Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing Nitrogen Removal In High Permeability Bioretention Media: The Combined Role Of Biochar, Wood Chips And Hydraulic Design, Joshelyn Guimaray

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Urban stormwater runoff can transport high nutrient loads to receiving waters, leading toeutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and the formation of hypoxic zones. Bioretention systems are a form of green infrastructure designed to mitigate these impacts, but their application in dense, ultra-urban environments is often limited by large land area requirements. This has led to the adoption of high permeability media (HPM) to accommodate higher hydraulic loading rates (HLRs) and reduce the system footprint. However, conventional HPM systems often show inconsistent removal of dissolved nitrogen species due to short hydraulic retention times (HRTs), a lack of organic carbon, and insufficient anoxic …

Advancing Power System Reliability And Security With Efficient And Resilient Graph Neural Network Frameworks, Seyed Hamed Haghshenas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Enhancing the reliability and security of smart grids is critical for ensuring their seamless operation and resilience against disruptions. The increasing integration of distributed energy resources, advanced measurement devices, and cyber-physical elements introduces both opportunities and challenges for grid management. While these advancements provide enhanced visibility and operational control, they also expose the grid to vulnerabilities from cyber-physical stresses, such as cyber-attacks, equipment failures, and fluctuating power demands. Traditional methods for reliability assessment and threat detection often rely on model-based approaches that struggle to adapt to the complexity and dynamic nature of modern smart grids. These limitations necessitate novel data-driven …

Recruitment, Retention, And Attrition Of Special Education Teachers At Title 1 Schools: How Administrators Perceive Their Role, Sherry Jane S.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States needs more special education teachers. Although this shortage affects many schools nationwide, the effects can be particularly harmful at Title 1 schools. Although there is a large body of literature on teacher attrition and retention, enlarging it focuses on teachers' viewpoints. Through semi-structured interviews, this research examines the perceptions of school administrators at Title 1 schools about their role in the recruitment, attrition, and retention of special education teachers. The context of the research is one large district in central Florida

Crow's Nest, November 3, 2025, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The November 3, 2025 issue of Crow's Nest.

Exploring Perceived Parental Vulnerability In Pediatric Cancer Survivors: A Comparative Thematic Analysis Of English And Spanish-Speaking Families., Yusnavi Martinez Pineiro

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how perceived parental vulnerability is expressed among parents of pediatric cancer survivors and explored potential differences between Spanish-speaking and English-speaking families. Data were drawn from an existing ongoing clinical trial in the IHOPE lab of the University of South Florida, who collaborates with over 10 pediatric cancer survivorship clinics across the country. The study used a total of 26 (13 Spanish-speaking and 13 English-speaking) structured interview transcripts from parent participants. The transcripts were the first session with the parent participant, the interventionist spoke the parent’s preferred language (English or Spanish), perceived parental vulnerability was one of six …

The American Friends Of Irish Neutrality And The American Irish Defense Association: The Last Irish American Committees, Patrick J. Horan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the complex narratives surrounding Irish neutrality during World War II within the Irish American community. It focuses on two key organizations, the American Friends of Irish Neutrality (AFIN) and the American Irish Defense Association (AIDA), arguing that the conflict over neutrality was a pivotal moment in the assimilation of Irish American identity. The study explores how Irish Americans balanced their connection to their ancestral homeland with their desire for full acceptance in the United States.

The research reveals a fervent propaganda war between the AFIN, a grassroots organization defending Ireland’s right to remain neutral, and the AIDA, …

Proceedings Of The Global Conference On Business And Economics, Bhuvan Unhelkar, Valentina Della Corte, Cihan Cobanoglu, Mehmet Erdem

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This is the third volume of the Global Conference on Business and Economics Proceedings Series. This volume also includes papers presented at the Global Conference on Technology & AI in Hospitality and Tourism.

