Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding Health-Seeking Decision-Making Process And Behavior Among Haitian Immigrants: A Grounded Theory Approach, Shelleta Ladonice

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Black people in the U.S. die at younger ages, have significantly higher rates of death from treatable medical conditions, are more likely to have late-stage breast and colon cancer diagnoses and more likely to die from these cancers, and are at higher risk for chronic illnesses compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Accessing healthcare is crucial to health and well-being; however, U.S. immigrants' use of healthcare services is far less than native-born Americans. Haitian immigrants experience health disparities at the highest rate compared to other Black immigrants in the U.S. Given their unique history, culture, and immigration experience, it …

Human Visual Search Performance For Close Range Detection Of Static Targets From Moving Sensor Platforms, Jennifer Hewitt

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Search models based on human perception have been developed by military researchers over the past few decades and have both military and commercial applications for sensor design and implementation. These models are created primarily for static imagery, and accurately predict task performance for systems with stationary targets and stationary sensors, if the observer is given infinite time to make targeting decisions. To account for situations where decisions must be made on a shortened time scale, the time-limited search model was developed to describe how task performance evolves with time. Recent variations of this model have been made to account for …

Interaction Of Sexual Orientation, Racial, And Gender Discrimination On Mental Health Outcomes, Rebekah Kanefsky

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Experiencing discrimination is associated with greater risk of developing mental health symptoms. Important theories on the mental well-being of people who identify with underrepresented groups suggest that poorer outcomes are not simply associated with identifying with an underrepresented group. Rather, “minority stressors” (e.g., discrimination) drive poor mental health outcomes. Despite the connection between mental health and discrimination, there has been less research focused on the combined impact of multiple forms of discrimination and how they interact for individuals who possess multiple, underrepresented identities. Further, significantly less research has been conducted utilizing quantitative methodology. To investigate the relationship between different forms …

Enhancing Scanning Tunneling Microscopy With Automation And Machine Learning, Darian Smalley

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is one of the most advanced surface science tools capable of atomic resolution imaging and atomic manipulation. Unfortunately, STM has many time-consuming bottlenecks, like probe conditioning, tip instability, and noise artificing, which causes the technique to have low experimental throughput. This dissertation describes my efforts to address these challenges through automation and machine learning. It consists of two main sections each describing four projects for a total of eight studies.

The first section details two studies on nanoscale sample fabrication and two studies on STM tip preparation. The first two studies describe the fabrication of …

Towards Energy-Efficient In-Memory Computing Systems Using Electronic Design Automation, Muhammad Rashedul Haq Rashed

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The exponential growth in digital data has fueled the emergence of data-intensive applications like large language models, digital twins, and metaverse. These applications have unprecedented computing demands that exceed the capabilities of today's high-performance computing systems. To address this challenge, new computing paradigms are being explored. One promising solution is to perform processing in memory (PIM) using emerging hardware. However, PIM paradigms are still in their infancy. A major obstacle to the widespread adoption of PIM paradigms is the lack of advanced electronic design automation (EDA)-based designs to ensure the system is both robust and energy-efficient.

This dissertation presents electronic …

Social Cognition, Anhedonia, And Support In Relation To Depression Severity In Individuals With Breast Cancer, Samantha D. Simpson

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Breast cancer is associated with significant disruption in social support, social cognition, and depression. This study seeks to explore social and emotional factors using the integrative model for social reward processing. To better understand these relationships, 103 women with breast cancer (e.g., stage I – IV; mean age = 58.74, SD = 11.48; range 25 - 82) completed the Anticipatory and Consummatory Interpersonal Pleasure Scale, Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System - Depression Scale, Medical Outcomes Study- Social Support Survey, and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. Path analysis, controlling for current breast cancer stage and history of …

Exploring The Challenges Of First Grade Students' Non-Exit From Mathematics Intervention: A Comparative Analysis Of Mathematics Instruction And Best Practices During Intervention, Lori Hart

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This qualitative study aimed to examine the challenges surrounding the non-exit of first grade students from mathematics intervention programs, particularly focusing on Atlantic Elementary School within the Gulf County Public School District. Against the backdrop of declining mathematics proficiency, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this study investigates the effectiveness of mathematics intervention and its alignment with best practices in mathematics instruction. While mathematics intervention aims to support students needing additional support with mathematical concepts, there exists a notable gap in understanding why many primary students do not transition successfully from mathematics intervention on grade level prior to advancing to the …

