Neutralisation of toxic mine waste in wetlands through electro-osmosis
- Authors: Gacad, Felizardo
- Date: 1998
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text: false
- Description: Master of Engineering Science
Never afters : female friendship and collaboration in contemporary re-visioned fairy tales by women
- Authors: McDermott, Kirstyn
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Antagonism among girls and women in fairy tales has been the subject of much critical and popular discussion over recent decades. Significantly less attention, however, has been paid to the frequent absence of collaborative female relationships in traditional fairy tales and their contemporary retellings. Holding re-visioned fairy tales to be a type of feminist creative praxis, this thesis investigates how mutually beneficial relationships between female characters may be constructed within such narratives. “Never Afters” is a collection of six re-visions, written as sequels to well-known fairy tales from the Western European corpus. Situated within a genre that commonly isolates female characters or foregrounds female antagonism, each re-vision employs one (or more) of five key strategies that are used by contemporary authors to imagine collaborative female relationships within retold fairy tales: inversion, insertion/deletion, expansion, fusion, and extrapolation. The exegesis contextualises my creative work and assesses the strengths and limitations of each strategy by critically examining how they are used in contemporary fairy tales by authors including Emma Donoghue, Theodora Goss, Angela Slatter, Aimee Bender, and Kelly Link. I demonstrate that expansion, fusion, and extrapolation best allow authors to introduce new female characters and fresh feminist perspectives that move away from female exceptionalism and instead foreground female collaboration and friendship as potent sources of narrative power. The exegesis further argues that the cognitive sciences, and schema theories in particular, may offer insights as to why collaborative female relationships have received such scant representation. Using case studies of my own creative praxis, I explore the ways in which female isolation and acrimony are re-inscribed in contemporary work and recommend the adoption of new frameworks through which creative writers may critically and reflexively interrogate their tacit storytelling knowledge.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: McDermott, Kirstyn
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Antagonism among girls and women in fairy tales has been the subject of much critical and popular discussion over recent decades. Significantly less attention, however, has been paid to the frequent absence of collaborative female relationships in traditional fairy tales and their contemporary retellings. Holding re-visioned fairy tales to be a type of feminist creative praxis, this thesis investigates how mutually beneficial relationships between female characters may be constructed within such narratives. “Never Afters” is a collection of six re-visions, written as sequels to well-known fairy tales from the Western European corpus. Situated within a genre that commonly isolates female characters or foregrounds female antagonism, each re-vision employs one (or more) of five key strategies that are used by contemporary authors to imagine collaborative female relationships within retold fairy tales: inversion, insertion/deletion, expansion, fusion, and extrapolation. The exegesis contextualises my creative work and assesses the strengths and limitations of each strategy by critically examining how they are used in contemporary fairy tales by authors including Emma Donoghue, Theodora Goss, Angela Slatter, Aimee Bender, and Kelly Link. I demonstrate that expansion, fusion, and extrapolation best allow authors to introduce new female characters and fresh feminist perspectives that move away from female exceptionalism and instead foreground female collaboration and friendship as potent sources of narrative power. The exegesis further argues that the cognitive sciences, and schema theories in particular, may offer insights as to why collaborative female relationships have received such scant representation. Using case studies of my own creative praxis, I explore the ways in which female isolation and acrimony are re-inscribed in contemporary work and recommend the adoption of new frameworks through which creative writers may critically and reflexively interrogate their tacit storytelling knowledge.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Never give up... : Perceptions of perseverance and its impact on the life and academic success of nine university students
- Authors: Griffiths, Katrina
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Perseverance is a quality which individuals draw on to achieve their goals, despite any challenges they may face, and so is one of the keys to academic and life success. Perseverance is considered to be a positive attribute that can be learned. In this study, how tertiary students understand perseverance, how they acquired it and its role in their lives and learning are explored. The research sample for the study consists of nine pre-service teachers from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in regional Victoria, Australia. The researcher uses semi-structured interviews, and draws on educational and salutogenic theory and a qualitative methodology. The data has been analysed within the Ecological framework based on the work of McLeroy and colleagues (1988). In the introductory chapter the aims of the study are outlined, perseverance is defined and its significance as a character strength/ attribute is considered. The second chapter, the literature review, explores the extent to which perseverance, along with associated character strengths, has been identified as a significant factor that influences educational achievement and the ability to meet life’s challenges. The third chapter provides justification for applying a qualitative phenomenological methodology, with particular attention to describing both the salutogenic theoretical perspective and the Ecological Model (EM). The fourth chapter, the data analysis, identifies themes within the data and these are discussed with reference to the relationships between the EM layers. The fifth chapter offers the discussion, implications and conclusion of the study. The research findings indicate that all the participants defined perseverance as an attribute or character strength which they called on to overcome challenges and obstacles as they pursued their goals. They associated it with such qualities as persistence, motivation, commitment, focus, goal-setting and strength, amongst others. They recognized perseverance as integral to their academic success as well as to their ability to manage crises and challenges in their lives. They identified multiple contributors to their acquisition of perseverance, including family members, friends and some teachers. Many of the participants identified instances when they made a conscious decision to persevere, and viewed the experience as definitive in their growth as mature people. However, few of the participants considered the schools they attended to have played a significant role in developing their understanding of perseverance or of helping them acquire it, though they were appreciative of those teachers who gave them general support and encouragement. They recognized the importance of schools and teachers explicitly teaching perseverance and supporting its development through positive critique and feedback, and of students experiencing multiple opportunities for practising perseverance at the individual, family, school and policy levels. In educational practice, these conclusions suggest that further research into how best to implement these approaches across all schools would be invaluable.