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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Te Kōti Rangatahi o Mātaatua – Marae Youth Court: A Site of Limitless Potential
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Black, Stella
This 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.
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, Saad
Integrated 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.
Characterization of Gut Microbial Composition and Diversity of New Zealand Wild Abalone (Haliotis iris) Under Potential Environmental Influences
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Guo, Jinchen
Abalone (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.
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, Kaveh
Rocking 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.
Computational Methods in Machine Learning for Privacy Preservation
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Ma, Bo
A 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.
Variation in Soil Microbiomes Associated With Kauri Trees Threatened by Dieback Disease
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) King, Zoe
Forest 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.
Essays on Global Value Chains: Trade, Participation, and Positioning in the Context of Digitalization and Sustainable Development
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Xu, Peiyu
Digitalization 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.
Application of Design Probes to Foster Children's Creative Participation in Disaster Risk Reduction
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Mosavat, Mojan
Historically, 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.
Waikare: The Dying Lake and the Embodied Artist
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) van Vliet, David
This 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.
Conceptualising Kawa Whakaruruhau as a Nursing Praxis: Learnings from Māori Nurses
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) McGregor, Jennifer Tokomauri
This thesis presents the findings of a Kaupapa Māori research project aimed at conceptualising Kawa Whakaruruhau as a nursing practice. Kawa Whakaruruhau is a Kaupapa Māori (Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand) nursing theoretical framework that was gifted to nursing in Aotearoa New Zealand by tangata whenua (people of the land). Kawa Whakaruruhau was intended to be integrated into nursing practice in Aotearoa New Zealand to underpin the nursing care of whānau Māori (Māori family units) accessing health services. However, since its implementation into the nursing education curriculum in 1992, no formal evaluation of Kawa Whakaruruhau has been undertaken. Moreover, due to public and political pressure, a redefinition period resulted in Kawa Whakaruruhau, a Māori-centric theoretical framework, becoming ‘cultural safety’ for everyone, reflecting multiculturalism. This thesis reports the impact of Kawa Whakaruruhau on Māori nurses. Informed by Māori nurses’ kōrero, this thesis further conceptualises Kawa Whakaruruhau as a Kaupapa Māori nursing praxis. Utilising a Kaupapa Māori methodology and methods, with a decolonising approach, this thesis aimed to answer the following research questions: 1. How do Māori nurses define Kawa Whakaruruhau? 2. How has Kawa Whakaruruhau impacted Māori nurses and their practice? Twenty-one Māori registered nurses, with 2 or more years of nursing experience, participated in the research. Kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) and online individual interviews were conducted over 8 months, utilising pūrākau as a Kaupapa Māori form of narrative inquiry. Analysis of the pūrākau was conducted using Te āta‐tu Pūrākau framework. The rigour of the thesis was established using the Veracity of a Kaupapa Māori Project framework, which challenges the researcher to engage in reflexive practices to ensure that there are tangible benefits for Māori arising from the project. The participants described Kawa Whakaruruhau as a Kaupapa Māori nursing praxis. It involves ethical and moral decision-making practices, guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi, tikanga Māori and professional nursing knowledge that are fundamentally underpinned by Māori nurses’ desire to uphold the mana of the tangata and/or whānau accessing healthcare. The foundation of Kawa Whakaruruhau, as a praxis, is whakawhanaungatanga, which Māori nurses prioritise, allowing time and space for this process. Spaces and practices they perceived to enact Kawa Whakaruruhau had a positive impact on Māori nurses. Participants reported that spaces that enact Kawa Whakaruruhau provided an increase in their confidence and practice development, including the refinement of their dual competencies. Notably, consolidation of their soft nursing skills, such as health consumer advocacy and communication techniques, was solidified. This thesis contributes to the conceptualisation of Kawa Whakaruruhau as a Kaupapa Māori nursing praxis. Firstly, the thesis explores Kaupapa Māori nursing practices, skills, and knowledge that constitute high-quality professional nursing practice being delivered to whānau Māori every day. Given the lack of formal evaluation of Kawa Whakaruruhau and cultural safety in nursing in Aotearoa New Zealand, this thesis provides insight into the impact it has had since its implementation into nursing education in 1992. Moreover, culturally unsafe spaces and practices have been highlighted to challenge the wider nursing workforce on current cultural safety education and practices contributing to the well-documented ongoing Māori health inequities (MOH, 2024).
