University of Waikato Sustainability Symposium Research in...
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University of Waikato Sustainability Symposium Research in Action from Campus to Community Full Programme 24 February 2015 8:15-8:45 a.m. Registration S Block Foyer 8:45-9:00 a.m. S.1.04 Associate Professor Sandra L. Morrison, [email protected], School of Māori and Pacific Development Karika/Welcome 9:00-10:00 a.m. Session 1a S.1.02 Indigenous Perspectives Sustainability and marae communities Dr Naomi Simmonds, [email protected], Geography and Environmental Planning Marae communities have for generations engaged with ‘discourses of sustainability’. Their imperative to do so stems from the whakapapa relationship they have to the whenua and the rights and responsibilities inherited as kaitiaki. This paper presents a case study to demonstrate the significance of local indigenous knowledges to develop sustainability initiatives on, and driven by, one marae community. In this example the reclamation of mātauranga-a-hapū (hapū knowledges) in relation to the environment has seen powerful changes in behaviours and practices on marae and within whānau which has led to improvements in the wellbeing of the environment and as such the wellbeing of whānau and hapū. It is argued that local place-based articulations of ‘sustainability’ provide important contributions, at the national and international scale, to wider discussions of environmental wellbeing; individual and collective wellbeing; indigenous knowledges and the environment; and indigenous responses to historical and contemporary sustainability issues.
Transcript of University of Waikato Sustainability Symposium Research in...
University of Waikato Sustainability Symposium Research in Action from Campus to Community
Full Programme 24 February 2015
8:15-8:45 a.m. Registration S Block Foyer 8:45-9:00 a.m. S.1.04 Associate Professor Sandra L. Morrison, [email protected], School of Māori and Pacific Development Karika/Welcome 9:00-10:00 a.m. Session 1a S.1.02 Indigenous Perspectives Sustainability and marae communities Dr Naomi Simmonds, [email protected], Geography and Environmental Planning Marae communities have for generations engaged with ‘discourses of sustainability’. Their imperative to do so stems from the whakapapa relationship they have to the whenua and the rights and responsibilities inherited as kaitiaki. This paper presents a case study to demonstrate the significance of local indigenous knowledges to develop sustainability initiatives on, and driven by, one marae community. In this example the reclamation of mātauranga-a-hapū (hapū knowledges) in relation to the environment has seen powerful changes in behaviours and practices on marae and within whānau which has led to improvements in the wellbeing of the environment and as such the wellbeing of whānau and hapū. It is argued that local place-based articulations of ‘sustainability’ provide important contributions, at the national and international scale, to wider discussions of environmental wellbeing; individual and collective wellbeing; indigenous knowledges and the environment; and indigenous responses to historical and contemporary sustainability issues.
Whakapapa and identities: Pathways towards reflective relationships in UOW’s sustainability agenda Dr Anna Cox, [email protected], Poverty Action Waikato & Waikato Environment Centre, Associate Professor Maria Humphries, [email protected], Strategy & Human Resource Management Department Earth holds the bones of the past as intricate connections between yesterday, today and the future. Promoting understandings of whakapapa, Bargh and Otter (2009) suggest that land, local or distant, is never a ‘blank slate’. Through research undertaken locally we noticed the significance of whakapapa in linking the present to injustices of the past and how easily such whakapapa may be disregarded in pursuit of ‘efficiency’ in service delivery – in this case the growing of vegetables in community gardens. Sustainable food justice cannot be developed on the backs of oppression. We invite attention to the significance of whakapapa to a sustainability agenda for Aotearoa that is in keeping with the aspirations of a just nation. We present dimensions of our research methods that invite pause, reflection and the development of research processes that may contribute to the University of Waikato’s commitment to sustainability scholarship embedded in notions of justice. Connecting traditional ecological knowledge and sustainability Sangion Appiee Tiu, st125@[email protected], TEMS Education Research Centre, Faculty of Education, Dr Chris Eames, [email protected], TEMS Education Research Centre, Faculty of Education, Professor Priya Kurian, [email protected], Department of Political Science and Public Policy, Faculty of Arts and Social Science This paper reports on the initial findings of a PhD study which investigated the relationship between traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and sustainability. Using a critical theory approach the study explored perceptions of communities, educators, conservation practitioners, policy makers and corporate representatives in Papua New Guinea. Data were gathered using interviews, questionnaires and document analysis and analysed using a thematic approach. The findings highlighted strong connections between TEK values and practices and sustainability concepts of intergenerational equity, interconnectedness, and equitable participation to achieve ecological, economic and social wellbeing. A planned outcome of this study is the development of a sustainability framework for natural resource management to inform education policy and practice in Papua New Guinea. This paper presents some initial findings and how this may contribute to developing a policy framework. Session 1b 9:00-10:00 a.m. S.1.03 Education Education for sustainability in secondary schools John Lockley, [email protected], Technology, Environmental, Mathematics and Science Education Research Centre
Education for sustainability is becoming more prevalent in schools. Primary schools have been relatively quick to develop approaches to EfS, however secondary schools, with more rigid curriculum silos and national assessment structures have taken longer. Recent curriculum changes including recognizing EfS as university entry subject have the potential to greater change in secondary schools. This presentation reports upon the findings of research into the way high school teachers create local curriculum and pedagogy in EfS. Teachers from 4 schools, identified by their peers as being successful practitioners in EfS, participated in an action research project where their EfS planning was investigated using activity theory as a lens to interpret the interaction between the teachers, curriculum, and the school setting. The findings investigate the decision making processes of the teachers in their school contexts and present the four distinctly different EfS implementation approaches created to address the national curriculum. Reflection, transformation and action by women academics towards social justice and environmental sustainability Sheeba Asirvatham, [email protected], Department of Strategy and Human Resource Management, Associate Professor Maria Humphries, [email protected], Department of Strategy and Human Resource Management The Education Act (1989), Section 162(4)(a)(v) mandates academics employed in publically funded NZ universities serve as critic and conscience of society. Central to this mandate is the scholarly contribution to the transformation of social injustice and the restoration of degraded environments systemically generated from intensifying forms of globalization. Inspired by research methodologies that invigorate concern with social justice and environmental sustainability, we draw on radical feminist and social constructivist orientations that seek activist opportunities in our research processes. For this symposium we explore associations made by academic women employed in NZ business schools between their career experiences, their sense of personal vitality, and their aspirations to enhanced human and environmental vitality. Conversations with participants reveal aspects of intentional self-reflection and action. We present aspects of our activist intent in our research dynamic as a contribution to UOW’s commitment to universal justice and environmental responsibility in its sustainability agenda. Socially sustainable HRM Dr. Linda Twiname, [email protected], Department of Strategy and Human Resource Management & Dr. Trudy Harris, [email protected], Centre for Engineering and Industrial Design, Wintec When teaching ‘performance management’ as part of Human Resource Management (HRM), one of our main goals is to maintain a focus upon the human dimension of HRM – social sustainability. This is achieved through a form of action research intended to enhance students’ understanding of the nuances of power and control within interpersonal relationships. Using the work of Habermas, Kemmis, and Cunningham we developed a model to encourage power sharing, with the intention of influencing students’ future interpersonal engagements towards genuine power sharing and collective, respectful decision making. We argue that the
power of agreement can be modelled (Habermas, 2001), and enlightenment created through self-discovery in the course of participation (Kemmis, 2001), while maintaining control as ethically responsible academics giving students opportunities to develop their skills. Overall we subscribe to socially sustainable systems that value ‘social capital’ as key contributors to organisational success – both socially and financially.
