"An archaeology of the spirit" – Louis le Brocquy’s Image of Bono (2003)

An essay on the Irish artist Louis le Brocquy's portrait-image of Bono, a reproduction of which was exhibited in the exhibition, Posing Questions, curated by Brian Durrans (British Museum, emeritus) and mounted at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, University of London (21 Jan-23 Mar 2010)

Are we retaining our Maori talent? : representative youth netballers : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education at Massey University

A case study research method was employed to address the question of retention for Māori youth netballers. Despite the fact that young Māori are well populated in the junior age groups of representative netball, a decline at the senior representative levels is apparent. This decline was particularly evident during the period of adolescence contributing to the research focus. Exploring the retention factors relative to this group required consideration of these three interrelated domains: education, gifted and talented education, and sport. Previous studies related to Māori Education, Māori in Sport, and Gifted Females led to this research. The findings highlighted three key themes: intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural factors. These factors are underpinned by cultural elements which when amalgamated become critical contributors to retention. As such, this research revealed that there is no single factor that will predictably lead to the fulfillment of retention issues for Māori female youth however several conclusions have been drawn. Firstly that the challenge of balancing multiple, and often, conflicting roles as students, athletes, females and Māori is reflective of racial and gender stereotypes in society. Secondly, that our policies in education and sport need to reflect that 'being Maori' is understood in a broader context encompassing both Māri and non-Māori. In practice, operations which reflect Kaupapa Māori principles will further enhance the participants self efficacy which will lead to improved experiences. Enhancing participants' quality of experiences in education and sport requires a recognition that access as a predecessor to retention greatly impacts on the institution or organizations ability to maintain Māori youth interest levels

Magnetic genes: Studying the genetics of biomineralization in magnetotactic bacteria.

Many species of bacteria can manufacture materials on a finer scale than those that are synthetically made. These products are often produced within intracellular compartments that bear many hallmarks of eukaryotic organelles. One unique and elegant group of organisms is at the forefront of studies into the mechanisms of organelle formation and biomineralization. Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) produce organelles called magnetosomes that contain nanocrystals of magnetic material, and understanding the molecular mechanisms behind magnetosome formation and biomineralization is a rich area of study. In this Review, we focus on the genetics behind the formation of magnetosomes and biomineralization. We cover the history of genetic discoveries in MTB and key insights that have been found in recent years and provide a perspective on the future of genetic studies in MTB

The Consequences of Fiscal Stimulus on Public Debt : A Historical Perspective

Peer reviewedPostprin

Land Grant Application- McCausland, Henry (Gardiner)

Land grant application submitted to the Maine Land Office on behalf of Henry McCausland for service in the Revolutionary War, by their widow Abiah.https://digitalmaine.com/revolutionary_war_me_land_office/1614/thumbnail.jp

An intertemporal model of the real exchange rate, stock market, and international debt dynamics: policy simulations

This paper develops an open economy intertemporal optimising model that seeks to analyse the effect of bill financed government expenditure on several key financial markets. The main results suggest that an increase in bill financed government expenditure leads to a rise in net international debt, a fall in the domestic real exchange rate and a fall in the stock market value. Furthermore, due to the presence of non-linearities in the model, reversing the deficit financing policy doesn’t restore the initial net international credit, high stock market value state. Instead, the country finds itself stuck in an international debt and low stock market value trap

Explaining Student Retention: The case of the University of Aberdeen

Student retention has risen high on the political agenda in the UK as part of the government’s priorities to widen participation in higher education, in particular among groups traditionally under-represented in the sector. These concerns have been reflected in policies of the funding bodies in the UK. In turn Universities across the UK have become increasingly active in developing processes and procedures to meet the challenges of improving student retention while simultaneously widening access and participation in the context of rising student numbers overall. This has led to the desire for accurate data and reliable statistical analysis on which to inform policy at the University of Aberdeen. The purpose of this report is to answer the question: “To what extent can the probability of drop out of a student be explained by student characteristics?” Are mature students more likely to drop out? Is there an empirical distinction between younger and older mature students? Are male students more prone to dropping out? To what extent can the level of entry qualifications explain dropouts? Are there any differences in the impact of below core entry qualifications between male and female students? Do students who performed unsatisfactorily in their first year and who were allowed to repeat this first year drop out less or more often than other students? Have there been any significant trends over time? It is clear that any associations of these characteristics with drop out rates may have important policy implications for the University as it may allow the identification of those potentially “at risk” before they join the University and hence facilitate the targeting of support once students start their studies

Some are Punished and Some are Rewarded: A Study of the Impact of Performance Pay on Job Satisfaction

Using an econometric procedure that corrects for both self-selection of individuals into their preferred compensation scheme and wage endogeneity, this study investigates whether significant differences exist in the job satisfaction of individuals receiving performance-related pay (PRP) compared to those on alternative compensation plans. Using data from four waves of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS), it is found that PRP exerts a positive effect on the mean job satisfaction of (very) high-paid workers only. A potential explanation for this pattern could be that for lower-paid employees PRP is perceived to be controlling, whereas higher-paid workers derive a utility benefit from what they regard as supportive reward schemes. Using PRP as an incentive device in the UK could therefore be counterproductive in the long run for certain low-paid occupations.European Commissio

The health hazards of unemployment and poor education: the socioeconomic determinants of health duration in the European Union

The effect of socioeconomic status on the likelihood that an individual enters a period of poor health is examined using an Accelerated Failure Time methodology. This study employs data from the European Community Household Panel for the years 1994-2002 across 13 European countries, using the Physical and Mental Health Problems, Illnesses and Disabilities measure of physical health. Some socioeconomic status indicators do impact on the length of time an individual remains in good health – these being unemployment, which has a negative effect, and education, which has a positive effect – but others, such as income, have far less of an impact. Age and gender effects are also found.European Commission, Fifth Framework Programme “Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources” (contract number: QLRT-2001-02292)