Digital Commons Network^™

Modeling And Predicting The Thermal Behavior Of Si/Cnt Nano Composites Using Pinns, Olamide Osigbemeh

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Silicon/Carbon Nanotube (Si/CNT) composites have shown great performance as Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) for cooling in advanced electronics. The heat transfer in these materials is highly influenced by the interfacial thermal resistance (ITR) at the interfaces between the CNT filler and the silicon matrix. The ITR poses a critical challenge that hinders the design and performance of the TIM. This research designs a Physics Informed Neural Network (PINN) that predicts the thermal behavior of Si/CNT through a forward and inverse solver since they are known networks in solving complex partial and ordinary differential equations. However, despite the advantages of PINNs, …

Autonomous Navigation And Real-Time 3d Reconstruction Of Interior Spaces Using A Quadruped Robot, Steve Wilhelm

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis develops and evaluates a ROS2-based application that enables the quadruped robot Unitree Go2 to simultaneously perform autonomous navigation, real-time mapping, and 3D reconstruction in indoor environments using Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). The robot system, equipped with onboard sensors, aims to generate high-resolution point clouds that provide detailed 3D scans. The assessment focuses on the platform’s practical feasibility, operational reliability, and accuracy. The hardware setup combines the Unitree Go2 robot with its built-in sensors, a high-resolution 3D LiDAR, and an RGB-D camera. Software components include ROS2, the Unitree SDK, a navigation framework, and SLAM approaches. The application was …

Reconfigurable Antenna Arrays For Mm-Wave Directional Software-Defined Radio Communications, Ectis Velazquez Jr

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation explores design challenges and promising solutions for mm-Wave directional software-defined radio (DSDR) reconfigurable antenna arrays. Current state-of-the-art solutions for DSDR antenna arrays at mm-Wave frequencies are typically limited to one beam, which does not take advantage of the directivity and spatial reusability of mm-Wave bands. Additionally, mm-Wave phased array antennas typically incur large amounts of loss from both commercial and state-of-the-art beam steering methods. In this dissertation, both challenges are addressed and so- lutions are proposed through several novel antenna array designs. The first challenge, designing an array for mm-Wave DSDR communications is achieved through a switched-beam array, …

Advancing Heterogeneous Collaborative Perception For Autonomous Vehicles, Babak Ebrahimi Soorchaei

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Recent advances in computational and communication technologies have enabled deep neural networks (DNNs) and high‐speed vehicular wireless links, paving the way for cooperative perception and cognition in autonomous systems. By exchanging complementary observations, these methods overcome inherent sensor limitations, such as occlusions and restricted range, and thereby improve the detection of partially hidden targets. However, real‐world deployments face challenges from noisy measurements (e.g., GPS inaccuracies) and heterogeneous perception stacks: vehicles often rely heavily on visual detectors, yet there is no standardization ensuring uniform object‐detector architectures across a fleet.

In this dissertation, we first explore the design of a lightweight detector …

Communication-Aware Trajectory Prediction And Tracking For Connected And Autonomous Vehicles, Arash Raftari

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation presents a unified framework for communication-aware trajectory prediction and vehicle state tracking in connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) systems. Unlike most deep learning–based forecasting models that assume full observability of surrounding agents, the proposed approach explicitly accounts for limited communication range, packet loss, and bandwidth constraints that characterize real vehicular networks.

A model-based, error-driven information-passing policy is introduced to extend situational awareness beyond one hop. Rather than relaying messages based on distance or freshness, each vehicle evaluates the utility of received content in reducing system-wide position tracking error (PTE). Using compact Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) representations of motion …

Load Modulated Balanced Amplifier (Lmba) With Antenna-Vswr Resilience For Energy- And Spectrum-Efficient Communications, Jiachen Guo

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The rapid evolution of 5G and forthcoming 6G networks demands higher data rates and lower latency within increasingly congested spectrum resources. Advanced modulation schemes such as high-order quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) and orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) have been widely adopted to improve spectral efficiency; however, these techniques substantially increase the peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR) of transmitted signals. To enable power amplifiers (PAs) to operate efficiently under this conditions, load-modulated balanced amplifiers (LMBAs) have been developed as an effective solution while inherently supporting broadband operation. On the other hand, the deployment of massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology and highly integrated active-antenna systems …

