The politics and poetics of coexistence : experiments at the intersection of art and environmental engineering

This research project explores how interdisciplinary art practices can provide ways for questioning and envisaging alternative modes of coexistence between humans and the non-humans who together, make up the environment. As a practiceled project, it combines a body of creative work (50%) and this exegesis (50%). My interdisciplinary artistic practice appropriates methods and processes from science and engineering and merges them into artistic contexts for critical and poetic ends. By blending pseudo-scientific experimentation with creative strategies like visual fiction, humour, absurd public performance and scripted audience participation, my work engages with a range of debates around ecology. This exegesis details the interplay between critical theory relating to these debates, the work of other creative practitioners and my own evolving artistic practice. Through utilising methods and processes drawn from my prior career in water engineering, I present an interdisciplinary synthesis that seeks to promote improved understandings of the causes and consequences of our ecological actions and inactions.

Effects of introducing an interactive teaching and learning activity (TLA) in the engineering classroom

This research study examines qualitatively and quantitatively the influence of introducing an activity in the traditional engineering classroom. It studies instances of active learning and its relationship with the student learning outcomes. The primary purpose of this study was to compare the learning outcomes of students who were involved in an active TLA with those students who were not, instead they learned under traditional teaching and studying approaches. I present the argument that the introduction of a TLA in class stimulates student engagement bringing enormous benefits to student learning. The outcomes of this study were measured using qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate the levels of student engagement, achievement and satisfaction in the terms of Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs). Results indicate that students held positive attitude towards the activities in class and also, that a positive link between TLA, learning approach and learning outcome exist. It also provides insights about the potential benefits of active learning when compared with traditional, passive and teacher-centred methods of teaching & learning.

Chitosan-collagen scaffolds with nano/microfibrous architecture for skin tissue engineering

In this study, a hierarchical nano/microfibrous chitosan/collagen scaffold that approximates structural and functional attributes of native extracellular matrix (ECM), has been developed for applicability in skin tissue engineering. Scaffolds were produced by electrospinning of chitosan followed by imbibing of collagen solution, freeze-drying and subsequent cross-linking of two polymers. Scanning electron microscopy showed formation of layered scaffolds with nano/microfibrous architechture. Physico-chemical properties of scaffolds including tensile strength, swelling behavior and biodegradability were found satisfactory for intended application. 3T3 fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes showed good in vitro cellular response on scaffolds thereby indicating the matrices′ cytocompatible nature. Scaffolds tested in an ex vivo human skin equivalent (HSE) wound model, as a preliminary alternative to animal testing, showed keratinocyte migration and wound re-epithelization — a pre-requisite for healing and regeneration. Taken together, the herein proposed chitosan/collagen scaffold, shows good potential for skin tissue engineering.

Female students’ interactions in a middle school engineering project : a case study

Targeting females at high school or earlier may be a key towards engaging them in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. This ethnographic study, part of a three-year longitudinal research project, investigated Year 8 female students’ learning about engineering concepts associated with designing, constructing, testing, and evaluating a catapult. There was a series of lead-up lessons and four lessons for the catapult challenge (total of 18 x 45-minute lessons) over a nine-week period. Data from two girls within a focus group showed that they needed to: (1) receive clarification on engineering terms to facilitate more fluent discourse, (2) question and debate conceptual understandings without peers being judgemental, and (3) have multiple opportunities for engaging with materials towards designing, constructing and explaining key concepts learnt. There are implications for teachers facilitating STEM education, such as: clarifying STEM terms, articulating how students can interact in non-judgmental ways, and providing multiple opportunities for interacting within engineering education.

Improving the quality of fourth year civil engineering research projects through bibliographic instruction

Faculty and reference librarians at the Queensland University of Technology have collaborated in an attempt to improve the quality of literature reviews in civil engineering final -year research projects. This article describes the instructional program devised and the level of faculty support for the librarians' contribution, and presents survey results revealing how students could most benefit from BI and how the classroom collaboration affected student project work. The authors offer some observations about the possible impact of 81 in general, and on engineers in particular, which may provide a focus for future research.

