Digital Commons Network^™

Usf St. Petersburg Campus Water Refill Station Inventory Appendix A, Haley Mcgehee, Carolyn Mazur, Mohammad Shafayet H. Khan, Theresa G. Burress

Student Green Energy Fund (SGEF) Water Refill Stations

Appendix supporting University of South Florida St. Petersburg Campus Water Refill Station dataset with reference images by location.

Usf St. Petersburg Campus Water Refill Station Inventory, Haley Mcgehee, Carolyn Mazur, Mohammad Shafeyet H. Khan, Theresa G. Burress

Student Green Energy Fund (SGEF) Water Refill Stations

Data inventory of University of South Florida St. Petersburg Campus water refill stations, accounting for presence of Elkay water refill stations, ticker numbers for bottles saved by its use, location descriptors, etc.

Usf St. Petersburg Campus Water Refill Station Inventory Readme, Carolyn Mazur, Theresa G. Burress

Student Green Energy Fund (SGEF) Water Refill Stations

ReadMe file supporting the University of South Florida St. Petersburg Campus Water Refill Station dataset.

Creating A Sustainability Libguide For Interdisciplinary Content, Matt Torrence, Christopher Sturgeon, Theresa Burress

USF Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Podcasting As Open Access: A Review And Discussion Of Potential Impact On Scholarly Communication And Promotion, Allison Symulevich, Matt Torrence, Jason Boczar, Jessica Szempruch

USF Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Introduction: Academic podcasts are an informal way for faculty members to share their research expertise with an expanded and international audience. In this article, we argue that podcasts are a form of informal scholarly communication and that libraries can contribute to the successful dissemination of this informal scholarly communication.

Description of Service: At the University of South Florida, episodes of faculty-created academic podcasts are posted to the institutional repository, allowing the dissemination of these podcasts permanently via open access. The open-access nature of these materials makes them freely available to faculty, students, and other scholars; additionally, it helps to improve …

A Delaware Bay Field Season; Shorebirds And Scientists, Sally O'Byrne

Delaware Ornithologist

No abstract provided.

Teaching Agroecology Through Play: A Board Game On Companion Planting Using Agroecological Principles, Ashmita Das, Julie Capito-Hernandez, Estelí Jiménez-Soto

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Board games themed around environmental topics are promising tools for promoting awareness of complex sustainability issues, as the materiality, sociality, and multidimensionality of gameplay can help overcome some of the inherent limitations of more traditional learning formats. To explore the potential relevance of board games for communicating about agrifood system topics in particular, we designed and tested a game called Companion: An Agroecological Adventure, in which players take on the role of community gardeners who must apply both social and ecological principles of agroecology to cultivate a thriving garden plot. In this paper, we present the results of a study …

Food Sovereignty Among Migrant Farmworkers: The Role Of Agrobiodiversity For Autonomy And Resistance In A Mexican Coffee Plantation, Estelí Jiménez-Soto, Sanya Cowal, April Lopez

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Coffee agroecosystems represent the economic base for thousands of small growers and agricultural workers, as well as a significant proportion of many regional economies in Latin America. Every year, the production of coffee in this region attracts a great number of laborers and their families, particularly during the harvest season. Despite being essential workers in the food system, agricultural workers continue to be one of the most marginalized actors in the coffee production chain. Even with an environment of precarity, agricultural workers exercise their autonomy and food sovereignty—the process by which agricultural workers, in this case, define their food system …

Quantum-Resilient Architectures For Enterprise And Cloud Information Systems, Implications Of Quantum Computing For Enterprise Cybersecurity And Data Integrity, Manikantha Varaprasad Inakollu

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

The emergence of quantum computing presents unprecedented challenges to contemporary enterprise cybersecurity frameworks. Current cryptographic systems that protect sensitive data and secure communications will become vulnerable to quantum attacks within the next decade. This research examines the implications of quantum computing advancement for enterprise and cloud information systems, proposing quantum-resilient architectural frameworks that can withstand both classical and quantum threats. We analyze the timeline of quantum computing development, assess vulnerabilities in existing enterprise security infrastructures, and evaluate post-quantum cryptographic approaches suitable for organizational implementation. Through comparative analysis of quantum-resistant algorithms and architectural patterns, this study demonstrates that enterprises must begin …

Blockchain-Enabled Trust Frameworks For Enterprise Information Systems, Establishing Verifiable Trust In Distributed Organizational Environments, Manikantha Varaprasad Inakollu