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Description: erseverance is a quality which individuals draw on to achieve their goals, despite any challenges they may face, and so is one of the keys to academic and life success. Perseverance is considered to be a positive attribute that can be learned. In this study, how tertiary students understand perseverance, how they acquired it and its role in their lives and learning are explored. The research sample for the study consists of nine pre-service teachers from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in regional Victoria, Australia. The researcher uses semi-structured interviews, and draws on educational and salutogenic theory and a qualitative methodology. The data has been analysed within the Ecological framework based on the work of McLeroy and colleagues (1988). In the introductory chapter the aims of the study are outlined, perseverance is defined and its significance as a character strength/ attribute is considered. The second chapter, the literature review, explores the extent to which perseverance, along with associated character strengths, has been identified as a significant factor that influences educational achievement and the ability to meet life’s challenges. The third chapter provides justification for applying a qualitative phenomenological methodology, with particular attention to describing both the salutogenic theoretical perspective and the Ecological Model (EM). The fourth chapter, the data analysis, identifies themes within the data and these are discussed with reference to the relationships between the EM layers. The fifth chapter offers the discussion, implications and conclusion of the study. The research findings indicate that all the participants defined perseverance as an attribute or character strength which they called on to overcome challenges and obstacles as they pursued their goals. They associated it with such qualities as persistence, motivation, commitment, focus, goal-setting and strength, amongst others. They recognized perseverance as integral to their academic success as well as to their ability to manage crises and challenges in their lives. They identified multiple contributors to their acquisition of perseverance, including family members, friends and some teachers. Many of the participants identified instances when they made a conscious decision to persevere, and viewed the experience as definitive in their growth as mature people. However, few of the participants considered the schools they attended to have played a significant role in developing their understanding of perseverance or of helping them acquire it, though they were appreciative of those teachers who gave them general support and encouragement. They recognized the importance of schools and teachers explicitly teaching perseverance and supporting its development through positive critique and feedback, and of students experiencing multiple opportunities for practising perseverance at the individual, family, school and policy levels. In educational practice, these conclusions suggest that further research into how best to implement these approaches across all schools would be invaluable.
- Authors: Griffiths, Katrina
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Perseverance is a quality which individuals draw on to achieve their goals, despite any challenges they may face, and so is one of the keys to academic and life success. Perseverance is considered to be a positive attribute that can be learned. In this study, how tertiary students understand perseverance, how they acquired it and its role in their lives and learning are explored. The research sample for the study consists of nine pre-service teachers from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in regional Victoria, Australia. The researcher uses semi-structured interviews, and draws on educational and salutogenic theory and a qualitative methodology. The data has been analysed within the Ecological framework based on the work of McLeroy and colleagues (1988). In the introductory chapter the aims of the study are outlined, perseverance is defined and its significance as a character strength/ attribute is considered. The second chapter, the literature review, explores the extent to which perseverance, along with associated character strengths, has been identified as a significant factor that influences educational achievement and the ability to meet life’s challenges. The third chapter provides justification for applying a qualitative phenomenological methodology, with particular attention to describing both the salutogenic theoretical perspective and the Ecological Model (EM). The fourth chapter, the data analysis, identifies themes within the data and these are discussed with reference to the relationships between the EM layers. The fifth chapter offers the discussion, implications and conclusion of the study. The research findings indicate that all the participants defined perseverance as an attribute or character strength which they called on to overcome challenges and obstacles as they pursued their goals. They associated it with such qualities as persistence, motivation, commitment, focus, goal-setting and strength, amongst others. They recognized perseverance as integral to their academic success as well as to their ability to manage crises and challenges in their lives. They identified multiple contributors to their acquisition of perseverance, including family members, friends and some teachers. Many of the participants identified instances when they made a conscious decision to persevere, and viewed the experience as definitive in their growth as mature people. However, few of the participants considered the schools they attended to have played a significant role in developing their understanding of perseverance or of helping them acquire it, though they were appreciative of those teachers who gave them general support and encouragement. They recognized the importance of schools and teachers explicitly teaching perseverance and supporting its development through positive critique and feedback, and of students experiencing multiple opportunities for practising perseverance at the individual, family, school and policy levels. In educational practice, these conclusions suggest that further research into how best to implement these approaches across all schools would be invaluable.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Description: erseverance is a quality which individuals draw on to achieve their goals, despite any challenges they may face, and so is one of the keys to academic and life success. Perseverance is considered to be a positive attribute that can be learned. In this study, how tertiary students understand perseverance, how they acquired it and its role in their lives and learning are explored. The research sample for the study consists of nine pre-service teachers from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in regional Victoria, Australia. The researcher uses semi-structured interviews, and draws on educational and salutogenic theory and a qualitative methodology. The data has been analysed within the Ecological framework based on the work of McLeroy and colleagues (1988). In the introductory chapter the aims of the study are outlined, perseverance is defined and its significance as a character strength/ attribute is considered. The second chapter, the literature review, explores the extent to which perseverance, along with associated character strengths, has been identified as a significant factor that influences educational achievement and the ability to meet life’s challenges. The third chapter provides justification for applying a qualitative phenomenological methodology, with particular attention to describing both the salutogenic theoretical perspective and the Ecological Model (EM). The fourth chapter, the data analysis, identifies themes within the data and these are discussed with reference to the relationships between the EM layers. The fifth chapter offers the discussion, implications and conclusion of the study. The research findings indicate that all the participants defined perseverance as an attribute or character strength which they called on to overcome challenges and obstacles as they pursued their goals. They associated it with such qualities as persistence, motivation, commitment, focus, goal-setting and strength, amongst others. They recognized perseverance as integral to their academic success as well as to their ability to manage crises and challenges in their lives. They identified multiple contributors to their acquisition of perseverance, including family members, friends and some teachers. Many of the participants identified instances when they made a conscious decision to persevere, and viewed the experience as definitive in their growth as mature people. However, few of the participants considered the schools they attended to have played a significant role in developing their understanding of perseverance or of helping them acquire it, though they were appreciative of those teachers who gave them general support and encouragement. They recognized the importance of schools and teachers explicitly teaching perseverance and supporting its development through positive critique and feedback, and of students experiencing multiple opportunities for practising perseverance at the individual, family, school and policy levels. In educational practice, these conclusions suggest that further research into how best to implement these approaches across all schools would be invaluable.
