Digital Commons Network^™

Youtube As A Tool For Digital Diplomacy And Strategic Security: A Comparative Analysis Of Russia And Kazakhstan, Bekzat Baktybekovna Baktybekova, Elmira Kagazbaeva, Botagoz Ali

Journal of Strategic Security

In the context of growing competition in the information space, digital diplomacy is gaining key importance for the strategic security of states. This study analyzes how Russia and Kazakhstan use the YouTube platform to promote their foreign policy narratives, shape the image of the state, and strengthen digital sovereignty. Based on a qualitative analysis of 60 videos (30 for each country) published by official government channels between 2020 and 2024, differences in strategies, visual codes, tonality, and patterns of interaction with the audience were identified. The Russian approach is characterized by an aggressive narrative, antagonism to Western structures, and a …

Classified Information Management In Kosovo: Lessons From Nato, The European Union, And The Western Balkans, Bahri Gashi, Ngadhnjim Brovina, Arian Kadriu

Journal of Strategic Security

This study examines the legal framework for the protection of classified information in Kosovo, focusing on the role of the Agency for the Protection of Classified Information (APCI). The selection of APCI as the focal institution stems from its central role in implementing Kosovo’s legal and institutional framework for classified information, following the country’s efforts to align with Euro-Atlantic standards. In a newly established state like Kosovo, protecting sensitive information is crucial for national security. The study compares Kosovo’s model with those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), and Western Balkan countries, highlighting its alignment …

The Role Of Special Services In Providing National Information Security, Volodymyr Artemov, Alexander Rusnak, Viktor Trepak, Grygorii Ostafiichuk, Alexandr Kalinin

Journal of Strategic Security

The growing dependence of states on digital infrastructures has elevated national information security to a matter of strategic importance. This study examines the role of special services (intelligence agencies) in protecting against cyber threats, focusing on their legal, operational, and technological functions. Using a combination of comparative legal analysis, case law review, expert surveys, and statistical modelling across 20 countries, the research highlights both strengths and limitations of current approaches. The findings demonstrate that states with clear and specific legislation on intelligence and cybersecurity achieve a 26% higher rate of preventive success than those with ambiguous frameworks. Strong judicial oversight …

Public-Private Cooperation In European Cybersecurity, Andreea Nicoleta Dragomir, Daiana Maura Vesmaș

Journal of Strategic Security

This article critically examines if the public–private partnerships (PPPs) help the European Union strengthen its cyber resilience, a challenge that is now closely tied to the Union’s broader strategic security goals. The discussion does not rely on one single angle. It moves back and forth between the legal side—looking at instruments such as the Network and Information Systems 2 (NIS2) Directive, the Cybersecurity Act, the proposed Cyber Resilience Act, and the Cyber Solidarity Act—and the lessons that come from practice. Examples include the dismantling of Operation Avalanche, the experience of the European Cyber Security Challenge, and the information-sharing efforts of …

Analysis Of Security Concerns In India-Central Asia Relations, Anmol Mukhia, Anurag Tripathi, Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari

Journal of Strategic Security

India-Central Asia relations have gained strategic significance driven by its historical ties, growing economic interests, and, most importantly, evolving security dynamics. This article deals with multifaceted security concerns such as drug trafficking, terrorism, radicalization, and the implications of instability in Afghanistan. The findings show that security concerns in the region, particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan, constitute a significant obstacle, alongside geographical challenges, to India’s connectivity with the Central Asian Republics (CARS). India’s rising aspiration to increase connectivity and build closer ties with the region in energy, trade, and commerce heavily relies on a peaceful, prosperous, and stable Central and South …

Shadow Logistics: Military Vulnerability Through Civilian Dependence, Gilles A. Paché

Journal of Strategic Security

The rapid evolution of civilian-origin technologies repurposed for defense is reshaping the foundations of logistical advantage and altering the conditions under which armed forces operate. Modern missions rely on an extensive ecosystem of infrastructures—port terminals, cloud services, data platforms, and civilian contractors—whose reliability frequently lies beyond the authority of public institutions. This environment gives rise to shadow logistics, a network of civilian systems largely absent from conventional doctrine yet capable of producing significant operational disruptions when failures occur. Case studies show that some dark assets, whether physical or informational, can act as multipliers of effectiveness while simultaneously creating systemic vulnerabilities …

