Digital Commons Network^™

Climate Change And Coastal Development Impacts On Oyster Abundances In Mosquito Lagoon, Fl, Emily Suchonic

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Live eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reefs have declined by 62.6% in Mosquito Lagoon (ML) along the eastern Florida coast since 1943. While this species creates reefs by successive generations of oysters recruiting to conspecific shells, C. virginica can also attach to non-reef substrates including mangrove roots and armoring (e.g., seawalls), which may help counteract reef habitat loss. In recent decades, warmer winters have enabled red (Rhizophora mangle) and black (Avicennia germinans) mangrove expansion in subtropical salt marshes and temperate estuaries where oyster reefs occur. Additionally, 11.8% of ML's shorelines have been armored as of …

Sectarianism And Elite Strategies In Fueling Conflict: Evidence From Iraq Under Saddam Hussein And Nouri Al Maliki, Mohammed Al Awwad

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

What contributes to sectarian conflict? Some existing literature essentializes sectarian identities and blames ancient hatred between different groups as the cause of conflict, this thesis argues that sectarian conflict occurs when sectarianism is politically employed by elite actors facing state weakness. The proposed theory suggests that a drop in state capacity regardless of the cause, can motivate political elite actors to instrumentalize the salience of sectarian identities as a form of either repression or cooptation targeting the sectarian outgroup for the purposes of regime survival. The theoretical claims in this study are examined using a qualitative comparative case study analysis …

Optical Seed Development For Yb-Fiber Laser, James G. Brutus

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Master Oscillator Power Amplifiers (MOPA) are laser systems that utilize a seed and pump amplification system to boost the output power of high-quality lower power seeding signals. MOPAs can generate high gain while avoiding many of the nonlinearities that negatively affect resonance-based lasers that are known to feature higher internal intensities. Additionally, MOPAs provide an easy alternative to the construction of novel laser technologies for higher output power as they can be easily combined with existing laser sources to amplify their output power.

This thesis outlines the design of an ytterbium-doped fiber laser (YDFL), featuring a MOPA architecture. The YDFL …

Dress To Impress: New Composition Instructors' Interpretations And Embodiment Of Professionalism As Displayed Through Dress, Jacqueline C. Cano Diaz

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

While previous research in rhetoric and composition investigates how novice composition instructors negotiate the boundaries of professionalism and identity (Dall'Alba; Grouling; Restaino), the role of dress, or "performative strategic attire" (Mckoy), in crafting these teaching personas has not yet been explored. Viewing everyday dress choices through the lens of embodied rhetoric allows for a deeper understanding of the complex decision-making process of choosing what to wear (Woodward). Further, analyzing dress choice through embodied rhetoric showcases how clothing becomes a tool to craft a persona and inhabit an identity or role. Through positioning instructor's self-identity and naming their experiences and influences …

Three Good Things To Improve Dementia Caregiver Outcomes: Feasibility, Nicole V. Mcclure

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The current study investigated the feasibility of utilizing a positive psychology strategy, Three Good Things, for dementia caregivers who at times may be limited in their ability to access resources due to caregiving role demands. The experimental task asked participants to list three things that went well for the day and their role in these events. Participants were randomized into a control or experimental group. The study was conducted on a sample of self-identified dementia caregivers (N = 45) to help reduce negative outcomes such as depression, burden, burnout, and negative affect. Further, variables thought to be influenced by increases …

Effect Of Acetate And Cell Density On External Proton Supply For Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Biohydrogen Production, Keval V. Patel

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Green microalgae can naturally produce renewable hydrogen gas (H₂) in anaerobic environments by expressing hydrogenase enzymes (HydA). However, H₂ production from microalgae remains low and challenging because HydA are only active in low O₂ conditions. One practical strategy for creating an anaerobic environment is by adding acetate which can disrupt the oxygen evolving complex (OEC) causing the microalgae to switch to respiration of acetate until O₂ is completely depleted. However, by disrupting the OEC, a rich source of protons (H⁺) from water splitting is lost. This may make H⁺ into a limiting …

