The introduction of N2-fixing trees in mixed forest systems is a recent strategy that can reduce the use of external inputs and increase the Eucalyptus plantations sustainability. In these systems, there is a strong interconnection between the trees, which occurs through a complex network of interactions between microorganisms, above and belowground. These interactions result in innumerable biological functions and ecosystem services, which are essential for soil and plant health. Moreover, the result of the Eucalyptus-microbiome-Acacia interaction has been pointed out as essential in achieving higher Eucalyptus productivity indexes in mixed systems. Our aim was to explore the dynamics of microbiome related to nutrient cycling in pure and mixed Eucalyptus grandis and Acacia mangium plantations. Specifically, our efforts were focused on the microbiome benefits to the biological functions improvement in commercial Eucalyptus plantations driving by Acacia introduction in the system. We also give details regarding as the knowledge of the microbiome diversity, composition and functions can help us to understand their close relationship with carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling in soil and litter layers. We believe that holistic approaches in which we can explore the biological interactions in systems using plants of high ecological value (Acacia) and high economic value (Eucalyptus) will be inevitable in the near future. If we learn how to manipulate important processes mediated by the microbiome involved in these interactions, we will take an important step to overcome the current resource constraints, combining increased productivity with the ecological intensification of forest plantations and the environmental sustainability. / A inserção de árvores fixadoras de nitrogênio (N2) em sistemas florestais mistos é uma estratégia recente que pode reduzir o uso de inputs externos e aumentar a sustentabilidade das plantações de Eucalipto. Nesses sistemas, existe uma forte interconexão entre as árvores, a qual ocorre por uma complexa rede de interações entre micro-organismos, acima e abaixo do solo. Essas interações resultam em inúmeros processos biológicos e serviços ecossistêmicos, os quais são essenciais para a saúde do solo e das plantas. Além do mais, o resultado da interação Eucalipto-microbioma-Acácia tem sido apontado como essencial no alcance de maiores índices de produtividade do Eucalipto em sistemas mistos. Nosso objetivo foi explorar a dinâmica do microbioma relacionado à ciclagem de nutrientes em plantações puras e mistas de Eucalyptus grandis e Acacia mangium. Especificamente, nossos esforços focaram nos benefícios do microbioma para a melhoria de funções biológicas, principalmente aquelas promovidas pela introdução da Acácia em plantações comerciais de Eucalipto. Por exemplo, abordamos detalhes como o conhecimento da diversidade, composição e funções desse microbioma pode nos ajudar a compreender sua íntima relação com a ciclagem de carbono (C) e nitrogênio (N) no solo e na serapilheira. Acreditamos que abordagens holísticas, com as quais possamos explorar as interações biológicas em sistemas com plantas de alto valor ecológico (Acácia) e alto valor econômico (Eucalipto) serão inevitáveis no futuro. Se aprendermos a manipular alguns processos mediados pelo microbioma envolvido nessas interações, daremos um passo importante para superar as atuais limitações de recursos, aliando o aumento da produtividade com a intensificação ecológica das plantações florestais e a sustentabilidade do meio ambiente.

This thesis provides a systematic literature review of a selection among current papers andarticles on Green Information Systems (IS). The main focus is on the current state of Green ISin academic research. This study aims at gaining a deeper understanding and a clearer view ofthe state-of-the-art of IS for environmental sustainability research, with the goal of clarifyingthe diffuse idea of what Green IT/IS is, and what differentiates Green IS from Green IT.To support the objective of this study, the articles selected for data analysis were collected byusing a systematic literature review as research and analytical method. Within the thesis, adescriptive angle with an interpretative character is used to analyse the data extracted.A theoretical framework based on concepts from sustainability, Green IS and Green IT isemployed in order to analyse and compare terminologies and frameworks used in the studiedarticles. Furthermore, the different dimensions of sustainability and the various terms used todescribe Green IS are analysed comparatively.The result and analysis are discussed in a conclusion confirming the on-going ambiguity ofthe terms Green IT and Green IS and the transformative power of IS. This study aims tocontribute to our understanding of some of the existing problems that hinder further researchin the context of Green IS. Finally, we emphasise the importance of clear definitions in orderto advance the IS position for transforming society in a sustainable direction. / Program: Systemvetarutbildningen

