Digital Commons Network^™

Mathematical Modeling And Characterization Of A Variable Stiffness Ankle-Foot-Orthosis, David E.L. Richards

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Conventional ankle–foot orthoses (AFOs) typically employ static stiffness profiles that do not replicate the dynamic quasi-stiffness of the human ankle during gait. Variable stiffness mechanisms (VSMs) offer a promising alternative solution for gait pathologies, such as foot drop and post-stroke hemiparesis; however, their implementation is limited by the lack of accurate mathematical models capable of predicting force and stiffness characteristics. The objective of this thesis is to develop and validate comprehensive mathematical models describing the kinematics and kinetics of a novel variable stiffness ankle–foot orthosis (VS-AFO). This study derives governing equations to characterize how mechanical adjustments influence the force transmission …

Overcoming The Glass Wall: Self-Employment As A Career Strategy For Immigrant Professionals, Barbara Silva

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Skilled immigrant professionals frequently experience barriers that limit their ability to secure employment opportunities aligned with their qualifications in host-country labor markets. Although prior research has documented some of the challenges these professionals face, such as credential devaluation and discrimination, less is known about why recruiters perceive immigrant candidates with similar qualifications differently and why some immigrants navigate the labor market more successfully than others. Drawing on Status Characteristics Theory, this dissertation examines how the location and type of immigrant professionals’ prior work experience shape hiring-related outcomes by influencing recruiters’ perceptions of competence and acculturation. First, I review the literature …

Exploring Barriers And Facilitators Of Mental Health Treatment For Law Enforcement Officers: The Impact Of Police Occupational Culture, April Reed

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Prior research has explored the impact of police culture on mental health stigma among law enforcement, however, a deeper understanding about how different aspects of police culture may inhibit or facilitate mental health treatment utilization is needed to inform policy and practice. This dissertation explores the relationship between police culture and mental health using a qualitative research design. Twenty-five (n=25) law enforcement officers from a county sheriff’s office in Central Florida were interviewed and participant observations were conducted during a three-month period. The present study sought to address the following research questions: What are the experiences of the job and …

Puff, Puff, Pass? Examining Cannabis Use Among Black American Adults, Christopher B. Walker

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

In the United States, cannabis has become one of the most widely used controlled substances due to its increase in social acceptance, the growing number of states legalizing it for medical and non-medical purposes, and the expansion of consumption methods.  However, little is known about the modes of cannabis use chosen by Black American adults.  This population is of importance due to existing research suggesting their increased risk of developing cannabis use disorder compared to their White counterparts and their underrepresentation in existing literature.  The goal of this study is to examine cannabis use among Black adults in the U.S., …

Investigation On Selective Catalytic Reduction For Retrofit Of Commercial Aviation Aircraft Engines, Connor M. Wall

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

As the aviation industry continues to grow, the ever-increase of emissions from the sector becomes a growing concern. While the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) set a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, there are other emissions like contrails and NOx that must still be addressed. Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) has been used in the transportation and power generation industry for over two decades and has been an effective solution for NOx reduction. Even with the success SCR has had in other industries, its capabilities in the aviation industry have been trivially investigated. Aircraft engines pose an unique challenge …

How Did Covid-19 Affect Volunteer And Donor Management For Human Services Agencies? What Are The Lessons For Future Response?, Nina Yon

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for human services agencies, disrupting the interdependent systems of volunteer engagement and donor support essential to nonprofit sustainability. This study integrates insights from literature, theory, and empirical analysis to examine how nonprofit organizations adapted their volunteer and donor management strategies during this prolonged crisis. Drawing on Contingency Theory and Resource Dependence Theory (RDT), the research explores how organizational structures and strategies evolved in response to shifting environmental conditions, health mandates, and resource constraints. Using a multiple-case qualitative design, data was collected from semi-structured interviews with 20 leaders representing five Central Florida human services agencies, …

An Exploration Of The Professionalization Of Graduate Students Using Rhetorical Theory, Jennifer M. Crowell

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This qualitative study examines the professionalization of graduate students as a rhetorically mediated and relational process of identity development within an interdisciplinary doctoral program. While existing scholarship emphasizes institutional structures and formal mechanisms of professional preparation, less attention has been given to how graduate students experience professionalization at the individual level. This study addresses that gap by exploring how students interpret expectations, use rhetorical strategies, and construct professional identities across multiple disciplinary contexts.