A Paradoxical Tale: Sodium Taurocholate Counteracts Bactericidal Potency Of Silver-Modified Cerium Oxide Nanoparticle (Agcnp), A Sporicidal Disinfectant Against C. Difficile On Abiotic Surfaces, Deepa Shah

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The nosocomial pathogen Clostridioides difficile colonizes the gut leading to antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and severe inflammation. C. difficile spores—the main agent of transmission—survive for months on contaminated surfaces. Common disinfecting agents such as bleach and peroxides are used to prevent this; however, these chemicals are highly corrosive, toxic and pose serious health concerns. Seeking to address the challenges posed by conventional disinfectants, our research tested the feasibility of redox-active, silver-modified cerium oxide nanoparticles (AgCNP) formulations as a safer alternative. We tested the efficacy of AgCNP in rich culture media on C. difficile NAP1, a known hypervirulent strain associated with hospital endemics, …

The Case For Photothermal Spectroscopy In The Future Of Planetary Science Missions, Christopher T. Cox

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Optical PhotoThermal InfraRed (O-PTIR) is a relatively new spectroscopy method for studying materials. It produces transmission-like spectra using a remote reflectance technique that is rapid, requires little sample preparation, and is well-suited for the technique to be adapted for a space flight instrument. The method involves a tunable pulsed IR laser creating a photothermal effect on the surface of a material and measuring the distortion of a probing visible laser in the same region of the sample, which can be obtained at sub-micron spatial resolutions. A measurement campaign was performed utilizing Photothermal Spectroscopy Corporation's O-PTIR instrument, mIRage®. In this campaign, …

From Crisis To Classroom: Evaluating Academic Success In Vulnerable Populations During The Covid-19 Emergency Education Era, Jake Novak

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This study investigated school closures' impact on students from vulnerable populations in elementary classrooms. The research places an emphasis on the importance of an equitable and effective educational system in every community. It highlights the role of formal education in providing opportunities for social advancement and promoting the development of individuals and nations. The impact of the COVID-19 Emergency on access to quality education and the challenges and inequities faced by vulnerable populations are emphasized. This research also discusses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations in 2015 to ensure inclusive and equitable education for all children …

Towards Sparse Imu Sensor-Based Estimation Of Walking Kinematics, Joint Moments, And Ground Reaction Forces In Multiple Locomotion Modes Via Deep Learning, Md Sanzid Bin Hossain

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Acquiring joint kinematics, joint moments, and ground reaction forces (GRFs) during walking is essential for assessing disease progression and health monitoring during rehabilitation. However, spatial and temporal constraints, expert processing, and high costs limit the current gold standard methods, such as optical motion capture systems and floor-embedded force plates. Experts have suggested wearables with machine learning methods to address this issue, but their large sensor count renders them impractical for daily use, and the use of generic algorithms limits their accuracy. As a result, learning kinematics and kinetics in everyday life outside of laboratory settings is challenging. Thus, there is …

Work Motivation And Occupational Attitudes: An Application Of Self-Determination Theory Among Rangers, Richard L. Elligson Jr

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Job attitudes of rangers play a key role in the implementation and effectiveness of conservation initiatives. As such, scholars have begun to examine the attitudes rangers hold towards their role, organization, and external working environment. However, little is known about work motivation among rangers. Work motivation is a key predictor of employee performance, job attitudes, and well-being. The relationship between work motivation and ranger occupational attitudes may offer insight that conservation agencies can leverage to improve positive job attitudes. Guided by self-determination theory and the criminal justice literature, this study examines the relationship between ranger work motivation and attitudes towards …

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training: Exploring Implementation Factors Of Delivering Training In Florida Schools, Lakaysia Smith

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

To address the concern of school violence and mental health, the state of Florida implemented a statewide mandate requiring school personnel to be trained in strategies to identify and respond to the mental health needs of students. Existing research supports the effectiveness of Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA), the training program selected by the Florida Department of Education to implement in public schools. To date, limited research has explored the implementation experiences of YMHFA trainers. This qualitative descriptive study explored trainers’ experiences implementing YMHFA within school settings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 YMHFA trainers employed in Florida public …