New insights into wild deer population genetics, ecology and impacts : implications for management in south eastern Australia
- Authors: Davies, Christopher
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis is a compilation of my own work, driven by my interest into the ecology and impacts of introduced deer in Victoria. My interest in deer initially lead me to undertake an honours project, focussed on deer as a vector for parasites that can affect domestic livestock. During my honours year it became apparent that little was known about the ecology of wild deer throughout south east Australia. My PhD study was therefore developed to fill knowledge gaps of deer ecology, with a focus on developing and optimising ecological tools to generate data to improve deer management strategies. There are many methods available which can be used to collect ecological data on invasive species, such as deer. For my study, I chose methods from four quite discrete fields; global positioning systems (GPS) tracking, population genetics, camera trapping and spatial modelling. These methods were chosen as they are commonly used in ecological studies of invasive species. During my candidature significant attempts were made to deploy GPS collars onto sambar deer to investigate their movement patterns. Movement pattern data is extremely useful and can provide insights into habitat preferences, dispersal ability and other information useful for management. Significant time (around 12 months) was spent applying for ethics approval, gaining relevant approvals, permits and licenses to perform this work as well as performing collaring attempts. Unfortunately all attempts were unsuccessful and the investigation of sambar deer movement patterns had to be abandoned. This highlights the difficulties of working with cryptic deer species inhabiting difficult terrain. The other fields of research pursued (population genetics, camera trapping and spatial modelling) were more successful, the results of which are presented and discussed in this thesis. As the three methods employed in this study are taken from very different fields, a number of experts were enlisted to guide the respective data chapters. The population genetic studies (Chapters two and three) were guided by my primary supervisor Dr Fiona Hogan. I conducted all scat collections from across Victoria, including French Island and Mount Cole and performed all DNA isolations (over 300 in total). Population structure analysis for chapter three was undertaken with the assistance of Dr Faye Wedrowicz and Dr Carlo Pacioni. The camera trapping study (Chapter four) involved deploying camera traps in Baw Baw National Park, which I conducted myself. Occupancy and detectability data analysis for chapter four was performed with the assistance of Dr Hugh Davies. Spatial modelling (Chapter five) which focussed on modelling deer-vehicle collision risk across Victoria was directed by Dr Casey Visintin. Chapter’s two to five are written as independent scientific publications, therefore there is some unavoidable repetition within the thesis as a whole. Minor changes have been made to the formatting of the published papers to keep style consistent within the thesis.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Davies, Christopher
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis is a compilation of my own work, driven by my interest into the ecology and impacts of introduced deer in Victoria. My interest in deer initially lead me to undertake an honours project, focussed on deer as a vector for parasites that can affect domestic livestock. During my honours year it became apparent that little was known about the ecology of wild deer throughout south east Australia. My PhD study was therefore developed to fill knowledge gaps of deer ecology, with a focus on developing and optimising ecological tools to generate data to improve deer management strategies. There are many methods available which can be used to collect ecological data on invasive species, such as deer. For my study, I chose methods from four quite discrete fields; global positioning systems (GPS) tracking, population genetics, camera trapping and spatial modelling. These methods were chosen as they are commonly used in ecological studies of invasive species. During my candidature significant attempts were made to deploy GPS collars onto sambar deer to investigate their movement patterns. Movement pattern data is extremely useful and can provide insights into habitat preferences, dispersal ability and other information useful for management. Significant time (around 12 months) was spent applying for ethics approval, gaining relevant approvals, permits and licenses to perform this work as well as performing collaring attempts. Unfortunately all attempts were unsuccessful and the investigation of sambar deer movement patterns had to be abandoned. This highlights the difficulties of working with cryptic deer species inhabiting difficult terrain. The other fields of research pursued (population genetics, camera trapping and spatial modelling) were more successful, the results of which are presented and discussed in this thesis. As the three methods employed in this study are taken from very different fields, a number of experts were enlisted to guide the respective data chapters. The population genetic studies (Chapters two and three) were guided by my primary supervisor Dr Fiona Hogan. I conducted all scat collections from across Victoria, including French Island and Mount Cole and performed all DNA isolations (over 300 in total). Population structure analysis for chapter three was undertaken with the assistance of Dr Faye Wedrowicz and Dr Carlo Pacioni. The camera trapping study (Chapter four) involved deploying camera traps in Baw Baw National Park, which I conducted myself. Occupancy and detectability data analysis for chapter four was performed with the assistance of Dr Hugh Davies. Spatial modelling (Chapter five) which focussed on modelling deer-vehicle collision risk across Victoria was directed by Dr Casey Visintin. Chapter’s two to five are written as independent scientific publications, therefore there is some unavoidable repetition within the thesis as a whole. Minor changes have been made to the formatting of the published papers to keep style consistent within the thesis.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Non-linear analogues of Lagrange functions in constrained optimization
- Authors: Giri, Jason
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "This thesis investigates several non-linear analogues of Lagrange functions in the hope of answering the question 'Is it possible to generalise Lagrange functions such that they may be applied to a range of nonconvex objective problems?' The answer to this question is found to be yes for a particular class of optimization problems. Furthermore the thesis asserts that in derivative free optimization the general schema which is most theoretically and practically appealing involves the reformulation of both objective and constraint functions, whilst the least practically successful approach for everything but the most simple convex case is the augmented Lagrangian approach."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Giri, Jason
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "This thesis investigates several non-linear analogues of Lagrange functions in the hope of answering the question 'Is it possible to generalise Lagrange functions such that they may be applied to a range of nonconvex objective problems?' The answer to this question is found to be yes for a particular class of optimization problems. Furthermore the thesis asserts that in derivative free optimization the general schema which is most theoretically and practically appealing involves the reformulation of both objective and constraint functions, whilst the least practically successful approach for everything but the most simple convex case is the augmented Lagrangian approach."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Nonsmooth and derivative-free optimization based hybrid methods and applications
