Search Marsden awards 2008–2017
Search awarded Marsden Fund grants 2008–2017
Fund Type: Marsden Fund
Category: Fast-Start
Year Awarded: 2015
Title: Civilian casualties, contemporary conflict and the politics of death: lessons from Afghanistan and Iraq
Recipient(s): Dr TA Gregory | PI | The University of Auckland
Public Summary: The changing character of war and the proliferation of actors on the battlefield have challenged the traditional distinction between combatant and noncombatant. A new cast of characters, from private military contractors and humanitarian aid workers to irregular combatants and criminal gangs, are playing an increasingly important role in today's warzones, blurring the boundary between soldier and civilian. It is also apparent that military officials have taken advantage of this conceptual confusion to generate new categories and classifications in order to justify their attacks. Terms like 'military age male', 'unlawful combatant' and 'complicit civilian' have become part of the everyday language of war, expanding the category of combatant to include new targets and new victims. Given the significance of these changes, it is surprising that more work has not been done to trace the emergence of these categories and the effects they have on the conduct of war. This project will be the first systematic study examining how the civilian is defined in contemporary military doctrine, how these definitions are communicated to troops during their training and, crucially, how these definitions might work to legitimise, camouflage and justify attacks on particular groups of people.
Total Awarded: $300,000
Duration: 3
Host: The University of Auckland
Contact Person: Dr TA Gregory
Panel: SOC
Project ID: 15-UOA-029
Fund Type: Marsden Fund
Category: Fast-Start
Year Awarded: 2015
Title: Climate change and globalisation: long-distance relationship or 'double exposure'?
Recipient(s): Dr NA Cradock-Henry | PI | Landcare Research
Professor RM Leichenko | AI | Rutgers University, New Jersey
Public Summary: Two transformations will dominate this century: climate change and globalisation. One is the result of continued greenhouse gas emissions, as evidenced by rising temperatures, sea-levels, and more frequent climate extremes; the other, the deepening of ties between nations and restructuring governance in line with liberal theory. Vulnerability to these interacting stressors is a 'double exposure' and a central unresolved question for understanding the human dimensions of global change. This is of particular relevance for New Zealand: a small, globally peripheral but connected economy, where climate-sensitive, export-oriented and resource-dependent activities provide the basis for many rural livelihoods. I will apply an analytical framework for assessing vulnerability to double exposures, in eastern New Zealand. Using a comparative case-study methodology, I will empirically examine the interaction between globalisation and climate change in Hawke's Bay, Northland and Bay of Plenty, focusing the analysis on the horticulture, viticulture and pastoral farming sectors. The research will explore interactions across scales, to determine to what extent stressors - and responses to them - are influenced by processes at higher scales. The study relies on qualitative, in-depth interviews and stakeholder meetings, together with modelled scenarios, to develop a rich picture of double exposures in a regional context.
Total Awarded: $300,000
Duration: 3
Host: Landcare Research
Contact Person: Dr NA Cradock-Henry
Panel: SOC
Project ID: 15-LCR-008
Fund Type: Marsden Fund
Category: Standard
Year Awarded: 2008
Title: Cloning mutant Mommes: a new strategy to understand and improve epigenetic reprogramming
Recipient(s): Dr B Oback | PI | AgResearch
Prof E Whitelaw | AI | Queensland Institute of Medical Research
Public Summary: Cloning by nuclear transfer (NT) forces cells to lose their epigenetic (i.e. non-DNA-encoded) programme and can serve as a functional assay for genome-wide epigenetic reprogramming. However, cloning is still very inefficient because little is known about its underlying molecular mechanisms. We discovered twelve novel epigenetic regulators in the mouse genome ('Mommes') that modify the epigenetic state of a small group of marker genes. We propose to use these regulators as a tool to understand and improve NT-induced epigenetic reprogramming. This will help to elucidate the mechanisms that restrict regeneration potential in somatic cells, increasing reproductive and therapeutic cloning efficiency.