Session 1c 9:00-10:00 a.m. S.1.04 The Future of Food Shaping food production: Organisational tensions related to research and development of healthy foods Dr Alison Henderson, [email protected], Department of Management Communication, Professor Linda Putman, [email protected], Department of Communication, University of California, Santa Barbara Growing public concern about the social and health consequences of western food consumption has intensified debates between food producers, lobby groups, medical professionals, and government agencies about what counts as healthy food. This paper uses dialectical analysis to examine social constructions of strategic choice in the food and nutrition industry in a study of two food producing organisations. It examines distinctions and similarities with related industries, perceived markets, scientific testing of products, relationships with regulators, and strategic visions for the companies to decipher tensions about what constitutes healthy foods. We then connect these tensions with larger societal issues such as maintaining a sustainable food supply and acknowledging food sovereignty. Findings indicate that these organisations struggle with the ability of science to adequately test the therapeutic attributes of food and the regulatory necessity to do so. They vacillate among privileging scientific opportunities, targeting health needs, and meeting market demands. Sustainable protein from leaves Timothy Ng, [email protected], Engineering, Dr Mark Lay, [email protected], Engineering, Dr Johan Verbeek, [email protected], Engineering The world’s population is growing in both size and affluence, pushing global protein demand to unprecedented levels which continue to grow. Affluent populations presently obtain a large proportion of their protein from animal products. However, scarcity of water and arable land, depletion of finite agricultural inputs, climate change, and environmental degradation due to agricultural production preclude a sustainable increase in animal product production. Therefore increased protein demands must be met by alternative protein sources, such as leaf proteins, which are currently underutilised. Research is underway to ascertain the feasibility of recovering leaf protein from waste green plant materials for use in animal feed. This entails a review of leaf protein recovery and economics, characterising the raw material, optimising leaf protein recovery, and determining the technical and economic feasibility of the recovery process. Additional research and collaboration is needed to determine the feasibility of using fresh leaf crops for human nutrition.
Pathways to sustainability through food sovereignty and agroecology: A holistic approach Isa Ritchie, [email protected], Anthropology Food sovereignty and agroecology have been the focus of much academic attention in recent years, although very little has been published on these topics in a New Zealand context. These paradigms have been instrumental in highlighting multifaceted problems of social and environmental exploitation emerging from the existing industrialised food systems and identifying more sustainable solutions. This presentation draws on preliminary findings from doctoral research focussed on food sovereignty in New Zealand. Qualitative data was were gathered through ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews with people who produce, organise and distribute local food in a small coastal New Zealand township, as well as in several contrasting settings. It presents diverse understandings around organic and local food, environmental protection, community resilience and living economies. The findings are that genuine pathways to sustainability are possible through agricultural models based on ecosystems and indigenous knowledge systems, and through the proliferation and support of small-scale community initiatives. Session 1d 9:00-10:00 a.m. S.1.05 Regulatory Approaches The effect of consumer law on sustainability Alison McCourt, [email protected], Accounting, Jagdeep Singh-Ladhar, [email protected], Accounting The Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 is focused on protecting the interests of New Zealand consumers. In particular goods and services provided to consumers must be of a specified standard or the consumer is granted rights in law for repair or replacement. In this research consumer regulation, relevant case law and the practices of large retailers in New Zealand will be analysed to examine how this law may influence sustainability objectives. The three focus areas include guarantees to rights of repair, the necessity of manufacturers to have ‘spare parts’ for a reasonable time and the effect of new legislation around extended warranties. Sustainability and quota systems: Paradoxes in fisheries management Dr Fiona McCormack, [email protected], Anthropology Icelandic fisherman: (quoted in Auth 2012, 89) When we implement a fisheries management regime, one of the most important questions is how easy is it to abandon if it doesn’t work? And I would think the hardest system of all to abandon, once implemented, is the Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) system.
The ITQ system is a prototypical Payment for Ecosystem Services model, designed to sustainably manage fisheries through market principles. I will argue that the contradictory nature of neoliberal conservation, informing ITQs, means that sustainability is subsumed to profitability whenever the two are at odds. This paper will use fieldwork in Iceland and New Zealand to illustrate some of the social consequences that emerge when wider process of sustainability are subjected to the narrow logic of neoclassical economics, including the growth of debt and the inability to counter ill-functionality in the system even when humans are communicating detrimental effects. Sustainability in regional council environmental management: A comparative analysis Jeanette Wright, [email protected], Political Science & Public Policy Despite New Zealand’s Resource Management Act (1991) being known as world-leading legislation for sustainability, key ecological indicators demonstrate significant and continuing deterioration. Drawing on scholarship on the politics of sustainability that distinguishes between ecological modernisation and sustainable development, this paper analyses the policies and practices of regional councils with the aim of identifying why some have been more effective in achieving sustainability outcomes than others. It compares the experience of making ‘variations’ to planning rules in the Central North Island Lakes catchments, which resulted in landusers being required to farm within the ecological limits of their catchments with the approach to environmental management in other regional council areas where there has been rapid growth and intensification of dairy farming. It traces the influences of ecological modernisation and sustainable development discourses on these different policy outcomes, and demonstrates that these discourses frame the potential for stronger or weaker ecological sustainability. 10:00-10:25 a.m. Morning tea and poster session in foyer Poster Assessing residential water demand in Hamilton Farnaz Farhangi, [email protected], Economics Department New Zealand's current freshwater management system is becoming inadequate to deal with the growing demand. There is relatively little understanding with regard to the value of residential water. Hence, the proposed research attempts to quantify the value of freshwater for urban dwellers. In order to find an exact amount of water consumption for each household, an end-use model will be developed. The conservation tools in New Zealand along with the most effective management tool,pricing policies, will be discussed. In order to have an effective pricing policy, universal water metering is a tool to account an exact amount of water consumption. Here we discuss water metering
and its requirements. Determinants of water demand and different methodologies of its estimation will also be studied to find the pros and cons of different methods. Poster Enriching sustainability for marketing Long Yang, [email protected], Marketing Department Sustainability is a megatrend that has a profound influence on the competitiveness and survival of businesses. In fact, many world-leading companies are actively addressing sustainability issues. Despite the lack of a widely acceptable definition of sustainability, its current conceptualization is entrapped by a post-industrial mind-set including Western anthropocentrism and dichotomy. However, sustainability is not only a modern concept, but also the pre-industrial wisdom, thinking, and philosophy across Asia, Europe, and North America. In this light, an inquiry of sustainability from Eastern organic and holistic worldviews might contribute to a fuller understanding. An interpretive approach will be adopted in this qualitative research, which aims to explore Chinese people’s experiences of ‘sustainable living’, and their insights of human-nature relationships that arise from Chinese cultural traditions such as Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. The research method of Memory Work will be selected to meet the purpose of studying participants’ personal stories and real-life experiences. Poster The concept and implications of load shifting in household’s appliance use Patrick Ozoh, [email protected], Computer Science & Professor Mark Apperley, [email protected], Computer Science The aim of this research is to investigate load shifting and consumer’s use of electric appliance during peak and off-peak hours and its effects on the energy grid. This study models household consumption down to the level of individual appliance use in order to assess the impact of different demand-side strategies, both in individual household consumption and on overall grid balance, in order to improve energy efficiency. This research involves developing a research tool for simulation of the New Zealand electricity network, while investigating the effects of load shifting techniques on appliances based on location, income and household size. The output from the energy load model can be integrated into other models, will meet specific requirements and include benefits to consumers and the energy grid. Poster Interactive solar panel simulation tool Joris Suppers [email protected], Computer Science & Professor Mark Apperley [email protected], Computer Science
The production and integration of solar panels is steadily growing in New Zealand and the world. The most common way to install solar panels in New Zealand is flat on top of the most north facing roof, as it is easily installed and will capture most of the sun’s movement throughout the day. New Zealand homes typically have a small roof pitch. This means an installed solar panel will have a low tilt, allowing for best input in summer and also maximum energy input throughout the year. However, this may not be the best result for individuals as they may want a different result such as maximum energy input in winter. The solar panel simulation tool under development is designed to be interactive and make it easy for individuals to see the effects of changing the orientation and tilt of the solar panel throughout the year. This will allow people to determine the best orientation and tilt to meet their criteria. Session 2a 10:25-11:25 a.m. S.1.02 Sustainability Tools Novelty-driven exploration of sustainable design spaces Dr Michael Mayo, [email protected], Computer Science Complex sustainable design problems, e.g. finding optimal wind farm layouts or planning buildings for maximum energy efficiency, are solvable by simulating different designs and picking the best one out of those tested. The computational method used to explore the space of potential designs is called a search algorithm. The project I propose is to investigate a radically new type of search algorithm called novelty search, which finds “novel” and “interesting” solutions in large design spaces. In contrast, traditional search algorithms treat design spaces as mathematical functions to be optimized – an approach with several disadvantages. I am looking for a collaborator with a significant sustainable design problem of local Waikato/NZ relevance. The problem should have the potential to be solvable via simulating different solutions. The main research questions of the project will be (i) is novelty search better or worse than the traditional search algorithms; and (ii) can the algorithm solve a local sustainable design problem? Responding to landslide hazard: Public’s preferences for sustainable risk reduction programs Stefania Mattea, [email protected], Economics Department There is a growing request to increase the level of protection against natural hazards, such as landslides. Landslides alter the environment and limit the sustainable development of local communities.