- Authors: Long, Qiang
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "In this thesis, we develop hybrid methods for solving global and in particular, nonsmooth optimization problems. Hybrid methods are becoming more popular in global optimization since they allow to apply powerful smooth optimization techniques to solve global optimization problems. Such methods are able to efficiently solve global optimization problems with large number of variables. To date global search algorithms have been mainly applied to improve global search properties of the local search methods (including smooth optimization algorithms). In this thesis we apply rather different strategy to design hybrid methods. We use local search algorithms to improve the efficiency of global search methods. The thesis consists of two parts. In the first part we describe hybrid algorithms and in the second part we consider their various applications." -- taken from Abstract.
- Description: Operational Research and Cybernetics
- Authors: Long, Qiang
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: "In this thesis, we develop hybrid methods for solving global and in particular, nonsmooth optimization problems. Hybrid methods are becoming more popular in global optimization since they allow to apply powerful smooth optimization techniques to solve global optimization problems. Such methods are able to efficiently solve global optimization problems with large number of variables. To date global search algorithms have been mainly applied to improve global search properties of the local search methods (including smooth optimization algorithms). In this thesis we apply rather different strategy to design hybrid methods. We use local search algorithms to improve the efficiency of global search methods. The thesis consists of two parts. In the first part we describe hybrid algorithms and in the second part we consider their various applications." -- taken from Abstract.
- Description: Operational Research and Cybernetics
Nonsmooth optimization algorithms for clusterwise linear regression
- Authors: Mirzayeva, Hijran
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text: false
- Description: Data mining is about solving problems by analyzing data that present in databases. Supervised and unsupervised data classification (clustering) are among the most important techniques in data mining. Regression analysis is the process of fitting a function (often linear) to the data to discover how one or more variables vary as a function of another. The aim of clusterwise regression is to combine both of these techniques, to discover trends within data, when more than one trend is likely to exist. Clusterwise regression has applications for instance in market segmentation, where it allows one to gather information on customer behaviors for several unknown groups of customers. There exist different methods for solving clusterwise linear regression problems. In spite of that, the development of efficient algorithms for solving clusterwise linear regression problems is still an important research topic. In this thesis our aim is to develop new algorithms for solving clusterwise linear regression problems in large data sets based on incremental and nonsmooth optimization approaches. Three new methods for solving clusterwise linear regression problems are developed and numerically tested on publicly available data sets for regression analysis. The first method is a new algorithm for solving the clusterwise linear regression problems based on their nonsmooth nonconvex formulation. This is an incremental algorithm. The second method is a nonsmooth optimization algorithm for solving clusterwise linear regression problems. Nonsmooth optimization techniques are proposed to use instead of the Sp¨ath algorithm to solve optimization problems at each iteration of the incremental algorithm. The discrete gradient method is used to solve nonsmooth optimization problems at each iteration of the incremental algorithm. This approach allows one to reduce the CPU time and the number of regression problems solved in comparison with the first incremental algorithm. The third algorithm is an algorithm based on an incremental approach and on the smoothing techniques for solving clusterwise linear regression problems. The use of smoothing techniques allows one to apply powerful methods of smooth nonlinear programming to solve clusterwise linear regression problems. Numerical results are presented for all three algorithms using small to large data sets. The new algorithms are also compared with multi-start Sp¨ath algorithm for clusterwise linear regression.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Nonsmooth optimization models and algorithms for data clustering and visualization
- Authors: Mohebi, Ehsan
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis
- Full Text:
- Description: Cluster analysis deals with the problem of organization of a collection of patterns into clusters based on a similarity measure. Various distance functions can be used to define this measure. Clustering problems with the similarity measure defined by the squared Euclidean distance have been studied extensively over the last five decades. However, problems with other Minkowski norms have attracted significantly less attention. The use of different similarity measures may help to identify different cluster structures of a data set. This in turn may help to significantly improve the decision making process. High dimensional data visualization is another important task in the field of data mining and pattern recognition. To date, the principal component analysis and the self-organizing maps techniques have been used to solve such problems. In this thesis we develop algorithms for solving clustering problems in large data sets using various similarity measures. Such similarity measures are based on the squared L
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Mohebi, Ehsan
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis
- Full Text:
- Description: Cluster analysis deals with the problem of organization of a collection of patterns into clusters based on a similarity measure. Various distance functions can be used to define this measure. Clustering problems with the similarity measure defined by the squared Euclidean distance have been studied extensively over the last five decades. However, problems with other Minkowski norms have attracted significantly less attention. The use of different similarity measures may help to identify different cluster structures of a data set. This in turn may help to significantly improve the decision making process. High dimensional data visualization is another important task in the field of data mining and pattern recognition. To date, the principal component analysis and the self-organizing maps techniques have been used to solve such problems. In this thesis we develop algorithms for solving clustering problems in large data sets using various similarity measures. Such similarity measures are based on the squared L
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Oke, Marion
- Date: 1995
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text: false
- Description: "The primary aim of the study was to compare effects of night work and day work (rotating morning/day/evening shifts) on the physical, psychological and social well being of nurses."
