Thermal Temperatures And Social Network Position In Bonobos, Dain Rust

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In a variety of species, the maintenance of stable social connections is associated with lower levels of stress in individuals. Understanding how physiological stress responses interact reciprocally with social connections in bonobos, humans closest living relative, can provide useful information about both the emergence of social connections in our own species, as well as provide guidance for animal welfare procedures. Infrared thermography (IRT) has been shown to be a reliable non-invasive measure of stress response in some species, specifically non-human primates. The current study examines the relationship between baseline facial temperatures, social network position, and demographic variables in a population …

Eye Of The Tiger: Does Cultural Mismatch Affect The Evaluation Of Graduate Program Brochures?, Roshonda Bissainthe

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although first-generation college students (FGCS) are enrolling in graduate school at the same rate as continuing-generation students (CGCS), they are earning their degrees significantly slower or not at all. We add to the growing literature by examining whether the independent culture encouraged at many American universities clashes with the interdependent culture of FGCS. We hypothesized that when participants are randomly assigned to read an independently focused brochure, FGCS compared with CGCS will report a lower tendency to seek college resources, self-efficacy, and persistence. FGCS and CGCS read an independent or interdependent focused ecopsychology graduate program brochure and indicated their self-efficacy …

What Is Your Why? A Qualitative Study About Motivational Differences Of Latinos/Hispanics And African American/Black In A Computerized Cognitive Training Program To Prevent Alzheimer’S Disease, Lizbeth C. Vera Murillo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recruitment of diverse populations is a major barrier in advancing clinical research (Areán & Gallagher-Thompson, 1993; Areán & Alvidrez, 2003). The need to increase racial diversity is imperative due to the substantial growth of historically marginalized racial communities in the United States (Weinstein et al., 2017). Despite researchers’ efforts to increase racial/ethnic representation in clinical trials, there is still a lack of understanding of the best practices to recruit racial/ethnic minorities in clinical trials. The current study explores the qualitative motivations of why research participants (aged 65+ years old) volunteered for an Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) prevention clinical trial. Racial/ethnic differences …

Effects Of Altering Physiologically Relevant Cholesterol Levels And Media Types On Porin Gene Expression In Klebsiella Pneumoniae And The Resulting Impact On Antibiotic Resistance, Megan R. Camden

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative, non-motile bacterium belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family. K. pneumoniae is a rising threat in the clinical setting, as there has been a large increase in the presence of antibiotic resistant isolates. While much research is conducted on laboratory and clinical strains of bacteria, not much is known regarding the impact that human physiology can have on bacterial gene expression, and in response, to antibiotic susceptibility. The goal of this study is to determine if physiologically relevant cholesterol levels and media types impact porin gene expression and antibiotic resistance in K. pneumoniae. To accomplish this, …

Less Meat, Less Heat: Analyzing Meat Consumption Through The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Identity, Past Behavior, And Conservatism, Madeleine Powers

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Meat reduction is a largely underutilized means of combatting climate change that warrants further investigation. The current study utilized an extended model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to predict intention to eat red meat. In addition to traditional TPB components of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, this study adds to the literature by including meat-eating identity, past meat-eating behavior, and conservatism as predictors of meat consumption intentions. 744 participants were recruited via Mturk and compensated $1 for completing surveys assessing the extended TPB constructs related to meat consumption. The sample was 57% men, and 81% white, …

The Effect Of Environmental Factors On Movement Patterns And Habitat Use Of Young-Of-The-Year Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks (Sphyrna Lewini) In The Tolomato River Nursery, Matthew Bernanke

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Various shark populations on the southeastern coast of the United States experienced declines in the late 20^th century, including the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini). Improved management strategies, implemented in the late 1990s, have helped these populations to recover, but they are still under threat from fishing pressure and habitat loss. In continuing to strive towards population recovery and conservation, it is important to identify Essential Fish Habitat, or habitats that are necessary for the spawning, feeding, breeding, or growth of marine organisms. One such habitat is that of the shark nursery habitat. Nursery habitats are those …