Diante da necessidade prática por uma sociedade ambientalmente sustentável e de mecanismos que guiem essa transição, observa-se que práticas de redução de poluição ou consumo utilizadas de forma isoladas não são mecanismos suficientes para o atingimento da sustentabilidade ambiental almejada. Dessa forma, esta dissertação tem como principal objetivo explorar a inovação e o consumo sustentáveis como drivers necessários para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Especificamente, primeiramente, buscou-se mapear as melhores práticas de inovação sustentável conduzidas por empresas multinacionais que operam no Brasil, haja vista que essas empresas contam com recursos e competências que impulsionam esse tipo de inovação. Os achados da análise de conteúdo de relatórios de sustentabilidade apontam que as principais inovações de produto das empresas multinacionais focam no desenvolvimento de produtos mais eficientes, enquanto as inovações de processo focam na economia de materiais. Inovações organizacionais, por sua vez, concentram-se na aprendizagem orientada à inovação, enquanto as inovações de marketing buscam desenvolver novos ou melhores processos de distribuição. Ainda, com base na análise executada e nos resultados, uma matriz que demonstra a transição entre os tipos de inovações conduzidas pelas multinacionais é apresentada. Em relação ao consumo sustentável, realizou-se uma revisão sistemática de literatura a fim de identificar atributos de produtos ambientalmente sustentáveis reportados na literatura. Nesse sentido, propõe-se um framework que aborda as três orientações dos atributos verdes de produtos identificados: orientação à produção, orientação ao uso, e orientação ao fim da vida do produto, as quais abarcam atributos individuais que podem ser inseridos em produtos de forma a torná-los sustentáveis, seja pela redução do impacto no meio ambiente seja pela geração de impacto positivo. / In light of the practical need for an environmentally sustainable society and for mechanisms that guide such transition, pollution reduction practices used in isolate, or together with consumption reduction are not sufficient mechanisms to attain the desired environmental sustainability. Thus, this dissertation’s main objective is to explore how environmentally sustainable innovation and consumption serve as drivers for the sustainable development. Specifically, initially, we mapped the best sustainable innovation practices developed by multinational companies that operate in Brazil, based on their access to resources and competences that boost the development of this kind of innovation. The findings from the content analysis of sustainability reports point that the main product innovations developed focus on the development of more efficient products, while process innovations target material savings. In turn, organizational innovations address innovation-oriented learning, while marketing innovations aim to develop new or improved distribution processes. Moreover, based on the analysis conducted and the results, we propose a matrix to demonstrate the transition between the types of innovation developed by the multinationals. Regarding sustainable consumption, we conducted a systematic literature review with the aim to identify environmentally sustainable product attributes from studies. We propose a framework that encompasses the three orientations of the green product attributes identified: production, use, and end-of-life orientations. These orientations encompass individual attributes that can be added to products with the aim to make them sustainable, either by the reduction of the environmental impact, or by exerting a positive impact on the environment.

Submitted by Sandra Pereira (srpereira@ufrrj.br) on 2017-08-18T14:34:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2010 - Joana Farias dos Santos.pdf: 22299426 bytes, checksum: 81d0ca2bff111fd3e0327131ba752062 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-18T14:34:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2010 - Joana Farias dos Santos.pdf: 22299426 bytes, checksum: 81d0ca2bff111fd3e0327131ba752062 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-12-22 / Programa de Capacita??o da Universidade do Estado da Bahia, PAC - UNEB, Brasil. / Reclaimed areas constitute ecosystems where soil and part of subsoil were suppressed. They show minimal resilience levels and need antropogenic interference for rehabilitation in the regional context. In this study it was evaluated 5 reforestations with different species and functional properties (treatments) after a lapse of 13-years. In chapter 1 it was evaluated the development, horizontal structure and floristic composition of shrubby-arboreal stratum. In chapter 2 understory spontaneous regeneration and in chapter 3 similarity of floristic composition between rehabilitation and a spontaneous restored area (~ 40 years old) were determined. At reforestation sites with five different groups of species, floristic composition increased from 12 to 23 species, distributed on 12 families and 276 individuals, where Fabaceae was the major family. For spontaneous regeneration 3.554 individuals were surveyed (1.438 on winter and 2.116 at summer) and the most representative families were Asteraceae and Poaceae. At the restoration site, it was observed 967 individuals from spontaneous regeneration, and the most representative families were Asteraceae and Sapindaceae, showing that there is low similarity between rehabilitation and restoration environments. All treatments displayed advances in the environmental sustainability, but two combinations of species had different performances in the rehabilitation of the reclaimed areas. / ?reas de empr?stimo constituem ecossistemas onde o solo e partes do subsolo foram suprimidas. Elas apresentam n?veis m?nimos de resili?ncia, necessitando de interven??es antr?picas para sua