- Description: Master of Applied Science
Occupational fatalities in Victoria 1990-1993 : a case for the control of damaging energy not behaviour
- Authors: McLean, Colin
- Date: 1993
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: "The aim of the study is to analyse occupational traumatic fatalities in Victoria from the period 1990 through to 1993, to identify opportunities for prevention."
- Description: Thesis (Master of Applied Science)
- Authors: McLean, Colin
- Date: 1993
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: "The aim of the study is to analyse occupational traumatic fatalities in Victoria from the period 1990 through to 1993, to identify opportunities for prevention."
- Description: Thesis (Master of Applied Science)
- Authors: Popplewell, Ainslie
- Date: 1993
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text: false
- Description: Masters of Science
Occupational rehabilitation in Victoria : practitioners' perceptions of change
- Authors: Lord, Anne
- Date: 1996
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text: false
- Description: "The aim of this work is to assess the impact of legislative changes on the practice of occupational rehabilitation as perceived by rehabilitation practioners using the Victorian experience as a case study."
- Description: Master of Applied Science
Occupational stress identified in occupational, health and safety practitioners
- Authors: Thatcher, Anthony
- Date: 1991
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text: false
- Description: Masters Degree in Applied Science, Occupational Health and Safety
Occupationally exposed sulphide lead workers and tobacco smoking 1996-1997
- Authors: Tight, Peter
- Date: 1998
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text: false
- Description: The aim of the study was to determine if tobacco smoking contributes to elevated blood lead levels, in a study of sulphide exposed mining process workers.
- Description: Master of Applied Science
Of railways, wine and flowers : A biography of George William Knight
- Authors: Hunter, Robyn
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines misunderstandings surrounding class and reveals Knight to have been a member of the petty bourgeoisie - aspirational, yet understanding and empathetic towards working people. Knight was an erudite, respectable gentleman, an intellectual, a man of culture, committed to liberal values and the code of the gentleman, and a defender of the oppressed. Highlighted in this study are the high tides, low ebbs and pivotal turning points that beset Knight's life. A noted writer and raconteur, he was an influential figure in Bendigo and the colony. Covering more than ninety years, Knight's story encompasses London 1832-56, early colonial Victoria to 1923, and shines a light on one of the many oft-forgotten people who helped to build the colony.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Description: The title page photograph
- Authors: Hunter, Robyn
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines misunderstandings surrounding class and reveals Knight to have been a member of the petty bourgeoisie - aspirational, yet understanding and empathetic towards working people. Knight was an erudite, respectable gentleman, an intellectual, a man of culture, committed to liberal values and the code of the gentleman, and a defender of the oppressed. Highlighted in this study are the high tides, low ebbs and pivotal turning points that beset Knight's life. A noted writer and raconteur, he was an influential figure in Bendigo and the colony. Covering more than ninety years, Knight's story encompasses London 1832-56, early colonial Victoria to 1923, and shines a light on one of the many oft-forgotten people who helped to build the colony.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Description: The title page photograph
OH&S in small business : Influencing the decision makers : The application of a social marketing model to increase the uptake of OHS risk control
- Authors: Cowley, Stephen
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Losses resulting from traumatic injuries and occupational disease are prevalent in the small business sector of Australian industry. Although the true size of the problem is unclear, it is estimated that the losses amount to more than $8 billion annually. The hazard control measures to counter these losses are largely known and are available to small businesses but they are not widely adopted. Regulators and other bodies have employed a range of intervention strategies to influence decision-makers in small businesses but most have focussed on the dissemination of printed materials or broadbased advertising campaigns with limited success......... The research concludes that the listening processes at the heart of social marketing add to the methods already used in the OHS discipline by forcing the marketer to listen to the subjective assessment of risk as perceived by targets as well as to question the evidence base that supports the legitimacy and efficacy of the proposed intervention. The TTM was found to be a useful means of categorising small business decision-maker behaviour and assessing the readiness for change of individuals and therefore the messages that are needed to unfreeze behaviour. The TTM also provides a tool for evaluation of the impact of an intervention.As a result of this research it is suggested that opinion leaders, who are employed within a social marketing model to diffuse information, multiply the effort of those wishing to increase the adoption of an innovation. Thus engagement of opinion leaders by an OHS authority for the communication of risk control messages may be more cost-effective than attempting to visit every workplace within an industry group. Thus, although social marketing is not in the general repertoire of OHS interventions, it appears to be extremely useful as a framework for interventions and, when used in concert with a stages of change model, provides natural lead indicators for evaluating the impact of OHS interventions. Application of social marketing to people who have the responsibility for the health and safety of others was unique.