Survivors Speak: Social Media's Influence On The Troubled Teen Industry, Jessica Hoffman

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This study focused on a three-year span of Twitter/X public tweets and discussions shared on the topic, The Troubled Teen Industry (TTI). Using the social listening tool Sprinklr, 7,743 public tweets were gathered on the matter and dissected to understand the influence the online conversation had on real-world changes in the industry. Narrowing down the initial 7,743 tweets to 2,447 applicable messages, this research analyzed the conversation surrounding the Troubled Teen Industry from the point of view of industry survivors and the role Paris Hilton and other influencers had on bringing the conversation to the digital space. The tweets meeting …

Better Models For Mosquito Control: Impacts On Nontarget Insects And Joint Species Distributions Of Mosquitoes, Jacob D. Hart

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Since its inception, mosquito control has been vital for limiting the spread of vector-borne pathogens. Modern control efforts balance the protection of public health and the prevention of environmental harm. We addressed this from two directions: the study of mosquito adulticide effects on nontarget insects, and fine scale distribution modeling of mosquitoes to better target control efforts. We first investigated the effects of ultra-low volume (ULV) pyrethroid applications on nontarget insects in Central Florida and found no statistically clear evidence of reduction in abundance or diversity. We reported a slight and statistically unclear reduction of night-flying Lepidoptera, and effective reduction …

Enhancing Social Participation: The Role Of Communication Accommodations On Young Children With Ccn, Carli C. Brent

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

BACKGROUND: Children with complex communication needs (CCN) have difficulty using and/or understanding speech to communicate, thus facing barriers for successful social participation in family-leisure activities due to limited access to communication supports in these environments. Social participation includes an individual’s active involvement in activities that consist of a social element to produce opportunities for meaningful interactions with others. Children with CCN benefit from communication supports, like Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. AAC supports children with CCN to effectively communicate with themselves, others, and their environment. While communication supports have been recently implemented into private and public spaces, the …

Boba Tea Shops And Identity: Exploration Of Boba Shops Among College Students In Greater Orlando, Naydelin Karime Trejo Vega

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis explores the cultural and social significance of boba tea shops among college students aged 18 to 26 in Greater Orlando. Although many people view boba tea as a trendy drink, this study treats it as a meaningful part of some students’ daily lives, identity formation, and sense of belonging. Through a multi-method approach that includes participant observation, surveys, and semi-structured interviews, I examine what motivates college students to purchase boba tea and how boba shops impact their identity and sense of belonging. I conducted fieldwork at three different boba tea shops in Greater Orlando—two franchises and one locally …

Standby To Standby: How Time Weaponization And Social Currency Impact Identity Within The Veteran Community Upon Discharge., Nichole Ann Carminati

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This research project analyzed the first year of transition from active duty to civilian life by conducting 22 in- person interviews from veteran participants who served in the Global War on Terror post 9/11 and were discharged between 2001 and 2022. The purpose of this research was to identify key areas of vulnerability when evaluating veterans’ transition from military identity to civilian life. Global War on Terror Veterans are at an increased risk of difficulty transitioning to civilian life due to contributing factors of multiple redeployments, stigma over receiving medical and mental health care, and knowledge gaps in obtaining benefits …

Everglades Restoration: Interdisciplinary Analysis And Pluralist Approaches, Sarah Swiersz

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This study uses interdisciplinary methods to analyze ecological restoration of the Florida Everglades (Everglades Restoration). Everglades Restoration is considered one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects in the world, relying on complex intergovernmental and sociopolitical relationships. Framing Everglades Restoration as a quintessential “wicked problem”, a problem that is inherently complex and unsolvable, provides grounds for interdisciplinary analysis. This study analyzes two epistemological approaches to Everglades Restoration: Western-scientific knowledge, the epistemological foundation of Everglades Restoration, and Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge, which challenges the foundations of Everglades Restoration. Interdisciplinary analysis within a decolonial framework identifies limits to integration of knowledge, a core …

Characterization, Imaging, And Modeling Of Thermal Dynamics And Failure Mechanisms Of Quantum Cascade Lasers, Alejandro M. Villalobos Meza

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

As advancements in Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) technology continue to push the upper limits of continuous-wave performance, effective thermal management remains at the forefront of design considerations. The compact and highly tunable active region that has made QCL technology so attractive also imposes challenges to heat dissipation during continuous wave operation. To address this ongoing challenge, this work demonstrates a set of characterization and modeling techniques which can be used to interrogate different aspects of the thermal and structural properties of QCLs. Emphasis is placed on a suite of electron microscopy techniques and their role in providing a window into …

Holographic Optical Elements For Complex Beam Transformations, Shaghayegh Yaraghi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

In this thesis, we explore the design, fabrication, and application of volume holographic phase elements in photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass for two key purposes: expanding the eye-box in augmented reality (AR) displays and controlling optical angular momentum (OAM) modes in laser cavities.