Enhancing Underwater Optical Wireless Communication in Spatio-Temporal Environments
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Govinda Waduge, Tharuka
Underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) is an emerging field of technology. It has significance towards realising the vision of 6G communication, of a hyper-connected world, being the only underwater wireless technology that has been demonstrated to perform over several GHz of bandwidth, and at very high data rates at practically useful distances. As such, UOWCs may become paramount for meeting the speed and capacity demand, as marine industries shift towards the use of unmanned and/or autonomous vehicles. Nevertheless, the current research body and commercially available devices seemed to indicate that UOWCs may not yet be achieving their full potential, particularly due to lapses in the understanding of the spatio-temporal nature of the marine environment and applying corresponding mitigatory measures. Therefore, firstly, in this work, the factors affecting the received-optical-power of receivers with photodiode arrays, were explored in different, homogeneous, Jerlov water types. The results highlighted the importance of designing UOWCs being considerate of the medium-induced attenuation and geometric spreading. This included choices such as the modulation scheme, and the geometric shape of the receiver. However, marine environments are often inhomogeneous and exist in layers. Furthermore, out in the open, UOWCs cannot be isolated from solar interference. To address this, the depth-spectral distribution profiles for sunlight have been characterised in the different types of clear, and coastal, stratified waters. Thereafter, a subsequent analysis showed how utilising a mix of both short (blue) and long (yellow) transmission wavelengths along the water column, may enhance the link quality under sunlight. This property along the water column may have significant implications towards underwater networks, which may need to transmit at different wavelengths based on the factors such as the link location and depth, the output power, the beam shape, link orientation, etc. Additionally, there was a gap in understanding the inherent optical properties of the most turbid, stratified water profile. This was addressed by analysing in-situ data, collected in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand, and deriving the respective coefficients. The findings showed that the conventional means of deriving the inherent optical properties of turbid, coastal seawater using the Chl-a concentration, may not be accurate. This seemed also the case for the water in the boundary layer, for which an alternative method was proposed, using the profiles of solar irradiance and turbidity. A subsequent analysis showed that a reflector-aided, non-line-of-sight communication may perhaps enhance UOWCs in the boundary layer, up to about 39.7%. Based on these findings, a novel modulation scheme was proposed based on spread-spectrum modulation and differential signalling. The scheme was examined for performance by simulation and in a scaled-experiment inside a fish-tank. The results seemed very positive in clear water environments; also, where solar interference was the greatest. The marine environments were emulated using seawater, scattering agent, and for the first time in UOWC research – live algae. The experiment also raised additional insights and concerns towards the use of dichroic and birefringent optical filters in turbid, scattering environments. This finding may have implications towards realising all UOWC where the transmission colour is a communication factor, especially in coastal water. Thus, employing the recommendations made in this Thesis may help to enhance UOWCs that transpire through water bodies with spatio-temporal distributions of constituents, severe ambient sunlight, and the highly turbid and attenuating bottom water.