Biomechanical aspects of seating comfort in vehicle seating package engineering

In this paper, problems are described which are related to the ergonomic assessment of vehicle package design in vehicle systems engineering. The traditional approach, using questionnaire techniques for a subjective assessment of comfort related to package design, is compared to a biomechanical approach. An example is given for ingress design. The biomechanical approach is based upon objective postural data. The experimental setup for the study is described and methods used for the biomechanical analysis are explained. Because the biomechanic assessment requires not only a complex experimental setup but also time consuming data processing, a systematic reduction and preparation of biomechanic data for classification with an Artificial Neural Network significantly improves the economy of the biomechanical method.

Emplacement of pyroclastic deposits offshore Montserrat : insights from 3D seismic data

During the current (1995-present) eruptive phase of the Soufrière Hills volcano on Montserrat, voluminous pyroclastic flows entered the sea off the eastern flank of the island, resulting in the deposition of well-defined submarine pyroclastic lobes. Previously reported bathymetric surveys documented the sequential construction of these deposits, but could not image their internal structure, the morphology or extent of their base, or interaction with the underlying sediments. We show, by combining these bathymetric data with new high-resolution three dimensional (3D) seismic data, that the sequence of previously detected pyroclastic deposits from different phases of the ongoing eruptive activity is still well preserved. A detailed interpretation of the 3D seismic data reveals the absence of significant (> 3. m) basal erosion in the distal extent of submarine pyroclastic deposits. We also identify a previously unrecognized seismic unit directly beneath the stack of recent lobes. We propose three hypotheses for the origin of this seismic unit, but prefer an interpretation that the deposit is the result of the subaerial flank collapse that formed the English's Crater scarp on the Soufrière Hills volcano. The 1995-recent volcanic activity on Montserrat accounts for a significant portion of the sediments on the southeast slope of Montserrat, in places forming deposits that are more than 60. m thick, which implies that the potential for pyroclastic flows to build volcanic island edifices is significant.

Science and engineering for whole of life : integrating education, research and public engagement in a collaborative environment

Policy makers increasingly recognise that an educated workforce with a high proportion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates is a pre-requisite to a knowledge-based, innovative economy. Over the past ten years, the proportion of first university degrees awarded in Australia in STEM fields is below the global average and continues to decrease from 22.2% in 2002 to 18.8% in 2010 [1]. These trends are mirrored by declines between 20% and 30% in the proportions of high school students enrolled in science or maths. These trends are not unique to Australia but their impact is of concern throughout the policy-making community. To redress these demographic trends, QUT embarked upon a long-term investment strategy to integrate education and research into the physical and virtual infrastructure of the campus, recognising that expectations of students change as rapidly as technology and learning practices change. To implement this strategy, physical infrastructure refurbishment/re-building is accompanied by upgraded technologies not only for learning but also for research. QUT’s vision for its city-based campuses is to create vibrant and attractive places to learn and research and to link strongly to the wider surrounding community. Over a five year period, physical infrastructure at the Gardens Point campus was substantially reconfigured in two key stages: (a) a >$50m refurbishment of heritage-listed buildings to encompass public, retail and social spaces, learning and teaching “test beds” and research laboratories and (b) destruction of five buildings to be replaced by a $230m, >40,000m2 Science and Engineering Centre designed to accommodate retail, recreation, services, education and research in an integrated, coordinated precinct. This landmark project is characterised by (i) self-evident, collaborative spaces for learning, research and social engagement, (ii) sustainable building practices and sustainable ongoing operation and; (iii) dynamic and mobile re-configuration of spaces or staffing to meet demand. Innovative spaces allow for transformative, cohort-driven learning and the collaborative use of space to prosecute joint class projects. Research laboratories are aggregated, centralised and “on display” to the public, students and staff. A major visualisation space – the largest multi-touch, multi-user facility constructed to date – is a centrepiece feature that focuses on demonstrating scientific and engineering principles or science oriented scenes at large scale (e.g. the Great Barrier Reef). Content on this visualisation facility is integrated with the regional school curricula and supports an in-house schools program for student and teacher engagement. Researchers are accommodated in a combined open-plan and office floor-space (80% open plan) to encourage interdisciplinary engagement and cross-fertilisation of skills, ideas and projects. This combination of spaces re-invigorates the on-campus experience, extends educational engagement across all ages and rapidly enhances research collaboration.