Lesson Study As A Catalyst For Including Concepts And Procedures In Planning And Implementing Fraction-Based Mathematics Lessons: An Elementary School Case Study, Nisha A. Phillip Malahoo

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This qualitative case study investigated how lesson study influenced teachers’ pedagogical strategies and content knowledge by leveraging the interplay between conceptual understanding and procedural fluency, with conceptual knowledge forming the foundation for procedural fluency in the planning and implementation of fraction-based mathematics tasks. The study aimed to address two research questions: (1) How does the engagement of teachers in the creation and analysis of fraction-based mathematics tasks in lesson study influence their instructional decision-making processes? and (2) How do teachers construct pedagogical strategies that integrate procedural and conceptual knowledge through lesson study? The sample size consisted of seven elementary school …

Millimeter-Wave Software-Defined Radios With Programmable Directionality, Marc H. Jean

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Fifth generation (5G) networks are currently being deployed at millimeter wave (mmWave) bands, beyond 22 GHz. The wireless node density and gigabit-per-second demands of 5G Internet-of Things (IoT) devices are pushing for more spatial reuse and higher frequency bands, which can be achieved by directional beamforming methods. Over the years, researchers have relied on synthetic data and simulation for studying directionality and beamforming, due to the lack and high cost of mmWave hardware. Hence, there is a major need for software-defined radio (SDR) platforms that enable programmable directionality in wireless studies and experimentation. Recently, more affordable and commercially available mmWave …

Investigating K–12 Teachers’ Attitudes, Beliefs, And Self-Efficacy After Implementation Of Problem-Based Learning, Paulina Bzdun

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This mixed-methods study investigated the factors that impact K–12 teachers' perceived self-efficacy, attitudes, and beliefs regarding the implementation of problem-based learning (PBL), with a specific focus on the influences within a K–11 schoolwide setting. The first part of the study analyzed 21 responses to the pre- and post- Teacher PBL Self-Efficacy, Attitude, and Implementation Questionnaires; the second part analyzed three individual teachers’ interview responses gathered during one-on-one Zoom interviews with the researcher.

The quantitative data questionnaires covered relationships between teachers’ perceived attitudes and beliefs, self-efficacy, and implementation of problem-based learning. Findings showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between …

Introducing Mindful Micro-Practices To Reduce Job Stress And Turnover Intention In High-Volume Restaurants, Vicki Lavendol

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Employee turnover has long been the most complex problem in the hospitality and tourism industry and Florida is home to over 1 million restaurant and food service jobs. This mixed methods study evaluated the effectiveness of a mindfulness program introduced to reduce job stress and turnover intention at multiple locations of a mid-size restaurant company in Florida. Managers were trained on mindful micro-practices and then introduced those practices to their teams over a four-week intervention. Pre- and post-surveys measured team member job stress, stress-reducing behaviors, turnover intention, self-determination, and mindful awareness. The quantitative data was underpowered and showed no statistically …

Examining Changes In Pain Sensitivity Following 8 Minutes Of Cycling At Varying Exercise Intensities, Brandi B. Antonio

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This study assessed the effect of an eight-minute cycling intervention using varying intensities on exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). Generally, current research examines EIH using protocols that last for more than 10 minutes and reach 75% of an individual's VO2 peak. The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of varying intensities on pressure pain threshold (PPT) and heat pain threshold (HPT) at the thigh and forearm, tested pre- and post-cycling intervention.

Healthy male participants (n=16) performed a graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer to establish their peak power output (PPO). In subsequent visits, participants completed five different …

Enhancing Oil-In-Water Emulsified Bildgwater Treatment Using Electric Field Forward Osmosis (Effo), Nareg Krikorian

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Bilgewater discharge needs to meet the existing regulations with an oil concentration of less than 15 ppm. Among many treatment options, forward osmosis (FO) can be an economic-environmental method utilizing an osmotic pressure gradient between feed solution (FS) and draw solution (DS) which are separated via a semipermeable membrane. However, FO membrane foundling is still challenging. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of electric field forward osmosis (EFFO) to mitigate membrane fouling and thus improve oil-in-water emulsion separation. Standard bilge mix (SBM) was used as representative bilgewater and mineral oil (MO) was used as control. …

Advancing Policy Insights: Opinion Data Analysis And Discourse Structuring Using Llms, Aaditya Bhatia