Deep Learning Methods for Stock Prediction
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Zhou, Lei
Stock market prediction is a challenging task due to the inherent volatility, non-stationarity, and complex interdependencies within financial markets. Although deep learning models have demonstrated strong capabilities in modeling time-series and textual data, their practical accuracy and ability to generalize across varying market conditions remain limited. A key limitation is the difficulty of effectively capturing the dynamic and evolving relationships among stocks, particularly those driven by both market behavior and external textual information. Moreover, the lack of a unified framework capable of integrating heterogeneous modalities such as numerical indicators, candlestick chart images, and semantic insights from financial news significantly impairs the robustness of models when faced with diverse market conditions. The reasons for these challenges include: First, traditional models often fail to capture long-range dependencies and complex topological structures among stocks. Second, there is limited integration of multimodal data sources including technical indicators, price patterns, and financial news. Third, existing approaches lack effective mechanisms to uncover latent inter-stock relationships using textual signals from sources such as news articles, social media, or analyst reports such relationships could be more effectively modeled through motif-based graph structures. Fourth, the interpretability of current deep learning models remains limited, impeding their adoption in high-stakes financial decision-making scenarios. To address these challenges, this thesis proposes three distinct yet complementary modeling frameworks, each designed to target specific aspects of the stock prediction problem through multimodal data fusion and dynamic relational modeling. This thesis aims to advance the field of stock market prediction by proposing a suite of models that integrate temporal, textual, image-based, and graph structural in-formation. In particular, this research addresses the aforementioned challenges through the combined application of deep learning and graph-based modeling. The proposed approaches introduces novel frameworks that embed semantic, structural, and temporal features into unified architectures, enhancing predictive robustness and interpretability. Given the persistent challenges in financial forecasting, there is a clear need for a comprehensive framework capable of leveraging multimodal information, encoding meaningful inter-stock and stock-news relationships, and improving the interpretability and accuracy of predictions in a scalable manner. The thesis follows three key research questions. The first part of this thesis addresses the challenge of capturing hidden associations between stocks and financial news, which are often overlooked by traditional models. These implicit relationships carry valuable signals that can influence stock price movements. To resolve this, we propose a Motif-based Graph Convolutional Network (MGCN) that constructs motif graphs by linking stocks and news entities based on semantic patterns extracted from financial texts. A Transformer encoder is further employed to refine both price and text features, enabling the model to capture long-range dependencies.. Experimental on the S&P 500 dataset show that this model effectively integrates textual and temporal signals, achieving improved prediction accuracy over standard baselines. The second part of this thesis tackles the difficulty of integrating diverse financial signals such as temporal patterns, visual structures, and contextual sentiment within a unified predictive framework. Most existing models rely on a single modality, limiting their ability to generalize across dynamic market conditions. To address this, we propose a hybrid deep learning framework that fuses three complementary modalities. A Linear Transformer processes historical stock prices and technical indicators to extract temporal dependencies. Candlestick chart images are encoded via a CNN to capture spatial features. Concurrently, a Large Language Model (LLM) generates daily textual analyses, which are embedded using FinBERT to represent semantic sentiment. These multimodal features are combined through a feedforward network to produce final predictions. Empirical results demonstrate that this integrated approach significantly improves forecasting accuracy compared to unimodal baselines. The final part of this thesis addresses the challenge of capturing dynamic inter-stock relationships that are influenced by textual semantics but are often overlooked by conventional models. Most existing graph-based approaches rely on static price correlations, ignoring latent sentiment-driven connections revealed in financial discourse.To overcome this, we introduce an LLM-Augmented Enhanced Graph Transformer frame-work. In this approach, a large language model (LLM) generates concise daily analyses from technical indicators, which are then embedded via FinBERT to reflect semantic context. These embeddings are used to construct a graph where edges represent se-mantic similarity between stocks, enabling a Graph Transformer to model nuanced relational dependencies. Experimental results on the S&P 500 dataset show that this framework significantly outperforms time-series baselines (e.g., LSTM, Transformer, Informer) and prior graph models (e.g., GCN, GAT), delivering superior accuracy and interpretability in stock movement prediction.