Grounded in organizational rhetoric and community of practice theory, the study investigates how graduate students in the Texts & Technology Ph.D. Program at the University of Central …

Independent And Interacting Effects Of Co-Presence And Social Media 'Likes' On Online Disinhibition, Margaret M. Doheny

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Social media platforms have fundamentally transformed interpersonal communication by creating environments in which behaviors are publicly reinforced through visible social feedback systems such as “likes.” Although prior research has linked online environments with increased disinhibition and negative behavior, existing literature has primarily focused on anonymity and invisibility as the primary mechanisms underlying these effects. However, the mechanistic role of physical and psychological co-presence in driving online disinhibition has received little empirical investigation. The central aim of the present study was to determine whether reduced social presence and the selective reinforcement of negative content contribute to online disinhibition and anticipatory reward-seeking …

Detecting Error In Ai-Generated Text: The Effects Of Authorship And Word Presentation Speed, Gabriela Flores Cruz

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The increased us of artificial intelligent (AI) chatbots powered by Generative Pre-trained Transformers has raised concerns about users’ ability to detect errors of AI-generated text. This dissertation examined how readers identify inconsistencies in AI-generated expository passages using the inconsistency detection paradigm from comprehension monitoring research. Across two experiments, it investigated whether perceived authorship and word presentation speed influenced inconsistency detection. Experiment 1 used a 3 (author: human, AI, no author) × 2 (inconsistency type: internal, external) between-subjects design. Perceived authorship did not significantly affect hit rates, sensitivity, or response bias. Exploratory analyses indicated that reading comprehension and working memory predicted …

Sustaining High-Quality Service-Learning In Research Intensive Universities: A Qualitative Study Of Instructor Perspectives, Marika Koch

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

In a world that often feels disconnected due to our sociopolitical climate, there is a need to create socially aware and civically engaged adults. Service-learning integrated into higher education courses can do that and more. Research indicates that both students and the community benefit significantly when students participate in effective service-learning classes. Students who take service-learning courses in college tend to exhibit higher academic achievement, enhanced social and emotional skills, and greater long-term civic engagement. Effective service-learning courses share three common elements: they foster a strong connection to course objectives, promote reciprocity for all involved, and encourage active student reflection. …

Homoplasy Of Maxillary Orthognathism In Derived Homo, Jared Jordan

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The evolution of the orthognathic condition in the genus Homo represents a monumental transition toward the facial morphology of modern humans from that of earlier hominins, but the phylogenetic positioning of this transformation remains poorly understood. This study investigated temporal trends in maxillary and mandibular prognathism in the genus Homo, and whether maxillary and mandibular shortening in East Asian H. erectus and later East Asian Middle Pleistocene Homo (e.g., Homo longi) represent independent derivations of orthognathic morphology, thereby making orthognathism a homoplasy in the genus Homo. Using a sample of roughly 109 cranial and mandibular specimens spanning …

Examining Patient Safety Culture Trends In U.S. Healthcare Through A Multi-Year Analysis, Hassan Alabdullah

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Patient Safety Culture (PSC) is recognized as a cornerstone of healthcare quality and a key determinant of patient outcomes. Despite the Institute of Medicine’s early calls to establish safety-oriented systems, evidence on the long-term stability of PSC in U.S. hospitals has remained limited. This dissertation addresses this gap through a multi-year evaluation of PSC using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC v1.0) and advanced statistical methods. Drawing on one of the largest national datasets—comprising over 993,000 healthcare providers from 1,601 U.S. hospitals across three survey cycles (2013–2020)—the study employed a longitudinal repeated cross-sectional design. Analyses combined descriptive statistics, …