Exploring The Experiences Of Three Saudi Mothers Returning To Saudi With Their Bilingual Children, Fatimah H. Almuthibi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative interview study explored the experiences of three Saudi mothers who returned to Saudi Arabia with their bilingual children after living with their children in English-speaking countries for educational and academic purposes. Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory is the theory that served as the guiding framework for the study, shaping the direction of the study and informing both the analysis and discussion of the data. The purpose of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of this unique phenomenon and to address a gap in the existing literature since there are very few studies that focus on the post-return experience …

Disrupting Latina/X Media Representations: A Performance Art Installation Informed By Autoethnographic And Embodied Explorations, Sandra Cristina Roa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I use autoethnography and performance methods to create a performance art installation that examines and re-imagines the role of media representations in shaping how I as a Latina actively negotiates belonging and identifies this concept as always in a processes requiring negotiation. I argue belonging is influenced by how I see myself or don’t see myself in media representation and offer the counter-narrative as a way of asserting agency and disrupting marginalization. In this project, I tend to the tensions felt between being a community member, media maker, and qualitative researcher in order to disrupt media messages. …

English, Lamia Saad Alnomei

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It is crucial to integrate technologies into childhood education and teaching digital citizenship, but there are certain barriers to this integration in Saudi Arabia. Elicitation interviews were conducted in the context of this study with six participants, including kindergarten teachers and school leaders. They showed different levels of understanding the concept of digital literacy and citizenship and various levels of valuing technologies as tools for education. For instance, some expressed the need for more awareness and training, and other exhibited a deep understanding of digital citizenship. The study used Rogoff’s sociocultural theory, explored the influence of culture and parents on …

Cross-Linked Cellulose Ester/Linseed Oil Composites For Controlled Release Fertilizers, Ian Stark

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food scarcity is an ever-present concern for a growing population but can be mitigated through innovations in agriculture. Fertilizers are required to produce a sufficient amount of food, and while they contain key nutrients for crop growth, these nutrients can leech into the surrounding environment. Controlled release fertilizers slow the release of nutrients, encasing the prills in a semi permeable coating. Current coatings are non-biodegradable, causing microplastic soil contamination, which is very difficult to remove. Cellulose esters offer a compelling alternative, with an ability to cross-link into thin films that can be applied as coatings. The cellulose esterification was completed …

The Role Of Peer Networks In Elementary Teacher Preparation Programs, Bayan Alnaim

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research provided insight into how peer networks related to the professional learning of TC as they moved through an elementary teacher preparation program. These formal and informal peer networks helped nurture collegiality among TCs to aid learning and provide emotional support, which allowed an edge toward forming an identity. This study examined the particular role of teacher networks in TCs’ learning (Al Sultan, 2021; Anderson et al., 2022). The study applied Social Constructivism and Communities of Practice frameworks to analyze the influence of peer networks on the development of teaching skills and professional identities. Data from TCs participating in …

Dissecting The Intrinsic And Extrinsic Regulators Of Prostate Cancer Dormancy In The Bone Microenvironment, Mostafa M. Nasr

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Metastatic disease is the primary driver of cancer-related mortality. In prostate cancer (PCa), patient survival decreases dramatically once the disease spreads to distant organs, with over 80% of metastases occurring in the bone. This dissemination is often followed by a clinically silent period of tumor dormancy that can last for years, creating a critical reservoir of cells poised for lethal relapse. A significant barrier to understanding and targeting this dormant phase has been the lack of robust experimental models. This thesis first addresses this challenge by establishing a novel stress-induced model of PCa dormancy, validated across multiple murine and human …

Promoting Sophomore Progression: Academic Advocates’ Perceptions Of Holistic Interventions And Data Analytics, Sarah Angela Wray Marshall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored academic advocates’ perceptions regarding holistic student interventions and data analytics utilization to enhance sophomore success at their institution. This study contributes to the literature on sophomore success by providing an academic advocacy perspective and to the emerging literature using data analytics to enhance retention, persistence, and graduation rates in higher education. Multiple methods of data collection were employed, including four academic advocate interviews, document analysis, and reflexive journaling. A hybrid thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data. By exploring practitioners’ narratives, the research addressed a gap in scholarship on how academic advocates enact their …