Rapid Weight Cutting Strategies for the Strength Athlete
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Kwan, Kedric
Rapid weight loss (RWL) is widely practiced in weight-class restricted sports to enable athletes to compete in a lower weight category, typically through strategies that reduce body mass via dehydration (e.g., fluid manipulation, sauna/sweating) and/or non-dehydration methods that reduce gut content and glycogen (e.g., reduced carbohydrate intake, low food volume, fibre restriction). Although RWL is often perceived to confer competitive advantage, it can also compromise health, cognitive function, and physical performance, with risk generally increasing as the magnitude of weight loss increases and as the post–weigh-in (PWI) recovery window shortens. Existing RWL research has largely focused on combat sports, yet RWL is highly prevalent in weight-class restricted strength athletes (WRSA), including powerlifters, weightlifters, and strongman competitors. Differences in sport demands, recovery opportunities, and performance determinants suggest that findings from combat sports may not translate directly to WRSA, creating uncertainty around best practice. This thesis aimed to expand the evidence base on RWL in WRSA by integrating: (1) a synthesis of current literature on RWL magnitudes, methods, and health/performance outcomes, and the extent to which combat sport data can be extrapolated to WRSA; (2) observational data describing the prevalence, magnitude, and methods of RWL in world-class powerlifters and the relationship between RWL and competitive performance; (3) changes in validated subjective wellness measures across the seven days prior to weigh-in and their associations with weight loss magnitude, competitive calibre, and biological sex; (4) an experimental evaluation of a three-day low-gut-volume (LGV) dietary strategy, assessing the magnitude and within-subject repeatability of body mass loss and potential sex differences; and (5) an experimental investigation of passive dehydration via heat exposure at different time points (evening prior vs morning of testing) on WRSA-relevant strength and power outcomes across baseline, dehydrated, and rehydrated states. Collectively, this thesis addresses key gaps by providing WRSA-specific descriptive data, testing practical RWL strategies, and evaluating performance and wellness implications under conditions relevant to strength sport competition. The findings are intended to inform evidence-based, context-specific RWL guidelines for WRSA and to guide future research on safer and more effective weight-making practices.
The Impact of Female Sex Hormones on Concussion
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Hardaker, Natalie
The thesis aim was to understand the influence of female sex hormones on concussion via investigating: 1) How much does baseline symptomology change across the menstrual cycle in female athletes?; 2) Do salivary concussion biomarkers change across the menstrual cycle for females in the absence of injury?; 3) Does the hormone profile at point of injury predict prolonged recovery from a concussion?; 4) Does hormone profile at point of injury affect salivary concussion biomarkers in females? The thesis included a systematic review, a feasibility study, a cross-sectional study, a single-case study and a prospective cohort study. The systematic review and meta-analysis (chapter 2) highlighted sex and gender differences in sports-related injuries including a higher incidence of concussion in female athletes. Chapters 3 to 8 aimed to better understand concussion in females. In assessing concussion knowledge and attitudes (Chapter 3) via an online survey, over 30% of male and female football players indicated they would continue playing whilst experiencing symptoms of a concussion. This suggested that the observed gender difference in concussion incidence is unlikely to be only due to a reporting bias in females. Investigating the magnitude of change in self-report symptoms across the menstrual cycle (chapter 4) in the absence of injury, identified a meaningful association between menstrual cycle day and symptom score; this may need consideration when evaluating baseline and post-concussion symptom assessments in females. The correlation of salivary hormone measures to blood measures were investigated in chapter 5 in eight females to test feasibility for use in future studies. Progesterone was positively correlated between blood and saliva (rm=0.996, p<0.001). The findings of chapters 4 and 5 informed the protocols for chapters 6 to 8. In chapter 6, concussion biomarkers (salivary cortisol and miR-27a-5p/miR-30a-3p) were monitored in one player across three consecutive menstrual cycles in absence of injury during a football season. The biomarkers showed cyclical variation of miR ratio within a range of 0.7 to 1.1. The third menstrual cycle was shorter and showed significantly (p=0.031) lower miR ratio in the pre-menses compared to the menses phase. Morning cortisol stayed within a normal reference range (2-22 nmol/L) and showed a statistically significant mean difference between menses and pre-menses phases. Larger studies are needed to elucidate a clinically relevant threshold for miR ratio and must include reliable measures of hormone profile. Chapters 7 and 8 outlined the Female Ribonecleic Acid in Concussion (FeRNAC) study that sought to understand whether salivary miR-27a-5p/miR-30a-3p, symptoms and recovery time were associated with hormone profile in 36 females. Progestin only contraception (PROG) and the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) were significantly associated with a shorter time to RTL/W (HR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.0 to 6.1; p=0.048 and HR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.1 to 6.4; p=0.027 respectively). There was no statistically significant mean difference between groups for initial symptom score, F(2, 33)=1.755, p=0.189). Only 14 (39%) of saliva samples provided a full miR ratio, the mean miR ratio was 0.84± 0.06 (0.75 to 0.92) and there was no statistically significant difference between groups for miR-27/miR-30 (F(2, 11)=0.519, p=0.609). Chapter 9 discussed valuable areas of focus for future concussion research in females including recommendations for in-field research protocols. This final chapter provided narrative on reflective learning throughout the thesis.