Perspectives in multiphasic osteochondral tissue engineering

Critical-sized osteochondral defects are clinically challenging, with limited treatment options available. By engineering osteochondral grafts using a patient's own cells and osteochondral scaffolds designed to facilitate cartilage and bone regeneration, osteochondral defects may be treated with less complications and better long-term clinical outcomes. Scaffolds can influence the development and structure of the engineered tissue, and there is an increased awareness that osteochondral tissue engineering concepts need to take the in vivo complexities into account in order to increase the likelihood of successful osteochondral tissue repair. The developing trend in osteochondral tissue engineering is the utilization of multiphasic scaffolds to recapitulate the multiphasic nature of the native tissue. Cartilage and bone have different structural, mechanical, and biochemical microenvironments. By designing osteochondral scaffolds with tissue-specific architecture, it may be possible to enhance osteochondral repair within shorter timeframe. While there are promising in vivo outcomes using multiphasic approaches, functional regeneration of osteochondral constructs still remains a challenge. In this review, we provide an overview of in vivo osteochondral repair studies that have taken place in the past three years, and define areas which needs improvement in future studies

Mechanical and biological characterization of a porous poly-L-lactic acid-co-ε-caprolactone scaffold for tissue engineering

This article presents a method for making highly porous biodegradable scaffold that may ultimately be used for tissue engineering. Poly(L-lactic-co-1-caprolactone) acid (70:30) (PLCL) scaffold was produced using the solvent casting/leaching out method, which entails dissolving the polymer and adding a porogen that is then leached out by immersing the scaffold in distillated water. Tensile tests were performed for three types of scaffolds, namely pre-wetted, dried, and UV-irradiated scaffolds and their mechanical properties were measured. The prewetted PLCL scaffold possessed a modulus of elasticity 0.92+0.09 MPa, a tensile strength of 0.12+0.03 MPa and an ultimate strain of 23+5.3%. No significant differences in the modulus elasticity, tensile strength, nor ultimate strain were found between the pre-wetted, dried, and UV irradiated scaffolds. The PLCL scaffold was seeded by human fibroblasts in order to evaluate its biocompatibility by Alamar bluew assays. After 10 days of culture, the scaffolds showed good biocompatibility and allowed cell proliferation. However, the fibroblasts stayed essentially at the surface. This study shows the possibility to use the PLCL scaffold in dynamic mechanical conditions for tissue engineering

Aligned poly(L-lactic-co-ε-caprolactone) electrospun microfibers and knitted structure: a novel composite scaffold for ligament tissue engineering

We developed a novel technique involving knitting and electrospinning to fabricate a composite scaffold for ligament tissue engineering. Knitted structures were coated with poly(L-lactic-co-e-caprolactone) (PLCL) and then placed onto a rotating cylinder and a PLCL solution was electrospun onto the structure. Highly aligned 2-μm-diameter microfibers covered the space between the stitches and adhered to the knitted scaffolds. The stress–strain tensile curves exhibited an initial toe region similar to the tensile behavior of ligaments. Composite scaffolds had an elastic modulus (150 ± 14 MPa) similar to the modulus of human ligaments. Biological evaluation showed that cells proliferated on the composite scaffolds and they spontaneously orientated along the direction of microfiber alignment. The microfiber architecture also induced a high level of extracellular matrix secretion, which was characterized by immunostaining. We found that cells produced collagen type I and type III, two main components found in ligaments. After 14 days of culture, collagen type III started to form a fibrous network. We fabricated a composite scaffold having the mechanical properties of the knitted structure and the morphological properties of the aligned microfibers. It is difficult to seed a highly macroporous structure with cells, however the technique we developed enabled an easy cell seeding due to presence of the microfiber layer. Therefore, these scaffolds presented attractive properties for a future use in bioreactors for ligament tissue engineering.

A poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) knitted scaffold for tendon tissue engineering: an in vitro and in vivo study

We have designed a composite scaffold for potential use in tendon or ligament tissue engineering. The composite scaffold was made of a cellularized alginate gel that encapsulated a knitted structure. Our hypothesis was that the alginate would act as a cell carrier and deliver cells to the injury site while the knitted structure would provide mechanical strength to the composite construct. The mechanical behaviour and the degradation profile of the poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) knitted scaffolds were evaluated. We found that our scaffolds had an elastic modulus of 750 MPa and that they lost their physical integrity within 7 weeks of in vitro incubation. Autologous rabbit mesenchymal stem cell seeded composite scaffolds were implanted in a 1-cm-long defect created in the rabbit tendon, and the biomechanical properties and the morphology of the regenerated tissues were evaluated after 13 weeks. The regenerated tendons presented higher normalized elastic modulus of (60%) when compared with naturally healed tendons (40%). The histological study showed a higher cell density and vascularization in the regenerated tendons.

A novel bioreactor for ligament tissue engineering

Bioreactors are defined as devices in which biological and/or biochemical processes develop under closely monitored and tightly controlled environmental and operating conditions (e.g. pH, temperature, mechanical conditions, nutrient supply and waste removal). In functional tissue engineering of musculoskeletal tissues, a bioreactor capable of controlling dynamic loading plays a determinant role. It has been shown that mechanical stretching promotes the expression of type I and III collagens, fibronectin, tenascin-C in cultured ligament fibroblasts (J.C.-H. Goh et al., Tissue Eng. 9 (2003), S31) and that human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSC) – even in the absence of biochemical regulators – could be induced to differentiate into ligament-like fibroblast by the application of physiologically relevant cyclic strains (G. Vunjak-Novakovic et al., Ann. Rev. Biomed. Eng. 6 (2004), 131; H.A. Awad et al., Tissue Eng. 5 (1999), 267; R.G. Young et al., J. Orthop. Res. 16 (1998), 406). Different bioreactors are commercially available but they are too generic to be used for a given tissue, each tissue showing specific mechanical loading properties. In the case of ligament tissue engineering, the design of a bioreactor is still an open question. Our group proposes a bioreactor allowing cyclic traction–torsion on a scaffold seeded with stem cells.

Electrospinning and crosslinking of low-molecular-weight poly(trimethylene carbonate-co-L-lactide) as an elastomeric scaffold for vascular engineering

The growth of suitable tissue to replace natural blood vessels requires a degradable scaffold material that is processable into porous structures with appropriate mechanical and cell growth properties. This study investigates the fabrication of degradable, crosslinkable prepolymers of l-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate into porous scaffolds by electrospinning. After crosslinking by γ-radiation, dimensionally stable scaffolds were obtained with up to 56% trimethylene carbonate incorporation. The fibrous mats showed Young’s moduli closely matching human arteries (0.4–0.8 MPa). Repeated cyclic extension yielded negligible change in mechanical properties, demonstrating the potential for use under dynamic physiological conditions. The scaffolds remained elastic and resilient at 30% strain after 84 days of degradation in phosphate buffer, while the modulus and ultimate stress and strain progressively decreased. The electrospun mats are mechanically superior to solid films of the same materials. In vitro, human mesenchymal stem cells adhered to and readily proliferated on the three-dimensional fiber network, demonstrating that these polymers may find use in growing artificial blood vessels in vivo.