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

The growing volume of opinion data presents a significant challenge for policymakers striving to distill public sentiment into actionable decisions. This study aims to explore the capability of large language models (LLMs) to synthesize public opinion data into coherent policy recommendations. We specifically leverage Mistral 7B and Mixtral 8x7B models for text generation and have developed an architecture to process vast amounts of unstructured information, integrate diverse viewpoints, and extract actionable insights aligned with public opinion. Using a retrospective data analysis of the Polis platform debates published by the Computational Democracy Project, this study examines multiple datasets that span local …

Aspira And The Young Lords: Examining Their Impact On Fostering A Puerto Rican Cultural Identity In New York City During The 1960s And 1970s, Asmara M. Cortes-Caba

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This thesis examines how the organizations ASPIRA and the Young Lords Party fostered a cultural identity within Puerto Ricans in New York or “Nuyoricans.” ASPIRA, founded in 1961 by Antonia Pantoja, aimed to create leaders who would later give back to their communities. They established clubs for Puerto Rican high school students in schools and at ASPIRA centers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Bronx. The Young Lords Party, founded in 1969, was a grassroots organization that fought against social injustices through their initiatives called “offensives.” ASPIRA and the Young Lords Party contributed greatly towards the development of a Nuyorican identity and …

An Examination Of Religious Leaders' Perceptions Of Scrupulosity, Nicole K. Hale

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Religious obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or scrupulosity is a subtype of OCD consisting of religious-themed obsessions and/or compulsions. Individuals with scrupulosity are most likely first to disclose symptoms and seek help from their religious leaders. As a result, religious leaders’ responses to disclosed symptoms may have a substantial impact on the course of the disorder, including how individuals interpret their symptoms and whether they decide to seek assistance from a mental health provider. Despite the potentially important role of religious leaders in the course of scrupulosity, research focused on the religious leaders’ perceptions of scrupulosity is limited. Further, little is known …

Impact Of Social Support On Turnover Intentions And Burnout Among Hispanic Religious Leaders, Sandra Montenegro

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

In some cases, role stressors force members of the clergy to rely on social support to maintain themselves serving in ministry. In this study, the Job Demands and Resources (JD-R) model is applied to investigate the interaction between vocational demands (role stressors and occupational distress) and resources (social support) in predicting burnout and turnover intentions in Florida clergy. A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess the buffering role of social support systems in mitigating turnover intentions and the overall impact on clergy burnout. The findings suggest that role overload, role conflict, and occupational distress are significantly related to burnout, …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence In The Study Of Saturated And Unsaturated Hydraulic Properties Of Compacted Soil Barriers In Landfills, Poyu Zhang

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Machine learning models (MLMs) were developed to predict the saturated hydraulic conductivity of compacted soil barriers and help to identify appropriate soils for the construction of landfill liners and covers. Three machine learning algorithms (random forest, gradient boosting decision tree, and neural network) were used to develop MLMs, and multiple linear regression was used to compare the precision of predictions with the MLMs. Results from this study showed that the random forest model provided the best prediction of the hydraulic conductivity of compacted soil barriers, with 100% of predicted hydraulic conductivity within 100-time differences to measured hydraulic conductivity and 93% …

Exploring How Administrative Factors Including Mentoring, Compensation, And Workload Impact The Retention Rates Of Novice Title I Teachers, Danielle Jones

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This study explores the administrative factors impacting the experiences and retention rate of Title I beginning-year teachers that have 1-3 years of experience. Considering Title I schools primarily serve students from marginalized backgrounds, understanding the role of administrative factors becomes crucial. These factors significantly influence both student outcomes and teacher effectiveness, emphasizing the need for further exploration. For this reason, this research seeks to identify and understand the impacts administrative structures have on the performance, satisfaction, and retention of new teachers in Title I schools. This quantitative study will examine the experiences and outcomes of new teachers in Title I …

Bootstrap Regression For Investigating Macroeconomics Factors Affecting Usa Home Prices, Benedict Kongyir, Emil Agbemade

Data Science and Data Mining

This study investigates the impact of macroeconomic indicators on US home prices, underscoring the importance of understanding these dynamics due to their signifcant socioeconomic consequences. Utilizing a dataset from Kaggle, originally collected by FRED, the research examines variables like the Consumer Price Index, Population, Unemployment, GDP, Stock Prices, Income, and Mortgage Rate to discern their efect on housing market fuctuations. The analysis identifes multicollinearity among predictors, necessitating a shift from traditional multiple linear regression to a more robust bootstrap regression method due to violations of parametric assumptions. Key fndings reveal that Real Disposable Income is a signifcant predictor of home …