Making The Grade: Do Teacher-Created Grading Systems Result In Disparate Outcomes For High School Students?, Laura L. Mayberry

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The lack of formal grading policies within individual schools and school districts results in differential grading across classrooms. In many secondary schools, an individual course may be taught by multiple teachers. This study aimed to determine if the existence of differential grading results in disparate outcomes for students based on their assigned teacher. Data about students (demographics, teacher-issued grades, and standardized test scores) was collected from four core content classes at one high school. Regression analysis was used to isolate the impact of students’ assigned teacher on their course grade after controlling for demographics and academic performance as measured by …

Through The Looking Glass: An Autoethnography, Jennifer Pryor Halter

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an autoethnography studying my experiences as a female high school principal in the south. Autoethnography is qualitative research that analyzes personal experiences to understand a particular culture (Ellis et al., 2011). I share my lived experiences in fictionalized composite examples to protect myself and others possibly implicated in the research (Law & Fine, 2004). Through analysis, I use feminist theories and metaphors to understand the school and community and the presence of southern culture in this school’s context. Through research, I found glass metaphors describing women in leadership roles and their obstacles (Simpson & Kurma, 2015). I …

New Principals: Experiences That Influence The Role, Marianne P. Simon

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenology-informed study is to examine the lived experiences of new principals and to understand the experiences that have influenced their role as principal. Phenomenological research is “interested in an analytical and descriptive experience of phenomena by individuals in their everyday world” (Eddles-Hirsch, 2015). This framework is what drove the research study into the lived experiences of new principals and the experiences that have influenced their role. The study is qualitative in nature using three in-depth, semi-structured interviews with five new principals in a Northeast Florida school district for a total of 15 interviews. The research …

The Indirect Association Of Personality With Perceived Stress As Mediated By Humor In University Students During Covid-19, Jacqueline Sterghos

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Humor is known to be an effective coping strategy due to its stress-reducing capabilities (Overholser, 1992; Peterson & Seligman, 2004). However, more recent research into humor has revealed it can also lead to increased levels of stress (Fritz et al., 2017; Martin et al., 2003). Extraverts tend to have positive emotions and are better able to cope with stressful emotions (Ford et al., 2016). However, individuals higher in neuroticism are more likely to engage in maladaptive types of coping strategies and humor (Greengross et al., 2011), putting them at a higher risk for increased stress levels. The current research utilized …

The Role Of The United States In Advancing Democracy In Developing Countries: The Case Of Bangladesh, 2008-2020, Abdul Halim

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States has been working in close collaboration with the government of Bangladesh (GoB) to promote democratic norms and practices in the country. Over the past five decades, various US agencies have provided about $8 billion in foreign aid to Bangladesh (U.S. Department of State, 2022) with a significant percentage of these funds devoted to promoting democratic governance in the recipient nation. This study seeks to investigate the impact of US aid on democratization in Bangladesh from 2008 to 2020. Utilizing bi-variate statistical models, this essay analyzes four distinct measures of US-funded projects that directly promote democracy and their …

Investigations Into The Electronic And Magnetic Properties Of (Crps4)N Layers, Alexandria R. Alcantara

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

2D magnetic semiconductors have become of interest due to their magneto-optical effects in lower dimensionality. More specifically, CrPS4 has gained renewed attention due to its A-type AFM order and air stability prompting analysis and stability studies in its layered forms for use in scalable technology such as spintronic and optoelectronic devices. In this study, we benchmark our approach using the SCAN meta-GGA functional used without U-parameterization on bulk CrPS4 to demonstrate the accuracy of our methodology to use as tools to go beyond current CrPS4 theoretical studies. We examine the 2D electronic nature and optical spectrum for use in experimental …

Gender And Race Influence Young Adults' Impressions Of People With Dementia, Angel Collie