An Investigation Into Sub-Sector Productivity: The New Zealand Residential Construction Industry
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Kirby, Mark
Despite sustained investment, the New Zealand (NZ) residential construction sector exhibits a persistent productivity paradox, constrained by systemic challenges and an estimated annual cost of NZD 2.5 billion attributed to defects and rework. The extant literature exhibits a conceptual divergence, treating quality management (QM) and construction productivity as fragmented. Although seemingly aligned, theoretical foundations and practical approaches are distinct, thereby hindering the development of a holistic solution. This thesis addresses this oversight by rigorously investigating what effect QM has on enhancing productivity in the New Zealand residential construction sub-sector. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study utilised an initial survey (N = 106) to empirically rank productivity factors, followed by a diagnostic application of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) model. Quantitative findings were subsequently validated through qualitative semi-structured expert interviews (N=15). The TOC analysis demonstrated that poor QM is the singular non-physical bottleneck limiting productivity and restricting the system’s capacity, driven by an endemic culture that “hyper normalises substandard practices.” The analysis establishes QM not as a contributory factor but as the root cause constraint. The study’s primary contribution is the development of a synthesised evidence-based QM strategy, (HEM) that resolves the conceptual divergence and provides a framework for sustainable performance. The research culminates in a proposal for a National Construction, Productivity and Quality Commission (NCPQC), offering policymakers a blueprint for institutionalising systemic national-level reform. The findings move productivity improvement from an aspiration to a viable societal goal, contributing significantly to New Zealand’s economic resilience and societal well-being.
Post OS Patch Testing 22 Jan - Prod
(Auckland University of Technology, 2026) Mahli, Rudy
This is a test
A Secure and Energy-Efficient Cross-Layer Framework for Internet of Things Networks
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Mustafa, Rashid
In resource-constrained environments, achieving the optimal balance between security and energy efficiency remains a fundamental challenge in the design of the Internet of Things (IoT) networks. This thesis proposes and reports on a novel cross-layer framework spanning the Application, Network, and Sensor Layers that is both secure and energy-efficient. The methodology integrates comprehensive simulations, real-world testbeds and machine learning (ML) models to design and validate the proposed architecture. A runtime adaptive cryptographic system employing lightweight encryption algorithms Speck, and Present with dynamic round reduction is developed to minimize energy consumption without compromising cryptographic strength. To further enhance threat resilience, ML based intrusion detection is incorporated across all layers, utilizing models such as decision trees and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, resulting in significantly improved anomaly detection accuracy. Empirical results from Contiki/Cooja and NS-3 simulations, alongside hardware evaluations, confirm that the framework improves packet delivery, reduces latency, and enhances power efficiency. Overall, the cross-layer architecture demonstrates robust scalability, resilience to cyberattacks, and practical suitability for sustainable IoT deployments in real-world, resource-constrained scenarios. This research addresses gaps in prior single-layer security models by proposing a novel, integrated design and sets the foundation for future works.