reabilita??o ao contexto regional. Neste estudo se avaliaram 5 reflorestamentos com esp?cies e propriedades funcionais diferentes (tratamentos), seus desempenhos e sustentabilidade ambiental depois de transcorridos 13 anos. No Cap?tulo I foram avaliados o desenvolvimento, a estrutura horizontal e a composi??o flor?stica do estrato arb?reo-arbustivo. No Cap?tulo II, a regenera??o espont?nea nos sub-bosques e no Cap?tulo III, a similaridade entre composi??es flor?sticas de ?reas em reabilita??o e em restaura??o espont?nea, com aproximadamente 40 anos. Nos reflorestamentos com 5 diferentes conjuntos de esp?cies, a composi??o flor?stica aumentou de 12 para 23 esp?cies, distribu?das em 12 fam?lias e 276 indiv?duos, sendo a Fabaceae a principal fam?lia. Foram encontrados 3.554 indiv?duos regenerantes (1.438 no inverno e 2.116 no ver?o) e as fam?lias bot?nicas mais representativas foram Asteraceae e Poaceae. Na ?rea em restaura??o, foram observados 967 indiv?duos regenerantes e as fam?lias Asteraceae e Sapindaceae tiveram maior representa??o, evidenciando que h? pequena similaridade entre esp?cies de ambientes em reabilita??o e restaura??o. Todos os tratamentos demonstraram avan?os na sustentabilidade ambiental, por?m duas combina??es de esp?cies se diferenciaram no desempenho da reabilita??o de ?reas de empr?stimo.

A industrialização gerou riqueza, mas também gerou a poluição ambiental pondo em risco as condições de vida no planeta. A produção mais limpa é uma metodologia de gestão para a prevenção da poluição nas manufaturas. A fim de difundir essa metodologia, foram criadas redes inter-organizacionais em diversas regiões do mundo para promover e implementar a produção mais limpa. No entanto, a difusão da produção mais limpa se confronta com barreiras organizacionais persistentes na américa latina como a resistência à mudança, falta de liderança, falta de formação de competências práticas, falta de suporte interno, falta de priorização e falta do efeito multiplicador. Isso sugere que, atualmente, tais redes especializadas nos aspectos técnicos da gestão ambiental não devem estar suficientemente capacitadas na gestão das variáveis organizacionais para a difusão da produção mais limpa. Como um primeiro passo rumo à compreensão destas variáveis, essa tese analisa as redes internas, dentro de uma grande corporação multinacional norte americana. A implementação de uma estrutura matricial para a gestão de projetos pela metodologia seis sigma estimulou os fluxos de conhecimento dos relacionamentos pessoais nas redes internas para mobilizar e multiplicar os conhecimentos tácitos aptos a prevenir a poluição. Deste modo, o desempenho do programa de produção mais limpa corporativo mais do que dobrou mundialmente e viabilizou-se que a subsidiária brasileira participasse do programa com seus primeiros projetos. As técnicas estatísticas comprovaram que a capacidade organizacional para a gestão de projetos tem poder explicativo para o desempenho do programa de produção mais limpa. Por fim, a modelagem qualitativa descreve a integração entre a estrutura matricial oficial e as redes internas de relacionamentos pessoais e propõe um modelo organizacional, no qual o âmbito global da infra-estrutura e o âmbito local das redes auto-projetadas para a execução dos projetos são interligados por um terceiro âmbito representado pelos fluxos dinâmicos de conhecimento das redes internas. / The industrialization created wealth but also generated environmental pollution causing risk for the planet life conditions. Cleaner production is a management methodology for pollution prevention in manufactures. Inter-organizational networks to diffuse this methodology were created in many regions of the world, in order to promote and implement cleaner production. However, the diffusion of cleaner production is confronted with recurrent organizational barriers in latin america as the resistance to change, insufficient leadership, insufficient development of practical skills, insufficient internal support, insufficient prioritization and insufficient multiplication effect. This suggests that currently those networks specialized in the technical issues of environmental management may not be sufficiently skilled to manage the organizational variables for the cleaner production diffusion. As a first step towards the understanding of those variables, in this thesis, the internal networks inside a big north american multinational corporation are analyzed. The implementation of a matrix structure for project management with the six sigma methodology stimulated the knowledge flows of the personal relationships in the internal networks to mobilize and diffuse the tacit knowledge needed to prevent pollution. Thus, the performance of the corporate cleaner production program more than doubled worldwide and also made it feasible to the brazilian subsidiary to participate in this program with its first projects. The statistical techniques proved that the organizational capacity for project management has explaining power to the performance of the cleaner production program. Finally, the qualitative modeling describes the integration between the matrix structure and the internal networks of personal relationships and it is proposed an organizational model, in which the global infra-structure dimension and the local self-designed networks dimension to the projects execution are interconnected by a third organizational dimension represented by the dynamic knowledge flow of the internal networks.