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) are becoming more common among older adults around the United States, including African Americans, who are twice as likely to be clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Though it is counter-intuitive, young adults are important when examining the future projections of ADRD because they will be the future caretakers of older adults. The current study investigated whether impressions of people with dementia are influenced by the interaction of gender and race among young adults. In Phase 1, young adults (N = 157, ages 18-25, median age = 20) completed a reverse correlation task where they …

The Lie Algebra Sl2(C) And Krawtchouk Polynomials, Nkosi Alexander

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Lie algebra L = sl2(C) consists of the 2 × 2 complex matrices that have trace zero, together with the Lie bracket [y, z] = yz − zy. In this thesis we study a relationship between L and Krawtchouk polynomials. We consider a type of element in L said to be normalized semisimple. Let a, a^∗ be normalized semisimple elements that generate L. We show that a, a^∗ satisfy a pair of relations, called the Askey-Wilson relations. For a positive integer N, we consider an (N + 1)-dimensional irreducible L-module V consisting of the homogeneous polynomials in two variables …

Breast Density Classification Using Deep Learning, Conrad Thomas Testagrose

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Breast density screenings are an accepted means to determine a patient's predisposed risk of breast cancer development. Although the direct correlation is not fully understood, breast cancer risk increases with higher levels of mammographic breast density. Radiologists visually assess a patient's breast density using mammogram images and assign a density score based on four breast density categories outlined by the Breast Imaging and Reporting Data Systems (BI-RADS). There have been efforts to develop automated tools that assist radiologists with increasing workloads and to help reduce the intra- and inter-rater variability between radiologists. In this thesis, I explored two deep-learning-based approaches …

The Effect Of Testing On New Learning Of Related And Unrelated Text Sections, Katie Ingram

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

When individuals are presented with a variety of materials, including word lists, face-name pairs, text passages, and more, the presence of a test between sections can enhance future section learning, a phenomenon called the forward testing effect (FTE). In addition to the FTE, studies have suggested that a decrease in the relatedness of the subject matter units can increase learning of the material. The current study examined the interaction between the presence of a test and the relatedness of material using text sections and cued-recall questions. Participants were 119 individuals assigned to a related test, related no-test, unrelated test, or …

Educator Perceptions Of Giftedness In Florida, Casey Leone

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Educators, including teachers and administrators, have a responsibility to increase knowledge and achievement for all students. Gifted students who demonstrate increased abilities and proficiencies are often given less attention as schools continue to increase their focus on the lower quartile of students. To address this need, gifted programs are implemented to foster excellence in identified students. However, educational policies pertaining to identification and qualifications for gifted programs can serve as gatekeepers denying students that could potentially benefit from rigorous and enriching programs. In this quantitative study, the perceptions of educators in Florida towards gifted policy were explored through a series …

Apparent Contours For Piecewise Smooth Surfaces, Sarah Marie Jackman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The set of points on an embedded surface $M$ that are tangent to a set viewing direction $\mathbf{v}$ is called the contour generator of $M$. The projection of those points to an image plane is called a surface's apparent contour. Apparent contours hold certain properties that allow for reconstruction of the original surface using only the information of the apparent contour. In this paper, we explore the structure of the apparent contour through contact classes and singularity types. Additionally we examine the properties of apparent contours that allow for 3 dimensional reconstruction. Our goal is to extend the properties of …

Curriculum Strategy To Increase College Student’S Motivation, Ability And Opportunity Resulting In Reduction In Wasted Food, Sarah D. Brunnig

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Concerns about Food Loss and Waste (FLW) have been rapidly growing worldwide as it came to be understood how the loss of about one-third of the edible food produced globally leads to environmental damage, leads to loss of about USD 1 trillion and keeps food from hungry people. Consumers in developed countries account for the largest majority of food that is wasted. College presents an excellent opportunity to reach young adults as they are developing their identity, self-efficacy and life skills. Utilizing the Motivation-Ability-Opportunity Framework, this research’s overall goal was to find a Curriculum Strategy to engage allied health students …

