title: Malleable boundaries - Creative modes of practice and inquiry in the Academy

authors: Hill, Rodrigo

abstract: The exhibition ‘Malleable Boundaries’ considers the burgeoning field of creative and non-traditional research outputs across our academic disciplines at the University of Waikato. The show highlights work from practicing artists, emerging and established academics, all testing the malleability of the academy's boundaries and challenging our collective understanding of what research can look like in practice.

Creativity and non-traditional research approaches have a strong footing across disciplines, at times transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary, often transcending traditional boundaries. Discover how creative thinking thrives across our faculties and schools, from the School of Arts and Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies, through Education and Design, to the unexpected realms of Law and the Sciences.

Across the exhibition are practicing artists working in photography and paint, weaving, audio/visual and performance. Alongside them are qualitative researchers that have ventured into non-traditional outputs including cartography, documentary-based production, game design, comic book creation and posters. Join us in recognizing the innovative spirit that defines our academic community here at the University of Waikato.

text: Malleable boundaries - Creative modes of practice and inquiry in the Academy The exhibition ‘Malleable Boundaries’ considers the burgeoning field of creative and non-traditional research outputs across our academic disciplines at the University of Waikato. The show highlights work from practicing artists, emerging and established academics, all testing the malleability of the academy's boundaries and challenging our collective understanding of what research can look like in practice.

Creativity and non-traditional research approaches have a strong footing across disciplines, at times transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary, often transcending traditional boundaries. Discover how creative thinking thrives across our faculties and schools, from the School of Arts and Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies, through Education and Design, to the unexpected realms of Law and the Sciences.

Across the exhibition are practicing artists working in photography and paint, weaving, audio/visual and performance. Alongside them are qualitative researchers that have ventured into non-traditional outputs including cartography, documentary-based production, game design, comic book creation and posters. Join us in recognizing the innovative spirit that defines our academic community here at the University of Waikato.

year: 2024

title: Game changer competition

authors: Steff, Reuben

abstract: An increasingly complex arms competition is underway between the United States, Russia and China. While the United States is in the lead across a range of current and emerging systems, it can no longer take its position for granted, and there is an urgent need for greater attention to be paid to this competition as the strategic consequences are unknown. Further more, an opportunity exists for countries like New Zealand to seize the initiative and play a role in advancing arms control programmes that promote collective reassurance and will enhance international security.

text: Game changer competition An increasingly complex arms competition is underway between the United States, Russia and China. While the United States is in the lead across a range of current and emerging systems, it can no longer take its position for granted, and there is an urgent need for greater attention to be paid to this competition as the strategic consequences are unknown. Further more, an opportunity exists for countries like New Zealand to seize the initiative and play a role in advancing arms control programmes that promote collective reassurance and will enhance international security.

year: 2016

title: Māori whānau experiences of a neonatal intensive care unit: Waikato hospital

authors: Thompson, Keri

subjects: Maori whanau narratives

abstract: This thesis topic emerged from my personal experience of having a premature baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Waikato hospital.  My whānau and I felt like aliens; culturally inept, and totally alone during our time in the NICU.  It was not until I spoke to other Māori mothers that I realised our stories were similar.   

I sought to understand how other Māori whānau members made sense of their own experiences, how they coped/adjusted to the experience of having a premature baby in an NICU and at home, and the sources of support they utilised. This study did not seek to delineate parents' experiences but attempted to allow whānau members to share their stories and explore their experiences of having a premature or special-care baby in an NICU.

The event of childbirth and the placing of a natural event into a pathological illness model through necessity has repercussions for the ways in which women experience and make sense of the event.  Knowing this, six whānau stories were collected comprising of four individual interviews with the mothers and two whānau hui (focus groups).  My use of a narrative methodology and kaupapa Māori approach enabled all the participants the opportunity to share their stories on how they make sense of their own experiences without the frame of pathological illness. 

The findings present each whānau story autonomously, to highlight the key events that   occur once the birth of a premature/special-care infant is admitted into an NICU. The participants' narratives followed their transitions through an NICU and return home. The narrative analysis and discussion confirmed that this research had been successful in creating a space for the mothers and their whānau members to share their stories.  The discussion combined their narratives to reveal that the effective coping strategies did not remove the sources of stress but rather lessened the impact of the stresses.  In situations where sources of stress were unable to be removed or reduced, participants perceptions of ineffective coping translated into narratives of negative perceptions of the NICU, and birthing experience. 

The importance of positive relationships within an NICU, and in particular, the role of the nurse as a key facilitator, highlighted that efficacious communication resulted in positive experiences for Māori whānau.  Whānau support was identified as one of the most important coping strategies for mothers in the NICU.  Those participants who were encouraged to maintain connections with whānau members reported more positive experiences overall.

Three levels of implications were identified in this research. Firstly, that the participants'narratives provided a range of coping strategies for future Māori parents and their whānau who enter an NICU.  Secondly, there are implications for NICU policy, and best practice particularly when supporting Māori in an NICU environment.  Lastly, the narratives provided meaningful insights that contribute to gaps in local, national, and international literature.  Overall, I realised that just like me, these mothers, and other whānau members, constructed narratives that are meaningful accounts to be shared with others.

text: Māori whānau experiences of a neonatal intensive care unit: Waikato hospital This thesis topic emerged from my personal experience of having a premature baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Waikato hospital.  My whānau and I felt like aliens; culturally inept, and totally alone during our time in the NICU.  It was not until I spoke to other Māori mothers that I realised our stories were similar.   

I sought to understand how other Māori whānau members made sense of their own experiences, how they coped/adjusted to the experience of having a premature baby in an NICU and at home, and the sources of support they utilised. This study did not seek to delineate parents' experiences but attempted to allow whānau members to share their stories and explore their experiences of having a premature or special-care baby in an NICU.

The event of childbirth and the placing of a natural event into a pathological illness model through necessity has repercussions for the ways in which women experience and make sense of the event.  Knowing this, six whānau stories were collected comprising of four individual interviews with the mothers and two whānau hui (focus groups).  My use of a narrative methodology and kaupapa Māori approach enabled all the participants the opportunity to share their stories on how they make sense of their own experiences without the frame of pathological illness. 

The findings present each whānau story autonomously, to highlight the key events that   occur once the birth of a premature/special-care infant is admitted into an NICU. The participants' narratives followed their transitions through an NICU and return home. The narrative analysis and discussion confirmed that this research had been successful in creating a space for the mothers and their whānau members to share their stories.  The discussion combined their narratives to reveal that the effective coping strategies did not remove the sources of stress but rather lessened the impact of the stresses.  In situations where sources of stress were unable to be removed or reduced, participants perceptions of ineffective coping translated into narratives of negative perceptions of the NICU, and birthing experience. 

The importance of positive relationships within an NICU, and in particular, the role of the nurse as a key facilitator, highlighted that efficacious communication resulted in positive experiences for Māori whānau.  Whānau support was identified as one of the most important coping strategies for mothers in the NICU.  Those participants who were encouraged to maintain connections with whānau members reported more positive experiences overall.

Three levels of implications were identified in this research. Firstly, that the participants'narratives provided a range of coping strategies for future Māori parents and their whānau who enter an NICU.  Secondly, there are implications for NICU policy, and best practice particularly when supporting Māori in an NICU environment.  Lastly, the narratives provided meaningful insights that contribute to gaps in local, national, and international literature.  Overall, I realised that just like me, these mothers, and other whānau members, constructed narratives that are meaningful accounts to be shared with others.

year: 2009