Total Awarded: $591,111
Duration: 3
Host: AgResearch
Contact Person: Dr B Oback
Panel: CMP
Project ID: 08-AGR-023
Fund Type: Marsden Fund
Category: Standard
Year Awarded: 2012
Title: Cluster analysis for ordinal categorical data
Recipient(s): Dr RA Arnold | PI | Victoria University of Wellington
Dr I Liu | PI | Victoria University of Wellington
Prof SA Pledger | AI | Victoria University of Wellington
Public Summary: Ordinal categorical data can arise in a questionnaire where ordered categorical responses to a question or values of a variable are possible (e.g. better, unchanged, worse, or vegetation low, medium, high). Such data are very common, but only limited methods for their analysis exist. Many existing ordinal data analysis methods make unjustified assumptions, either by assigning numerical scores to observations or by treating them as unordered categories. These approaches do not exploit the true ranked nature of the responses, and thus have unreliable results. Specifically, methods are lacking for the identification of groups, patterns, clusters and associations. Although some methods use ad hoc distance metrics and crude similarity measures based on the rank, they do not fully incorporate the ordinal structure of the data within a probability model.
One goal of analysis may be to identify groups (clusters) of respondents with similar response patterns, and groups of characteristics that tend to occur together. In this project we will develop new fuzzy clustering methods for ordinal data to classify respondents and questions simultaneously using various ordinal response models. In our methods, the subject/question is probabilistically classified across the groups, allowing a richer description of the data.
Total Awarded: $521,739
Duration: 3
Host: Victoria University of Wellington
Contact Person: Dr RA Arnold
Panel: MIS
Project ID: 12-VUW-069
Fund Type: Marsden Fund
Category: Fast-Start
Year Awarded: 2013
Title: Colonisation impacts and the decoupling of human cultural and ecological systems
Recipient(s): Dr PM Wehi | PI | University of Otago
Associate Professor IG Barber | AI | University of Otago
Public Summary: In the face of rapid environmental change, what determines whether species go extinct? Domesticated and commensal species have travelled with humans throughout the world and are integrally woven into the development of culture. Research on biodiversity losses has focused on ‘wild’ species, yet human-associated species are not exempt from decline. Using New Zealand as an exemplar, we examine the decoupling of human-ecological linkages in Maori and Moriori society during the pre-European and colonial period. With an innovative interdisciplinary approach we explore the role of societal and ecological transformations in the losses of domesticated and commensal populations. Initially, we focus on kuri and kiore, two introduced mammals valued in traditional society. We interrogate oral and written archives and consult with elders in a kaupapa Maori approach to identify cultural attitudes and feedback loops, particularly after European colonisation. Using stable isotope analysis and Bayesian modelling, we construct isotopic niches for kuri and kiore, and model human-ecological coupling and decoupling under resource stress. Results from the research will reveal relationships between cultural worldviews, changing bio-economics and extinction vulnerability. We compare these findings with other indigenous perspectives on human-associated species, and answer fundamental questions about feedback loops leading to decoupling in human-ecological systems.
Total Awarded: $300,000
Duration: 3
Host: University of Otago
Contact Person: Dr PM Wehi
Panel: SOC
Project ID: 13-UOO-187
Fund Type: Marsden Fund
Category: Fast-Start
Year Awarded: 2011
Title: Combining laser scanning with molecular resolution: rapid live cell imaging at the nanometre scale
Recipient(s): Dr DM Baddeley | PI | The University of Auckland
Prof SRW Chen | AI | University of Calgary
Assoc Prof C Soeller | AI | The University of Auckland
Prof F Zappa | AI | Politecnico di Milano
Public Summary: Structural detail on the nanometre scale critically determines the properties of biological cells but until recently could not be observed with optical microscopy due to its limited resolution. Here we propose a new type of laser scanning microscope that overcomes this problem and achieves molecular resolution. Our aim is to enable rapid and straightforward switching between a conventional confocal mode of the microscope and a single-molecule super-resolution mode. This will enable correlative confocal and nanometre-resolution imaging of biological samples. By controlling the photochemistry of fluorescent dye molecules we aim to localize single molecules fast enough to be compatible with real time imaging in live cells. We will use our new laser scanning microscope to investigate the distribution of a genetically labelled protein in mouse heart muscle in fixed and live muscle cells. The genetic label will avoid uncertainties related to antibody binding and will allow us to identify these proteins more unequivocally. Additionally, it will enable us to study the protein distribution in live cells. Our approach is designed to ultimately allow extremely rapid acquisition of molecular scale data in small areas of live cells while also enabling conventional confocal monitoring of larger cell and tissue areas.