Energy-Efficient Hmac For Wireless Communications, Cesar Enrique Castellon Escobar

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis introduces the Farming Lightweight Protocol (FLP) optimized for energy-restricted environments that depend upon secure communication, such as multi-robot information gathering systems within the vision of ``smart'' agriculture. FLP uses a hash-based message authentication code (HMAC) to achieve data integrity. HMAC implementations, resting upon repeated use of the SHA256 hashing operator, impose additional resource requirements and thus also impact system availability. We address this particular integrity/availability trade-off by proposing an energy-saving algorithmic engineering method on the internal SHA256 hashing operator. The energy-efficient hash is designed to maintain the original security benefits yet reduce the negative effects on system availability. …

Florida’S Principals’ Perceptions Of Their Principal Preparation Program: A Study Of How Preparation Programs Impact Efficacy As A School Principal, Justin Reid Faulkner

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 2020, the National Association of Secondary School Principals revealed that a staggering 42 percent of principals plan on leaving the profession and that compounds the already alarming rate of teachers leaving the field (National Association of Secondary School Principals, 2020). More locally in Florida, the landscape of educational leadership has changed quickly also adding to this problematic exodus of principals. In order to better understand the principal experience in Florida, particularly with principal preparation, this study seeks to understand how principal preparation, specifically Level II certification preparation, influences efficacy once at the helm of a school. This research uses …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Recent High School Graduates Regarding Pk-12 School Safety Measures Considering Increased Occurrences Of Mass School Shootings: A Q Method Study, Marie Farjian

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

School violence and mass school shootings are increasing at an alarming rate in our nation (Arnold, 2015; Ash & Sanders, 2018; Baird, Roellke, & Zeifman, 2017; Beland & Kim, 2016; De Apodaca, Brighton, Perkins, Jackson, & Steege, 2012; Duplechain & Morris, 2016; Elliott, 2015; Gerard, Whitefield, Porther, & Browne, 2016; Haan & Mays, 2013; Jonson, 2017). Institutions of learning that were once deemed safe and sacred have turned into metaphorical and literal battlegrounds (Jonson, 2017). As a result of the increased risk of mass school shootings many states have implemented laws to assist in implementing more rigid safety measures within …

Case Study And Evaluation Of The Implementation Of Restorative Family Conferences In An Alternative Placement School, Linda Faye Mcghghy

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite the lack of research supporting zero tolerance policies and practices, these exclusionary practices and policies have resulted in the doubling of the number of students suspended from school. They contribute to exclusionary consequences and, in effect, these practices create negative academic, social and emotional outcomes for students often resulting in students entering the criminal justice system (school-to-prison-pipeline), which disproportionately impact Black students, students with disabilities, and children living in poverty. These facts are especially troubling since there is ample research that discipline practices supporting student physical, mental and social well being such as Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Multi-Tiered System …

How Performing Arts High School Students Experienced Involvement In A Black, Student-Created And Student-Led Organization Focused On Uplifting Black Art And Artists: A Critical Phenomenological Study With Implications For Culturally Responsive And Sustaining Educational Practices, Shaneka R. Ferrell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This critical phenomenological study aims to understand the perspectives and experiences of members of Black Arts, a student-created, student-led organization focused on uplifting Black art and artists. The following research question guided this inquiry: What are the experiences of students involved in Black Arts, a student-created, student-led organization focused on uplifting Black art and artists? In addition, three sub-questions were explored: (a) How do students experience their involvement in Black Arts, a student-created, student-led organization focused on uplifting Black art and artists in ways that uplift and magnify their voices and agency? (b) How do student experiences in Black Arts, …

Modified Reactive Sputter Deposition Of Titanium Nitride Thin Films Via Hipims With Kick-Pulse And Improvement Of The Structure-Zone Model, Andrew Miceli

