Digital Commons Network^™

The Attitudes And Perspectives Of Laboratory Professionals On The Use Of Machine Learning Combined With Maldi For Viral Identification: A Qualitative Study, Grace Johnson

Honors Projects

The use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) with machine learning (ML) has been proposed by numerous studies as a novel approach for viral identification. However, the development and implementation of this instrumentation is still in its early stages, and laboratory professionals' perspectives on its feasibility, accuracy, implementation, and effect on current laboratory operating procedures remain underexplored.

This study aimed to investigate laboratory professionals’ attitudes and opinions regarding the use of MALDI-TOF-MS coupled with machine learning for viral identification, focusing on perceived benefits, barriers, and factors that would affect participants’ opinions on implementation.

A qualitative descriptive research …

Fact-Based Counter Narrative Generation To Combat Hate Speech, Brian Wilk, Homaira Huda Shomee, Suman Kalyan Maity, Sourav Medya

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Online hatred has become an increasingly pervasive issue, affecting individuals and communities across various digital platforms. To combat hate speech in such platforms, counter narratives (CNs) are regarded as an effective method. In recent years, there has been growing interest in using generative AI tools to construct CNs. However, most of the generative models produce generic responses to hate speech and can hallucinate, reducing their effectiveness. To address the above limitations, we propose a counter narrative generation method that enhances CNs by providing non-aggressive, fact-based narratives with relevant background knowledge from two distinct sources, including a web search module. Furthermore, …

Cyber Safety: Protecting Yourself Online, Laxima Niure Kandel, Kayla D. Taylor, Bhawana Poudel, Helen Hernandez

Graduate Student Works

The IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) Affinity Group of Daytona hosted a cybersecurity awareness event on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the Port Orange Regional Library. The session was designed specifically to help seniors in Volusia County learn how to protect themselves online, avoid scams, create strong passwords, and safely navigate the digital world.

The Role Of Ai In Risk Management: Benefits, Challenges, And Adoption Strategies, Lukas Ludwig

Honors Projects in Information Systems and Analytics

This study explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in risk management, focusing on its integration within business operations. The primary objective of this research is to examine both the potential benefits and associated risks of adopting AI technologies, with a specific emphasis on data security, ethical concerns, and governance. A mixed methodology was employed, combining a comprehensive literature review on AI's applications and limitations with qualitative interviews conducted with professionals from various industries, including risk management, higher education, and IT development. The findings highlight key challenges in AI adoption, such as data privacy issues, bias in AI algorithms, and …

Fictional Failures And Real-World Lessons: Ethical Speculation Through Design Fiction On Emotional Support Conversational Ai, Fayle Kollig, Jessica Pater, Fayika Farhat Nova, Casey Fiesler

Health Services and Informatics Research

Conversational artificial intelligence (CAI), which replicates human-to-human interaction as human-to-machine, is increasingly developed to address insufficient access to healthcare. In this paper, we use design fiction methods to speculate on ethical consequences of CAI that offers emotional support to complement or replace mental healthcare. Through a near-future news article about a fictional, failed CAI, we explore safety and privacy concerns associated with mismatches between what an emotional support CAI is advertised to do, what it technically can do, and how it is likely to be used. We pose the following questions to researchers, regulators, and developers: How might we jointly …

Navigating Ethical Dimensions In The Metaverse: Challenges, Frameworks, And Solutions, Mousa Al-Kfairy, Saed Alrabaee, Omar Alfandi, Amr Taha Mohamed, Souheil Khaddaj

All Works

The Metaverse is rapidly evolving into a transformative digital ecosystem, bringing with it unprecedented opportunities and a complex array of ethical challenges. This narrative review, based on an in-depth analysis of 105 full publications, explores the key ethical themes associated with the Metaverse, including privacy and data security, identity and behavior, digital inclusivity, mental and physical health, ethical AI, content moderation, intellectual property, governance, environmental sustainability, harassment, cultural representation, and economic implications. Proposed solutions for these challenges encompass privacy-by-design frameworks, robust identity verification systems, equitable access initiatives, explainable AI, and blockchain-based intellectual property protections. Additionally, the review examines governance and …

Romance Scam Victimization: A Survey-Based Examination Of Financial, Psychological, And Reporting Factors, Ld Herrera

Research & Publications

Romance scams are a growing type of cybercrime in which perpetrators develop and exploit fraudulent romantic relationships with victims to obtain financial resources. These schemes cause substantial economic and psychological damage, yet they are significantly underreported. Official 2022 reports indicate only \$1.3 billion lost to romance scams in the US, but the true financial toll is likely much higher.