Rattlesnakes And Enlightenment Science: An Unlikely Epistemology Of Early American Herpetology, Sahir Hismiogullari

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the hybrid epistemologies developed by early American naturalists, such as Hans Sloane, Pehr Kalm, John and William Bartram, and Benjamin Smith Barton that blended empirical observation, spiritual frameworks, and Indigenous ecological knowledge. These figures, implicitly or explicitly challenging the dominant mechanistic and reductionist models of Enlightenment science, pioneered a more holistic ecological thinking, even as they operated within colonial power structures.

Through historical and textual analysis based on letters, natural histories, and other written sources, the study reveals how these naturalists synthesized multiple ways of knowing, particularly in their encounters with New World peoples and environments. Within …

Protocol For Assessing And Managing Radon Gas Exposure Risks In Caves: A Case Study Of Altamira And Paleolithic Cave Art Of Northern Spain World Heritage Site, Sergio Sanchez-Moral, Javier Lario, Soledad Cuezva, Juan Carlos Cañaveras, Tamara Martín-Pozas, Angel Fernández-Cortés

International Journal of Speleology

Exposure to radon and its progeny poses a significant health risk for workers in tourist caves. Implementing protective measures is challenging due to increasingly strict gas concentration and dose limits in new regulations. This study evaluates the annual effective radiation doses received by workers and researchers, considering seasonal and spatial radon variability. Radon levels, temperature, and ventilation patterns were continuously monitored for at least one year in each cave. Results show significant radon fluctuations influenced by seasonal ventilation regimes driven by thermal gradients between the cave and external atmosphere. Using International Commission on Radiological Protection guidelines, the study calculates the …

Pre-Calibration Of Δ18O For Paleoclimatic Interpretations Using Stalagmites In Cueva Ensueño, Puerto Rico, Gabriel Enrique López Borobia, Ny Riavo G. Voarintsoa, Ricardo Sánchez-Murillo, Pablo Antonio Llerandi Román

International Journal of Speleology

Stalagmites are invaluable archivers of past climate conditions, as their oxygen isotopic composition (δ¹⁸O_c) closely mirrors the isotopic signature of the drip water (δ¹⁸O_w) from which they precipitate. This isotopic relationship is governed by the fractionation factor (1000ln¹⁸α), which is temperature dependent. In this research, we studied 1000ln¹⁸α within Cueva Ensueño, a cave situated in Puerto Rico’s northern karst region, as a step toward calibrating δ¹⁸O_c for paleoclimate interpretations using stalagmites. We collected drip waters, measured their temperature in situ, and sampled carbonates from ten selected stations within the cave. Sampling was conducted in December …

“From Bars To Becoming”: Exploring Identity Change Across Prison Programming, Evan W. Saunders

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Self-identity plays a pivotal role in one’s day-to-day life, impacting their behaviors and ambitions, but what is conducive to a change in identity is often underdeveloped. Mechanisms that lead incarcerated individuals to both a shift in identity and desistance away from crime are both underdeveloped as well. The current study examines the impact of programming on identity and the relationship between identity and recidivism. A sample of individuals participating in a reentry prison program responded to 16 statements that evaluated their perceptions of their Overall Self-Identity, Current Self, Feared Self, and Positive Possible Self at the beginning and end of …

A Political Ecological Exploration Of The Caracol Road Project In Belize, Lorenzo A. Pantano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Caracol Road Project is a new BZ$148,100,000 (US$74,050,000) road infrastructure development in the Cayo District of Belize and financed largely by foreign sovereign wealth funds. The areas adjacent to the road, broken into two phases include: communities, forest reserves, national parks, recreational areas, private lands and estates, and archaeological sites. This paper seeks to ask the questions: (i) For whom is the CRP being developed? (ii) For what is the CRP being developed? (iii) What visual evidence exists of sacrifice zones because of the production of the CRP? I sought to answer these questions through ethnographic observations, interviews, and …

