Development of a model to create entrepreneurial technology businesses

A unique technology business creation model called "Mentrix Model" was created which achieved above 85% success using state of the art selection tools. Based upon the author's research and experience in establishing the world class Australian Technology Park in Sydney, Australia and the extension to the prestigious OptixLab in Malaysia.

The state of Illinois Medical Center Commission : 50 years of progress-- : meeting the challenges of the future-- .

Cover title.

Science parks and university-industry links: a case-study of the surrey research park.

Doutoramento em Economia.

An investigation of unique challenges in National Historic relics and scenic sites (NHRSSs) in Chinese research literature 1982-2008 using co-word analysis

National Housing Relics and Scenic Sites (NHRSSs) in China are the equivalent of National Parks in the West but have contrasting features and broader roles when compared to their Western counterparts. By reviewing and analysing more than 370 academic sources, this paper identifies 6 major issue clusters and future challenges that will influence the management of NHRSSs over time. It also provides a number of cases to illustrate the particular features of NHRSSs. Identifying the hot issues and important challenges in Chinese NHRSSs will provide valuable insights into priorities now being discussed in highly populated areas of the World.

Moving Landscapes : National Parks and the Vietnamese Experience

This study examines the range of Vietnamese understandings of the natural and cultural environment both in Australia and in Vietnam. It documents the differing experiences of Vietnamese-Australians to national parks, focusing on the factors influencing the involvement of Vietnamese people in parks and reserves. These include social, age, economic, gender and cultural determinants. The study also ascertains whether particular parks or reserves have social significance to Vietnamese people in Australia provides material that could impact on NPWS policy in relation to education strategies for different communities indicates ways of increasing community awareness about the NPWS in the Vietnamese community. The study is part of an NPWS research program on multiculturalism and conservation reserves.

Amenity grasses for salt-affected parks in coastal Australia

In February 2004, Redland Shire Council with help from a Horticulture Australia research project was able to establish a stable grass cover of seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) on a Birkdale park where the soil had previously proved too salty to grow anything else. Following on from their success with this small 0.2 ha demonstration area, Redland Shire has since invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in successfully turfing other similarly “impossible” park areas with seashore paspalum. Urban salinity can arise for different reasons in different places. In inland areas such as southern NSW and the WA wheatbelt, the usual cause is rising groundwater bringing salt to the surface. In coastal sites, salt spray or periodic tidal inundation can result in problems. In Redland Shire’s case, the issue was compacted marine sediments (mainly mud) dug up and dumped to create foreshore parkland in the course of artificial canal developments. At Birkdale, this had created a site that was both strongly acid and too salty for most plants. Bare saline scalds were interspersed by areas of unthrifty grass. Finding a salt tolerant grass is no “silver bullet” or easy solution to salinity problems. Rather, it buys time to implement sustainable long-term establishment and maintenance practices, which are even more critical than with conventional turfgrasses. These practices include annual slicing or coring in conjunction with gypsum/dolomite amendment and light topdressing with sandy loam soil (to about 1 cm depth), adequate maintenance fertiliser, weed control measures, regular leaching irrigation was applied to flush salts below the root zone, and irrigation scheduling to maximise infiltration and minimise run off. Three other halophytic turfgrass species were also identified, each of them adapted to different environments, management regimes and uses. These have been shortlisted for larger-scale plantings in future work.

Concentration levels of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in car parks at Queensland University of Technology

This study investigates the level of pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals) in three car parks at QUT, one at Kelvin Grove campus and two at the Gardens Point campus. In addition, comparisons between site designs were assessed to identify the possible sources of heavy metals and PAHs. The main contributing source for heavy metals was identified to be from vehicle debris and emissions, while the source of PAHs was identified to be from petrol and diesel engine vehicle emissions. The highest concentration of pollutants was typically found for the 63 micro meter dust samples, proposed to be due to increased surface areas and thus available adsorption sites.

Socioeconomic impacts of National Parks: a case study from the North-east of England

[EN] Enforcement of rural policy measures within National Parks may have a particular importance as they may contribute to reach socioeconomic objectives devised for such areas. So this paper approaches as case study the application of a relevant rural development measure in the Northumberland National Park (NNP) –England, North East— over the period 2000-2008 in order to explore whether NNP makes any difference in terms of enforcing rural policy measures. The main research findings indicate that NNP may have some sort of positive impact on rural development, but support relying on tourism monoculture may be a background reason for undesired negative consequences.

Survey on the status of Computational Design research and practice

This report presents the results from a survey of current practice in the use of design optimization conducted amongst UK companies. The survey was completed by the Design Optimization Group in the Department of Engineering at Cambridge University. The general aims of this research were to understand the current status of design optimization research and practice and to identify ways in which the use of design optimization methods and tools could be improved.

The effectiveness of interpretive methods in informal educational facilities : an experimental study with reference to marine parks

Interpretation has been used in many tourism sectors as a technique in achieving building hannony between resources and human needs. The objectives of this study are to identify the types of the interpretive methods used, and to evaluate their effectiveness, in marine parks. This study reviews the design principles of an effective interpretation for marine wildlife tourism, and adopts Drams' five design principles (1997) into a conceptual framework. Enjoyment increase, knowledge gain, attitude and intention change, and behaviour modification were used as key indicators in the assessment of the interpretive effectiveness of the Vancouver Aquarium (VA) and Marineland Canada (MC). Since on-site research is unavailable, a virtual tour is created to represent the interpretive experiences in the two study sites. Self-administered questionnaires are used to measure responses. Through comparing responses to the questionnaires (pre-, post-virtual tours and follow-up), this study found that interpretation increased enjoyment and added to respondents' knowledge. Although the changes in attitudes and intentions are not significant, the findings indicate that attitude and intention changes did occur as a result of interpretation, but only to a limited extent. Overall results suggest that more techniques should be added to enhance the effectiveness of the interpretation in marine parks or self-guiding tours, and with careful design, virtual tours are the innovative interpretation techniques for marine parks or informal educational facilities.

Healthy parks, healthy people : the health benefits of contact with nature in a park context : a review of current literature

This review identifies significant research that has not previously been compiled. It will provide key information for decision making by park managers, forming the basis of a program of future research to overcome the limited knowledge in this area. It is part of stage two of this project, funded by the International Park Strategic Partners Group. It builds on an earlier review (completed early in 2002 with funding provided by Parks Victoria) by addressing the health and wellbeing benefits of contact with nature in a parks context, at an individual and community level.

Healthy parks healthy people : annotated bibliography

This annotated bibliography is part of a joint initiative between Parks Victoria, the International Park Strategic Partners Group, and Deakin University. All organisations recognise the significance of the health and wellbeing benefits from interacting with nature in park settings, the implications for public health, and the lack of collated information on this topic. This document brings together significant research on the health benefits of interacting with nature, not previously compiled, to provide park managers with key references to guide decision-making, and future park planning. Criteria for inclusion included significance of the work, and relevance to either the health benefits of contact with nature or implications for park management and planning. Funding was provided by the International Park Strategic Partners Group.