Using survey data from 366 victims, this study examines the financial and psychological toll of romance scams, reporting patterns, obstacles to seeking help, and victims' perceptions of received help. Most of the victims (60.9\%) did not seek help from any source, …

2025 Acssc Program, Acssc Planning Committee

Annual Celebration for Student Scholarship and Creativity

No abstract provided.

Using Generative Artificial Intelligence To Improve Software-Defined Network Security: A Brief Survey, Anthony Smith

Honors Theses

This paper aims to explore various approaches to using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to improve network security in software-defined networking. While software-defined networks provide a more programmable infrastructure, they are not immune to network security threats. Through a combination of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies and generative AI, it is possible to facilitate improved SDN security approaches that promise enhanced network efficiency and protection. Among these approaches, generative adversarial networks (GAN) based models can be employed to generate adversarial traffic samples to train the proposed AI engines proven to be effective in detecting malicious network traffic. Additionally, generative artificial intelligence can …

An Approach To Model Uncertainty In Fluid Behaviour With Navier-Stokes Equations In Neutrosophic Environment, Muhammad Saeed, Attia Hameed, Neha Andaleeb Khalid, Muhammad Salman Habib

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

The complex discipline of fluid dynamics examines the behavior of fluids and their interactions with adjacent objects. The Navier-Stokes equations are very important for explaining how fluids move, but they are not linear and often give answers that depend on the starting point and the boundaries. Modeling fluid behavior is challenging due to the inherently chaotic and unpredictable character of fluid dynamics. To deal with unknown or uncertain values in this research, we used neutrosophic logic to look at the Navier-Stokes equations in a new way. Neosophic logic permits the existence of values that are partially true and partially false; …

Automating Course Scheduling With Linear Programming And The Python Pulp Framework: First Steps, George K. Thiruvathukal

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This article presents a pragmatic approach to automating course scheduling in an academic setting using linear programming.

We explore how linear optimization via current open-source tools can efficiently handle scheduling constraints such as instructor preferences, teaching loads, course section requirements, and specific time slots. Using Python’s PuLP library and matplotlib for visualization, we built a flexible and accessible scheduling system.

Our research prototype balances course assignments while addressing department-specific needs, demonstrating how linear programming can simplify academic scheduling and improve efficiency.

Although this is a research prototype, our results already demonstrate the ability to generate a correct course schedule that …

Revisiting Bipolar Neutrosophic Graph And Interval-Valued Neutrosophic Graph, Takaaki Fujita

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Graph theory explores networks composed of nodes (vertices) and their connections (edges). A graph class is a collection of graphs that share common structural properties, defined by specific rules or constraints. This paper examines various models of uncertain graphs, including Fuzzy, Intuitionistic Fuzzy , Neutrosophic, Turiyam Neutrosophic, and Plithogenic Graphs. In particular, this study focuses on Bipolar Graphs and Interval-valued Graphs, analyzing them within the frameworks of Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, Turiyam Neutrosophic, and Plithogenic Graphs.

Predicting The Unpredictable: Predicting The March Madness Champion Using Statistical Modeling, Jack Sweeney

Honors Projects in Information Systems and Analytics

One of the more exciting and hardest parts of the men's college basketball postseason tournament, named March Madness, is to pick who wins each game and determine the overall champion of the tournament. The data analysis conducted will help determine the overall tournament winner. A machine learning model is implemented using college basketball metrics from previous years to determine the overall winner of this prestigious tournament in 2025. The model was able to pick up the winner in 2024. The result also finds that the most important features in determining the winner of the tournament are shooting guard height, small …

Technology Anxiety In Virtual Reality Adoption: Examining The Impact Of Age, Past Experience, And Cybersickness, Eman Al Khalifah, Ramy Hammady, Mahmoud Abdelrahman, Ons Al-Shamaileh, Mostafa Marghany, Hatana El-Jarn, Alyaa Darwish, Yusuf Kurt

All Works

This study examines the role of Technology Anxiety (TA), age, past use, and cybersickness in the adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) technology. Using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research integrates age and past use as antecedents of TA and evaluates their influence on perceived ease of use (PEoU), perceived enjoyment (PENJ), and user attitudes. Data from 206 participants were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) following a VR pilgrimage experience. The findings challenge conventional assumptions, revealing that past VR use increased TA, contradicting prior studies that associate familiarity with reduced anxiety. Additionally, older users exhibited …