Building Insight One Tray At A Time: A Systematized Review Of Sandtray Expressive Arts On Counselor Trainees’ Self-Awareness, A'Lyse M. Miranda

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the impact of sandtray expressive art interventions on the self-awareness of counseling students, recognizing the vital role self-awareness plays in counselor development. It is essential for counselors to practice self-awareness so that they may connect effectively with clients, make ethical decisions, and enhance their professional competence. Self-awareness is best identified as a transformative and reflective integration process. While traditional methods like journaling and supervision are commonly studied, the use of sand tray therapy as an expressive art intervention has received limited attention. This review synthesizes existing literature on self-awareness and sandtray expressive art interventions in counselor education, …

Community, Autonomy, Irony: Lessons From Historic Rosenwald Schools, Ronald B. Matus

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Growing evidence suggests the Rosenwald schools of the American South, which anchored thousands of Black communities for a half century before desegregation, boosted academic outcomes for generations of Black students and helped fuel the civil rights movement. The research literature, however, is thin on what specifically made these schools successful. My research attempts to narrow the gaps by asking the Rosenwald alums themselves. Through semi-structured interviews, 10 alums in Florida identify defining features of their schools, including seamless community connections; a culture of high expectations for academic achievement and character development; and especially caring and committed teachers. The alums’ insights …

Ai-Assisted Spectral Fingerprinting Of Mg-Doped Zno Tracer Phosphors: Tuning Photoluminescence Emission And Investigating Lifetime Via Sol-Gel Synthesis Parameters, Thomas M. Brandte

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plastic sorting remains a major driver of recycling costs, and existing infrared (IR) optical identification systems cannot determine material prominence or quality, nor reliably identify dark polymers [1]. This work explores a PVA-stabilized sol–gel and thermal synthesis route for magnesium-doped zinc oxide (Mg:ZnO) as a tunable photoluminescent tracer phosphor.

Lattice-defect control forms the foundation of phosphorescent emission tuning, enabling unique spectral fingerprints to be generated based on synthesis parameters—Mg molar ratio (Mg%), PVA mass (g), and calcination temperature (°C). Photoluminescence (PL) spectra (400–850 nm) were analyzed using Gaussian peak fitting and principal component analysis (PCA), reducing hundreds of spectral features …

Design And Implementation Of A Cross-Platform, Modular Electronic-Nose System, Kaushika Rudraraju

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Electronic noses (e-noses) are a subject of great research. They are useful in multiple platforms and serve a great purpose in both studies and safety. This thesis presents a portable, modular e-nose platform that spans the full pipeline from sensing to visualization, with emphasis on scalability, repeatability, and straightforward integration. The hardware is organized as swappable sensor modules each hosting multiple commercial sensors and local signal-conditioning networked to a master microcontroller via structured communication protocols. High-resolution acquisition, time alignment, and efficient streaming to a host enable reliable logging and analysis. A controlled exposure chamber and a repeatable sampling protocol (baseline-exposure-purge …

“The Best Laid Plans”: Evaluating How Housing Expectations Impact Prison Reentry, Vittoria A. Gonzalez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study assesses the expectations of housing stability pre-release and evaluates how closely these expectations align with actual housing outcomes. Additionally, this study examines how the alignment between pre-release housing expectations influences recidivism. The aim is to understand how individuals’ perceptions of their housing plans prior to release affect their reentry experiences and to offer insights that may inform policy and program design. Using data collected pre- and post- release within a prison reentry program from 115 individuals, results indicate that higher overall housing concern is associated with slightly higher odds of recidivism, and mismatches between expected and actualized housing …

Mapping Seagrass Extent Using Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery: A Case Study In Salt River Bay, United States Virgin Islands, Chelsea O. Bryant