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Enterprise information systems increasingly operate in distributed environments where traditional trust mechanisms based on centralized authority prove insufficient. This research develops a comprehensive blockchain-enabled trust framework that establishes verifiable, decentralized trust mechanisms for enterprise systems operating across organizational boundaries. The study addresses critical gaps in current enterprise architectures where trust depends on centralized intermediaries, creating single points of failure and limiting inter-organizational collaboration. Through examination of existing trust models and blockchain capabilities, we propose an integrated framework that combines cryptographic verification, distributed consensus, and smart contract automation to establish trust without centralized control. Our framework enables organizations to verify data …

Fewer Wetlands, More Drainage: Forensic Mapping Of Wetland Loss And Drainage Alteration Illustrates The Hydrological Transformation Of Coastal Watersheds, Kai C. Rains, Seanacy A. Lawlor, Edgar J. Guerron-Orejuela, Shawn M. Landry, W J. Kleindl, Mark C. Rains

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Land use-land cover (LULC) change is widely implicated in coastal water quality degradation, but we often lack understanding of how LULC change has varied spatiotemporally because so much change occurred before the advent of modern mapping. In this study, we overcome this challenge by using forensic mapping techniques of LULC change over the past 175 years in coastal watersheds on the Atlantic Coast of Florida, USA. We benchmark historical mapping products to modern mapping standards using historical products. These include maps and notes from the Public Land Survey System, military campaigns, and navigation surveys from the nineteenth century, and aerial …

Lockout Systems And Methods, Srinivas Katkoori, Sheikh Ariful Islam

USF Patents

An exemplary integrated circuit design lockout system comprises an integrated circuit and a key obfuscated circuit embedded with the integrated circuit. The key obfuscated circuit is configured to verify that a user provides a valid key for the integrated circuit before the user is allowed to operate the integrated circuit. The exemplary integrated circuit design lockout system further comprises a lockout circuit embedded with the key obfuscated circuit, wherein the lockout circuit is configured to allow for a threshold number of failed attempts for the user to provide the valid key before the lockout circuit prohibits the user from making …

An Argumental Discourse Before All: An Approach To Teaching Cavendish, Jonathan L. Shaheen

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

Cavendish directs readers of Observations upon Experimental Philosophy to begin engaging her work through "An Argumental Discourse." In this piece, I describe a way of thinking about the structure of that piece and how to understand two of its major moments in relationship to standardly taught material. The first moment is the dilemma about how inanimate matter is moved, with its response centered on treating a horse and its rider as a paradigm example of causation. The article shows how the argument involves Cavendish's conceptions of causation, minds, bodies, and mind-body interaction. The second moment has to do with the …

System And Method For Online Multivariate Anomaly Detection And Localization, Mahsa Mozaffari, Keval Doshi, Yasin Yilmaz

USF Patents

A system and method for real-time detection of anomalies in high-dimensional systems. Various embodiments detect anomalies quickly and accurately to allow adequate time for appropriate countermeasures to be implemented. The sequential and multivariate anomaly detection method scales well to high-dimensional datasets using a nonparametric and semi-supervised approach that trains only on nominal data.

Unquantifiable: The Impacts Of Len Vacher, Victor J. Ricchezza, Nathan D. Grawe

Numeracy

This article celebrates H.L. (Len) Vacher, the founding editor of Numeracy. While many readers of this journal are no doubt familiar with Len’s contributions here and to quantitative literacy as a practice and habit of mind, fewer are intimately familiar with Len’s history and impacts as a professor and colleague. This paper analyzes Len's contributions to the advancement of quantitative literacy through his scholarship in the journal and through the careers of former students and colleagues at the University of South Florida. The former observations originate in interview data originally collected as part of research on Len’s computational geology course …

A Framework For Strengthening The Quantitative Skills/Reasoning Support Ecosystem At Small Liberal Arts Colleges, Laura J. Muller, Melissa Eblen-Zayas Ph.D.