The design of mitigation systems for protecting the population is a relevant topic of discussion among decision makers. Sustainable development involves complex interactions among environmental, social and economic factors that are considered differently by stakeholders. Technologists, policy makers, and communities can disagree regarding the best decision to be adopted. In this work, we aim to investigate community's preferences for the implementation of risk mitigation projects. Each project has a potential different impact on the environment. As a case study, we analyse data collected by choice experiments in the Italian Alps. A survey was conducted to determine individuals' willingness to pay (WTP) for landslide mitigation programs. The method asks respondents to choose the preferred alternative among several hypothetic scenarios. Preliminary results are discussed.
Interactive visualization of energy-related data Professor Thomas Rist, [email protected], Faculty of Computer Science, University of Applied Sciences Augsburg, Professor Elisabeth André, [email protected], Faculty of Computer Science, Augsburg University and Professor Masood Masoodian, Department of Computer Science, University of Waikato, [email protected] Efficient energy use along with private generation of renewable energy, smart grids and intelligent energy management of buildings are becoming increasingly important as the world needs to move towards a post-fossil fuel era. Knowledge and understanding of individual energy consumption habits as well as load profiles of whole power grids are often key for more efficient use of energy. So-called eco-feedback visualizations provide consumers with information on their typical usage patterns and disclose opportunities for potential savings. Graphical-interactive tools for modelling, simulation, optimization and operation of energy grids have become indispensable in the energy industries. This presentation gives a brief overview of selected works from the field of energy data visualization, which have emerged from IT4SE, an international research collaboration between the University of Waikato and two German universities, the University Augsburg and the University of Applied Sciences Augsburg. Session 2b 10:25-11:25 a.m. S.1.03 Sustainability through multiple lenses Environmental economics is no oxymoron Dr Dan Marsh, [email protected], Department of Economics Economists view scarcity as the fundamental problem of having seemingly unlimited human wants in a world of limited resources and define economics as "the science which studies human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses" (Robbins, 1934). While economists are often portrayed as the bad guys in the environmental debate, we believe that economic arguments can
often be used to help the environment rather than harm it. This presentation will include a brief overview of how economics can help us to achieve a more sustainable New Zealand with better environmental outcomes and will provide snapshots of current research conducted by staff in the Department of Economics in the area of environmental sustainability. Reshaping management through noetic wisdom Professor Kathryn Pavlovich, [email protected], Strategy & Human Resource Management Department Nisker (1998) states that our current approach to management has reinforced that we live inside the bubble of the ‘self’ as though we are ‘in here’ and everything else is ‘out there’. Rather, we need to “bend the world of observation back on ourselves in order to truly know ourselves” (Scharmer, 2009, p. 154) through examining our own interior landscape, our own spirituality and our reasons for being alive. This paper discusses why a return to these noetic1 wisdoms is important for reshaping management. By focusing particularly on mindfulness, reflexivity and empathy, we have the ability to (re)-consider how we act and why. I also argue that quantum empathy is particularly important because it may bridge across, through and beyond boundaries to link our human experience. At this quantum level, empathy is an interconnected shared existence, and I suggest that it becomes the harmonic frequency of the universe and may support the shift in human consciousness to a WE collective. This paper therefore does not discuss a tool-kit for changing management, but offers a provocation of future possibilities in reshaping management abducted from leading-edge science. Readings of the book of nature: Philosophies of nature, ecopoetics and sustainability in early romantic and contemporary discourses of nature Dr Norman Franke, [email protected], German, International Programme Discussing religious and scientific ideas of what may constitute nature, Novalis’ fragmentary novel Die Lehrlinge zu Saïs (The apprentices of Saïs) is one of the earliest European attempts to formulate a meta-theory of possible philosophies of nature. In contrast to Cartesian, Newtonian and Kantian notions of nature that endeavour to understand the natural world predominantly in anthropocentric epistemic terms, Novalis relates back to and modernizes the ideas of the Liber Naturae (book of nature) and the Kosmos Anthropos (human cosmos) thus stressing the linguistic, inter-relational and dialogical aspects of natural and social development. The implications of his thinking are far-reaching: Whereas dominant Western philosophies of nature tend to reify nature and regard sustainability as a utilitarian way to secure resources and hence as a means to an end, the Romantic model paves the way for a playful ‘co-productivity’ (Ernst Bloch) between natural and social agents, with a view to creating ecological, economic and aesthetic sustainability for its own sake. This approach is deeply imbedded in the environmental movements in contemporary German-speaking Europe. Session 2c 10:25-11:25 a.m. S.1.04 1 Noetic – Greek for inner knowing, direct experience, subjective understanding.
