Digital Commons Network^™

Field-Resolved Metrology For Attosecond Timing, Christopher A. Lantigua

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Ultrashort pulses of light have opened new frontiers in both fundamental science and applied technology. The short duration and large bandwidth of these pulses has enabled time-resolved spectroscopy of atomic and molecular dynamics at their natural timescales, allowing direct observation of ultrafast processes in these systems which is essential to our fundamental understanding of material behavior. Alongside these optical developments, free-electron lasers (FELs) have advanced the generation of attosecond X-ray pulses. These state-of-the-art facilities allow scientist to probe even deeper into the atomic nature of matter. To access these dynamics, pump-probe experiments are run in which a short optical pulse …

Firefighter Syndrome: Improving The Identification And Classification Of Firefighters In Need, Michael A. Schlenk

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Firefighters (FFs) exhibit a multitude of behavioral and physical health concerns as well as fluctuating social support due to their occupation. Despite the fire service enacting preventative approaches to health and wellness, FFs still report increased prevalences of health concerns at the end of their career. Firefighter syndrome was created to identify FFs in need of medical care (e.g., behavioral and physical health services, Frueh et al., 2022b). The purpose of this study is to validate the construct of FF Syndrome by using statistical classification techniques to investigate whether there is a latent group of firefighters that have the symptoms …

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 …

Design Tool For Ammonia Cracker Hardware, Andrew Menendez

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Ammonia is a promising carbon-free fuel for commercial aviation and represents a viable pathway toward net-zero emissions. However, direct ammonia combustion is inefficient, creating the need for onboard cracking to generate hydrogen for improved combustion characteristics. One pathway for onboard cracking is to have the hardware live around the combustor liner where heat generated from the combustion process can be used to sustain the reaction. This study aims to develop a design tool for the ammonia cracking reactor hardware. A simplified, single-step surface reaction mechanism was implemented using ANSYS FLUENT and CHEMKIN PRO R1, demonstrating strong agreement with experimental data …

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 …

A Multivariable Feedback Approach To Individual Pitch Control For Fatigue Load Reduction In Wind Turbines, Kazi Ishtiak Mohsin Mr.

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation investigates advanced control strategies to improve performance and reduce fatigue loads in both land-based and floating offshore wind turbines. The proposed approaches target fatigue load mitigation at critical component frequencies while ensuring rotor speed regulation and efficient power generation. The control strategies are implemented and validated using both our in-house modeling and simulation platform, CRAFTS (Control Oriented Reconfigurable Acausal Floating Turbine Simulator), and the industry-standard OpenFAST model.

For land-based turbines, torque actuation and collective blade pitch control are incorporated into a nonlinear controller for rotor speed regulation and power generation. To address fatigue load reduction, individual pitch control …

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 …

Influencing Sustainability: The Impact Of Digital Influencers On Sustainable Tourism Behaviors, Karen C. N. Tavares

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation investigates how digital influencers shape sustainable tourism communication and behavioral intentions through a multi-method research approach. As influencer marketing increasingly drives destination visibility and traveler decision-making, understanding its role in advancing sustainability is essential for aligning economic growth with environmental and social responsibility. To address this gap, two complementary studies were conducted.

Study 1 applied social media content analysis to examine sustainable tourism discourse, identifying trends in topics, message framing and content. The analysis revealed a largely positive and gain-framed conversation, emphasizing lifestyle identity, collective values, and all three pillars of sustainability. Influencer analysis showed that while institutional …

The Effects Of Camera, Environmental, And Motion Properties On Simultaneous Localization And Mapping, Esteban Segarra Martinez

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is the process of estimating the pose of a robot within an unknown environment. A variant, visual SLAM (V-SLAM), estimates the pose only using visual information from a camera. In recent years, the importance of V-SLAM has increased and expanded to applications such as robotics, virtual reality, augmented reality, and autonomous driving. Accurate estimation of poses is critical as these applications need to quickly perceive an environment and update its pose under complex scenarios. V-SLAM is composed of algorithms that utilize robot vision to distinguish landmarks in the environment in order to estimate the geometric …

Modeling A Moving Manipulator Platform In Ros 2 For Space Robotics, Bastian S. Weiss