Numeracy

We developed a framework for characterizing an institution’s quantitative skills/reasoning support ecosystem to consider how various activities contribute to student success in areas connected to students’ quantitative preparation. Through discussions with faculty and staff stakeholders at eight selective small liberal arts colleges, we established that the quantitative skills/reasoning support ecosystem at these institutions consists of four domains: bridge programs with a quantitative component, assessment of readiness, curricular on-ramps, and supplementary support for courses that require quantitative skills/reasoning. The framework includes questions about each domain that can be used by stakeholders in different institutional positions to reflect on existing efforts to …

Does A Name Make A Difference? Teaching Random Selection In The Classroom, Venessa Singhroy, Rommel Robertson, Kostas Stroumbakis

Numeracy

In Statistics education, it is crucial to emphasize the foundational significance of random selection, which underpins statistical methodologies and ensures unbiased representation of populations in samples. However, students often struggle to grasp the concept’s complexities, leading to challenges in applying random selection methods effectively. This paper examines the gap between students’ theoretical understanding of randomness and their practical application of this concept. Using an Explanatory Sequential Design, this study presents an instructional activity aimed at teaching the concept of randomness in the selection process and proposes modifications to enhance student comprehension. The activity, implemented in undergraduate Statistics and Psychology courses, …

Preparing Effective Stem Communicators Through Focused Interventions, Sondra M. Miller, Carl F. Siebert, Lindsey Wiggins, Katherine L. Wright

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Advancement of scientific knowledge is dependent on effective communication. It requires engineers and scientists to engage in well-grounded argumentation to establish and justify their claims. Educators must move beyond assignments that simply summarize or replicate established findings and begin to engage students in argumentation. This study had undergraduate students work in teams to identify topics for further scientific inquiry. They were tasked with making pitches as a tool for recruiting other students to their teams. It was realized that the engineering and computer science students involved with this project had not yet developed sufficient argumentation skills, which led a team …

Proceedings Of The Global Conference On Education And Research: Volume 5, Waynne B. James, Muhittin Cavusoglu, Cihan Cobanoglu

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This is the fifth volume of the Global Conference on Education and Research Proceedings Series.

ISSN: 2572-6374

Optimization Of Markov Chain Modeling In Predicting College Student Retention, Kien Nguyen

Journal of Global Education and Research

College student retention is one of the most important metrics in higher education. With institutions across the US facing decreasing enrollment, developing a reliable retention prediction method is crucial. In recent years, the use of the Markov chain model in forecasting student enrollment and progression has become more common, but there is little work on its application in student retention. One key factor in determining this model's effectiveness is what parameters should be used in the student population’s segmentation or grouping. This study presents a rigorous algorithm, coupled with a prediction model, capable of selecting parameters that provide the most …

The World Bank's New Approach To Human Capital Model And Education, Ozlem Kucuk, Cihan Cobanoglu

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

The human capital approach, introduced in 1960, has been used by economists to establish connections between education, skills, and personal income. It resulted in a redistribution of public expenditure by viewing education not only as a cost but also as an economic input, a way to increase revenue in the medium and long term. Human capital theory highlights the crucial role of education in the economy. With the rise of the knowledge society, scientists have debated the potential end of poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. They envisioned a new knowledge economy and a more egalitarian society. The significant increase in …

Beyond Climate In Placencia, Belize: Navigating Environmental Change In The Anthropocene, Rory E. Mckenna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Examining opportunities for climate resilience requires an evaluation of lived experiences of environmental change which benefits from transdisciplinary perspectives. This research examines those experiences through the lens of anthropogenic change which allows for a critical focus on local conditions of environmental change specific to Placencia Village, Belize, over time. An anthropology of the anthropocene framing shifts the focus from the results of the global phenomenon responsible for climate change to the implications of local human-caused environmental change on natural systems, human-environment relationships and dynamics, and the future trajectories of these relationships. Through the use of interviews, go-alongs, participatory mapping, transdisciplinary …

A Python Pipeline For Rapid Inversion Of Gravity Data Aimed At Early Career Researchers: Application To The Lost River Fault, Idaho, Bradford C. Mack

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gravity data and modeling can be used to create a 3D view of basin and fault geometries, a valuable tool for seismic hazard assessment. Additionally, access to a high-speed, easy-to-use modeling workflow will enable more researchers to supplement their work with a new method and allow students to be exposed to modeling earlier in their academic careers. The primary goals of this work are to create a widely usable 3D gravity and basin model, to create an introduction to modeling teaching module for undergraduate geology students, and to apply the model to the northernmost two segments of the Lost River …

3d Reconstruction And Comparative Anatomical And Kinematic Analyses Of The Foot Of Archaeopteryx, Alexander M. Kirk