The Dairy Industry Debating sustainability in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Jeanette Wright, [email protected], Political Science & Public Policy, Professor Priya Kurian, [email protected], Political Science & Public Policy, Dr Patrick Barrett, [email protected], Political Science & Public Policy This paper reports on a Q-survey which examines the politics associated with the growth and intensification of the New Zealand dairy industry. Q-methodology is suited for the study of issues that are highly contested. Importantly, it enables social science to shift from a problem to a solution focus, with solutions being identified by survey respondents. As part of a larger study into sustainability in the dairy industry, the Q-survey was undertaken with key individuals from a variety of governmental and nongovernmental organisations to uncover opposing beliefs and values, as well as competing ‘problem definitions’ and ‘solutions’. It enabled the identification of entrenched positions on sustainability and, thus, provided a basis for a more informed conversation between stakeholders by making them aware of differences and similarities between strongly held positions. The paper reflects on the potential of this method to constructively inform sustainability politics and contribute to better policy outcomes. Discretionary decision making in organisations Marlize de Witt, [email protected], Department of Strategy and Human Resource Management The promotion of both environmental and human sustainability requires businesses to focus on employee decision making practices. To shift organisations from compliance to sustaining corporation (Dunphy et al., 2007), discretionary decision making is required. However, individuals are likely to experience tension between regulation and their desire to exercise discretion. My phenomenological research study highlights this tension by looking at the interaction between environmental, organisational, individual, and task characteristics. The study emphasises the difference between internal and external discretion on all levels of the organisation. Previous studies in discretionary decision making were limited to managerial positions. My case study on Fonterra after the Botulism scare of 2013 highlights the strong role of organisational values in discretionary decision making. Questions are raised whether organisational values are becoming a form of regulation, and what the role of modern organisations are in the moral behaviour of organisational members, in order to contribute to a socially just society. Is there any difference between distributions of cadmium in different soils with the same fertiliser history? Mahdiyeh Salmanzadeh, [email protected], Earth Sciences Department , Dr Megan R. Balks, [email protected], Earth Sciences Department, Adam Hartland, [email protected], Department of Chemistry, Professor Louis A. Schipper [email protected], Earth Sciences Department
Cadmium (Cd) is a potentially biotoxic metal that can be absorbed by soils and plants. The amount of Cd in NZ soils has previously increased following application of phosphate fertilisers. Cd concentration in three soil types: Te Kowhai, Horotiu and Bruntwood is being investigated. All three soils often occur in the same paddock, so have the same fertiliser history. However, these soils have contrasting drainage and mineralogical characteristics. Two paddocks with all three soils were sampled (depth of 60 cm) from a dairy farm near Hamilton and Cd concentration was determined. Initial results suggested that total Cd in the poorly drained Te Kowhai was higher than in Bruntwood/Horotiu. In some topsoils, Cd concentrations were greater than 1 mgkg-1, which according to Tiered Fertiliser Management System, would require fertiliser management by a “balanced programme” to ensure that Cd will not exceed an acceptable threshold (1.8 mgkg-1) in the next 50 years. Session 2d 10:25-11:25 a.m. S.1.05 Sustainability Practices Sustainability resilience or fatigue? Associate Professor Eva Collins, [email protected], Strategy & Human Resource Management Department, Professor Juliet Roper, [email protected], Management Communication Department This paper reports the trends in the sustainability practices by New Zealand businesses from 2003 to 2014. The mixed method research includes four national surveys (conducted in 2003, 2006, 2010 and 2013), each followed up by interviews with a sample of survey respondents. The results include the motivations and barriers of sustainability leaders, followers and laggards. The longitudinal study captures the impact on sustainability practices of a changing external environment over more than a decade, including the global financial crisis, increasing local and international focus on climate change and water, and a change in government. The research examines if New Zealand businesses are experiencing sustainability fatigue – disillusionment with what sustainability can deliver to the business - or sustainability resilience – embedding sustainability within the organisation to achieve a flourishing enterprise. Human rights disclosure: A study of New Zealand companies Dr Umesh Sharma, [email protected], Department of Accounting, Artika Sharma, [email protected], Department of Accounting & Dr Mary Low, [email protected], Department of Accounting This paper examines New Zealand companies that are engaged in outsourcing contracts to developing countries and the human rights disclosure that they make. The research extends Islam and Jain’s (2013) study on workplace human rights reporting in the Australian retail sector by examining companies from various sectors. Human rights issues in developing countries are becoming a problem. The exploitation of workers in developing countries is unquestionably related to a global economic system. International human rights law is also not being enforced in developing countries. There is an international body called International Labour Organisation (ILO) that promotes social justice and
human rights. There are two different types of laws in New Zealand that protects and promotes human rights. Most companies did not provide enough disclosure on fair wage and decent living and non-discrimination. The framework for this study refers to the ILO’s seven principles: prevent forced and compulsory labour, non-discrimination, freedom of association, elimination of child labour, elimination of physical and verbal abuse, promote fair wage and decent living and rights to safe and healthy conditions. The study found that Kathmandu had the highest disclosure level on human rights reporting about overseas contractors compared to the other selected companies. Empowering small business enterprises by harnessing the power of large businesses: Evidence from New Zealand Dr Geeta Duppati, [email protected], Finance Department, Abhishek Mukherjee, [email protected], Finance Department Can large businesses empower the small business enterprises (SBEs) to sustainable growth and development in New Zealand? This study is important because SBEs in the New Zealand play a pivotal role in country’s economy with a substantial contribution of 27.8% to gross domestic profit (GDP). Nonetheless, issues in financing, technology, networking and adaptability are holding the sector back. This research will seek the views of the largest New Zealand companies and five potential small businesses and propose a framework towards a sustainable business model through the nexus of large and small businesses. This research provides a platform to extend to a wider sample for generalizing the model. To date, literature on corporate social responsibility/sustainability largely perceives businesses as incorporating social and environmental strategies into its overall economic bottom-line. What is less understood are the specific sustainability approaches and practices that can be adopted by large businesses towards empowering small business enterprises towards attaining a sustainable growth model in New Zealand. Session 3a S.1.02 11:25-12:25 p.m. Sustainable Global Society Degrading food chains Karthika Hashid, [email protected], Department of Strategy and Human Resource Management, Associate Professor Maria Humphries, [email protected], Department of Strategy and Human Resource Management Rather than fulfil promises to meet the food requirements of the human population in sustainable ways, Shiva (2012) argues that industrialisation of agriculture, under the current conditions of globalisation creates hunger and malnutrition. We highlight the value of illuminating contradictions within a broadly accepted world view in order to sharpen ethical integrity in sustainability research. In our example, genetically modified foods (GMF) are an innovation attracting both advocates and critics globally. Advocates for GMF see opportunities to address food shortages and to meet exotic consumer demand. Critics are concerned about associated environmental degradation, pesticide poisoning of food-chains and over farming of land. GMOs may contaminate traditional non-GM crops through cross pollination resulting in
organic farms growing GMOs unintentionally. According to Shiva, “genetic engineering is the second green revolution…where seeds become patented property of one single company…allowing them to monopolize agriculture as a whole wiping out local organic farms and making farmers increasingly market dependent”. Big Green, as Klein (2014) calls the major corporations with growing profiles in sustainability credentials, may well undermine the necessary transformation of the global system of production and consumption by their very power to convince the general population that they have our future in their safe hands. Drawing on the work of Boje (2014) we illustrate the value of telling alternate tales about the promises of sustainability in the processes of globalisation. A framework of sustainable citizenship for a contentious world Professor Priya Kurian, [email protected], Political Science Department & Professor Debashish Munshi, [email protected], Management Communication Department This paper develops and articulates a concept of sustainable citizenship which can pave the way for multiple stakeholders, both elite and non-elite, to contribute towards effective policy making on contentious issues. Central to the concept is the notion of citizenship as action that reconfigures ideas about rights, responsibilities, and values around the goal of sustainability. Drawing on a study of a diverse range of views on the new and emerging technologies of nanotechnology, genetic modification, and synthetic biology, among others, the paper shows how applying the concept of sustainable citizenship can unearth shared values among highly polarised constituencies. Such an application involves a process of deliberation that goes beyond routine dialogues to create a platform of shared values through a considered clash of ideas. “The awakening”: Consciousness in management education for a sustainable global society Nazarina Jamil, Jamil:[email protected], Strategy & Human Resource Management Department & Associate Professor Maria Humphries, [email protected], Department of Strategy and Human Resource Management Contemporary globalisation, say its critics, serves the interests of a few, puts many people under extreme pressure, dangerously damages the environment, and disrupts global peace. This trajectory stands in conflict with simultaneously expressed values of sustainable justice and environmental responsibilities. Management education provides many channels for addressing the contradictions generated by globalisation. The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME initiative exemplifies one such channel. We build on work by Seo and Creed (2002) to examine the potential of contradictions in enacting transformational intent through scholarly activities. Our focus is on faith traditions. All faiths posit universal loving relationships, yet conflicts with religious overtones however, are everywhere evident. We examine the potential of interfaith collaborations in transforming globalisation through enhancing respect for diversity to be exercised in student experiences and extended in their post-university communities. Greater understandings of interfaith influence on globalisation may invigorate the confluence of faith, hope and love as necessary qualities for enhancing transformational consciousness.