- Description: Doctor of Philosphy
- Authors: Cowley, Stephen
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Losses resulting from traumatic injuries and occupational disease are prevalent in the small business sector of Australian industry. Although the true size of the problem is unclear, it is estimated that the losses amount to more than $8 billion annually. The hazard control measures to counter these losses are largely known and are available to small businesses but they are not widely adopted. Regulators and other bodies have employed a range of intervention strategies to influence decision-makers in small businesses but most have focussed on the dissemination of printed materials or broadbased advertising campaigns with limited success......... The research concludes that the listening processes at the heart of social marketing add to the methods already used in the OHS discipline by forcing the marketer to listen to the subjective assessment of risk as perceived by targets as well as to question the evidence base that supports the legitimacy and efficacy of the proposed intervention. The TTM was found to be a useful means of categorising small business decision-maker behaviour and assessing the readiness for change of individuals and therefore the messages that are needed to unfreeze behaviour. The TTM also provides a tool for evaluation of the impact of an intervention.As a result of this research it is suggested that opinion leaders, who are employed within a social marketing model to diffuse information, multiply the effort of those wishing to increase the adoption of an innovation. Thus engagement of opinion leaders by an OHS authority for the communication of risk control messages may be more cost-effective than attempting to visit every workplace within an industry group. Thus, although social marketing is not in the general repertoire of OHS interventions, it appears to be extremely useful as a framework for interventions and, when used in concert with a stages of change model, provides natural lead indicators for evaluating the impact of OHS interventions. Application of social marketing to people who have the responsibility for the health and safety of others was unique.
- Description: Doctor of Philosphy
- Authors: Kerkham, Shelley
- Date: 1997
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text: false
- Description: The purpose of this project is to quantitatively and qualitatively analyse the effect of the WorkCover injury prevention performane standards as a measure of occupational health and safety (OHS) management performance, within the SA public sector and examine the relationship between the standards and costs of workers' compensation."
- Description: Master of Science
Open data and interoperability standards : opportunities for animal welfare in extensive livestock systems
- Authors: Bahlo, Christiane
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Extensive livestock farming constitutes a sizeable portion of agriculture, not only in relation to land use, but in contribution to feeding a growing human population. In addition to meat, it contributes other economically valuable commodities such as wool, hides and other products. The livestock industries are adopting technologies under the banner of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) to help meet higher production and efficiency targets as well as help to manage the multiple challenges impacting the industries, such as climate change, environmental concerns, globalisation of markets, increasing rules of governance and societal scrutiny especially in relation to animal welfare. PLF is particularly dependent on the acquisition and management of data and metadata and on the interoperability standards that allow data discovery and federation. A review of interoperability standards and PLF adoption in extensive livestock farming systems identified a lack of domain specific standards and raised questions related to the amount and quality of public data which has potential to inform livestock farming. A systematic review of public datasets, which included an assessment based on the principles that data must be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) was developed. Custom software scripts were used to conduct a dataset search to determine the quantity and quality of domain specific datasets yielded 419 unique Australian datasets directly related to extensive livestock farming. A FAIR assessment of these datasets using a set of non-domain specific, general metrics showed a moderate level of compliance. The results suggest that domain specific FAIR metrics may need to be developed to provide a more accurate data quality assessment, but also that the level of interoperability and reusability is not particularly high which has implications if public data is to be included in decision support tools. To test the usefulness of available public datasets in informing decision support in relation to livestock welfare, a case study was designed and farm animal welfare elements were extracted from Australian welfare standards to guide a dataset search. It was found that with few exceptions, these elements could be supported with public data, although there were gaps in temporal and spatial coverage. The development of a geospatial animal welfare portal including these datasets further explored and confirmed the potential for using public data to enhance livestock welfare.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Bahlo, Christiane
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Extensive livestock farming constitutes a sizeable portion of agriculture, not only in relation to land use, but in contribution to feeding a growing human population. In addition to meat, it contributes other economically valuable commodities such as wool, hides and other products. The livestock industries are adopting technologies under the banner of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) to help meet higher production and efficiency targets as well as help to manage the multiple challenges impacting the industries, such as climate change, environmental concerns, globalisation of markets, increasing rules of governance and societal scrutiny especially in relation to animal welfare. PLF is particularly dependent on the acquisition and management of data and metadata and on the interoperability standards that allow data discovery and federation. A review of interoperability standards and PLF adoption in extensive livestock farming systems identified a lack of domain specific standards and raised questions related to the amount and quality of public data which has potential to inform livestock farming. A systematic review of public datasets, which included an assessment based on the principles that data must be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) was developed. Custom software scripts were used to conduct a dataset search to determine the quantity and quality of domain specific datasets yielded 419 unique Australian datasets directly related to extensive livestock farming. A FAIR assessment of these datasets using a set of non-domain specific, general metrics showed a moderate level of compliance. The results suggest that domain specific FAIR metrics may need to be developed to provide a more accurate data quality assessment, but also that the level of interoperability and reusability is not particularly high which has implications if public data is to be included in decision support tools. To test the usefulness of available public datasets in informing decision support in relation to livestock welfare, a case study was designed and farm animal welfare elements were extracted from Australian welfare standards to guide a dataset search. It was found that with few exceptions, these elements could be supported with public data, although there were gaps in temporal and spatial coverage. The development of a geospatial animal welfare portal including these datasets further explored and confirmed the potential for using public data to enhance livestock welfare.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Optimal number and placement of network infrastructure in wireless networks
