial location, and edaphic gradients relate to forest soil microbial community composition and functional potential. Soils were collected around the basal trunk of 96 kauri trees comprising healthy, declining, and dead canopy states across three sites and six plots in the Waitākere Ranges, Auckland, New Zealand. By combining amplicon sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and measurements of soil physicochemical properties, this framework provided a comprehensive view of the soil microbiome across tree health and environmental gradients. Results showed that soil microbial communities were strongly structured by spatial and edaphic variation. Soil carbon, nitrogen, C:N ratios, pH, and moisture consistently emerged as dominant drivers of both bacterial and fungal communities. Pathogen presence, confirmed by LAMP, and tree health status were only weakly related. Nevertheless, specific bacterial and fungal taxa were significantly more abundant in pathogen-detected soils, including taxa previously linked with disease suppression. Soils beneath declining trees contained significantly greater abundance of taxa associated with later stages of litter decomposition, suggesting links between canopy decline, litter accumulation, and microbial community structure. While bacterial communities were relatively stable across all health states, fungal communities were more strongly related to tree decline. Functional profiles derived from shotgun metagenomics revealed that broad metabolic capacities were conserved across health states, consistent with functional redundancy. However, fine-scale shifts in some gene families and pathways indicated that microbial communities could reorganise their functions under changing conditions, with possible implications for decomposition and nutrient cycling. This work demonstrates the complementarity and value of combining multiple molecular approaches to assess different components of the microbial community. It also suggests that soil microbial communities in kauri forests are influenced by strong environmental and spatial filtering, with pathogen and host decline potentially contributing secondary, but small, influences. By providing one of the first comprehensive metagenomic baselines for kauri soil microbial communities under threat of dieback, this thesis contributes to understanding how pathogen presence, tree health decline, and microbial communities interact in a natural forest system. Together, these insights advance ecological understanding of how a biotic disturbance shapes soil microbiomes in natural forest ecosystems and informs long-term monitoring and future research on kauri dieback. Building our understanding of the long-term consequences of forest decline due to death of kauri, and by extension, other foundation tree species worldwide, will depend on recognising the resilience and sensitivity of soil microbial communities within their complex environmental contexts.Item Essays on Global Value Chains: Trade, Participation, and Positioning in the Context of Digitalization and Sustainable Development(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Xu, PeiyuDigitalization is reshaping global production and trade systems, it enables real-time coordination across borders, allowing firms to optimize global production and participate more efficiently in international trade. This thesis investigates how digital technologies affects global value chains (GVCs) and trade outcomes, using both econometric models and computable general equilibrium (CGE) simulation. Together these methods quantify both direct and economy-wide impacts, yielding a comprehensive assessment of the digitalization–GVC nexus. The three papers in this thesis provide complementary perspectives on the interaction between digitalization, GVCs, and trade performance, with a particular focus on manufacturing and environmental goods, which addresses critical gaps hitherto not addressed in empirical research on this topic. The first paper employs a structural gravity model to examine how digitalization interacts with geographic distance and RTAs in shaping bilateral manufacturing GVC trade. This holds relevance as policymakers should have insights into the main drivers of GVCs, i.e., digitalization and regional trade agreements (RTAs), and how they interact to impact GVC trade flows. It contributes by way of estimating sectoral digital intensity measures based on the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) tables, with the analysis covering 62 countries from 2007 to 2019. The results show that digitalization increases GVC exports and mitigates distance-related trade barriers. However, RTAs do not enhance—and may even dampen—the positive impact of digitalization, with significant heterogeneity observed across sectoral and income levels. Having established the trade-promoting role of digitalization on manufacturing GVC trade, in the second paper of the thesis, the paper employs an economy-wide model to assess not only the economy-wide impacts of digitalization but also its impacts on both backward and forward GVC participation across regions. By introducing digitalization shocks through a sectoral digital input index and multi-regional input-output framework hitherto not attempted earlier in the empirical literature, the simulation quantifies the impact of digital transformation on manufacturing GVC linkages. The findings suggest that while digitalization significantly improves the macroeconomic effects on welfare, output and gross trade. In addition, digitalization enhances backward participation—particularly in simpler forms of GVC involvement—thereby contributing to a structural reorganization of regional production networks. Furthermore, sustainability in trade and GVCs is an important issue for policymakers to consider. The third paper uses panel data methods to analyze the relationship between GVC positioning and trade in environmental goods across 75 countries. The findings suggest that GVC positioning enhances green trade through a nonlinear channel, and that digitalization acts as a moderator by shifting the structure and strength of this relationship. These are novel empirical findings that hold significant relevance in the current policy debate on green trade and the role of GVCs. Heterogeneity is also evident across different types of environmental goods. The thesis provides a multi-layered analysis of the technological, and policy factors that shape GVCs and trade outcomes. The thesis contributes to the literature by bridging digitalization