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The control of mobile manipulators presents a unique challenge as the complexity of motion increases. ROS 2 provides the ability to create a digital twin of a physical system and control both simultaneously. This can be applied to mobile manipulators, allowing us to plan out complex movements and then simulate them virtually or physically. The Space ROS software is adapted for our Rapid Orbital Motion Emulator which is a 6 Degree of Freedom manipulator on top of a holonomic mobile base platform. Our custom Omni wheel controller running within the ROS 2 control package handles the kinematics for the base, …

Cross-Layer Optimization In C-V2x Towards Level-5 Vehicular Automation, Mahdi Zaman

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) necessitate highly reliable, scalable, and responsive Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication systems. Despite recent advancements, Cellular-V2X (C-V2X) in its state-of-the-art form exhibits limitations in managing resource allocation and communication robustness, particularly in dense vehicular scenarios. Additionally, C-V2X standards have been tailored to particularly support periodic broadcasts; whereas true vehicular autonomy demands service-focused communication which differs in transmission behavior compared to periodic safety messages. This document addresses critical bottlenecks within C-V2X by developing cross-layer optimizations across physical, MAC, and application layers. This thesis proposes enhancements on C-V2X resource scheduling protocol with proposing novel adaptive and selective power control …

Assessment Of The Safety Culture In Petrochemical Industries In Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study, Ahmed Mohammed Alqarfi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Given the inherently hazardous nature of petrochemical operations, an effective safety culture is critical. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 29 peer-reviewed articles published in open access between 2014 and 2024 were selected to evaluate the status of safety culture dimensions employed in the petrochemical sector. This cross-sectional study assessed safety culture in the Saudi Arabian petrochemical industry and examined the relationships among safety culture dimensions, safety motivation (SM), and safety performance. Safety performance was operationalized as personal error behavior (PEB) and attitudes toward violations (ATV), with SM modeled as a mediating factor. After obtaining IRB approval, a total of 482 employees …

2024-2025 Ucf Center For Community Schools Progression Data, Ucf Center For Community Schools

Community Partnership Schools Annual Progression Data

No abstract provided.

The Flutter-Mill And The Fall Of Innocence: Jody's Journey To Disillusionment, Desirae Walton

The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Journal of Florida Literature

No abstract provided.

Reconciling Theory And Praxis. Defending Subjective Agency Against Althusser's Structuralism - Daniel Guerrero, Daniel Guerrero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Louis Althusser labels Marx’s early works as humanist, pseudo-materialist, and self-contained within the ideology of German idealism. Therefore, all attempts to develop a Marxist theory based on these works are futile and ideological. Instead, Althusser proposes a ‘scientific’ reading of Marx developing a structuralist theory based on dialectical materialism. I argue that his interpretations deny individual agency and reduce social relations to mechanistic processes, which directly conflicts with fundamental Marxist ideas like alienation, production, and species-being. By discussing authors within the Marxist Humanist tradition, I argue that a theoretical framework based on Marx’s early works is not only possible, but …

What Factors Improve Police Legitimacy?, Nyomi Powers

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Legitimacy in law enforcement can be defined as the perception of the police as an appropriate and respected source of power and authority. United States law enforcement is facing a legitimacy crisis stemming from a growing distrust in the police and decreased police community relationships. In order to address this problem, solutions are being sought in both police agencies and by researchers in the field. This systematic review aims to compile all relevant experiments and analyze the findings to create a comprehensive list of policy implications that most effectively improve police legitimacy. For experiments to be included in this review, …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Working Memory, Lake Miller

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Extensive research has shown that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as sexual abuse, poverty, physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect, can negatively impact an individual’s development. The presence of ACEs has also been linked to an increase in one’s engagement in risky behavior, dropping out of school, unemployment before the age of 21, and a variety of health issues. Currently, there is a gap in literature regarding the performance of different working memory (WM) tasks and the presence of ACEs. This study focuses on filling this gap in literature by measuring participants’ Philadelphia ACE score, which is a 16-item questionnaire, …

Anthropology In The Real World, Chastity B. Nix, Cheyenne Taylor

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2025

Anthropology is a field that likely isn’t the first to come to mind for many. Despite this, it has proven to be a great major for learning skills that are applicable to many different career paths. ANT 4861, Beyond the Anthropology Major, has not only taught us this but also made us realize just how much the general public as well as employers are missing by not being educated on Anthropological skills. Our project here is meant to highlight how little the average person is aware of what anthropology is and how employers, even those looking for anthropological knowledge, are …