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research on the evolution of dinosaur flight has long been dominated by the wing, often overlooking the foot. The foot of Archaeopteryx, the “icon of evolution”, thus offers a unique opportunity to investigate this critical evolutionary stage. Chapter I of this dissertation integrates advanced 3D reconstruction techniques, combining photogrammetry with X-ray data, to create a high-resolution model of the foot of the Thermopolis specimen of Archaeopteryx for visualization and analysis. Driven by 3D coordinate axes derived from joint surface topology, the analyses in Chapter II reveal terrestrial adaptations -- such as a medially oriented hallux (81°), serially shorter phalanges on …

Statistical Analysis And Modeling Of Colon Cancer, Nessrin Bukhshim

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cancer is considered a health issue in the world. Many cancer research studies focus on improving the survival time of patients diagnosed with cancer, and they make an effort to find the methods that help them detect cancer and find effective treatments to increase the patient's survival time. In this study, we aim to understand the behavior of malignant tumor size in four stages. Our investigation seeks to uncover whether any statistically significant difference exists between the malignant tumor sizes of male and female patients at different cancer stages. We also investigate whether any parametric probability distribution function best fits …

Acoustic Energy For Use In Mass Spectrometry, Ashton N. Taylor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Analyzing lipid assemblies, including synthetically produced liposomes and naturally produced extracellular vesicles (EVs), is challenging due to their size, diverse composition, and tendency to aggregate. EVs contain a complex variety of lipids, proteins, and other metabolites. EVs composition can provide us insight into what is happening inside the body and a subcellular level and have potential for noninvasive biomarkers. Liposomes are vesicles that form with a simple phospholipid bilayer membrane and play important roles in drug delivery systems. The use of mass spectrometry (MS) allows for broad analysis of lipids from different classes but their release from the higher order …

Characterizing West Florida Shelf Reef Fish Communities Using A Scientific Echosounder, Edmund A. Hughes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The advancement and application of non-invasive fisheries survey technologies, such as the scientific echosounder, have significantly enhanced our understanding of fish populations and their habitats, more recently in regions where traditional sampling methods are limited, such as complex reef habitats. This research, conducted as part of the Continental Shelf Characterization, Assessment, and Mapping Project (C-SCAMP) on the West Florida Shelf, leverages acoustic and visual technologies to investigate the distribution of fish densities, fish target strength and length relationships, and the relationship between seafloor topography and fish biomass distribution.

The first study compared reef fish densities estimated from near-concurrent acoustic (Simrad …

Relationship-Influenced Cyber Hygiene (Rich) In Community Banks, Monte L. Ward

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a research study that introduces the theoretical model of Relationship-Influenced Cyber Hygiene (RICH) through its investigation of the phenomenon the researcher experienced: how the interpersonal relationship between top management and cybersecurity personnel within smaller community banks influences the cyber hygiene of top management. Due to the value proposition of community banks to their clients and the limited budget of smaller institutions for investment in cybersecurity controls and initiates, community banks need additional strategies to achieve stronger cyber hygiene, especially as it relates the greatest weakness in most cybersecurity infrastructures—the human element. This study identifies and addresses a …

Evaluating How Malaria Transmission Season, Residency, And Travel History Modify The Association Between Vector Control Method Use And P. Falciparum Infection In Accra, Ghana., Anna Beltrame

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background. Urbanization and population movements increase urban malaria risk, necessitating adjustments to traditional control strategies. Data on vector control methods in urban African settings and their association with malaria risk remain limited.

Objectives. To evaluate the association between vector control methods and Plasmodium falciparum infection in Accra, Ghana, and how this association varies by malaria transmission season, residency, and travel history.

Methods. This observation study utilized data from two cross-sectional household surveys conducted in March-April and June-July 2024 as part of the MUSE study. Participants were household members over six months old who gave consent, randomly selected from 13 health …

Compositional Characteristics And Relationships Between Oceanic Basement, Sediment, And Volcanic Arc Rocks: Geochemical Evolution Of The South China Sea And Luzon-Taiwan Arc, Antonio J. Luna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I have characterized the geochemical signatures of the South China Sea (SCS) igneous basement and marine sediments with the intent to examine the results in the context of the understanding the origin and evolution of the SCS oceanic mafic crust, the type of sediments found in the SCS, and finally their impact on the composition of the island arc lavas within the northern Luzon Arc. This dissertation research has three main objectives:

1. Examining the origin, composition, and evolution of the SCS mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB), as well as the preexisting crustal rocks recovered near the continent-ocean transition …