The Application of a Virtual Programmable Logic Device for Robotic Control and Pattern Recognition
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Borrett, Fraser
This research derives and evaluates a novel machine learning architecture called the Virtual Programmable Logic Device (VPLD), and if the VPLD can become a competitor to the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) when evolved for applications in robotic control and pattern recognition. The VPLD is based on the architecture of a programmable logic device but is coded in software rather than in hardware. This allows the VPLD to be run on CPU based platforms including standard PCs, mobile phones and ARM based embedded systems such as the Raspberry Pi. The operation of the VPLD can be configured and optimised using evolutionary algorithms. The VPLD is inspired by previous Evolvable Hardware architectures evolved for applications such as robotic control. In the Evolvable Hardware domain electronic circuits are evolved on programmable logic devices such as the field programmable gate array (FPGA). The VPLD is investigated in two fields: 1) evolutionary robotics where the gait control of a hexapod robot and the autonomous navigation of a two-wheel drive mobile robot is examined; and 2) in pattern recognition where character recognition, and melanoma classification are evaluated. In both application domains two types of VPLD are investigated, the first is the digital VPLD (D-VPLD) which mimics the PLD binary variables and digital logic, the second is the floating-point VPLD (F-VPLD) which uses floating-point variables and mathematical functions. The floating-point variables are complex to implement in hardware on a FPGA. In the gait control of a hexapod, a evolvable hardware implementation is designed to validate the VPLD architecture. In this validation it is demonstrated that the VPLD compared to the evolvable hardware for robotic control is faster to evolve, as well as simpler and cheaper to implement. To assess the VPLDs controller and classifier performance it is benchmarked against an ANN. The VPLD and ANN are evolved for the robotic control and pattern recognition problems using the same evolutionary algorithm. The results of the experiments show the VPLD is a viable alternative to the ANN in both robotic control and pattern recognition applications as the VPLD could achieve the same, and in some cases better performance than the ANN.
Love and [re]Organising: Rediscovering Architectural Agency Through Gathering
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Forde, Tessa
This practice oriented research posits that the architecture discipline is formed not only through the research, conception, and design of buildings and other shared environments but is constructed by and depends on gathering: around ideas, people, actions, values, and shared ritual. In this the history of architecture can be understood as a history of gathering. This suggests that architecture’s gathering spaces: its collectives, institutions, clubs, publications, and so on hold significant sway in what is central to the profession and how this manifests in shared environments. The research presents a theory of the ‘Ground’ discovered through practice—a vast conceptual space of interacting ideas, knowledges, and ways of being that determine real and experienced outcomes in the world. Everything is always producing and interacting with the Ground, but gatherings generate connection to the Ground and allow collective curation and agency in its outcomes. The research suggests that a lack of connection to the Ground of architecture in Aotearoa weakens architecture’s agency, and therefore looks to how architects gather, what they gather around, and how the relational nature of these gathering spaces allows opportunity to imagine, create, discover, reinforce, or influence knowledges and practices and therefore strengthen connection to the Ground. More specifically the research reflects on a series of practice oriented explorations of how to design, organise, envision, enact, and sustain current and new modes of gatherings that can allow architects more agency in anticipating and responding to global challenges and opportunities. From this, the research advances a methodology of Ground-making which involves creating gatherings where ideas and ways of being can be explored, a diverse array of practices can interact and exchange, and where other futures can be imagined and actioned. Ground-making encompasses four practice approaches: 'Traversing The Ground' surveys architecture’s field, a review enlivened by being out and with the world in architecture’s gathering spaces, engaging in architecture discourse across a vast array of sources, and going to events and meet-ups; 'School-making' creates experimental learning platforms for knowledge sharing, creative exploration, and testing and performing other realities; 'Trouble-making' develops strategic actions that critically target the legal and structural systems that underpin the creation of the built environment; 'Creating Community' Infrastructures designs and fosters rituals and relational systems that sustain collective gathering; The research thus seeks to theorise and propose tactics and tools for making gatherings that engage and reveal the Ground. It concludes that for the reimagined gathering spaces to garner momentum, a Ground-maker should engage organising principles capable of creating dynamic connection between diverse and otherwise disparate practices, people, and ideologies; foster deep Love for all beings and things material and immaterial; and emphasise a re-organisation of relationships to each other and the world. Finally, a practice of Ground-making that creates the conditions of possibility for gathering can also offer a methodological approach to conventional architecture practice, proposing methods for the design and nurturing of existing or incidental communities in the imagination and realisation of their shared, public spaces.