Empowering Communities In Crisis: The Reach Hub As An Emergency Management Lifeline In Orlando, Mohammad Newaz Sharif

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2025

This service-learning engagement with the REACH (Resilience, Education, and Advocacy Center for Hazard Preparedness) Hub project was conducted as part of PAD6397: Managing Emergencies and Crises course at the University of Central Florida. It explores the intersection of academic knowledge, community resilience, and equitable emergency management through the REACH Hub which a solar-powered, mobile infrastructure developed in collaboration with UCF researchers, the City of Orlando and other local partners. Designed to serve vulnerable communities during and beyond disasters, the REACH Hub provides critical resources such as power, internet access, refrigeration, and educational outreach. The project aligned closely with course objectives, …

Mastering Self-Belief: Overcoming Obstacles In Organic Chemistry, Ibrahim Itani, Vidhisha Rane, Alondra Agrait, Amelia Woodward

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2025

As students enrolled in CHM 4942, we had the honor of serving as Undergraduate Learning Assistants in organic chemistry. This experience proved to be a valuable opportunity for us to apply the skills, strategies and principles we learned in our pedagogy class. These newfound skills aided us in class where we helped with problem-solving and facilitating group discussions, as well as out of class where we answered discussion forums and conducted test preparation. Additionally, we believe that the impact we’ve made with students is so notable that there's an interest for ULAs in courses outside of chemistry. Not only were …

Beyond The Script: How Theatre Shapes Motivation In Second Language Acquisition, Amaya B. Gattis

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Motivation is considered a significant factor in second language acquisition, potentially affecting language learners' language acquisition ability (Dörnyei, 1998). This study explored the impact of participating in a theatre experience on language learners’ motivation to learn English during a classroom experience. The main objective of this research was to assess the influence of performing in a short play on adult multilingual learners’ motivation to learn English. A mixed-methodology research design was employed to measure reported motivation levels and observe language development using a pre- and post-treatment questionnaire, field observation, and a semi-structured post-treatment interview model for data collection. The results …

Environmental Fate Of Trace Anionic Fission Byproducts: An Analysis Of Redox, Sorption, And Incorporation Pathways Of Iodine And Selenium, Ilana B. Szlamkowicz

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The environmental chemistry and mobility of iodine and selenium contaminants were investigated through redox interactions with manganese oxides and incorporation into carbonate minerals. The study examined iodide (I^-) and selenite (SeO₃^2-) oxidation under varying pH conditions using manganese oxide minerals, which are geochemical regulators. Using tandem ion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS), the oxidation and speciation of iodine and selenium were quantified under environmentally relevant conditions. The results demonstrate that oxidation of I^- and SeO₃^2- by manganese oxides are highly concentration dependent. Acid birnessite, a common manganese oxide, exhibited significant reactivity toward …

Increasing Access Through Graduate Teaching Assistant Training: A Udl-Informed, Video-Based Professional Development Approach For Inclusive Chemistry Instruction, Kathleen Lugo Charriez

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

STEM courses pose concealed barriers to learning for students with disabilities, a demographic that constitutes a significant portion of postsecondary science and engineering undergraduate student populations. While extensive research has examined access and inclusiveness in K–12 education and, to a more limited extent, in higher education, there remains a critical gap in understanding how to proactively design undergraduate chemistry curricula that are both accessible and inclusive for a diverse range of learners. In particular, limited attention has been given to supporting Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in adopting inclusive instructional practices in higher education chemistry courses.