Restoring Digital Trust: Decentralized Frameworks For Identity, Consent, And Media Provenance, Raghu N. Avula

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Digital platforms are deeply embedded in modern society through centralized network architectures. As online interactions transition to the physical world handling sensitive data, user privacy and cryptographic security require enhancement beyond traditional limits. This dissertation presents a decentralized “Tri-Layer Trust Architecture” that leverages Verifiable Trust Registries, Cryptographic Binding, and Edge Verification to prioritize data sovereignty and local authentication. To demonstrate the architecture’s applicability across distinct operational environments, we implement three solutions: (1) Verifiable Presence for peer-to-peer ride-sharing via D-RideX, which encrypts biometric data on physical hardware (TEEs) and Soulbound Tokens (SBTs) to prevent impersonation without cloud database exposure; (2) Verifiable …

Motivational Interviewing Impact On Provider Burnout, Julie Cook

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The study of patient–provider communication rarely considers the impact of provider–patient dialogue on providers themselves. This dissertation explores why motivational interviewing (MI) has been shown to reduce burnout among health care providers who use it. Using the empathic communication model (ECM) as a lens, it examines possible explanations for how MI contributes to lower burnout in providers. A mixed‑methods approach was used, consisting of a survey‑based quantitative study and a qualitative study using semi‑structured interviews. The quantitative study surveyed physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Participants were asked questions assessing their knowledge of MI, the types of empathy they experience …

En Tiempos De Extinción, Adialyz Del Valle Berríos

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

En Tiempos de Extinción is a collection of short, mostly speculative, stories exploring themes of community, exploitation, resistance, and the ever-present effects of colonialism in nearly every aspect of life. “El Amor de una Diosa es Amor Suficiente” centers on a young girl’s initiation into a community that will do whatever it takes to indoctrinate the young. “Al Aire Libre” focuses on two tenured professors determined to enjoy their last day on the job, navigating the complicated feelings of what progress means in a world that prioritizes capital. In “OVNI,” the history of a wacky television dating show unravels …

The Role Of Alcohol Expectancies In The Relationship Between Social Anxiety And Protective Behavioral Strategies Among College Students, Jordan Ortman

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

College students with elevated social anxiety are at heightened risk for alcohol-related consequences despite not consistently reporting greater alcohol use. One potential explanation for this pattern is lower engagement in protective behavioral strategies (PBS). Social alcohol expectancies are relevant to PBS use because students with elevated social anxiety often expect alcohol to reduce social discomfort or facilitate social interaction, and these beliefs may correspond with lower use of strategies that constrain the pace or amount of drinking. The present study examined whether positive and negative social alcohol expectancies were intermediate variables in associations between social anxiety and three PBS domains: …

Multi-Scale Drivers Of Beetle Biodiversity In A Rapidly Urbanizing Region, Alessandra Pandolfi

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

As cities continue to expand, designing urban landscapes that balance ecological resilience with biodiversity conservation has emerged as a pressing challenge. This dissertation examines urban ecosystems as complex and dynamic environments shaping plant and animal communities, with a particular focus on ground-dwelling beetles as ecologically significant indicators of environmental change. Conducted across the Orlando metropolitan area, one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States, this dissertation integrates experimental and observational approaches. Specifically, it aims to (1) test sustainable landscaping practices, (2) compare the ecological outcomes of conventional and alternative residential landscape designs, and (3) assess how gradients of urbanization …

“I Call For The Resurgence And Reclamation Of Our Indigenous Ways”: Institutional Landscapes, Resistance, And The Experiences Of Mmir Advocates, Sara Tehrani

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island experience disproportionately high rates of violence and homicide compared to other racial groups. Rooted in coloniality and sustained by Western institutions, this epidemic is recognized as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) crisis. In response, Indigenous women have mobilized the MMIR Movement to raise awareness and advocate for institutional change. Although scholarship on MMIR has expanded, limited research has explored the experiences of MMIR advocates. This study interrogates the institutional landscapes that shape MMIR advocacy and explores the resistance strategies advocates employ to address the crisis. Using reflexive thematic analysis, this study examines semi-structured …