Global warming has become a major threat to life, yet very little information systems research has been conducted to help sustain the environment and many people do not understand how social media can be used to combat global warming and climate change to save the earth. The purpose of this single qualitative case study was to explore whether social media can be used to increase the use of green technology, thereby reducing the cost of environmental sustainment. According to the integrated sustainability framework, which served as the conceptual framework for the study, firms should include green practices in their business processes, extend green culture to their customers, be innovative, and increase their green market share for the environment to be sustained. Twelve green energy professionals working in the United States were recruited from LinkedIn to participate in the study. Data were collected using structured telephone interviews, and data were analyzed using Stake's data analysis process and member checking. Key themes regarding the use of social media to increase the use of green technology included awareness, education, and reach. Key themes regarding the benefits of green technology outweighing the cost included cleaner, cheaper, and more profitable. This study shows that social media can be used to reach millions of people to educate and keep them aware of the benefits of various green technologies that can be used to live a green-friendly lifestyle towards sustaining the environment, people, and firms. The results of this study may encourage humans to use social media to increase the use of green technology to combat the threat of global warming and climate change.

Förutom ekonomiska aspekter är hänsyntagandet av miljömässiga och sociala aspekter står nu i fokus i många organisationers affärsverksamhet. Mer och mer företag inför strategier som använder olika metoder och verktyg för att åstadkomma hållbarhet. En serie av internationella miljöstandarder, den s.k. ISO 14000-familjen har utvecklats sedan 1996 för att stödja arbetet av komplexa miljöfrågor för olika typ och storlek av organisationer. Syftet med denna uppsats, under ramen av en fallstudie, är att beskriva och analysera hur aspekterna av miljömässigt hållbar utveckling är integrerade i Riksbyggens organisation samt hur de kan utvecklas med hjälp av miljöledningssystem-standarden ISO 14001. Litteraturgenomgång består av teori om kooperativa organisationer, strategi, hållbar affärsutveckling med fokus pp mijömässiga aspekter, och roll av standarder med fokus på miljöledningssystemstandarden ISO 14001. För att stödja analys om företaget utfördes två intervjuer på Riksbyggen; en med Miljö- och kvalitetchefen, samt en med en Specialist på Miljö och kvalitet med syfte på att ta fram kvalitativ data om företagets miljö- och hållbarhetsarbete, samt att utreda ledningssystemet. Sedan relevanta intärna företagsdokument analyserades med vägledning av Miljö- och kvalitetchef. Resultatet av studien visade att ISO 14001 ärett nyttigt ledningsverktyg för att kunna integrera hållbarhetsprinciper i organisationen, eftersom det hjälper till att harmonisera de olika dokumenten beträffande företagets miljöarbete med ledningssystemet. Genom att följa standardens struktur påpekades brist i Riksbyggens hållbarhetsarbete samt det visade tydligt vilka delar behövs kompletteras och utvecklas i framtiden. Dessutom belyste studien följande förbättringsområde inom själva Hållbathetsplanen: integrering avmiljöaspekter i Hållbarhetsplanen genom att koppla ihop dem med aktiviteterna; sätta upp en prioritering bland aktiviteterna med en tidsplan och nämna ut ansvarige. Dessutom föreslås införandet av mättal i Hållbarhetsplanen, eftersom det är ett nödvändigt element för uppföljningen. Däremot genomförandet av hållbarhetsaspekter i praktiken tillhör inte ISO 14001:s befattning. Därför skulle en analys av implementeringen av Riksbyggens hållbarhetsmål vara rekommendarad för framtiden för att se dess effektivitet och måluppfyllnad i verkligheten.