Encoding complex phase structures in PTR glass enables efficient beam shaping, multiplexing, and wavefront engineering, offering strong potential in AR displays, optical communications, and structured light. Holographic optical elements (HOEs) recorded in PTR glass exhibit high diffraction efficiency (over 99%), thermal stability, and chemical durability. Combined with low absorption and scattering in the visible and near-IR, these features make …

Three-Section Multi Quantum Well Mode-Locked Laser For Optical Comb Generation And Space Applicationsical Comb Generation And Space Applications, Di Huang

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of three-section AlGaInAs/InP multi-quantum-well mode-locked laser diodes (MLLDs) operating near 1.55 µm for optical frequency-comb generation and control in space communication systems. The devices integrate gain, saturable-absorber, and modulation sections, enabling both passive and hybrid mode-locking with precise tunability through independent bias control. Under hybrid mode-locking, the MLLD achieved 1.32 ps pulses with a 5.87 nm optical bandwidth and a 35 dB improvement in RF side-mode suppression compared with passive operation, demonstrating enhanced timing stability and reduced phase noise. Fixed-point analysis established a framework for evaluating dispersion and frequency drift, while the …

Exploring Senescence For Improved Diagnosis And Treatment In Head And Neck Cancer, Md Tanjim Alam

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) comprises a heterogeneous group of malignancies originating from the mucosal epithelium of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. Accounting for approximately 4.5% of global cancer incidence and mortality, HNSCC poses a persistent public health concern. Major risk factors include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and infection with high-risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) strains. Although conventional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy have improved patient outcomes, therapeutic resistance and tumor recurrence remain significant challenges. A growing body of evidence implicates therapy-induced cellular senescence as a key mechanism in treatment resistance. Senescence is a stable state …

Distribution And Morphology Of Spinal Afferent Innervation Of The Gastric Muscular And Submucosal Layers Of Rats: Anterograde Tracing, Andrew M. Kwiat

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Chronic pain afflicts over 25 million Americans, with approximately 2 million developing opioid addiction due to insufficient treatment options. Visceral chronic pain, particularly abdominal pain, poses a significant clinical challenge, yet its underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly defined. This thesis presents a comprehensive anatomical analysis of spinal afferent innervation in the muscularis externa and submucosal layers of the rat stomach—two tissue compartments implicated in visceral sensation and pain. Using anterograde tracing, dextran-biotin was injected into thoracic dorsal root ganglia (T7–T11) of male Sprague Dawley rats (3–5 months) to label spinal afferent axons in the stomach. Flat-mount preparations of muscular and …

Targeting Il-6 Signaling And Release Pathways Modulates Inflammation And Restores Intestinal Epithelial Integrity And Function During Mycobacterium Avium Paratuberculosis Infection, Ala' Mahmoud Saleem Alhendi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Like TNFα, IL-6 is upregulated in Crohn’s disease (CD) associated with Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) infection. Limited therapeutic response to anti-IL-6 therapy may be related to the dual role of IL-6. In this study, we investigated the effects and the signaling mechanism of IL-6 in intestinal epithelial integrity and function during MAP infection using an in vitro model that consists of THP-1, HT-29 and Caco-2 cell lines. Clinically, we determined that plasma samples from MAP-infected CD patients have higher IL-6 levels compared to controls (P-value < 0.001). In CD-like macrophages, MAP infection has significantly upregulated the secretion of IL-6 and the shedding of IL-6 receptor (IL-6R). Moreover, it resulted in significant upregulation of intestinal damage markers including CLDN2, NOX-1 and SERPINE1. Blocking IL-6 signaling exacerbated that damage and enhanced the levels of the damage markers. In HT-29 cells, MAP infection upregulated MUC2 expression, a protective response that was reversed when IL-6R was neutralized. More importantly, blocking IL-6 signaling during MAP infection rescued damaged Caco-2 cells from MAP-induced apoptosis. We also examined the role of monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4), a proton-coupled lactate symporter, that facilitates the inflammatory shift in macrophages, and its impact on intestinal epithelial homeostasis during MAP infection. MAP infection increased lactate export and upregulated the expression of MCT4, TNFα, and IL-6 via TLR2. Inhibition of MCT4 during MAP infection using α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCα) significantly reduced TNFα and IL-6 and led to restoring baseline oxidative status, mucin level, and SERPINE1. It also enhanced tight junction protein TJP1 (ZO-1) expression. These findings emphasize the role of IL-6 in MAP-associated CD pathogenesis and explain the ineffective response to IL-6 therapies in CD patients. Moreover, our findings revealed the role of MCT4 in CD pathophysiology during MAP infection and highlighted MCT4 as a potential therapeutic target for effective CD treatment.