Gender Bias Within Ai Imaging, Drew Quattrocchi

Student Publications and Presentations

This study investigates AI-created gender bias in AI-created images through content analysis, contrasting the way gender is depicted in professions in leading AI image-creation tools such as Chat smith, Adobe Firefly, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion. Employing a quantitative research method, this study contrasts AI-created images of gender-stereotypical careers for both male and female. Non-gendered careers will be used as well to identify patterns of stereotyping and bias. The area of emphasis lies in individual subjects within the images and scrutinizing visual elements such as clothing, accessories, background, face expressions, and gendered roles assigned to each. Particular emphasis is focused to …

Perceptions Of Employability With Ai Skills, Brandy Whitford, Patrick J. Cooper

Student Publications and Presentations

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making AI proficiency a key factor in hiring and career advancement. By late 2023, 75% of knowledge workers integrated AI into their workflows, with 92% reporting increased productivity and creativity (Kimbrough, 2024). Employers are adapting—66% prefer candidates with AI expertise, and 77% consider AI skills essential for career growth (Microsoft & LinkedIn, 2024). However, hiring biases related to AI-skilled applicants remain underexplored, particularly concerning gender disparities in employability perceptions. This study examines how AI-related skills influence perceived employability and whether these perceptions vary based on applicant gender. Specifically, it explores whether AI-skilled female applicants receive higher …

The Evolution Of Russian And Chinese Disinformation Tactics And The Threat They Pose To The U.S. Cybersecurity, Jehovani Sese

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

This paper aims to discuss how disinformation has become the most powerful tool used against the United State by foreign operatives. Of these foreign operatives, Russia and China have shown the ability to use advanced tactics to truly affect the United States security. Often these tools came in the form of state-sponsored media, influence campaigns and fake online identities. This literature review explores the evolution of Russian and Chinese disinformation tactics, examining how these approaches have changed over time and become more sophisticated. This paper will highlight major campaigns which use tools such as bot networks, and social media manipulation. …

Grm-050 Context-Aware Misinformation Detection Using Fine-Tuned Bert And Bilstm With Attention, Rakshak Gurung, Nino Tkabladze

C-Day Computing Showcase

Misinformation spreads fast, and 60% of consumers now question media reliability (Redline Digital, 2023). Manual verification is slow, and most systems still rely on binary real/fake classification, which overlooks nuanced types of misinformation. We propose a multi-class deep learning approach using a fine-tuned BERT model and a custom BiLSTM with attention to better detect categories like satire, conspiracy, and bias. Our models were trained on a balanced subset of the Fake News Corpus using nine distinct misinformation classes. By addressing both class imbalance and linguistic ambiguity, this system enhances contextual understanding and improves detection across varied news content. Our approach …

Grm-060 Abstractive Summarization Of Informal Text: Fine-Tuning Transformers On Reddit Discussions, Nong Ming, Arpana Challa, Sharon Edward John

C-Day Computing Showcase

In recent years, the rapid growth of social media platforms has led to an information overload, as a result, the ability to compress long and complex texts into short and precise summaries is essential, especially in online discussions and comment sections. Summarizing such content is difficult due to inconsistencies in sentence structure, slang, abbreviations, and the lack of formal grammar. State-of-the-art models such as BART and PEGASUS have shown promising results, but their performance on informal datasets remains lower compared to structured text benchmark. To address these challenges, we fine-tune BART and PEGASUS on the Reddit TIFU dataset, leveraging their …

Gc-039 Clinicpix: Secure Medical Image Sharing Web Application, Michael Harris, Selorm Kumi, Zhi Ern Tan, James Hodgson

C-Day Computing Showcase

ClinicPix is a cloud-based system designed to streamline the management of medical images such as X-rays and MRIs. It offers healthcare providers and patients a secure, intuitive interface to upload, view, and share medical images across institutions and devices. The platform ensures full compliance with HIPAA through robust security measures, including role-based access control, end-to-end encryption, and comprehensive audit trails. Its scalable architecture supports growing data needs while maintaining high performance and reliability. By enhancing accessibility and safeguarding sensitive health information, the platform aims to improve clinical workflows, patient engagement, and collaborative care.

Uc-023 Bathtub Racing Game, Sasha Melbourne, Sulaiman Bah, Damari Brown, Deylin Ealy, Adam Calo

C-Day Computing Showcase

The Virtual Bathtub Racing Game is a capstone project that uses an interactive 3D digital experience to preserve and modernize the long-standing bathtub racing tradition at Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU). With real-world physics, adjustable features, and multiplayer capabilities, the Unity-developed game recreates the famous event where students raced imaginatively designed bathtub carts. Since stakeholder input influences the creation of tracks, sound profiles, and gameplay elements that replicate the original races, alumni involvement is crucial in determining the authenticity of the game. In order to provide a captivating user experience for both new players and past SPSU students, the project …