Session 3b S.1.03 11:25-12:25 p.m. Transport
Moving towards a hub-and-spoke port network: Implications for economic and environmental sustainability in New Zealand Dr Abraham Zhang, [email protected], Department of Management Systems Ports are critical nodes of import/export supply chains. An effective and efficient port system is especially important to New Zealand as the nation is geographically disadvantaged in international trade and largely relies on exports. This research reviews relevant literatures to investigate sustainability issues in the New Zealand port system. The current port system is unsustainable, with 11 small international container ports competing for a rather small cargo pool. In contrast, Australia has only six international container ports that collectively handle 2.5 times the cargo. As global shipping lines move towards a hub-and-spoke service network structure, New Zealand is in a very unfavourable position to develop its own competitive hub ports. Container transhipment via an Australia hub will not only increase transit time, but also the costs borne by New Zealand shippers. Furthermore, it has profound implications for the development of coastal shipping, the most environmental friendly transportation mode. Smart charging strategies for electric vehicles: A simulation approach Paul Monigatti, [email protected], Department of Computer Science Energy is becoming an increasingly hot topic; dwindling supplies of cheap fossil fuels, dire warnings about climate change, along with humanity’s ever-increasing demand for more. There are many technologies that promise to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels; of particular interest is the move towards electrifying transportation, and the large-scale deployment of wind generation. These solutions, however, present challenges of their own. Traditional electric infrastructure requires that generators are able to supply energy on-demand, to exactly match load; a feat which is not possible with wind alone. This presentation describes simulation software that models parts of New Zealand’s light vehicle fleet and proposed wind generation sites, to evaluate the performance of various electric vehicle charging strategies. These strategies may exploit the flexibility of charging to support variable wind generation, by shifting the burden of balancing generation with load to the demand side, while also meeting the energy requirements of the vehicle. Session 3c S.1.04, 11:25-12:25 p.m. Carbon & Reporting The carbon-based environmental impact of teaching and learning at the University of Waikato Stephen Harlow, [email protected], Waikato Centre for eLearning
In a world where man-made carbon emissions are exacerbating the natural warming of the earth, with serious consequences, it is beholden on universities to show leadership by accounting for, and mitigating, their carbon emissions. This presentation summarises research that accounts for the carbon-based environmental impact of the face-to-face and online delivery of higher education at the University of Waikato. Drawing on an existing environmental assessment methodology, data were gathered on the key sources of carbon emissions associated with a student’s university study. The methodology was then updated and localised for the New Zealand context. The data were analysed, allowing for comparisons to be made between online and face-to-face students’ carbon emissions. From these findings conclusions can be drawn that may inform and guide the future direction of sustainability at the University of Waikato. Producing durable carbonaceous materials from renewable biomass resources John McDonald-Wharry, [email protected], Chemistry & Engineering, Professor Kim Pickering, [email protected], Chemistry & Engineering, & Associate Professor Merilyn Manley-Harris, [email protected], Chemistry & Engineering Wood and similar biomass materials from plants are effectively made from carbon dioxide and water through the process of photosynthesis. The creation of these biomass materials removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, unprotected biomass has a tendency to eventually rot, decay or burn releasing most of the carbon content back into the atmosphere. Over the last decade, much research has focused on carbonising or charring biomass to produce more persistent carbonaceous materials such as biochars for addition to cultivated soil as a way of sequestering carbon. Composite materials which contain carbonised biomass have been developed during doctoral research at the University of Waikato over the last 4-5 years. These carbonaceous composite materials possess respectable levels of strength and stiffness and are intended for use in more structural applications. These materials also have high carbon contents, with the majority of that carbon sourced from the atmosphere through recent photosynthesis.
Enlightened shareholder value: What does it mean for stakeholders? Andrea McLachlan, [email protected], Accounting Department In 2006, the UK Companies Act came into force, with a key director’s duty in the form of s172. This section requires directors to have regard to a range matters, including the interests of those we call stakeholders, when making decisions on behalf of the company. However, such decision-making must be done in the context of the Board’s duty to promote the success of the company for the benefit of members (shareholders). Directors are then required to report on how they have conducted themselves in light of s172, in the annual report. Such reports are a form of social accounting, in that the reporting is separate from mandated financial reporting. So what do stakeholders learn from such reporting? In theory, they should be able to understand their place in relation to the business, and see a specific acknowledgement of those relationships. I want to find out if that is true.
Session 3d S.1.05 11:25-12:25 p.m. Community Engagement Sustainability of health projects involving community-academic partnerships Professor John Oetzel, [email protected], Management Communication Department Researchers, policy makers, and community members have sought ways to enhance the translation, dissemination, and applicability from a
variety of health research projects to community and especially minority communities. Community-engaged research (CEnR) has emerged as
promising practice for reaching these goals. Community engagement is the degree to which researchers partner with communities in the
development, implementation, and evaluation of project goals. CEnR is argued to result in more sustainable health goals; that is, the project
work is adopted by the community and continues beyond the period of funding for the research. The purpose of this study was to examine this
hypothesis. Data collection included three stages: 294 CEnR health projects in minority and/or vulnerable communities with U.S. federal
funding in 2009 were identified from RePORTer, CDC Prevention Research Centers, and Native American Research Centers for Health
databases; 200 (68.0%) principal investigators/key staff (PI) of these projects completed a survey that included governance processes and
characteristics of the project; 312 partners (77% of 404 invited) and 138 PIs (69% of 200 invited) completed a survey that included partnering
processes and perceived sustainability of the project. Multiple regression analysis indicated two key factors for sustainability: the greater the
trust among the academic-community partners and the greater the influence partners felt they had on the project, the more likely the project
was to be sustainable beyond the funding period. The findings are discussed with the context of a conceptual model of community
engagement and demonstrate the importance of achieving community engagement through partnering processes.
Community environmental education on waste management in Sabah, Malaysia Susan Pudin, [email protected], Technology, Environmental, Mathematics and Science Education Research Centre, Dr Chris Eames, [email protected], Technology, Environmental, Mathematics and Science Education Research Centre, & Professor John Williams, [email protected], Technology, Environmental, Mathematics and Science Education Research Centre This paper reports on a community environmental education (EE) programme on waste management practices developed and implemented as part of a PhD research project. The communities included villagers and independent oil palm smallholders, whose plantations surround the villages and represent one of the major agricultural activities in Malaysia. The programme, focussing on household and plantation waste, was guided by an EE model developed from the literature and informed by data collected through a questionnaire, interviews and a focus workshop with the communities. The co-
constructed EE programme was implemented in two villages in the district of Beaufort, Sabah. An evaluation of the programme was carried out using a questionnaire and interviews. Findings included favourable perceptions towards cleanliness and waste management, a lack of environmentally friendly waste management options and the challenges of behaviour change through community education. Resituating knowledge in the Pacific: Returning scholars’ experience Associate Professor Margaret Franken, [email protected], Faculty of Education & Professor Kathryn Pavlovich, [email protected], Strategy & Human Resource Management Department Gibson and McKenzie’s (2009) study tracking top scholars from secondary schooling found that Tongan scholars, like their Papua New Guinean counterparts, expressed “a desire to contribute to the development and progress of their home country” (p.35), as a part of the motivational influences for their return home. Such a communalist orientation is indicative of a social or moral obligation to one’s community and has been documented by other researchers working with minority group or international students (Boulton-Lewis et al., 2000; Cliff, 1998; Franken, 2012; Purdie et al., 1996), but has done so while they are studying abroad. Our study focuses on the Pacific and on the period after returning home. We investigate how our former UoW students were afforded or constrained in their use of university-learnt knowledge and skills in their home workplaces and communities. We make use of the notion of resituation (Eraut, 2004, 2008; Franken, 2012, 2013) to conceptualise the process in which knowledge gained in one context is tuned to and made use of in a new context. 12:25-1:10 Lunch S Block Foyer 1:10-1:50 p.m. Staff Session, S. 1.04 Where is the Money? External Funding Opportunities Securing external funding for research is increasingly competitive and it is important to know where and how to target funding applications.