Wavefront Sensing Using Nonlocal Metasurfaces, Arturo Martin Jimenez

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Many laser applications require wavefront control to compensate for aberrations caused by system misalignment, component fabrication errors, and propagation through inhomogeneous atmospheres. Aberrations caused by atmospheric turbulence remain particularly challenging to measure due to the temporally fluctuating wavefront distortions and large transverse phase variations in the beam. Conventional wavefront sensors, like the Schack-Hartmann (SHWS) are effective at low turbulence levels, but require relatively bulky optical elements. This thesis investigates the use of metasurface optical elements for use in wavefront sensors both in the low-turbulence limit and in deep turbulence conditions. Such metasurface-based wavefront sensors can achieve the functionality of complex …

Specialty Optical Fibers: Design, Fabrication, And Characterization, Md Abu Sufian

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

As conventional silica fibers approach their performance limits in the face of exponentially growing demands for high data throughput in optical communication systems and constraints on power handling capability stemming from material limitations, several alternative technologies have been explored over the past decade. Despite the implementation of advanced multiplexing schemes and progress in digital signal processing capabilities, conventional fibers remain limited by their inherent physical constraints. In this advent, space division multiplexing, where the fiber cross-section comprises multiple simultaneous data channels, has been proposed as a potential solution to satisfy the bandwidth requirements of hyper-scale data centers, Artificial Intelligence infrastructures, …

Utilizing Programmable Spatial Light Modulators For Beam Shaping And Spectral Synthesis, Shree Ram Thapa

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Programmable spatial light modulators (SLMs) built on Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) technology enable precise control of multiple degrees of freedom of light, such as amplitude, phase, frequency, polarization, and time. We demonstrate applications of SLM technology that go beyond the conventional 4-f ultrafast pulse shaping approach. By developing a dual-oscillator power amplifier (DOPA), we show that nonlinear wave interactions inside optical fibers can be managed through the spectral phase adjustment of optical frequency combs produced by non-degenerate, cascaded four-wave mixing (CFWM). Our approach utilizes a programmable spectral phase profile, which allows precise regulation of an optical comb’s spectral content. …

Advancements In Slow-Wave Thin Film Lithium Niobate For Opto-Electronic Communications, Joseph W. Haefner

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The views expressed in this dissertation are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

The explosive growth of human connectedness over the previous decades has, and will continue to strain the communication infrastructure under-girding modern economies, and society. The continuous expansion of data-centers, advanced artificial intelligence models, and remote data storage will require novel high bandwidth solutions for both long haul and local inter-connects. Current solutions seek to expand link bandwidth through the use of complex high baud rate constellations, in …

Clinical Educators' Perceptions And Experiences With Interprofessional Education And Collaborative Practice, Laurie Neely

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

As healthcare systems adapt to meet increasingly complex population health needs, interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) has emerged as a vital strategy to improve patient outcomes while decreasing costs. Interprofessional education (IPE) is essential for preparing health professions students to engage in patient-centered, team-based care. However, faculty must be equipped to design and facilitate IPE experiences for successful integration into health professions curricula. The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) created Core Competencies for IPCP, including roles and responsibilities, teams and teamwork, communication, and values and ethics, to guide faculty in preparing students to be collaborative healthcare providers. While academic faculty have been …