Examining Attrition In Rtms For Smoking Cessation: The Roles Of Perceived Research Burden And Delay Discounting, Miranda Proctor

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This secondary analysis examined predictors of attrition in a randomized clinical trial conducted by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center evaluating repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for cigarette smoking cessation. Smoking cessation reduces cancer risk and mortality and improves mental health outcomes. Although rTMS shows promise for supporting sustained abstinence by targeting neurobiological mechanisms underlying nicotine dependence, participant attrition threatens statistical validity, reduces power, and limits generalizability. Identifying predictors of attrition is therefore critical for optimizing trial design and retention.

Research examining predictors of attrition in smoking cessation trials remains limited. Prior work in other clinical populations suggests that higher perceived …

Code-Switching, Identity-Shifting, And Identity Distress Among Black Undergraduate Women Attending Predominantly White Institutions, Erin Smith

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Code-switching (altering language or speech) and identity-shifting (modifying appearance or behavior) are adaptive strategies often used by individuals from marginalized groups to navigate environments shaped by dominant cultural norms. Although these behaviors are commonly discussed in qualitative literature, relatively few quantitative studies have examined their psychological correlates among Black undergraduate women attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs). These behaviors may function as coping strategies in response to racialized and gendered expectations, yet the psychological implications of these strategies remain understudied. The present study examined the relationships among identity distress, code-switching, identity-shifting, and gendered racial identity centrality within a diverse sample of …

For Whom The Tale’S Told: Multilevel Perspective On Narrative And Identity In Information Ecosystems, Jihye Song

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

In contemporary online information environments, narratives do not merely convey facts. They organize meaning, signal identity, and guide collective sensemaking. During periods of crisis and uncertainty, these processes become especially salient, as individuals and communities turn to social media to interpret unfolding events. At the same time, these environments are shaped by complex sociotechnical dynamics, including platform affordances, algorithmic amplification, elite influence, and grassroots participation. These dynamics form ecosystems in which narratives and identities are constructed, contested, and stabilized. Drawing on theory and empirical analyses of COVID-19 discourse on Twitter, this work develops and applies a multilevel framework to explain …

Examining Relationships Between Pre-Arrival Information, Perceived Preparedness, And Distressing Call Outcomes Among Firefighters, Victoria L. Steigerwald

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Responding to distressing emergency calls increases firefighters’ risk for negative mental health outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder, warranting investigation into factors that can be targeted to reduce their risk for call-related distress. The present study examined whether the completeness of pre-arrival information about a distressing call reduced firefighters’ peri- and post-call distress via their perceived preparedness for the call and whether general self-efficacy moderated the relationship between pre-arrival information completeness and perceived preparedness. Data were analyzed from 173 active firefighters in the United States (89.0% male, mean age=37.98 years) who completed an online survey asking them to report on levels …

A Sensor Fusion And Optimization Framework For High-Resolution Power Outage Detection And Energy Asset Allocation, Elizabeth Trader

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Existing power outage datasets lack the spatial and temporal resolution required for neighborhood- level risk assessment, and conventional energy system design optimizes for cost without accounting for community-level demand - resulting in inefficient and inequitable asset de- ployment. This dissertation presents IONCORTEX, a framework integrating three technical contributions: a heterogeneous sensor fusion pipeline combining social media signals with municipal infrastructure records for intersection-level outage detection at six-hour tempo- ral resolution, maintaining detection capability during telecommunications disruptions; a techno-economic analysis pipeline evaluating photovoltaic, battery storage, hydrogen, and diesel portfolios using NREL’s System Advisor Model with Monte Carlo uncertainty quan- tification; and …

Emotional Support Friends: Creating Social Impact Through Art And Polite Humor, Kenyari Gil Rosario

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This thesis aims to provide new imagery to the conversation of mental health and neurodivergence. It does this through forms of soft sculpture, digital paintings, marker drawings, and community murals. Inspired by the practices of Keith Haring, iconographic characters are used to portray common struggles and coping habits of mental conditions in an endearing light. With the goal of social impact, this project is affiliated with the non-profit organization Providing Autism Links and Support (P.A.L.S). This partnership has given the community an opportunity to share their compassion through art and donations and uses art as a means of social impact …