Dr Bret Morris, Director of Research and Innovation at University of Waikato will speak about Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
(MBIE) funding opportunities. Dr Tahu Kukutai, Senior Research Fellow, Te Rūnanga Tātari Tatauranga |National Institute of Demographic
and Economic Analysis & Professor Bruce Clarkson, Dean of Science and Engineering will discuss funding opportunities related to the Science
Challenges.
1:10-1:50 p.m. Public Session, S. 1.02 A Snapshot of Environmental Sustainability at the University of Waikato
Rachael Goddard, Environmental & Sustainability Manager The University of Waikato sits on a 68 hectare campus, with almost 13,000 students and 1,600 staff. Approximately 1000 students live on campus in Halls of Residence. Essentially, we are the size of a town, and are cognizant of the environmental impact that brings. This presentation will highlight the University’s commitment to sustainability, and key environmental areas that are monitored and measured, including steps taken by the university to manage and mitigate them. We look at; waste, energy and travel, and innovative initiatives using students, research and engagement to acquire behaviour change. Organisational Sustainability - Connecting with Nature and People Dr Maureen Marra, Organisational Development Manager After almost three decades since the concept of sustainable development first captured the world’s attention in the Bruntdland Report, we still struggle to embrace the holistic essence of sustainability, across economy, natural environment and society. For many, sustainability is most frequently contextualised as environmental activities such as recycling, an uptake which is clearly evidenced by the line of blue bins down the street on rubbish day. Holistic sustainability is a better fit for organisations, but there remains a reluctance or barriers to adopting sustainability practices and principles, and often poor knowledge of sustainability. This presentation provides a perspective on sustainability and examples from the University of Waikato. 1:50-2:30 p.m. Staff Session, S. 1.04 Creating New Competitive Collaborations to Get the Money Workshop To facilitate new, cross-Faculty collaboration for development of future external funding (e.g. Marsden), Bret Morris, Director of Research and Innovation, is offering seed funding for up to three sustainability projects for $2-3,000 each. Collaborations that include emerging researchers are encouraged. This workshop will use a “speedstorming” method to explore opportunities for cross-Faculty sustainability research. Does your research proposal need to include another discipline, but you do not know who from the University is involved in similar research? Are you an emerging researcher who would like to work with a senior researcher to develop a proposal? This workshop is for you. To allow for collaborative teams which develop from the Sustainability Symposium, proposals for seed funding will close 10 March 2015. Details for applications for this funding will be announced shortly. 1:50-2:30 p.m. Public Session, Meet in S. 1.02 Green Student Centre Tour Tony Dicks, Group Manager Facilities Management
In 2010, the Student Centre (Te Manawa) was awarded a high-status 5 Green Star rating from the New Zealand Green Building Council, the first five-star project in the Waikato region. The Green Star rating scheme evaluates the environmental characteristics and performance of buildings in New Zealand. The Student Centre includes; photovoltaic panels, self-monitoring lighting and energy efficient heating systems, energy-generating lifts, sophisticated lighting and heating controls; carpet, ceiling tiles, and furniture having as much recycled content as possible; high-levels of natural light; rainwater collected from the roof to be stored on site and recycled through toilets; solar heating of water; and recycling of the demolition material where possible back into the building to prevent material going to landfill. Tony Dicks, Facilities Group Manager will give a guided tour to highlight key aspects of the building. 2:30-3:00 p.m. Afternoon tea – S Block Foyer 3:00-3:15 p.m. Introductory Remarks to Faculty Keynote Presentations S.1.04 Professor Alexander Gillespie, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research, Professor of Law 3:15-4:35 p.m. Faculty Keynote Presentations 1a S.1.04 Maui Hudson, [email protected], Faculty of Law (Maori and Indigenous Governance Centre) and Faculty of Science (Environmental Research Institute)
Tangata Whenua: Connecting Ecological and Human Networks A philosophy of sustainability is inherent in the concept of tangata whenua which acknowledges the interconnectedness and interdependence of both human and ecological networks. As environmental resources like freshwater have come under increasing pressure from society the emergence of collaborative governance models provides an opportunity to revisit the nature of the relationship between people and the environment. Matauranga Maori provides a unique perspective on sustainability as a knowledge system that inherently recognizes the interconnectedness of people and their environment. The re-valuing of matauranga Maori as a source of information within collaborative stakeholder processes for freshwater provides an interesting context to consider the role of knowledge in linking ecological and human networks. This presentation will explore how we are working with Iwi and community partners in the lower Waikato River catchment to understand how matauranga supports limit-setting for mahinga kai as part of the National Objectives Framework for freshwater. Bio Maui’s role is to develop external relationships and Māori research opportunities for the University. He has a Masterate of Health Sciences from AUT and has been a reseacher with AUT and ESR, joining the University of Waikato in 2010. Maui is an active researcher and has senior research fellow positions in the Māori & Indigenous Governance Centre (Faculty of Law) and Environmental Research Institute (Faculty of Science and Engineering). Professor Juliet Roper, [email protected], Management Communication Department
Tracking Sustainable Development in New Zealand: Critical Issues New Zealand’s former Labour Government adopted sustainable development as a key policy platform, with a view to becoming a global leader in environmental sustainability issues, including climate change. Not least at stake was this country’s valuable “clean, green” environmental positioning. At that stage, the business community was resistant to the government’s approach, arguing economic disadvantage over international competitors. Over the intervening six years we have seen a very different attitude from government that has been echoed by our national print media. However, while government has pursued a hands off approach to environmental issues, our research, including thirteen years of longitudinal surveys, also shows an increasingly growing and surprising demand by business for a return to government intervention. This talk will present some of the surprising findings of research into New Zealand’s hesitant adoption of sustainable development and the critical issues that they raise. Bio Juliet Roper is Professor of Management Communication at the University of Waikato Management School, New Zealand. Her research
interests encompass social and environmental aspects of sustainability, examining issues of cross sector engagement, public relations,
influences on public policy, government and corporate discourses on sustainability and social responsibility. She is co-editor of The Debate
over Corporate Social Responsibility (2007) and has articles published in European and US journals, including Journal of Public Relations
Research, Public Relations Review, Journal of Applied Communication Research, Work Employment and Society, Organization Studies and Public
Understanding of Science.
Professor Bruce Clarkson, [email protected], Environmental Research Institute
From Offshore Island Restoration to the Urban Frontier
The islands of Aotearoa/New Zealand have been isolated in the South Pacific for around 60 million years, resulting in a unique and highly
endemic terrestrial flora and fauna. The displacement of native flora and fauna by introduced species is a primary challenge faced by
conservation and restoration practitioners. Early conservation efforts were focussed on saving threatened endemic birds on small offshore
islands. Restoration efforts extended to larger offshore islands and, more recently, to mainland islands or sanctuaries sometimes with the aid
of novel fencing and predator control technologies. Urban restoration, the new frontier, has a relatively short history in New Zealand with
projects in the 1970s and 1980s characterised by revegetation and weed control. Restoration in urban environments is now firmly established
as a way of reconnecting residents with nature and achieving all of the social and cultural benefits that this brings.