This thesis reviews and analyses the potential impact of maintenance on the fulfilment of Green Production Systems. Overall aim is to highlight how maintenance may contribute to decreasing the environmental impact of production. The thesis is based on the combination of literature studies and set of qualitative interviews conducted in selected companies. Three Swedish manufacturers were interviewed about their way of working, as well as their views on sustainability within operation management including maintenance. The results of the research explains why some organisations fail to recognize maintenance’s role to achieve sustainability, and how maintenance has been characterized in these organisations, namely by: short term pressures, reactive approach, neglecting hidden costs, lack of teamworking between production and maintenance departments, and low focus (hierarchical low status) on maintenance importance, resulting in lack of skilled labor available in organizations. In contrast, practices and strategies to succeed found to be based on the following: long term thinking, structured way of working, a proactive approach to maintenance, aiming to integrate core values into operational work, and establishing an environment which fosters continuous improvement and employee development. Same study identifies areas and "effects of poor maintenance" to be dealt with in the journey toward sustainable production, these are: economic, quality, processes wastes, emissions, resource consumption, safety and work environment related. It is therefore suggested that organizations may choose a proactive approach to maintenance that is best suited to their needs, which allows efficient production and long-term profitability, while considering safety and environmental aspects. Various concepts are available, but the organisation has to optimise on the combination of various practices. Following to the findings, a proposal is made that proactive culture should be integrated into daily work in a practical way such as Safety-Quality-Environment becomes everyone's responsibility. Sustainable perspective and sticking to best course of proactive measures are prioritized against short term pressures. To support this proposal a toolkit is developed that can be used at team/level continuous improvement programs, based on the PDCA model. Finally, the thesis emphasizes what benefits the optimum maintenance can provide on the fulfilment of competitive and resource-efficient production systems.

1. The biography of Crawford Munro (1904-76) describes his early life in Toowoomba and Sydney, and his maturation as an engineer, working for Sydney Water, Sydney Technical College and in the production of Cruiser tanks in World War II. He was a large confident man with a big voice and an optimistic, humorous personality. As the Foundation Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of New South Wales Munro was liberal, fostered humanist studies and developed the School of Engineering with a unique emphasis on water engineering. He recruited excellent staff for research and postgraduate education who led the nation across all phases of hydrology and hydraulics. Munro developed a remarkable, rational solution for flood mitigation at Launceston, and actively promoted research, partly through the Australian Water Research Foundation and the Institution of Engineers, Australia. He was much involved with predicting flood runoff, developing benefit/cost relations for irrigation schemes, which led him into public controversy, and other hydrological projects. Munro’s attempts to raise social consciousness about water problems, his multi-disciplinary approach to the evaluation of water resources and his campaigns for the collection of stream and rainfall data helped provide a better basis for proper planning. In his later years he undertook the first Australian environmental impact study. The concluding chapter outlines a vision for the current management of Australia’s water. Munro posed necessary questions about measuring the supply of water and bringing the demand of water into synchrony with its supply, while providing water security in terms of its availability and quality. He raised the debate about the balance between sustaining environmental flows, utilizing water for agriculture and secondary industry, and maintaining the health of communities. Munro hoped equitable decision making would emerge from public engagement on these issues. 2. Twentieth century science biography in Australia is the province of a group of elite male scientists, whose interests cover wide disciplinary fields; it is focused on popular imagination: health, food and adventure (Antarctica) accounting for fifteen of the seventeen scientists. Empathy for the subject is a significant feature of the nineteen biographers, of whom five are scientists. This small genre is often supported by institutions in small print runs. A key role of biography is to place through science history a more epistemologically plausible version of events. Public discourses of science treated in the essay include conflict about the attribution of scientific discovery, the vocation of the scientist as a contributor to a wider social polity, the light biography sheds on sources of creativity and the evolution of the research and culture of institutions. The biographer attempts to generate a personal portrait of the scientist which conveys authority about the significance and origins of his or her scientific discoveries and their impact in the wider social context. Daniel Söderqvist’s affirmation of the existential approach which ‘emphasizes the freedom and responsibility of the human individual’ resonates with the candidate as expressing characteristics of the lives of many Australian scientists in their passion for intellectual discovery, their motivation to self-empowerment, and their readiness top step outside their social conditioning. This essay extends Söderqvist’s paradigm to the context of Australian science biography and indicates some constraints on its depiction which arise in the practice of writing science biography. Some epistemological issues are raised in the texts, especially when dealing with oral history and family mythology, and thematic, thematic within a chronological framework or chronological structures of the text are compared. The level of detail and context influence the sustainability of the reader’s interest. Case studies of the biographies written by the candidate (Ian Clunies Ross, Samuel Wadham, Allan Callaghan, Victor Trikojus, Raymond Hoffenberg and Crawford Munro) illustrate issues which arise in the writing of science biography. The dominant question is the relationship of the biographer to the subject, and this determines the voice the reader hears. The motivation of the biographer may arise in varying degrees of empathy felt for the subject. The high affinity the candidate had for Clunies Ross and Hoffenberg causes him to offer a defence against the charge of hagiography, and the selectivity and subjectivity of the biographer is evident in the arrangement and presentation of factual material. The motivation of the biographer is additionally directed to the communication of the subject’s research outputs to the wider Australian community, and in the case of Callaghan, Wadham and Clunies Ross there was a specific programmatic function of advancing the status of agricultural science. It is argued that the description of the public life of the subject needs to be complemented from the private life if the biographer is ‘to view the world through the eyes of the subject’.