Let’s Talk About Stress: Community Child Health Nurses Experiences of Stress in Whānau Engagements
(Auckland University of Technology, 2025) Hodren, Anne
Background While stress is considered a normal part of daily life community child health nurses are often experiencing multiple complex stressors as part of their care of whānau. While community child health nursing is undoubtedly valued and highly skilled work, the very nature of this work inevitably exposes community child health nurses to multiple psychologically demanding challenges and stressors that could significantly impact on the nurse’s wellbeing, and their capacity to engage with, and be attuned to, whānau. While there is some evidence that explores and describes the impact of stress in general and in nursing, little is known about how community child health nurses in Aotearoa New Zealand experience stress when engaging with whānau and how this affects their capacity to be attuned to the whānau they are supporting. Objective This study aimed to explore community child health nurses’ experiences of, and perspectives on, self-regulation and attunement in times of stress when working with whānau. Two research questions were posed; firstly, how do Aotearoa New Zealand Community Child Health nurses describe the relationship between stress and the capacity to self-regulate their stress response when engaging with whānau? and secondly, how do Aotearoa New Zealand Community Child Health nurses describe the influence of stress on attunement, the capacity to build trust, and their ability to reflect on whānau relationships? Using interpretive descriptive methodology, this qualitative study was undertaken in two phases, with phase one being a vignette-based survey with 26 community child health nurse participants, and phase two being a semi-structured interview with 10 community child health nurse participants. Findings Unique to this study was the rich description of the experience and impact of stress by Aotearoa New Zealand community child health nurse participants when engaging with whānau; a relatively unexplored area of nursing practice in the literature, especially as the study focused solely on exploring the impact of stress within engagement with whānau and describing what the experience is genuinely like for the nurses. The findings provide a unique picture of the complexity the nurse participants faced in navigating whānau relationships, while simultaneously being in a state of stress, which, at times, made it difficult for the nurses to recognise their own stress, and hindered their capacity to make sound decisions, while also remaining attuned and professional. The findings revealed the individual nurse’s experience of stress to be unique, complex, and unpredictable, and shaped by context, as the nurse participants strived to establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with whānau, while managing their own stress responses. The resulting impact on nurses and whānau relationships requires urgent attention to reduce the negative impact of stress on community child health nurses, and improve knowledge, resourcing, and supports to ensure safe and quality care. Conclusions The significance of the study findings lies in the ‘laying bare’ of the nurse participants’ experiences of the pervasive nature of stress, and its profound impact on both the nurses themselves, and their care of whānau. Attention needs to be drawn urgently to the consequences of stress on community child health nurses, so that the quality and continuity of care in community child health nursing is not compromised. The normalisation and acceptance of stress within the nursing profession has served to further entrench stress as an inevitable part of nursing practice, thereby limiting opportunities for personal, professional and systemic change. As a key outcome of the study, a multipronged approach is proposed that buffers and ameliorates the negative impacts of stress, lifting the sole responsibility for managing stress off the shoulders of nurses and redistributing it across employers, government, education, and other institutions within the Aotearoa New Zealand context. When managing stress is everyone’s responsibility, there is a greater chance of change.

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