Frontal Plane Hip Strength Of Female Collegiate Soccer Players: Impact Of Training Load And Seasonal Variation, Maxine Furtado Mesa

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Movements in the frontal plane, such as accelerations, cutting, and kicking, are common in soccer. This abstract focuses on isometric strength testing of hip adductors and abductors and its relationship to athletic performance and soccer-specific training. The first study evaluates the test-retest reliability of handheld dynamometry in measuring hip adductor and abductor isometric strength using various positions and fixation methods in females. The results demonstrate good reliability under all conditions, with the standing position without belt fixation being the most optimal for assessments. These findings provide guidance for clinicians and researchers in selecting the best conditions for frontal plane isometric …

Exploring The Benefits Of The Integration Of Xr And Bim For Retrofitting Projects, John Sermarini

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Rapidly changing population dynamics and increased energy needs have reduced demand for building renovation in favor of more wasteful complete demolition and reconstruction. This dissertation aims to enhance the accessibility and ease of use of challenging retrofitting methodologies to mitigate adverse effects of urbanization, increasing resource use, and aging building stock within the United States. Retrofitting is a process focused on upgrading a component or feature of a structure that was not initially constructed or manufactured, and it is often done to modernize, restore, or repurpose a structure. These renovations are difficult and costly to plan and implement, frequently contributing …

Examining Factors Associated With Secondary Trauma Through Lived Experiences Of K-12 School Leaders And Their Impact On School Leadership Practices., Shakelia M. Henderson

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This dissertation delves into the intricate examination of factors associated with secondary trauma as experienced by K-12 urban school leaders and the subsequent influence on their leadership practices. A primary objective of this research is to comprehend the contributing factors leading to post-traumatic growth among school leaders while also investigating their perceptions of the school district's role in fostering this growth. Set within an urban school district, this study focuses explicitly on Title 1 schools, where the impact is expected to be pronounced. Existing literature highlights a dearth of knowledge regarding the nuanced effects of secondary trauma on school leaders, …

A Multiscale Meshless Method For Simulating Cardiovascular Flows, Kyle Beggs

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The rapid increase in computational power over the last decade has unlocked the possibility of providing patient-specific healthcare via simulation and data assimilation. In the past 2 decades, computational approaches to simulating cardiovascular flows have advanced significantly due to intense research and adoption of methods in medical device companies. A significant source of friction in porting these tools to the hospital and getting in the hands of surgeons is due to the expertise required to handle the geometry pre-processing and meshing of models. Meshless meth- ods reduce the amount of corner cases which makes it easier to develop robust tools …

The Role Of Medical Cannabis Use In Pain, Sleep, And Mental Health Outcomes Among Older Adults, Madison H. Maynard

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Older adults represent the fastest growing demographic of cannabis users, and they endorse cannabis use for a variety of reasons including modulation of chronic pain, mental health symptoms, and sleep concerns. Despite escalating patterns of use, current evidence leaves questions of efficacy unanswered among these groups of users. Goals of the present study were to examine the role of medicinal cannabis within subjects at the daily level on the interrelated symptoms of depression, anxiety, sleep, and pain. A final sample of 106 medical cannabis users were recruited nationwide, ranging from 55 to 74 years of age (66.67% female, 82.86% white). …

Neurogaze In Virtual Reality: Assessing An Eeg And Eye Tracking Interface Against Traditional Virtual Reality Input Devices, Wanyea Barbel

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

NeuroGaze is a novel Virtual Reality (VR) interface that integrates electroencephalogram (EEG) and eye tracking technologies to enhance user interaction within virtual environments (VEs). Diverging from traditional VR input devices, NeuroGaze allows users to select objects in a VE through gaze direction and cognitive intent captured via EEG signals. The research assesses the performance of the NeuroGaze system against conventional input devices such as VR controllers and eye gaze combined with hand gestures. The experiment, conducted with 20 participants, evaluates task completion time, accuracy, cognitive load through the NASA-TLX surveys, and user preference through a post-evaluation survey. Results indicate that …