If Your Muses Don't Hate You..., Hannah Howe

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

If Your Muses Don’t Hate You… interrogates a speaker who feels she lacks the tools needed to properly assess trauma and grief. This collection follows the speaker as she delves into obsessive analysis of self, often using metaphysical lenses as methods of comprehension. Each section explores a facet of the subject’s identity, and examines whether her heartache is self-inflicted, preordained, or both. Six of the seven sections provide the reader with imaginative interpretations of the speaker’s natal chart, allowing the reader the opportunity to analyze alongside the speaker. The first half of these sections present the speaker struggling to separate …

Essays On Network Resilience: Enhancing Network Resilience Through Network Governance Structure, Process, Environment, And Leadership, Hanvit Kim

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

As disasters become more complex, their impacts often cascade across interdependent systems, creating failures that extend beyond any single organization or sector. Because such crises cut across organizational and sectoral boundaries, effective response depends not only on the capacity of individual organizations but also on the resilience of interorganizational networks. Yet despite the growing importance of networked coordination in disaster response, the concept of network resilience remains underdeveloped in the literature, with limited consensus on its definition, measurement, and determinants. This dissertation addresses that gap by systematically examining what network resilience is, how it can be conceptualized and assessed, and …

Computational Methods For Rna 3d Structure Classification And Structural Motif Discovery, Nabila Shahnaz Khan

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Non-coding RNAs perform diverse and essential cellular functions, and the study of RNA structures is expanding rapidly. The growing volume of RNA 3D structures highlights the need for efficient computational methods to identify recurring structural motifs, which are often conserved and critical to RNA function. However, the complexity and redundancy of RNA structures in existing databases pose significant challenges for motif discovery and structural analysis. To address these challenges, this dissertation presents three complementary computational approaches. First, a non-redundant RNA structural dataset, RNA-NRD, was developed to systematically reduce redundancy in RNA structural data and provide a reliable foundation for downstream …

The Role Of Adolescent Attachment In The Relationship Between Trauma And Identity, Ellie Mitova

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Traumatic experiences have been shown to influence identity development during emerging adulthood, a complex developmental period. However, research examining how trauma interacts with adolescent attachment qualities to shape identity processes remains limited. Previous studies have primarily focused on infant attachment styles and their long-term developmental outcomes, leaving a gap in understanding how attachment qualities developed through relationships with parents and peers during adolescence may influence identity development in emerging adults. Additionally, while traumatic experiences have been associated with maladaptive identity processes such as rumination and identity distress, some research suggests that trauma may also contribute to deeper identity exploration and …

Variability In Parainfluenza Virus Derived From Persistently Infected Lung Epithelial Cells, Cassidy R. Conte

Honors Undergraduate Theses

An acute infection (AI) with RNA virus can progress to a persistent infection (PI) where infected cells continue to grow and replicate while producing progeny virions. PIs with respiratory viruses are clinically important, as they can lead to prolonged shedding of viruses and generation of mutant viruses that are altered in pathogenesis and/or immune responses. Parainfluenza type 5 (PIV5) is a prototypic RNA virus shown to cause PIs in cell culture. Plaques in tissue culture from an acute infection with parental PIV5 were homogeneous in size and shape. By contrast, plaques from PIV5 persistently infected cells were heterogeneous, having a …

Factors Related To Deviant Behavior, Chiara S. Popp

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Understanding the factors that contribute to deviant behavior across the life span remains an important goal in psychology and criminology. Guided by life course theory, the present study examined whether childhood trauma, social connectedness, perceived childhood socioeconomic status, and key life transitions are associated with deviant behavior in adulthood. The purpose of this research was to better understand how early life experiences and social relationships may shape behavioral outcomes later in life. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with adult participants in the United States, aged 18 to 55. Participants completed measures assessing adverse childhood experiences, perceived childhood socioeconomic status, …