and GVC studies, providing novel empirical evidence on how sectoral digital intensity interact with GVC trade, participation, and positioning. It also demonstrates the complexity of interactions between digitalization, GVCs, and sustainable trade outcomes. The results have practical implications for policymakers seeking to modernize RTAs and improve digitalization to promote the development of GVCs and leverage GVCs to support sustainable and inclusive trade development.Item Application of Design Probes to Foster Children's Creative Participation in Disaster Risk Reduction(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Mosavat, MojanHistorically, children have been considered a vulnerable and less vocal group in disaster risk reduction (DRR). Their limited involvement has often been attributed to physical and psychological vulnerabilities, which has resulted in an underestimation of their potential contributions to disaster preparedness. Despite these vulnerabilities, children possess imagination, adaptability, and fresh perspectives that can influence disaster preparedness in ways that adults may not. While there is an increase in research aimed at involving children more actively in DRR, challenging traditional top-down approaches, there is still a growing need to explore new ways to engage them. This research aimed to explore how design probes could be used to harness these qualities in children, encouraging meaningful participation and agency in DRR activities. Design probes, which are traditionally used to gain insights into people’s everyday lives and perspectives, were adapted and applied in this study to actively engage children in DRR processes. This involved designing, prototyping, and refining a series of playful and narrative-driven activities that enabled children to explore disaster preparedness creatively and personally. The probe tool in this study is called Kit, a name with twofold significance: it refers to the probe 'kit' or package, as mentioned in the literature on probes, and to the character 'Kit,' created to be embedded in the probe booklets to guide participants through the activities. Kit served not only as a tool for gathering data on children’s perceptions and knowledge of DRR but also involved them in the co-design of the probe activities to ensure they aligned with their experiences and learning preferences. Through this iterative process, informed by participant feedback, a set of engaging and meaningful activities was developed, connecting disaster preparedness to children’s daily lives in a tangible way. The study's findings demonstrate that design probes can offer a unique and flexible approach to DRR education, moving beyond traditional top-down approaches such as school drills and standardised procedural instructions for emergency responses. Children in the study demonstrated a strong ability to articulate their understanding of disaster risks, with many expressing a shift in perception from seeing disasters as uncontrollable events to recognising preparedness as a personal responsibility. For example, several participants highlighted that they had never considered their role in emergency preparedness at home before engaging with Kit, but later initiated conversations with their families about evacuation plans and emergency supplies. This creative and interactive approach enabled children to see themselves as active participants in building resilience, contributing to a deeper understanding of disaster risks. Additionally, observations and feedback revealed that hands-on activities and games were particularly effective in helping children retain key preparedness concepts, as they could actively come up with responses rather than merely read about them. The study also identified the need to adapt creative DRR tools to suit children’s diverse preferences and backgrounds. Initially, the design probes were developed as physical, paper-based materials. While this approach was effective, some findings suggest that integrating digital components could further enhance engagement and accessibility. Subsequently, a hybrid "phygital" approach, blending physical and digital tools, would not only accommodate children’s familiarity with technology but also address practical challenges, such as the loss of physical materials. Ultimately, this research contributes to the growing understanding of child-centred DRR education, showing that participatory, adaptable methods such as design probes can significantly enhance children’s involvement, understanding, and roles in disaster preparedness and resilience-building efforts. These findings have important implications for both policy and practice. By recognising children as active participants, policymakers can shape more inclusive DRR strategies that empower younger generations and ensure their voices and ideas are incorporated into resilience-building efforts. Furthermore, educational frameworks may benefit from adopting similar participatory tools and integrating them into school curricula and community programmes to create more robust, child-inclusive disaster preparedness initiatives. Such integration would foster a culture of resilience that extends from children to families and communities, ultimately strengthening overall disaster readiness at multiple societal levels.Item Waikare: The Dying Lake and the Embodied Artist(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) van Vliet, DavidThis practice-led doctoral thesis considers the nature of embodied engagement with a polluted, localised environment (Lake Waikare). Accordingly, the research asks: How might lens-based recording serve in expressing an embodied connection to land? Situated in the context of the Anthropocene, the study frames cognition as situated, embodied, and inseparable from the environment. As such, it offers a shift in focus from global, political mobilisation to embodied relationality (Ingold, 2021). Through repeated site visits to the lake, lens-based recording, and synthesis of moving image sequences, the research considers the nature of duration (Bergson, 1957) and the agency of stillness in fostering an intimate connection with a specific geographical site. Methodologically, the thesis adopts a heuristic, reflective mode of inquiry that foregrounds subjective iterative experimentation. The significance of the project lies in its contribution to ways in which embodied experiences of land, mediated through multi modal image practice, can integrate considerations of closeness, viscerality, spirituality, and poetic resonance.