You And Me: Imagination As A Coping Mechanism For Childhood Trauma, Rachel B. Sacks

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

You and Me is a two-dimensional (2D) animated short film about a young girl who suffers from an unknown illness. As she tries to rest, two otherworldly monsters transform her room into an unsettling nightmare. These monsters stem from her own distorted perceptions of the doctor and nurse caring for her. You and Me focuses on the difficulties that children navigating medical challenges face in communicating their fears with their caretakers. It is a film rooted staunchly in the subjective world of its protagonist. The art style deliberately combines conventionally appealing character design with surrealist imagery and evocative, unsettling lighting …

Utterance Fluency In Integrated Speaking Tasks: Examining The Role Of Task Type And Topic, Elif Saribas

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Fluency is a fundamental component of second language (L2) proficiency and plays a central role in both communicative competence and language assessment (Tavakoli & Wright, 2020). This study examined utterance fluency, specifically speed, breakdown, and repair fluency, within integrated speaking tasks, widely employed in high-stakes language assessments such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT). Although previous research has established strong associations between fluency and both communicative adequacy and overall proficiency ratings (De Jong et al., 2015; Révész et al., 2016), the interaction between task structure and topic remains insufficiently understood due to confounding …

Leyendo "Pasión De Historia" Desde Una Mirada Poscolonial, Erika Maribel Heredia

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The short story “Pasión de historia” by Ana Lydia Vega can be interpreted as a sharp reflection on Latin American postmodernity, immersed in a cultural reality shaped by colonialism. This context raises questions of identity in the face of a globalized economy, making the story a text with a complex framework and multiple levels of interpretation. Among these, postcolonialism stands out as the central axis of the analysis presented in this essay.

The frequent references to the Puerto Rican nation and its independence struggle, the depiction of gastronomy as a unifying national element, the use of popular language infused with …

Breaking Barriers: Women's Struggle For The Vote In Jacksonville, Brett M. Nystrom

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

During the first half of the twentieth century, women in Jacksonville brought women’s suffrage to the forefront of the city’s discourse through increased engagement in the public sphere. By forming women’s organizations such as the Woman’s Club of Jacksonville, the Florida Equal Franchise League, and the Duval County League of Women Voters, White women addressed concerns regarding women’s voting rights. However, these White women’s organizations and Jacksonville’s White, male-dominated authority excluded African American women from participating in the public sphere. Therefore, African American women in Jacksonville established the City Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs, which served as a platform for …

The Marginalization Of The Malgre Nous In French Society From Its Roots To The 1960s, Marie Oury

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis examines how young Alsatians found themselves on the margins of postwar France. The illegal annexation of their region by Germany in 1940 led them into a bitter paradox: within months, they had to support their enemy's war effort. The National Socialist (Nazi) regime's coercion reached its height between 1942 and 1945, when 130,000 young men and women from Alsace and Moselle were conscripted into the German army against their will. After the war, this generation bore the weight of that history, struggling to reintegrate into France, a nation that sought to avoid grappling with the complex experiences of …

Digitally-Mediated Nature-Connectedness?: Listeners’ Emotional Responses To And Perception Of Digitized Nature Sounds, Marissa Salas

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

• Faced with the potential closure or privatization of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS), it is important to reflect on the conservation efforts using soundscapes. This dissertation explores the gap between experts and lay listeners in listening to soundscapes through the digitally-mediated spaces (e.g. YouTube). In a pilot project conducted in 2024 that used facial emotional recognition software and a talk-aloud protocol, data on emotions was collected. Using NPS video recordings on its webpages, social media accounts and via other digital channels (YouTube, etc.) created by NPS experts, this project employed an innovative, interdisciplinary, mixed-methods experimental design to investigate …

Analysis Of Queerness And Race In Black Lightning And Dctv Femslash, Rachel Marks

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

In this dissertation, I research issues of queer representation and race in the CW network’s DC television (DCTV) shows’ fandom by investigating femslash ships, or the fan pairing of female characters. To do this, I compare the femslash ship of the characters Anissa Pierce and Grace Choi (ThunderGrace), a canon multiracial couple from the CW television show Black Lightning, to three other DCTV femslash pairings: the characters Sara Lance and Ava Sharpe (Avalance), a canon white couple from the television show DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, the characters Alex Danvers and Kelly Olsen (Dansen), a canon multiracial couple from …