Combating Cyberbullying On Social Media: A Machine Learning Approach With Text Analysis On Twitter, Amir Alipour Yengejeh

Data Science and Data Mining

The popularity of the electronic mobile devices along with social media as well as networking websites have been tremendously increased in the recent year. Most people around the world daily engage in the variety of cyberspace additives. Even though the users can take most advantages of these system such as exchange the idea and information, being sociable, and enjoyments, they might be faced with such adverse behaviors such as toxicity, bullying, extremism, and cruelty. The recent statistics reports that such mentioned behaviors has been noticeably grown on the cyberspace such that can threaten the individuals and even any community. Thus, …

Predicting Road Accident Injury Severity For Drivers In Automobile Crashes In United States Using Machine Learning Models And Ai, Emil Agbemade, Benedict Kongyir

Data Science and Data Mining

This study analyzes data from the National Highway Trafc Safety Administration’s 2021 Crash Report Sampling System to identify key factors contributing to the severity of injuries in car accidents. By utilizing various machine learning algorithms and cross-validation techniques, we assessed metrics such as accuracy, sensitivity, precision, specifcity, and the area under the curve (AUC) to evaluate the efectiveness of predictive models. All data preprocessing and model building was done using KNIME Analytical software [9]. Our fndings reveal signifcant correlations between certain variables such as airbag injection, weather conditions, intoxication, vehicle state, driver distractions, and injury severity. These insights underscore the …

Diagnostic In Neuroimaging: A Comparative Study Of Deep Learning And Traditional Approaches, Amina Issoufou Anaroua

Data Science and Data Mining

In the realm of medical diagnostics, precise classification of brain tumors is pivotal. This study conducts a comprehensive comparative analysis of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) against traditional machine learning models, Logistic Regression (LR) and Support Vector Machines (SVM) on a dataset of MRI scans for multi-class brain tumor classification. The CNN, tailored for image recognition, is evaluated alongside LR and SVM, which have established benchmarks in classification tasks. The investigation reveals that the traditional models hold their ground in terms of precision and interpretability, with the SVM, in particular, achieving remarkable accuracy. However, the CNN distinguishes itself by demonstrating …

Ucf Pegasus Plan - 2nd Grade - Supply & Demand, Renata Veronica Nunez Saenz, Valeria Bonilla, Julia Buquicchio, Leah Silverman, Mya Buck

Pegasus Plans: Social Studies Unit Plans for Florida Teachers

During this unit, students will explore the fundamental concepts of economics. Through collaborative discussions, multimedia resources, and formative assessments, students will develop a robust understanding of how markets operate in their community and how people provide goods and services based on societal needs. Students will investigate the production process of familiar goods and learn the roles of producers and consumers in economic systems. They will also examine the concept of supply and demand with real-world applications by analyzing how changes in supply and demand affect prices and consumer behavior. The unit includes vocabulary introductions, practical demonstrations, and visual aids to …

Ucf Pegasus Plan - 1st Grade - Maps & Globes, Anna C. Howell, Alejandra Vega-Casillas, Gianna M. Astriab, Georgia De Los Santos, Lindsay Schultz

Pegasus Plans: Social Studies Unit Plans for Florida Teachers

During this unit, students will explore, analyze, and construct maps. The students learn about what a globe is and how they are similar to and different from traditional maps. The daily lessons delve into the elements of maps, including cardinal directions, map symbols, and map keys, in addition to the seven continents and what makes each of these land masses unique. Through developmentally appropriate songs, games, and books, students will be highly engaged throughout this geography unit.

Ucf Pegasus Plan – Kindergarten – American U.S Symbols, Nicki Lynn Elia, Alma Tovar, Valerie Day, Jasmine Molina

Pegasus Plans: Social Studies Unit Plans for Florida Teachers

This unit plan on U.S American Symbols includes interactive lessons, videos and context for Kindergarteners at any comprehension level including English learners.

Volume Xxxi (2024)

The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Journal of Florida Literature

No abstract provided.

"Through A Bourbon Bottle Darkly": Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings And Norton Baskin Discuss Love And Alcohol, Florence Turcotte

The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Journal of Florida Literature

No abstract provided.

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Writing Award Co-Winner Undergraduate Essay: "Surviving But Struggling; The Disillusionment Of Survival Through A Child's Eyes", Samantha Mcconaghy

The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Journal of Florida Literature

No abstract provided.

Diamond's Hidden Gems - Introduction, Diamond R. Williams

Libraries' Documents

No abstract provided.