The Effects Of Sexual Assault On Identity And Interpersonal Relationships Among Male And Female Victims, Ishara Jean-Francois

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The current study aimed to examine the effect of sexual assault on identity and interpersonal relationships. Although previous studies have examined the connection between sexual assault and interpersonal relationships following assault, there is a lack of research that examines possible gender differences. Further, the effect of sexual assault on identity has been understudied. Male victims are less likely to report their assault for various reasons. Therefore, it is important to focus on this demographic so their stories and experience do not go untold, and they can get the proper help and resources. College students (N= 505) completed an anonymous online …

The Color Of Disease: Race Science, Pandemic Influenza, And The Rise Of Epidemiology In The Segregated South, Andrew Kishuni

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This thesis evaluates the relationship between race science and eugenics, statistical epidemiology and Southern public health thought, African American health, and the 1918-1920 influenza pandemic. Historians have neglected the flu as an important epidemiological event in Southern history and historiography. To demonstrate the significance of the flu, this thesis makes several arguments based on research from new qualitative and quantitative evidence. The chief argument is that African Americans suffered disproportionately compared to whites in the South, challenging the consensus that the flu affected both races equally. Segregation did not protect African Americans from the flu. In some cases, African Americans …

Do Generalist-Pollinated Plants Exhibit Pollination Syndromes? Examination Of Floral Size, Shape, Color, And Scent On Pollinator Services To Wild Sunflowers (Helianthus), Charles A. Pitsenberger Ii

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Traditional pollination syndromes group angiosperms into categories based on how floral traits impact the functional group of pollinator most associated with those traits. The concept, while well supported for specialist-pollinated plants, is a poor predictor of pollinator identity in generalist systems, such as those common to the family Asteraceae. One potential avenue for future refinement of the concept is the combination of large floral trait datasets, quantitative pollinator data, and phylogenetic comparative methods. Helianthus is a well-studied genus of North American aster whose species include the agriculturally significant H. annuus, which represents the third largest oilseed crop globally. The genus …

Adapting Models For Florida’S Public Secondary Schools: A Case Study Of Collegiate Writing Centers, Erin M. Shorthill

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

While working for four years in a college writing center, often with dual enrolled high school students, I began asking myself why our local high schools do not have writing centers of their own. The effectiveness of writing centers in helping students advance their critical thinking and written communication skills is well documented, and yet students of diverse geographical locations and socio-economic status often arrive at college under-prepared for the rigor of academic written discourse. Employing a combination of institutional analysis and constructivist grounded theory, I conducted case studies on three Florida college writing centers, focusing on staffing models, training …

Visual Experience Enhancement In Augmented Reality Displays, Qian Yang

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

In the dynamic arena of display technology, augmented reality (AR) displays represent a pivotal advancement, seamlessly bridging the digital and physical worlds. This dissertation delves into the realm of AR display technologies, spotlighting the challenges and limitations of current systems, including transparent and near-eye displays, and proposes innovative solutions to enhance user experience and display performance. With a focus on overcoming issues such as diffraction-induced image blur, the trade-off between resolution and field of view (FoV) in near-eye displays, and FoV constraints in waveguide-based displays, this research introduces new evaluation methods, optimization techniques, and system designs. First, the dissertation presents …

Cultivating Green Public Spaces And Backyard Gardens Amid Covid-19: An Anthropological Study Of Metro-Orlando Gardeners, Chelsea N. Daws

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This dissertation critically analyzes home and community gardens within Metro-Orlando by considering the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic impacts residents' garden participation and access to green public spaces. The study utilizes an ethnographic approach to produce informed understandings of participants' experiences within local gardens, alternative food networks, and community supported agriculture analyzed using Marxian theoretical frameworks. Findings are primarily grounded in qualitative information derived from interviews, participant observation, and photovoice. Data were collected both prior to the global COVID-19 outbreak and over subsequent months of lockdown and public health mitigation measures. Primarily focusing on local community garden organizers, community garden …

Giving Voice To The Voiceless: Health Communication And Female Fieldworkers In Central Florida, Sofia Salazar

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This qualitative research project examined health experiences of female agricultural workers in central Florida. Specifically, this study identified the most common physical and mental health illnesses and issues reported by female agricultural workers, their health-related decision-making processes, methods used to access health-related information, and the challenges they encounter when attempting to access health-related information, support, and services. In total, 21 interviews were conducted with women who had worked for at least one year as an agricultural worker in central Florida. The data was analyzed for emergent themes based on a codebook developed using the IDEA model as a theoretical framework. …

Addressing Challenges In Utilizing Gpus For Accelerating Privacy-Preserving Computation, Ardhi Wiratama Baskara Yudha

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Cloud computing increasingly handles confidential data, like private inference and query databases. Two strategies are used for secure computation: (1) employing CPU Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) like AMD SEV, Intel SGX, or ARM TrustZone, and (2) utilizing emerging cryptographic methods like Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) with libraries such as HElib, Microsoft SEAL, and PALISADE. To enhance computation, GPUs are often employed. However, using GPUs to accelerate secure computation introduces challenges addressed in three works.

In the first work, we tackle GPU acceleration for secure computation with CPU TEEs. While TEEs perform computations on confidential data, extending their capabilities to GPUs …

Validating Machine And Human Decision-Making In Forensic Fire Debris Analysis, Frances A. Whitehead

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This work presents a background on the chemical complexity of fire debris analysis, including an ever-present matrix of pyrolysis products as the catalyst that led to the creation of the National Center for Forensic Science's Fire Debris Database. A selection of these 1,000+ casework-relevant ground truth samples was used to create two newly proposed analyst workflows to connect the current method of categorical reporting with evaluative reporting practices reflective of the strength of the evidence. Both workflows use linear sequential unmasking to help mitigate bias, a discrete scoring system for quantification of the analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves …

Internet-Of-Things Privacy In Wifi Networks: Side-Channel Leakage And Mitigations, Mnassar Alyami

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

WiFi networks are susceptible to statistical traffic analysis attacks. Despite encryption, the metadata of encrypted traffic, such as packet inter-arrival time and size, remains visible. This visibility allows potential eavesdroppers to infer private information in the Internet of Things (IoT) environment. For example, it allows for the identification of sleep monitors and the inference of whether a user is awake or asleep.

WiFi eavesdropping theoretically enables the identification of IoT devices without the need to join the victim's network. This attack scenario is more realistic and much harder to defend against, thus posing a real threat to user privacy. However, …

A Comparative Case Of The Sense Of Belonging Of Students And Black Neighborhood Stakeholders Utilizing Public Recreational Space Near An Urban College Campus, Briyanna N. Jenkins

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

At a time when regulation impacting colleges and universities has steadily increased, institutional leaders have explored ways to maximize their educational effectiveness, impact, and public contribution to their surrounding communities. Public colleges and universities often use public-private partnerships to develop institutionally owned or managed spaces on and surrounding their campuses. As a result, institutional stakeholders are infused with existing community neighborhoods, cultures and structures, which often results in permanent change imposed on these neighbors and neighborhoods. Using a comparative case study approach, this exploratory research explored the relationship between campus stakeholders utilizing campus and private recreational spaces and their sense …

Novel Phase Shifters Using Reconfigurable Filters, Georgiy Brussenskiy

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Phase shifters play a crucial role in radar, satellite communications, and 5G networks. Recently, the idea of using filters as phase shifters have attracted much interest due to providing many benefits such as smaller area, lower noise figure, easier fabrication method as compared with other technologies, reduced cost, and the ability to work as multi-functioning device. This work focuses on the implementation of bandstop-based and bandpass-based filtering phase shifters. For the bandstop-based approach, some of the resonating structures that were examined are stubs, LC tanks, L-shaped/U-shaped half wavelength resonators and many others. Periodic stub loading filter design method was compared …