- Authors: Kouhbor, Shahnaz
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) have become a major success in telecommunications during the last few years, due to advantages such as mobility, flexibility, and easier maintenance. A device called an access point (AP) acts as a base station in WLAN for connecting a group of users to the network via radio signal. During the planning of such a network an important problem is to determine the optimal number of these devices and their placement/distribution so that coverage, capacity, and physical security are maximised at minimum cost. In this thesis we are using continuous optimisation techniques to optimise the number of APs and their distribution while cost of deployment is reduced and physical security of the network is enhanced. To find the number and placement of APs, we developed a multi-objective functions model based on path losses and power for free space environments. The two functions in the models are combined by using a balancing parameter. Since it is recognised that some of the objectives can be handled one at a time, in another approach, we followed a step-by-step procedure. We start with a novel optimisation model based on path losses for indoor environments including obstacles. Cost of deployment is saved by finding the minimum number of APs ensuring that the path loss at each test point/receiver is below the given maximum path loss. Next, the physical security of the network is enhanced by placing the APs far from places accessible to unauthorised users to reduce the risk of intrusion into the network. This is achieved in the framework of the model by introducing potential unauthorised users in unauthorised areas for whom coverage is minimised. Due to the presence of obstacles in indoor buildings, the path loss function is discontinuous. Therefore, the objective functions are very complicated and most of the existing optimisation algorithms cannot be applied to solve the problem. We use a global optimisation algorithm that is not used by other researchers to solve the same problem. To validate the accuracy of the optimisation model and performance of the numerical methods, we run tests on several indoor buildings and use wide range of WLAN parameters. The results demonstrate the quality of our model and algorithm. Based on the proposed model and algorithm, we developed a software to assist the network designers in planning wireless LANs.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Kouhbor, Shahnaz
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) have become a major success in telecommunications during the last few years, due to advantages such as mobility, flexibility, and easier maintenance. A device called an access point (AP) acts as a base station in WLAN for connecting a group of users to the network via radio signal. During the planning of such a network an important problem is to determine the optimal number of these devices and their placement/distribution so that coverage, capacity, and physical security are maximised at minimum cost. In this thesis we are using continuous optimisation techniques to optimise the number of APs and their distribution while cost of deployment is reduced and physical security of the network is enhanced. To find the number and placement of APs, we developed a multi-objective functions model based on path losses and power for free space environments. The two functions in the models are combined by using a balancing parameter. Since it is recognised that some of the objectives can be handled one at a time, in another approach, we followed a step-by-step procedure. We start with a novel optimisation model based on path losses for indoor environments including obstacles. Cost of deployment is saved by finding the minimum number of APs ensuring that the path loss at each test point/receiver is below the given maximum path loss. Next, the physical security of the network is enhanced by placing the APs far from places accessible to unauthorised users to reduce the risk of intrusion into the network. This is achieved in the framework of the model by introducing potential unauthorised users in unauthorised areas for whom coverage is minimised. Due to the presence of obstacles in indoor buildings, the path loss function is discontinuous. Therefore, the objective functions are very complicated and most of the existing optimisation algorithms cannot be applied to solve the problem. We use a global optimisation algorithm that is not used by other researchers to solve the same problem. To validate the accuracy of the optimisation model and performance of the numerical methods, we run tests on several indoor buildings and use wide range of WLAN parameters. The results demonstrate the quality of our model and algorithm. Based on the proposed model and algorithm, we developed a software to assist the network designers in planning wireless LANs.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Optimality conditions for nonsmooth optimization problems via generalised derivatives
- Authors: Hassani, Sara
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Aquatic plants are integral components of freshwater ecosystems and provide essential ecosystem services. However, when invasive species establish in new aquatic environments, there are few natural checks and balances to inhibit their growth and spread. Overabundant aquatic vegetation can harm aquatic systems if left unchecked and negatively impact on agricultural productivity, social amenity and biodiversity values. Prevention and early intervention are recognised as the most cost effective means to manage invasive species that pose a biosecurity risk. This thesis contributes to the development of effective management strategies for one of the world’s most invasive aquatic plant species, known as alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.). It focusses on developing management strategies in an early stage of invasion, in order to achieve extirpation of this species from catchments and waterways. Developing effective detection and surveillance strategies are required for invasive aquatic plants, as a key impediment to achieving extirpation is the ability to detect infestations, so that control strategies can be enacted. This thesis investigates the effectiveness of aerial surveillance for detection of alligator weed at different spatial scales, using high altitude aerial imagery (orthophotos) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. An examination of the growth rate of alligator weed in Victoria, Australia, over a five year period, demonstrates the effective use of orthophotos to detect and monitor large infestations of