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Seagrass beds provide important services in many coastal ecosystems. They provide habitat and food for a wide range of marine species, stabilize sediments, and prevent coastal erosion. These services support local fisheries and tourism-driven economies. Yet, seagrass ecosystems are threatened by changes in water quality, sedimentation, and other stressors. This study investigated the interannual variability in seagrass extent in Salt River Bay, United States Virgin Islands (USVI), from 2018 to 2024. The goals were to better understand temporal dynamics in seagrass extent and evaluate the influence of turbidity as a driver of seagrass health and distribution. The overarching research question …

What Controls Ice Shelf Isotopic Variability? Local And Global Processes Preserved Within Ice Cores Across The Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica, Orion Laurene Schomber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Antarctic Peninsula (AP) is one of the foremost indicators of anthropogenic global warming as it interacts with both atmospheric and oceanic processes. Although ice shelves across the AP have undergone increased rates of disintegration over the last 30 years, limited in-situ measurements have been investigated. Assessment of three short (~30 m) firn cores (J108, J208, and J409) across the Larsen C ice shelf (LCIS) provide insight into local, regional, and global processes. Average core densities and isotopic variability (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) fall within expected ranges for all cores, indicating signal preservation through firn. However, isotopic maxima in J108 and …

The Dark Side Of Synchrony: Investigating Affective Valence As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between Physiological Synchrony And Team Performance, Caroline N. Deal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Team processes are severely understudied, likely given their dynamic nature. Physiological synchrony (PS) may provide a solution, as PS provides a proximal, objective measure of team processes. PS is believed to develop through affect contagion, such that team members who catch each other’s emotions are more likely to physiologically synchronize. Extant research has found relationships between PS and performance; however, many questions remain regarding the nature, scope, and directionality of this relationship. I proposed that PS in the context of a positively valenced emotion would be beneficial to team performance, while PS characterized by a negatively valenced emotion would be …

Oxygen Supply Capacity Of The Atlantic Horseshoe Crab,, Marty Sims

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, inhabits shallow bays and estuaries where it encounters variable oxygen levels. Moreover, each year, the biomedical industry harvests hemolymph from hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs to use in bacterial contamination testing, yet the effects of bloodletting on their physiology are relatively unknown. This study aims to determine the oxygen supply capacity of Limulus polyphemus in relation to environmental hypoxia and biomedical bloodletting. Study animals were collected from the intertidal waters of Tampa Bay, Florida. Experiments included a control group that did not undergo substantial blood-volume reduction and a treatment group from which 10% of …

From Legislation To Lived Experience: Navigating The Expungement Process For Human Trafficking Survivors In Florida, Soriyah A. Khan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Human trafficking is an inherently exploitative crime in which survivors are often coerced or forced into committing crimes. As a result, many carry criminal records that impede successful reintegration. To alleviate this issue, criminal record relief statutes have been enacted throughout the U.S. However, little research has examined the effectiveness of these statutes as well as the experiences of human trafficking survivors seeking criminal record relief and the professionals assisting them. Using semi-structured interviews with human trafficking survivors and criminal justice actors in Florida, this study sought to examine the awareness of criminal record relief, their experiences navigating the process, …

Exploring The Behaviors Of Women Who Are Mentally Thriving With Autoimmune Disease: A Mixed Methods Approach, Emilie Ann Ellenberg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Autoimmune diseases encompass a variety of conditions that impact millions of Americans, with a higher prevalence among women than men. These diseases involve immune system dysregulation, leading to tissue damage and dysfunction. Despite progress in understanding their underlying mechanisms, important aspects remain inadequately understood, such as the relationships among immune dysregulation, medical outcomes, and psychiatric comorbidities. Preliminary qualitative research indicates that perceived diagnostic invalidation leads to the mental health needs among women with autoimmune diseases often being unmet, and behavioral health help-seeking behaviors being reduced. Although perceived diagnostic invalidation can lead to increased mental health symptomology and decreased help-seeking behaviors, …