1. The biography of Crawford Munro (1904-76) describes his early life in Toowoomba and Sydney, and his maturation as an engineer, working for Sydney Water, Sydney Technical College and in the production of Cruiser tanks in World War II. He was a large confident man with a big voice and an optimistic, humorous personality. As the Foundation Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of New South Wales Munro was liberal, fostered humanist studies and developed the School of Engineering with a unique emphasis on water engineering. He recruited excellent staff for research and postgraduate education who led the nation across all phases of hydrology and hydraulics. Munro developed a remarkable, rational solution for flood mitigation at Launceston, and actively promoted research, partly through the Australian Water Research Foundation and the Institution of Engineers, Australia. He was much involved with predicting flood runoff, developing benefit/cost relations for irrigation schemes, which led him into public controversy, and other hydrological projects. Munro’s attempts to raise social consciousness about water problems, his multi-disciplinary approach to the evaluation of water resources and his campaigns for the collection of stream and rainfall data helped provide a better basis for proper planning. In his later years he undertook the first Australian environmental impact study. The concluding chapter outlines a vision for the current management of Australia’s water. Munro posed necessary questions about measuring the supply of water and bringing the demand of water into synchrony with its supply, while providing water security in terms of its availability and quality. He raised the debate about the balance between sustaining environmental flows, utilizing water for agriculture and secondary industry, and maintaining the health of communities. Munro hoped equitable decision making would emerge from public engagement on these issues. 2. Twentieth century science biography in Australia is the province of a group of elite male scientists, whose interests cover wide disciplinary fields; it is focused on popular imagination: health, food and adventure (Antarctica) accounting for fifteen of the seventeen scientists. Empathy for the subject is a significant feature of the nineteen biographers, of whom five are scientists. This small genre is often supported by institutions in small print runs. A key role of biography is to place through science history a more epistemologically plausible version of events. Public discourses of science treated in the essay include conflict about the attribution of scientific discovery, the vocation of the scientist as a contributor to a wider social polity, the light biography sheds on sources of creativity and the evolution of the research and culture of institutions. The biographer attempts to generate a personal portrait of the scientist which conveys authority about the significance and origins of his or her scientific discoveries and their impact in the wider social context. Daniel Söderqvist’s affirmation of the existential approach which ‘emphasizes the freedom and responsibility of the human individual’ resonates with the candidate as expressing characteristics of the lives of many Australian scientists in their passion for intellectual discovery, their motivation to self-empowerment, and their readiness top step outside their social conditioning. This essay extends Söderqvist’s paradigm to the context of Australian science biography and indicates some constraints on its depiction which arise in the practice of writing science biography. Some epistemological issues are raised in the texts, especially when dealing with oral history and family mythology, and thematic, thematic within a chronological framework or chronological structures of the text are compared. The level of detail and context influence the sustainability of the reader’s interest. Case studies of the biographies written by the candidate (Ian Clunies Ross, Samuel Wadham, Allan Callaghan, Victor Trikojus, Raymond Hoffenberg and Crawford Munro) illustrate issues which arise in the writing of science biography. The dominant question is the relationship of the biographer to the subject, and this determines the voice the reader hears. The motivation of the biographer may arise in varying degrees of empathy felt for the subject. The high affinity the candidate had for Clunies Ross and Hoffenberg causes him to offer a defence against the charge of hagiography, and the selectivity and subjectivity of the biographer is evident in the arrangement and presentation of factual material. The motivation of the biographer is additionally directed to the communication of the subject’s research outputs to the wider Australian community, and in the case of Callaghan, Wadham and Clunies Ross there was a specific programmatic function of advancing the status of agricultural science. It is argued that the description of the public life of the subject needs to be complemented from the private life if the biographer is ‘to view the world through the eyes of the subject’.