Bio
Professor Bruce Clarkson is Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and heads the Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research (CBER)
within the Faculty. He is recognised as one of New Zealand's foremost authorities on ecological restoration, and leads a $300,000 per year
government-funded research programme looking at the best methods to restore indigenous biodiversity in cities. His research has had a direct
impact on Hamilton gully restoration initiatives and the Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park project near Hamilton Zoo. In 2005, together
with independent consultant Dr Wren Green he carried out a review of progress in the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy for the chief
executives of the sponsoring government agencies; in 2006 he was awarded the Loder Cup, New Zealand's premier conservation award.
Professor Clarkson is a member of the international expert panel developing the City Biodiversity Index to measure countries' progress in
relation to the UNEP Convention on Biological Diversity to which New Zealand is a signatory.
Professor Iain White, [email protected], Environmental Planning
Sustainable Water Visions: The Challenges in Creating More Beneficial Trajectories Alternative visions of more ‘Water Sensitive Cities’ are becoming more compelling as understanding increases of both current impacts and future pressures. Here, an alternative relationship between water, space and citizens is advocated that represents a significant shift from the techno-rational supply-oriented emphasis of the 20th century. Rather than focus on a notional ‘Sustainable Water City’ as an outcome to be achieved, this presentation looks in more depth at the processes that may help or hinder transitions of this nature. In particular, the historical states of water management, the speed and scale of land use change, the problem of path dependence and resistance to change, before focusing on the difficulties in enabling effective policy transfer across what are distinct territories and contexts. It ends with a discussion of the burgeoning plurality of competing urban visions - from the Smart City to the Resilient City – before arguing that just as decisions in the past constrain the future, so too must we be aware of the legacies that we leave. Bio Iain White is Professor of Environmental Planning at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. Prior to this he was the Director of the Centre for Urban and Regional Ecology at the University of Manchester, UK. He specialises in subjects related to the environment, geography and town planning where he has developed and taught on Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI) accredited programmes. His research focuses upon the interface of the natural and built environments and he has written widely in this field,
particularly connected to water, risk and resilience This work has been published in multiple disciplinary areas such as geography, town planning, urban studies and civil engineering. He has recently published 'Environmental Planning in Context' (2015) with Palgrave and is also the author of 'Water and the City' (2010) published by Routledge. 3:15-4:35 p.m. Faculty Keynote Presentations 1b S.1.02 Dr James Beattie, [email protected], History Programme
History and Sustainability
We cannot dream of sustainability unless we start to pay more attention to the human agents of the planetary pressure that
environmental experts are masters at measuring but that they seem unable to prevent.
Sverker Sörlin, 2012
As practitioners who examine the infinitely complex and ever-changing dynamics between people and environments through time, environmental historians have a central role to play as both researchers and bridge-builders across the environmental and social sciences and humanities—a role that is essential if we are to address the current ecological crisis before it is too late. As researchers, environmental history often demonstrates important understandings vital in getting to grips with current policy or scientific problems, whether from ecological
restoration to critiques of the ethno-centric basis of sustainability. As bridge-builders and synthesisers, environmental historians possess a sophisticated intellectual and methodological toolkit drawing from their own and a variety of disciplines, often gained in collaborative research. Their expertise as skilled synthesisers and fluent communicators of complex information and ideas has made them especially able and willing to provide advice to policymakers and the general public. This talk aims to showcase some of the ways in which environmental history enriches studies of sustainability. Bio James arrived at Waikato in 2007 and teaches world history, imperial history, history and science, garden history, environmental history, and historical methodology. I specialise in environmental history and the history of science, and am particularly fascinated by trans-national and cross-cultural exchanges of scientific, health and environmental ideas, particularly between Asia and elsewhere. I also undertake work on Chinese art. I am a Co-Principal Investigator on a $500,000 Marsden funded project on, "Rewi Alley, Cultural Diplomacy, and Chinese Art". Professor Les Oxley, [email protected], Economic Department
Why Sustainability Is Not Enough
Bio
Les Oxley, FRSNZ, is Professor in Economics. His recent research includes work on the drivers of innovation in New Zealand; the knowledge economy and measures of human capital; alternative measures of economic wellbeing; Chinese energy markets and Chinese dairy, pork and wheat markets. Associate Professor Sandra L. Morrison, [email protected], School of Māori and Pacific Development
“Kāinga”- Building Kin-Based Sustainable Livelihoods
The consistent question that arises from communities in which I work is what type of development do we want and how do we maintain our traditional values and practices? Thus I have found that the development of “Kāinga”- “Building kin-based sustainable livelihoods” as a conceptual framework locates what can be an abstract notion into practice and reality. Kāinga is an unfortified settlement where people who were kin-related lived thus developing a commitment to place, to kinship obligations and a sense of spiritual connection to the lands/fonua/whenua. The cycle within the kāinga provides for the economic and social needs of people while maintaining relationships through service integral to sustaining the fonua/whenua. Having worked in diverse communities throughout the world, this approach has been purposeful and also resonates with the thinking of international policy commitments that state for local and indigenous knowledges to be protected and practised. Bio Sandy is from the iwi of Te Arawa, Maniapoto and Ngāti Rārua ki Te Tau Ihu o te Waka a Māui. Sandy’s research is focussed on the application of indigenous concepts and the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, sustainable development and adult education. She was President of
ASPBAE, Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education from 2004-2008 and was inducted into the International Adult and Community Education Hall of Fame, University of Oklahoma in 2009.