aquatic alligator weed. The efficacy of unmanned aerial vehicle technology, including the use of automated algorithms, to detect patches of alligator weed growing in waterways is evaluated against current detection techniques. Effective management of invasive aquatic plants targeted for extirpation requires the coupling of effective detection and control efforts to prevent reproduction. To date, development of control strategies for aquatic alligator weed has been limited to evaluating the efficacy of short-term control at a local scale without regard to the effects of management strategies on dispersal of propagules throughout catchments. This thesis determines that viable alligator weed stem fragments are produced following herbicide application, which comprises extirpation efforts. This thesis has gone further than current practice in that it has evaluated the efficacy of current and novel control techniques, in both laboratory and field trials and has developed methods to manage viable fragment production post-herbicide application, to limit dispersal throughout catchments. In this respect, the application of the herbicides glyphosate, metsulfuron-methyl and imazapyr, and their effectiveness when incorporating surfactant systems and plant growth regulators, have been evaluated in field and laboratory studies to optimise control techniques for aquatic alligator weed. Results have shown that our approaches, when used in an early stage of invasion, are capable of eliminating patches of alligator weed in two to three years. Integral to the research is an experiment to determine the effect of herbicide treatments on the production of alligator weed stem fragments and their subsequent viability. Further investigation to determine the usefulness of commercially available plant growth regulators (PGRs) to reduce the number of viable propagules produced by alligator weed post-herbicide application was found to be ineffective. This thesis also evaluates the impact of herbicides and surfactant systems, on all key alligator weed response metrics in aquatic environments including; above ground biomass, below ground biomass and viable stem fragmentation. No previous studies have looked simultaneously at these three important measures for determining the efficacy of a particular control regime, and we have determined that this is essential for effective management of aquatic alligator weed in an early stage of invasion. The thesis has underscored the notion that development of more effective management strategies, based upon experimental trials, will result in an increased likelihood of eradicating invasive aquatic plants that pose a biosecurity risk, and thus move toward the mitigation of the threat that high-risk species pose to aquatic ecosystems. PLEASE NOTE: Portions of the full text have been removed due to copyright restrictions.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hassani, Sara
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Aquatic plants are integral components of freshwater ecosystems and provide essential ecosystem services. However, when invasive species establish in new aquatic environments, there are few natural checks and balances to inhibit their growth and spread. Overabundant aquatic vegetation can harm aquatic systems if left unchecked and negatively impact on agricultural productivity, social amenity and biodiversity values. Prevention and early intervention are recognised as the most cost effective means to manage invasive species that pose a biosecurity risk. This thesis contributes to the development of effective management strategies for one of the world’s most invasive aquatic plant species, known as alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.). It focusses on developing management strategies in an early stage of invasion, in order to achieve extirpation of this species from catchments and waterways. Developing effective detection and surveillance strategies are required for invasive aquatic plants, as a key impediment to achieving extirpation is the ability to detect infestations, so that control strategies can be enacted. This thesis investigates the effectiveness of aerial surveillance for detection of alligator weed at different spatial scales, using high altitude aerial imagery (orthophotos) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. An examination of the growth rate of alligator weed in Victoria, Australia, over a five year period, demonstrates the effective use of orthophotos to detect and monitor large infestations of aquatic alligator weed. The efficacy of unmanned aerial vehicle technology, including the use of automated algorithms, to detect patches of alligator weed growing in waterways is evaluated against current detection techniques. Effective management of invasive aquatic plants targeted for extirpation requires the coupling of effective detection and control efforts to prevent reproduction. To date, development of control strategies for aquatic alligator weed has been limited to evaluating the efficacy of short-term control at a local scale without regard to the effects of management strategies on dispersal of propagules throughout catchments. This thesis determines that viable alligator weed stem fragments are produced following herbicide application, which comprises extirpation efforts. This thesis has gone further than current practice in that it has evaluated the efficacy of current and novel control techniques, in both laboratory and field trials and has developed methods to manage viable fragment production post-herbicide application, to limit dispersal throughout catchments. In this respect, the application of the herbicides glyphosate, metsulfuron-methyl and imazapyr, and their effectiveness when incorporating surfactant systems and plant growth regulators, have been evaluated in field and laboratory studies to optimise control techniques for aquatic alligator weed. Results have shown that our approaches, when used in an early stage of invasion, are capable of eliminating patches of alligator weed in two to three years. Integral to the research is an experiment to determine the effect of herbicide treatments on the production of alligator weed stem fragments and their subsequent viability. Further investigation to determine the usefulness of commercially available plant growth regulators (PGRs) to reduce the number of viable propagules produced by alligator weed post-herbicide application was found to be ineffective. This thesis also evaluates the impact of herbicides and surfactant systems, on all key alligator weed response metrics in aquatic environments including; above ground biomass, below ground biomass and viable stem fragmentation. No previous studies have looked simultaneously at these three important measures for determining the efficacy of a particular control regime, and we have determined that this is essential for effective management of aquatic alligator weed in an early stage of invasion. The thesis has underscored the notion that development of more effective management strategies, based upon experimental trials, will result in an increased likelihood of eradicating invasive aquatic plants that pose a biosecurity risk, and thus move toward the mitigation of the threat that high-risk species pose to aquatic ecosystems. PLEASE NOTE: Portions of the full text have been removed due to copyright restrictions.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy