Digital Commons Network^™

An Equity Analysis Of Battery Electric Vehicles During Evacuation Considering Social And Financial Disadvantage, Divyamitra Mishra

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The increasing share of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the transportation system is introducing new challenges to the emergency evacuation planning and management. During Hurricane Milton (2024), incidents involving BEVs, including battery fires, attributed to saltwater exposure risk, and advisories recommending relocation to higher ground, highlighted operational vulnerabilities unique to this technology. These emerging risks are likely to be experienced heterogeneously, as access to charging infrastructure, available resources, and evacuation flexibility varies across the population. This raises critical questions about how BEV-specific constraints interact with existing inequalities during evacuation. Motivated by this context, the dissertation investigated inequity in BEV evacuation …

Essays On Effect Of Remote Work Opportunities On Migration And Gender Gap, Aghairza Mammadov

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how the expansion of remote work has reshaped key dimensionsof labor market behavior in the United States. By relaxing traditional constraints on where and how people work, remote job opportunities (RJOs) have the potential to alter both geographic mobility and labor market inequality. The first chapter focuses on how remote work affects internal migration patterns, while the second chapter examines its implications for gender differences in employment and wages.

Chapter 1 examines how the expansion of remote job opportunities shapes internal migration patterns in the United States. The expansion of remote job opportunities has decoupled employment from …

Theory And Applications Of Natural And Nature-Based Solutions In Estuarine Environments, Elizabeth L. Royer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the theory and application of Nature-based Solutions (NbS), through three unique case studies. This study explores how the broad and interdisciplinary NbS framework can be applied to mitigate common coastal hazards. This framework considers the environment, economics, and social wellbeing, equally in the design and implementation of a solution. The current paradigm, working against nature, which is commonly seen in more passive approaches to hazard mitigation, like grey infrastructure (e.g. a seawall to protect a shoreline against wave action) does not accommodate the extremely dynamic environment. As perspectives shift to “working with nature” NbS can be …

Iron Deficiency And Depressive Symptoms: Effects Of Racial And Ethnic Disparity In Two Reproductive-Aged Us Women, Alexis Monkhouse

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Problem: Reproductive- aged women are one of the populations most at risk for iron deficiency and depression in the United States. While many studies have looked at the relationship between these two illnesses, none have explored it from a biocultural framework, examining how race/ethnicity affects this relationship. Using data from NHANES, this thesis examined the relationship between iron status (total body iron) and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) among reproductive-aged women in the U.S. and how race/ethnicity affects it. Methods. NHANES survey data from 2005-2010 were pulled. Demographic and laboratory data were used to determine eligibility, total body iron, and depressive scores. …

Chemical Design Strategies For Hybrid Metal Halide Semiconductors With Enhanced Stability And Optoelectronic Properties, Ali Azmy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Metal halide semiconductors have rejuvenated the attention of the scientific community for the last two decades owing to their photophysical and electronic properties. However, these materials have some limitations that hinder their commercialization and widespread application. One major limitation of these materials is their instability under ambient and operating conditions of moisture, head, light and radiation exposure. Here, we report multiple chemical design strategies to address the stability issues of these materials while simultaneously maintaining their exceptional optoelectronic properties. Such design strategies allowed the acquisition of the first members of the family of porous metal halide semiconductors which exhibit record …

Riemann-Hilbert Problems For A Class Of Planar Orthogonal Polynomials, Abril Arenas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Planar orthogonal polynomials of degree n are monic polynomials defined by the orthogonality relation,

∫cPn(z)Pm(z)e-V(z) dA(z) = hnδn,m.

where the integration is over the whole complex plane with Lebesgue area measure dA, and hn is a positive norming constant. In this thesis we consider the potential V: CR of the type,

V(z) = |z|2p-2Re Σm j=1 tjzj

we characterize the planar orthogonal polynomials using novel matrix Riemann-Hilbert problems. We pro-pose a Riemann-Hilbert problem of size 2px 2p when the maximal degree satisfies m ≤ p. For m = 2p, we propose a Riemann-Hilbert problem of size 3px 3p for the …

Exploiting Chaotic Antenna Arrays For Rf Fingerprint Authentication And Physical Layer Security In Wireless Communications, Joshua K. Thomas Ranstrom

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modern wireless networks support a wide range of applications including consumer devices, healthcare monitoring, industrial automation, smart grids, and military platforms, in which transmitted information is often highly sensitive and subject to stringent confidentiality and integrity requirements. As wireless communication operates over an open broadcast medium it exposes systems to physical layer (PHY) threats such as eavesdropping, in which an adversary passively intercepts transmitted information, and spoofing, in which a forged transmission misleads the receiver about device identity. Cryptographic defenses address both threats but require computational assumptions and key management infrastructure that may not scale to dense or resource-constrained deployments. …

Geospatial Understanding Of Foundation Models: Self-Supervision, Robustness, And Resource-Constrained Learning, Gilbert Kibet Rotich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research on large-scale geospatial understanding from satellite imagery remains relativelyunderexplored. Much of the field still relies on narrow, task-specific pipelines, and there is lim- ited work on developing true foundation models or on systematically evaluating how well these models generalize under domain shift, geographic variation, and real-world scene diversity. This dissertation advances foundation-model pretraining and evaluation for remote sensing along three complementary axes. First, we develop self-supervised multispectral pretrained models for satellite image classification by adapting BYOL, BarlowTwins, DINO, MoCo, and Simsiam to multispectral inputs, addressing the limited amount of curated satellite datasets relative to ImageNet. Pretraining on Eurosat and …

It’S Not Me, It’S U(Niversity): A Longitudinal Study Of The First-Generation Graduate Student Experience Navigating Privacy And Identity During Socialization, Melissa L. Mccormick

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This longitudinal study examines the experiences of first-generation graduate students (FGGS; students whose parent(s) do not hold a 4-year undergraduate degree). Specifically, it considers how FGGS manage their private information throughout the first year of their graduate program, and how the intersection of their FGGS status with other aspects of their identity may shape those experiences (e.g. the overlapping of FGGS status, race, and socioeconomic status). While there is substantial research on the first-generation student experience at an undergraduate level, FGGS have largely been left out of the conversation (exception: Levin, 2022). Guided by theories of organizational socialization (Jablin, 1985), …

Secure Machine Learning In Networking Systems, Wenwei Zhao

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid integration of Machine Learning (ML) into networking systems, ensuring the security and trustworthiness of these intelligent frameworks has become a paramount concern. While ML offers unprecedented capabilities in spectrum management and collaborative learning, it also introduces novel vulnerabilities that can be exploited by sophisticated adversaries. This dissertation investigates and addresses critical security challenges across three key dimensions of ML-driven networking: adversarial spectrum sensing, the security of privacy-preserving unlearning processes, and efficient post-attack model recovery.

First, we address the threat of adversarial spectrum attacks in cognitive radio networks, where malicious nodes manipulate sensing reports to disrupt spectrum access. …

Critical Discourse Analysis Of Turnaround Leadership Competencies Using A Transformative Leadership Framework, Kevin D. Mcdonald

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

School turnaround leadership has become a leading strategy to address school underperformance emphasizing rapid and dramatic improvement in a school within the bottom five percent of schools as measured by gains in both mathematics and English Language Arts. However, prevailing turnaround leadership discourse largely centers technical and managerial competencies, often marginalizing leadership practices oriented toward equity, advocacy, and social transformation. This narrowing of leadership is particularly consequential for Black male principals, who are disproportionately assigned to low-performing and turnaround schools and whose leadership practice frequently reflects core elements of transformative leadership.

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore current …

Mathematics Anxiety: Understanding Its Concept, Impact On Secondary Students’ Academic Performance And Career Prospects, And Effective Intervention Strategies, Sabiruddin Molla, Safwana Rashid, Saba Sultana

Numeracy

This study investigates the influence of mathematics anxiety on secondary school students’ academic performance and career pathway selection. Mathematics, often perceived as abstract and challenging, can evoke high levels of anxiety that affect both learning outcomes and career-related decisions. Data were collected from 106 students across two urban secondary schools in Kolkata. Findings revealed that students possessed a significant understanding of the concept of mathematics anxiety (t (105) = 8.48, p < .001, d = 0.82). A strong positive correlation was observed between mathematics anxiety and academic performance (r = .686, p < .001), indicating that elevated anxiety levels correspond with lower achievement. Additionally, a significant positive correlation (r = .475, p < .001) showed that mathematics anxiety influences students’ career pathway selection, with higher anxiety leading to avoidance of mathematics-related careers. The study highlights that negative attitudes toward mathematics often stem from perception rather than actual difficulty. Overall, the findings emphasize the need for innovative teaching strategies and targeted interventions to reduce mathematics anxiety and enhance students’ academic and career outcomes.

Housing Affordability Analysis Of Hillsborough County, Fl, Usa – Quantitative And Geographical Analysis Using Spatiotemporal Data, Bomin Koh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Housing affordability assessments rely on the 30 percent income method and generalized linear regression (GLR)-based hedonic price modeling. Both provide broad insights but fail to capture spatial heterogeneity in affordability challenges. This study upgrades housing affordability assessment approaches by incorporating the residual income method and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). The primary objective of this study is to determine whether methodological improvements, residual income method and GWR, yield significantly different results and provide a more accurate and spatially adaptive understanding of affordability dynamics in Hillsborough County, Florida.

The 30 percent income method is widely used and classifies households as cost-burdened if …

How Do Water Utilities Meet Growing Demand And Maintain Resilience Through Water Reuse? A Systems Thinking Approach, Elizabeth F. Vicario

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water and wastewater utility management is becoming increasingly complex due to factors like urbanization, climate change, new regulations, and rising costs. Utility leaders must balance competing political and financial pressures while managing aging infrastructure, rising demand, climate resilience planning, and customer concerns about affordability. Reuse of treated wastewater has emerged as a promising solution to address scarcity, declining source water quality, and new regulations on wastewater discharge in the United States. However, water reuse is not one-size-fits-all, and bespoke solutions are needed to optimize economic, environmental, and social returns from this finite resource. Despite growing interest, little is known about …

Making Sense Of The Body: Cognitive Science, Disability, And Embodiment, Cheyne L. Joslin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project is to analyze different methodological approaches in the philosophy of cognitive science, with the goal of determining their usefulness for explaining and understanding bodily awareness and skill-acquisition over time. The examples of skill-acquisition are limited to motor control, impaired by various kinds of disability—but then acquired over time, via technological or rehabilitative means. These phenomena of motor learning are then viewed through the lens of two competing theoretical approaches in cognitive science: neuromechanical cognitive science, and radical enactivist cognitive science.

The strengths of the neuromechanical framework are found in its historical pedigree, and in the …

Gnsi Decision Brief: The Three-Body Trap: The New Geometry Of Nuclear Deterrence, Seong-Hyon Lee

GNSI Decision Briefs

In the astrophysics of orbital mechanics, the “Two-Body Problem” – predicting the gravitational interaction between two objects, such as the Earth and the Moon – is mathematically solvable. The system is stable, the orbits are predictable, and the variables are calculable. However, if a third independent object of sufficient mass is introduced, the system becomes non-linear and highly unpredictable. As proven by mathematician Henri Poincaré in 1887, no single formula can solve for long-term stability in a three-body system. For eight decades, since the dawn of the nuclear age, global security operated on “Two-Body” physics. The United States and the …

Understanding And Defending Large-Scale Networked Systems: From Wi-Fi Localization To Provenance- Based Intrusion Detection, Xiao Han

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modern networked systems increasingly depend on wireless sensing and large-scale telemetry to provide critical services and maintain security. However, many of these systems function as black boxes or encounter significant scalability limitations, which leave them vulnerable to sophisticated adversaries. In this dissertation, I present my research on enhancing the security and efficiency of networked systems through measurement-driven vulnerability analysis and the design of scalable defense mechanisms.

First, I present my research on the security and privacy risks of Wi-Fi–based localization services. Although location spoofing attacks against Wi-Fi positioning systems have been studied for over a decade, constructing practical attacks in …

Speleoco: An Open, Low-Cost Arduino Co₂ Datalogger For Cave Microclimate Monitoring, Christos Pennos, Dimitrios Christaras

International Journal of Speleology

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) dynamics in caves are critical for karst processes, speleothem growth and dissolution, microclimate regulation, and caver safety. In cave atmospheres, CO₂ commonly derives from soil respiration, epikarst degassing, microbial activity, and, in tectonically active regions, deep-seated fault-related emissions. Fault-related CO₂ degassing may also track tectonic activity. However, continuous monitoring remains limited due to the cost and inflexibility of commercial instruments. Here we present an open-source, low-cost Arduino-based CO₂ datalogger designed for cave applications. The logger integrates a COZIR NDIR CO₂ sensor, a DS1337 real-time clock, microSD storage, and power-gating for extended deployment in humid environments. Firmware and …

Spin Pumping And Interfacial Anisotropy In Ultrathin Cobalt Heterostructures, Ibrahim Almuhanna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Interfaces dominate the behavior of ultrathin ferromagnets, where interfacial spin-orbit coupling(SOC) can strongly influence both magnetic anisotropy and magnetization dynamics. This thesis compares how a heavy-metal interface (Pt) and a semiconducting two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) interface (MoSe2) modify the static and dynamic magnetic properties of ultrathin Co. To isolate interface-driven effects, the heterostructure architecture is kept fixed (sapphire substrate and Si3N4 cap) while only the seeding/interface layer beneath Co is varied. MoSe2 is studied in two thickness conditions (monolayer and bilayer) to test layer-dependent trends.

Layer thicknesses are determined by X-ray reflectivity. Static magnetic properties are measured by in-plane vibrating …

Amplicon Sequencing Reveals Shifts In Microbial Community Composition In Response To Nutrient-Dense Piney Point Emergency Discharges, Christa A. Baranowski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Due to a leak in the lining of a phosphogypsum pond at the former Piney Point phosphate-processing facility in Tampa Bay (Florida, U.S.A.), experienced a large influx of nutrient-dense waters in the early summer of 2021. As an emergency response effort, water samples were collected by researchers at the University of South Florida, College of Marine Science (USF CMS), covering the lower and middle regions of Tampa Bay (TB), over the span of three months (April – June). Illumina amplicon sequencing was performed on DNA from water samples, targeting bacterial and eukaryotic ribosomal rRNA genes, and processed into Amplicon Sequence …

Analysing Numeracy Demands In Alberta Curriculum: A Focus On High School Mathematics, Asia Majeed, Kwesi Yaro

Numeracy

In recent years, numeracy has been recognized as a key educational priority across the curriculum in many international jurisdictions, including almost all Canadian provinces. In Alberta province, Canada, for example, the Teaching Quality Standard (TQS) #3 explicitly states that all teachers are responsible for fostering literacy and numeracy skills, regardless of the specific subject areas they teach. This expanded focus reflects a broader understanding of numeracy not merely as a subset of mathematical skills, but as a fundamental competency that supports informed participation in civic, economic, and personal life. This paper applies the 21st Century Numeracy Model (Goos et al., …

Understanding Math-Anxious Teachers' Stories Of Comfort, Competence, And Confidence With Learning And Teaching Mathematics, Deborah Peart Crayton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Math anxiety is a complex issue that affects students and teachers. It has been researched for decades, but the focus has often been on addressing math anxiety in students, while finding solutions to support elementary teachers experiencing math anxiety has been overlooked. This study fills a gap in existing research by shedding light on math anxiety in elementary education and highlighting ways to address it by leveraging existing structures that support professional development. This qualitative narrative inquiry explores the experiences of four elementary educators who identify as math-anxious and how they report that math anxiety impacts their confidence in teaching …

Everyone Works On The Sustainability Team: Power Structures And Brand Communication In Sustainable Consumption, Sofia Johansson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In response to growing concerns about the way in which consumption practices negatively degrade the environment and contribute to climate change, this thesis explores the role in which brands may counteract this. There are two significant issues pertaining to environmental marketing: (1) current efforts to promote green consumerism, through which consumer brands market products as “eco-friendly” with only marginal reductions in climate impact and misleading labels, are insufficient in mitigating climate change. (2) Additionally, this kind of consumption is unjust, whereby it is marked up in price, limiting access to merely individuals in higher income brackets. Given the insufficiencies of …

A Unified Non-Visual Explainable Ai Framework For Neonatal Pain Assessment, Md Imran Hossain

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the power of parallel processing, large datasets, and fast computational resources,deep neural networks (DNNs) have outperformed highly trained and experienced human experts in medical applications. However, the large global community of healthcare professionals, many of whom routinely face potentially life-or-death outcomes with complex medicolegal consequences, have yet to embrace this powerful technology. The major problem is that most current AI solutions function as a metaphorical black-box positioned between input data and output decisions without a rigorous explanation for their internal processes. With the goal of enhancing trust and improving acceptance of artificial intelligence– (AI) based technology in clinical medicine, …

Primordial Recognition And The Structure Of Human Cognition: Toward A Quranic Epistemology, Jana El-Boustani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reconstructs a Qur’anic epistemological architecture grounded in narrative rather than abstract system-building. It argues that the Qur’an articulates a unified account of human cognition in which intelligibility is grounded in divine instruction, recognition is affirmed through primordial testimony, and knowledge is exercised within finite yet accountable faculties.

Through close analysis of the story of Adam in Surat al-Baqarah, the primordial covenant in Surat al-Aʿrāf, and the verse of the Amanah in Surat al-Aḥzāb, the study demonstrates that the Qur’an presents human knowing as structured, oriented, and morally conditioned. Revelation functions not as the introduction of wholly new knowledge, …

Crow's Nest, March 9, 2026, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The March 9, 2026 issue of Crow's Nest.

Human-Ai Collaboration In Marketing Brainstorming: A Meta-Analytic Investigation Of Implementation Approaches And Creative Outcomes, Michael Michaels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Marketing organizations face intensifying pressure to sustain creative output while managing constrained resources and accelerating digital content cycles. The integration of artificial intelligence into marketing brainstorming processes presents a promising response to this challenge; however, prior to this investigation, no comprehensive quantitative synthesis had established the overall effectiveness of human-AI collaboration in marketing creativity contexts or identified optimal implementation strategies.

This dissertation presents a systematic meta-analytic investigation of AI-enhanced brainstorming effectiveness in marketing contexts. Following PRISMA guidelines, 42 independent empirical studies (N = 2,166 participants) published between 2018 and 2025 were identified across four primary academic databases, coded for implementation …

Response Of Botovskaya Cave To Local And Regional Environmental Dynamics, Jade Margerum, Oksana Gutareva, Franziska Lechleitner, Maria Box, Stuart Umbo, Anton Vaks, Hanno Meyer, Aleksandr Kononov, Aleksander Osintsev, Dimitri Sokol'nikov, Norbert Marwan, Ola Kwiecien, Sebastian Breitenbach

International Journal of Speleology

Speleothems from caves in near-permafrost regions can provide unique insights into the climatic history of temperature-sensitive environments. These regions are often remote and only seasonally accessible, which makes cave monitoring – a requirement for speleothem-based proxy interpretation – challenging. We document ventilation, the infiltration regime, and the isotopic composition of dripwater in Botovskaya Cave in southern Siberia, a host to speleothems previously used to reconstruct Quaternary permafrost dynamics in continental Eurasia. We explore surface and cave temperature records, cave air CO₂ concentration data and stable isotopes in precipitation and dripwater and evaluate infiltration conditions and the sensitivity of speleothems …

Numerals And Other Means Of Expressing Plurality In Language And Thought: A Developmental Perspective Across Cultures., Giovanni Giuseppe G.G. Nicosia Prof.

Numeracy

Several ancient languages use linguistic structures to differentiate between singular, dual, and plural forms that are used when one, two, or many objects are referenced. (Some languages go further, adding a trial form to differentiate two from three.) In many modern languages, numerals are used to convey precise number. After reviewing a range of ways languages express number (including the interesting case of Pirahã which does not express precise number), the paper concludes with a proposed developmental path for the expression of quantity in languages.

Ice Temperature And Heat Transfer Processes In Cave Glaciers, Aurel Persoiu

International Journal of Speleology

Cave glaciers (i.e., perennial ice accumulations in caves), found throughout mountainous regions in Europe and North America are at risk of extinction due to rising air temperature and altered rainfall patterns. Their formation and subsequent preservation is the result of accumulation of ice during winter months and limited ablation in summer. These processes, in turn, are controlled by air temperature, which determines the overall mass balance of ice. One important aspect is the heat the ice mass loses in winter, which increases its resilience during summer. While ice caves’ climate has been intensively studied in the past, investigations of ice …