Professor Mark Apperley, [email protected], Department of Computer Science
ICT Supporting Renewable Energy Use The research of the Energy Informatics group focuses on utilising ICT to improve overall energy-use efficiency, with an emphasis on renewable energy sources. This presentation provides an overview of these activities across three main areas: Residential demand-side load management - we are investigating household monitoring and control technology, consumers’ reactions to such technology, and the simulation of the effects of demand-side strategies both at the individual household and national grid level; Exploiting electric vehicles as storage on the electricity grid – a comprehensive fine-grained simulation has shown the benefits to the grid of a fleet of electric vehicles, enabling far greater integration of non-deterministic renewable sources, and a virtual electric vehicle is providing education about the technology, dispelling myths and prejudices; and in Linking real and virtual worlds we are addressing the significant energy consumption of personal transport, by improving and enhancing tools for travel avoidance through virtual presence. Bio
Mark Apperley is Professor of Computer Science at the University of Waikato. He studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Auckland in the 1960s, but for the last 40 years has been involved in computer science teaching and research. The main focus of his research over that time has been in human-computer interaction (HCI) and information visualization, however in recent years he has also taken a strong interest in energy informatics, specifically the application of ICT in renewable and efficient energy utilization. He now leads an active research group in that area. 4:35 -5:35 p.m. Faculty Keynote Presentations 2a S.1.04 Professor Kim Pickering, [email protected], Chemistry & Engineering Polymers and Composites Research Group During my presentation I would like to highlight research conducted within the Polymers and Composites Research Group at the University of Waikato. This group has been active for more than 15 years and has had sustainability as a key focus. Research has been carried out on recyclable plastics reinforced with natural fibres including wood, hemp, harakeke and chicken feathers for replacement of materials including glass fibre reinforced plastics that have a higher carbon footprint. Biodegradable matrices have also been assessed (polylactic acid, corn gluten-meal and bloodmeal based plastics). Effort has been extended to improve properties of such materials through interfacial engineering including through biological treatment and fibre alignment. Active areas currently include hybridised natural fibre composites, natural rubber reinforced with iron sand as a damping material, sustainable systems for 3-D printing, self-healing of composite materials and nanofibre interlayers for improved interlaminar fracture toughness. Dr Timote M. Vaioleti, [email protected], Faculty of Education
Education for Sustainable Development: Plan A; Some International, Regional and Local Talanoa In his address to the UNESCO World Conference to mark the end of DESD (Decade for Education for Sustainable Development), Ban Ki-Moon stated that ‘for ESD - there is no plan B, because there is no planet B’. My address, will discuss international ESD discourses highlighted at international conferences held in Japan at the end of 2014, namely the United Nation Universities (UNU) Regional Centres of Expertise on ESD, UNU Higher Education and the UNESCO End of Decade World Conference on ESD. Drawing from the international discourses, I will move to regional discourses on ESD activities in the Asia-Pacific, then in Africa through the UNESCO funded re-orientation of the African Teacher Education Curriculum then to the South Pacific to research undertaken on the Kiribati Curriculum and the development of the Kiribati Creative Industries and Arts. Locally, I will discuss economic, social, environmental and cultural indicators in projects I am a part of in Tonga, Church community in South Auckland and the Ministry of Education, Wellington. Bio Timote is an elected member of the Executive Council to ASPBAE (Asia South Pacific Associations of Basic and Adult Education), a regional organisation with 200 members including Universities, Polytechnics, CSOs, NGOs and others in 30 countries. ASPBAE is respected for its regional ESD advocacy, research, leadership and community education. Timote's research focuses on developing and teaching sustainability, learning and research theories using Indigenous, Pacific values and concepts. Timote also lead the development of a framework to guide the inclusion of Climate Change across Kiribati national curriculum in 2011 and the development of the Curriculum for Creative Industries and Arts for the Kiribati MOE, UNESCO and ILO in 2014. Timote is the Chair of
Indigenous Maori and Pacific Adult Education Charitable Trust contracted to conduct ESD research, deliver Adult Education and and co-ordinate RSE projects over the last 7 years. Trevor Daya-Winterbottom, [email protected], Law Faculty
On-Shore Recovery of Unconventional Gas in New Zealand This presentation will critically explore the question of what unconventional gas recovery would look like in New Zealand if it were conducted in a sustainable way. It will therefore analyse current New Zealand law and policy regarding unconventional gas recovery, consider what governmental entities and the private sector are doing to foster sustainable management of unconventional gas recovery, and finally ask what they should be doing to promote sustainable management. Bio Trevor Daya-Winterbottom combines research and teaching at the Faculty of Law, University of Waikato, with legal consultancy and practice as a Barrister sole. He holds a BA (Hons) in Law from the Times Higher Education top 100 under 50 ranked Liverpool John Moores University,
where highlights of the degree course included studying public international law with Professor Malcolm Shaw QC and Professor Patrick Thornberry CMG, and studying jurisprudence with the renowned Jewish legal scholar, Professor Bernard Jackson. He also holds a Diplôme in human rights law from the prestigious Institut International des Droits de l’Homme (Strasbourg) founded by Nobel laureate René Cassin, and was a member of the very first cohort to graduate with an MA in Environmental Law from De Montfort University, Leicester. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, a Member of the Royal Society of New Zealand, a Legal Associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute, and a Member of the New Zealand Centre for Environmental Law. His teaching, research and consultancy focus on administrative law and aspects of international, comparative and domestic environmental law. 4:35-5:35 p.m. Faculty Keynote Presentations 2b S.1.02
Dr Chris Eames, [email protected], Technology, Environmental, Mathematics and Science Education Research Centre
Educating for a Sustainable World Ever since the recognition of growing environmental problems in the 1960’s, more latterly framed as sustainability problems through the 1980’s to today, education has been argued to be an important part of the solution to these problems. But progress in what sort of education is required, and how this might occur, has sadly not matched the trumpeted rhetoric. Knowledge development, values clarification and behaviour change are all part of the picture, but whilst grass roots initiatives have made some tremendous progress, a lack of foresight and will at institutional and
political levels has stymied momentum in delivering the educational outcomes needed. This presentation will outline how research within the TEMS Education Research Centre at the University of Waikato in educating people, young and old, for a sustainable world is contributing theoretical and practical knowledge to the provision of formal and non-formal education. Bio Chris Eames holds a joint position within the Department of Biological Sciences, the Centre for Science and Technology Education Research, and the Cooperative Education Unit at the University. He has extensive experience in teaching biochemistry and microbiology at the tertiary level, and in liaison with science and technology companies and with biology secondary teachers. He teaches and researches in environmental education, with an emphasis on the school sector. He has been a Council member of the New Zealand Association for Cooperative Education (NZACE) for nine years, is on the editorial board for the Asia-Pacific Journal for Cooperative Education and has been a senior judge for Science Fairs. His research interests are learning in cooperative education, tertiary science/biology education, environmental education, and science and technology human capital development. Professor Alexander Gillespie, [email protected], Pro Vice-Chancellor Research, Professor of Law
Act Local, Think Global: Using International Tools to Make it Better in New Zealand, Examples from the Coast: Surfbreaks, Sharks, Dolphins and Shipwrecks It is a truism that we need to think globally, but act locally. In my area of scholarship and practice, I utilise the best practices from either a comparative or international practice to try to lever up the environmental laws and policies of NZ. This approach is followed because all too often, the environmental approaches of NZ, although unique, are often oblivious, or wilfully ignorant, of the way that others have successfully dealt with exactly the same problem. When these are convincingly displayed, it becomes much harder for the defenders of the status quo to explain why they insist that their approach is superior. This paradigm works for everything from fresh water to air pollution. However, to show how this type of approach works, I will talk briefly about four matters related to coastal conservation, namely surfbreaks, sharks, dolphins and shipwrecks. Bio Professor Alexander Gillespie is the first New Zealander to be named Rapporteur for the World Heritage Convention, involving international environmental diplomacy. Professor Gillespie is also the legal and policy advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Department of Conservation and provides commissioned work for the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and commercial and non-governmental organisations in New Zealand, Australia, United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland. Dr Trevor Drage, [email protected], Research Development Manager
From Carbon Capture to Research Development Prior to joining the University of Waikato as a research development manager, Trevor was Professor of Efficient Fossil Energy Technology at the University of Nottingham in the UK. As an introduction to his previous research this presentation will give a brief background to the different challenges faced by the UK and New Zealand in sustainable electricity generation. As well as an overview of the research projects and consortium he developed and delivered whilst in the UK. The presentation will then describe the aims of his new role and how Trevor will be working out of Wellington to develop and maintain networks for the University of Waikato in key government and industry sectors and other research organisations. It is intended that the presentation will give academics and researchers a good understanding of the new position, to encourage interaction that grows research activity.
Bio
Trevor Drage joined the University of Waikato as its full-time research development manager based in Wellington. Dr Drage is tasked with
developing and maintaining networks for the University of Waikato in key government and industry sectors and other research organisations
based in the capital. Prior to his appointment at Waikato, Trevor was Professor of Efficient Fossil Energy Technology and CCS at the University
of Nottingham in the UK. His own research is in sustainable energy technology. He’s been lead or co-investigator in numerous UK and EU
energy research projects worth a total £24 million and was part of a team that secured funding to establish the UK Carbon Capture and
Storage Research Centre. Dr Drage played a pivotal role in defining UK science initiatives and has experience advising policymakers and
assisting with international collaborations in China, India, South Korea and Australia.
5:35 onwards Drinks and nibbles in the S block foyer sponsored by Waikato Management School