In large academic institutions, GTAs …

A Greener Way To Synthesize Biodiesel: Mechanochemistry With No Added Catalyst, Amanda S. Tanner

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Biodiesel production is currently energy-demanding and produces large volumes of waste despite being marketed as a greener approach to fuel. Here, we report the development and analysis of a more environmentally friendly way of producing biodiesel via mechanochemistry. In as little as one hour, biodiesel can be produced by ball milling intact oilseeds with methanol and no added catalyst. The catalyst for transesterification of oilseeds and methanol via mechanical milling comes from within the seed shells, rather than needing to be added from a separate source. The metals found in the milling media interact with lignin in the seed shells, …

The Global Thermophysical Properties Of (433) Eros, Mary L. Hinkle

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

We present results from a shape-based, rotationally-resolved thermophysical model of near- Earth asteroid (433) Eros, using reflected and near-IR spectra collected at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) over 18 nights (25 disk-integrated spectra in total) from 2009-2019. The data sample a variety of viewing geometries, illumination angles, and rotational phases and therefore allow us to characterize Eros's surface physical properties in detail, particularly at wavelengths in the thermal near- IR regime (λ > 3.5 microns) that were not measured by the NEAR Shoemaker mission. Eros's shape, spin state, density, albedo, and other physical properties measured by NEAR were incorporated into …

Terahertz Spin Pumping In Antiferromagnetic Crystals And Films, Gregory Fritjofson

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Antiferromagnetic spintronics is a budding field, promising applications for next generation computing and telecommunication, due to the inherent stability and terahertz frequency magnetic dynamics which antiferromagnets (AFMs) possess. However, due to the infancy and uniqueness of the field, AFM spin dynamics have yet to be studied to their full extent in the terahertz range. To this end, we describe a custom magnetometry system with continuous frequency operation from 60 GHz to 1.5 THz, complete quasi-optical polarization control, peak magnetic field of 9 T, temperature control from 5-300 K, and three-axis sample rotation. We provide initial results from uniaxial AFM MnF2 …

Sub-Cycle Nonlinear Optics In Solids, Dipendra Khatri

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The rapid advancement of digital electronics and telecommunication systems necessitates processing information at increasingly higher speeds. However, modern semiconductor technology faces fundamental physical limitations in transistor miniaturization and clock frequency due to quantum mechanical constraints. To overcome these barriers, ultrafast optoelectronics, leveraging light-matter interactions, offers a promising alternative. Light, as the fastest carrier of information, enables signal processing at frequencies far beyond conventional semiconductor technology. Advancements in laser technology have enabled stable and reliable ultrashort light pulse sources, lasting only a few femtoseconds at optical wavelengths. When utilized for signal processing, they could enable clock frequencies over 1000 times higher …

Ab Initio Studies Of Electrochemical Processes: Insights Into Co2 Reduction And Hydrogen Evolution Reactions, Theodoros Panagiotakopoulos

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has spurred intense interest in sustainable technologies that enable both carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization and hydrogen production. This thesis explores these challenges through a combination of electrochemical simulations, surface science, and experimental validation. Central to the study is the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), which offers a promising route for converting CO2 into fuels and chemicals using renewable electricity. We begin by addressing the limitations of traditional modeling approaches for electrochemical systems. A hybrid explicit-implicit solvation model (SOLHYBRID) and an electrode potential control algorithm (TPOT) were developed to simulate the electrochemical interface …

Optical And Tunneling Spectroscopy Of Single-Layer Van Der Waals Materials On Metals And Probe Tip Engineering Of High Resolution Stm And Afm For Imaging Of Molecules On Silicon Surfaces, Stephanie Lough

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This research investigates the electronic, structural, and ferroic properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials, focusing on transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and metal thio- and selenophosphates (MTPs). Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), this work explores how dimensional confinement, substrate interactions, and thickness-dependent effects influence material behavior. Advancements in STM probe fabrication for high-resolution molecular imaging are also presented, with implications for nanoelectronics and quantum materials.

The first study examines monolayer MoS₂ on metallic substrates (gold and graphite). Raman spectroscopy revealed substrate-induced strain and charge transfer in MoS₂ on Au. STM …

Investigations And Simulations: A Data-Driven Approach To Exoplanet Characterization, Kathleen J. Mcintyre

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

High-precision infrared photometry is fundamental to the field of exoplanet science, enabling direct measurements of planetary thermal emission, atmospheric composition, and energy redistribution. The stability and sensitivity achieved by instruments aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope provides a catalog of hundreds of transiting exoplanets with measurements of flux variations to the level of tens of parts per million. This legacy contextualizes and complements recent and upcoming high-resolution spectroscopic observations. In this work I apply multiple analysis techniques to all available Spitzer observations of three hot Jupiters to determine how much we can still learn from archival data and what best practices …