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Direct current (DC) and radio frequency (RF) sputtering methods have been commonplace in industry for several decades and widely studied in literature. Hard films of nitrides, such as titanium nitride (TiN), have been deposited using reactive DC sputtering onto cutting tools and medical devices extensively as well. For these applications, the films require excellent adhesion, high density, and high hardness. High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HIPIMS) has emerged over the last several years as a method to produce films with increased density and mechanical properties. Process-structure-property relationships for reactive HIPIMS are not yet well developed. Additionally, conventional HIPIMS suffers from relatively …

Illness Stigma, Social Connectedness, And Health In People Living With Chronic Illness: A Structural Equation Model, Abigail Brooke Crawford

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The complexity of chronic or unexplained conditions may lead to potential stigma for those suffering long-term symptoms as they do not follow the expected pattern of recovery following diagnosis and treatment. Experiencing such illness-related stigma has potential for leading to a belongingness identity of detachment with implications for health across physical, social, and psychological dimensions. This study aimed to examine the relationship between stigma, social connection, mental health, physical health, and social functioning in a group of 231 participants with ongoing symptoms of chronic illness through structural equation modeling. The fit indices all suggest that the model reasonably fits the …

Examining Predictors Of Academic Success Among Stem And Non-Stem College Students, Sydney C. Barrett

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nationally, approximately 40% of students drop out of college, with one third of all college freshman dropping out before they enter their second year (Hanson, 2021). Previous research (van der Zanden et al., 2018) has examined predictors of student success that range from institutional variables (e.g., policies, academic supports) to student characteristics (e.g., academic preparation, emotional well-being, motivation, self-evaluation). The primary goal of the present research was to add more insight into the variables that might affect academic success by examining differences in college students’ implicit theories of intelligence, achievement goals, academic self-concept, and academic success at two different levels …

Exploring Mottness And Electronic Order In Strongly Correlated Vanadate Thin Films, Nathan Bairen

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mott insulators provide a window into some of the most intensely investigated phenomena in physics. Recent discoveries—including the emergence of high-temperature superconductivity in doped Mott insulators not from the cuprate family of superconductors—have inspired investigation into systems with strong electron-electron interactions. One of these systems is La_1-xSr_xVO₃, in which one end-member, LaVO₃, is a Mott insulator and the other, SrVO_3, is a strongly correlated metal.

Herein, we detail two studies regarding this system. In our oxidation study, we optimized the growth parameters for LaVO_3, finding that the ultra-high vacuum technique …

Reentry For Registered Sex Offenders: Navigating Stigma Post-Release, Emily N. Friedman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Registered sex offenders (RSOs) experience extreme stigmatization and monitoring even after they are released from incarceration. This is due, in part, to sex offender registries which perpetuate high levels of stigma and can contribute to false narratives about reoffending, victimization, and the homogeneity of sex offenders. As a result of societal level stigma, RSOs often struggle to locate and maintain employment, secure suitable housing, and establish positive, prosocial relationships. This current study utilized a qualitative approach using in-depth interviews with eight RSOs to explore how offenders experience and navigate this stigma during reentry. Findings support the notion that RSOs experience …

Shaping Teachers’ Behavioral Intentions To Use Dgbl: Understanding The Key Insights Teachers Garner From A Research-Based Dgbl Professional Development Design, Nadine Ebri

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to explore the key insights teachers garner from a research-based Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) professional development (PD) workshop and how their garnered insights shape their behavioral intentions to use DGBL in their future teaching practices. By gaining a deeper understanding of these areas, this study aims to enhance the effectiveness of professional development workshops for DGBL, and in turn, improve DGBL implementation in the classroom setting.

DGBL, which integrates digital games into education, has gained attention for its potential to engage and motivate students while enhancing learning outcomes. However, limited focus on DGBL professional development …