Ur-099 Empowering Mental Wellness: A Comprehensive Study And Design Of A Predictive System For Early Mental Health Intervention​, Anh Duong

C-Day Computing Showcase

Mental health is an essential part of living a balanced and fulfilling life, but it is often overlooked compared to physical health. While physical health is important for performing daily activities, mental health plays a crucial role in how we manage stress, build connections, and make decisions. Previous research studies have shown that nearly 60 million Americans experienced a mental illness in 2024, yet there were only 340 people for every one mental health provider in the U.S. Furthermore, young adults aged 18–25—who are the most digitally connected generation—suffer from the highest rates of severe mental illness yet are the …

Ai Assistance In Legal Analysis: An Empirical Study, Johnathan H. Choi, Daniel Schwarcz

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

The National Cybersecurity Teaching Coalition: Expanding Cybersecurity Education Opportunities, Paul Wagner, Melissa Dark, Robert Honomichl, Filipo Sharevski, Sandra Leiterman

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The increasing prevalence of cybersecurity threats and the shortage of qualified professionals necessitate innovative solutions for cybersecurity education at all levels. Despite the expansion of post-secondary cybersecurity programs, employer dissatisfaction with graduates and a lack of standardized introductory curricula highlights the need for structured secondary education pathways. The National Cybersecurity Teaching Coalition (NCTC) and its National Cybersecurity Teaching Academy (NCTA) address this gap by equipping high school educators with the necessary knowledge and credentials to teach cybersecurity effectively. NCTA offers an 18-credit cybersecurity graduate certificate program to ensure teachers are competent and confident to develop and teach cybersecurity curriculum with …

Phishing Attacks And Prevention, Ruth Johnson

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Phishing attacks have been the number one leading cause of identity theft and financial theft since 1990. The internet is one of the leading places where individuals’ identity is stolen. Many businesses and government agencies have been at risk of cyber phishing attacks from foreign countries. Attacks on Several U.S. federal government agencies have been hit in a global cyberattack by Russian cybercriminals that exploit a vulnerability in widely used software, according to a top us cybersecurity agency (Lyngaas, Government hit cyber-attacks, 2023).

Phishing attacks are cybercrimes where one or many individuals steal sensitive information like passwords, credit card information, …

How Can We Improve Our Security Measures To Safeguard Against Cyber Threats?, Mattea Trotter-Hicks

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Many people face the issue of having their information stolen without their knowledge of what is happening. I understand that some people don’t pay attention to everything when it comes to making sure their information is being secured properly. There must be set stages for those who don’t know technology as well and will need help with knowing what to do. There are many stories of people going through issues with getting hacked or scammed out of their money or important information. We are going to dive into finding ways to fix the outcome of others knowing what to do …

Securing Biometric Data, Alyssa F. Carroll

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Biometric data has been widely adopted across various sectors, including digital identity, artificial intelligence (AI), border control, digital wallets, and national identification systems. While biometric identifiers—such as fingerprints, retina scans, and facial recognition—offer reliable and convenient authentication, they also raise significant concerns regarding privacy and security. This paper examines how biometric data is stored, the vulnerabilities it faces, and the most effective methods for safeguarding it. By highlighting the critical importance of biometric data protection, this study reviews current research on approaches, strategies, and policies that enhance security while preserving the functionality and efficiency of biometric systems.

Perceptions Of Ai Skills In Resumes, Brandy Whitford, Patrick J. Cooper

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

Ai-Based Accessibility Widget (Aibaw) Shortcomings For Blind Web Users, Joshua A. Rovira

LSU Master's Theses

With legal, ethical, and financial motivations to make their websites more accessible, many businesses and sites have begun to employ the use of artificial intelligence (AI) based widgets to automatically make necessary modifications to their sites' pages and subdomains. In this work, we conduct a qualitative case study to determine the efficacy of these AI tools as they pertain specifically to blind users. We analyze pages from twelve websites using accessiBe's AI accessibility widget and provide a taxonomy of their violations against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 level AA compliance. We found each website to bear numerous violations …

The Fear Of Replacement: How Ai Panic In Journalism Mirrors Existential Crisis In Industry, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This study systematically examines the portrayal of artificial intelligence (AI) errors, such as hallucinations and deepfakes, in journalistic contexts, evaluating whether these narratives reflect a broader existential anxiety about AI's role in reshaping journalism. Using a systematic literature review combined with a qualitative content analysis of recent AI-focused news reports, this study identifies recurring themes in media coverage to assess the accuracy and context of reported AI errors relative to actual technological limitations and affordances. Findings suggest that while AI errors are comparatively rare, they receive amplified coverage, often fueling public mistrust in AI technologies. Nevertheless, a balanced examination reveals …