Total Awarded: $300,000
Duration: 3
Host: The University of Auckland
Contact Person: Dr DM Baddeley
Panel: EIS
Project ID: 11-UOA-276
Fund Type: Marsden Fund
Category: Standard
Year Awarded: 2014
Title: Complex multicomponent metal-organic frameworks
Recipient(s): Associate Professor SG Telfer | PI | Massey University
Public Summary: Synthetic materials that are both complex and well-ordered are rare, which contrasts with biology where complexity translates into exquisite functional behaviour. However, we propose that the 'holey' grail of coupling complexity to order can be achieved in a new class of porous materials, multicomponent metal-organic frameworks. We plan to acquire a deep understanding of the chemistry of multicomponent metal-organic frameworks to create a platform of porous materials
with properties that can be controlled by precise structural variations. We will draw on the unique attributes of these materials to further our understanding of host-guest interactions in 'holey' solids. Ultimately, this research will inform the design of high performance membranes for carbon dioxide capture, adsorbents for methane storage, and enzyme-like catalysts.
Total Awarded: $750,000
Duration: 3
Host: Massey University
Contact Person: Associate Professor SG Telfer
Panel: PCB
Project ID: 14-MAU-024
Fund Type: Marsden Fund
Category: Standard
Year Awarded: 2008
Title: Complexity reduction in neural models
Recipient(s): Dr CR Laing | PI | Massey University
Dr A Ben-Tal | AI | Massey University
Prof Y Kevrekidis | AI | Princeton University
Dr J Smith | AI | National Institutes of Health
Public Summary: Recent advances have led to increasingly detailed models of neuronal networks. These models are time-consuming to simulate, and understanding their 'essence' is difficult. Recently-developed 'equation-free' (EF) methods enable one to analyse and efficiently simulate complex, multi-scale systems. We aim to use EF methods to analyse several neural models, including the complex respiratory neural network. The techniques involved include identification of low-dimensional variable(s) which describe the macroscopic dynamics of the network, and bifurcation analysis in terms of these variables. Our goal is to provide an understanding of such networks that cannot be found in any other way.
Total Awarded: $403,556
Duration: 3
Host: Massey University
Contact Person: Dr CR Laing
Panel: MIS
Project ID: 08-MAU-033
Fund Type: Marsden Fund
Category: Fast-Start
Year Awarded: 2013
Title: Computability theory in the constructible universe
Recipient(s): Dr AR Day | PI | Victoria University of Wellington
Dr AS Marks | AI | Caltech
Public Summary: The overall aim of this research proposal is to advance understanding about definable hierarchies of real numbers by studying degree-invariant functions. A degree-invariant function is function on the real numbers that preserves computational equivalence. Martin made the central conjecture in this area, which essentially states that any non-constant degree-invariant function can be understood in terms of the Turing jump operator.
The Turing jump operator is a central concept in computability theory. Iterating the Turing jump operator gives a sequence of real numbers that increase in computational power. The Turing jump operator is a degree-invariant function.
Special cases of Martin's conjecture have been resolved. Our objective is to develop a greater understanding of Gödel's constructible universe and apply this to other cases of Martin's conjecture. This is a natural next step because the constructible universe contains a hierarchy of sets known as master-codes. This hierarchy of master-codes extends the hierarchy obtained by iterating the Turing jump operator.
We also propose investigating related questions on jump operators, in particular how smaller jump operators interact with larger jump operators. Finally, we will examine the relationship between degree-invariant functions and algorithmic randomness.
Total Awarded: $300,000
Duration: 3
Host: Victoria University of Wellington
Contact Person: Dr AR Day
Panel: MIS
Project ID: 13-VUW-017
Fund Type: Marsden Fund
Category: Fast-Start
Year Awarded: 2008
Title: Conflict and communication strategies in intimate relationships: tracking improvement in relationship problems over time
Recipient(s): Dr N Overall | PI | The University of Auckland
Public Summary: Prior research has shown that communicating with criticism, hostility and demands for change when experiencing relationship problems diminishes relationship satisfaction. However, a recent investigation has also revealed negative communication that directly targets the problem may help resolve the issue and improve the relationship over time. The proposed research attempts to resolve these inconsistent findings by assessing the communication behaviour exhibited by couples during conflict interactions (e.g., criticising partner versus softening conflict with affection and humour). By following couples over 1-year, this research will investigate how different communication strategies influence actual improvement in targeted problems and relationship satisfaction over time.
Total Awarded: $260,444
Duration: 3
Host: The University of Auckland
Contact Person: Dr N Overall
Panel: EHB
Project ID: 08-UOA-186