Chokepoints: American Power In The Age Of Economic Warfare. By Edward Fishman. Portfolio Penguin, 2025., Mark T. Peters Ii

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

The Russian Fsb – A Concise History Of The Federal Security Service. By Kevin Riehle. Georgetown University Press, 2024., Michael W. Parrott

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

New Developments In Space-Filling Designs, Xiankui Yang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents three methodological advancements to improve the construction of space-filling designs for meeting different needs of computer experiments. Traditional space-filling designs focus on achieving uniform coverage in the input space, ensuring that design points are spread evenly throughout. However, in some scientific and engineering applications, varied density of design points may be desired for more efficient data collection when prior knowledge implies different emphases. In other cases, ensuring good coverage and/or spread of the response values allows better performance of fitted models in the next stage of applications. Many processes involve variation in response values. Therefore, incorporating variation …

Combating Β-Lactamase Resistance: From Inhibitor Design To Substrate Evolution, Lian M.C. Jacobs

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

β-lactamase production by bacteria is a major mechanism of antibiotic resistance. These enzymes hydrolyze β-lactam antibiotics, preventing them from binding to and inhibiting PBPs. Although new β-lactam scaffolds and inhibitors are continually introduced into the clinic, resistance often emerges within a few years. Therefore, the development of cross-class inhibitors with novel scaffolds is critical to mitigate this resistance. In parallel, a deeper understanding of the structural and mechanistic basis of β-lactamase resistance is essential. Together, these approaches provide an effective strategy for combating antibiotic resistance.

The first project addressed the need of effective cross-class β-lactamase inhibitors capable of targeting SBL …

Unquaint Pigs’ Stakeholder Perspectives On Wild Swine In Central Western Florida, Tyler Koerner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Anthropocene presents important questions for how to address the continuous transferal of new species into new spaces and the cascading impacts of environmental transformations. Novel ecosystems present one such outline for conservation that acknowledges the modification of historic ecosystems and the social entanglements that arrive with new species. I argue that novel ecosystems can benefit from further anthropological integrations that aid in describing the entanglements of introduced species and the pursuit of best managerial outcomes. For wild swine in Florida, the adoption of a novel approach is especially relevant because of entanglements with historic and modern Floridian stakeholders and …

How Well Are We Preparing U.S. Youth With Down Syndrome For Health Care Transition? A Mixed-Methods Study Assessing Provider Support And Exploring Caregiver Experiences, Suman Kanti Chowdhury

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Health care transition (HCT) preparation is a structured process that empowers youth to take ownership of their health care as they transition into adulthood. Youth with Down syndrome (DS), a common genetic disorder associated with a high burden of co-occurring conditions, require HCT preparation support at a higher rate than their typically developing peers. Although transition preparation has been examined across various chronic conditions, few studies have focused on youth with DS. Moreover, prior research was limited by methodological constraints, including the lack of a validated HCT index, a small sample size, outdated estimates, and a lack of a …

Motivating Lung Cancer Screening Uptake: An Experimental Test Of Didactic Versus Narrative Messages For Lung Cancer Screening Among Individuals Who Currently Smoke Or Formerly Smoked, Honor M. Woodward

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related death in the United States and worldwide. Lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been associated with a 20% reduction in lung cancer-related mortality. Despite the obvious benefits of lung cancer screening with LDCT, screening is heavily underutilized compared to other cancer screening tests. Thus, it is critically important to develop strategies that help motivate screening uptake among eligible individuals. This study explored the effectiveness of narrative messages for motivating lung cancer screening uptake among individuals eligible for lung cancer screening who currently smoke or formerly smoked. Drawing from …

Riki&Dolphin: Real Time Data Transmission From The Bottom Of A Cave To A Website, Luca Tringali, Giacomo Canciani Dr., Tecla Tripari, Alexander Debenjak, Caterina Bearzotti

International Journal of Speleology

Coming from over 10 years of experience in cave monitoring in northeast Italy, Gruppo Speleologico Talpe del Carso, has designed Riki and Dolphin: customizable, low cost, and easy to assemble tools for getting real time data transmission from the bottom of a cave, even underwater, to a webserver. Their use has been tested to monitor air temperature inside the Abisso Bonetti Cave (Classical Karst, Italy), proving for the first time that a cave in Gorizian Karst can systematically be colder than the outdoor temperature even in winter, recording an internal temperature even lower than 0°C. The Dolphin device can be …

Teacher Candidates’ Reflective Practices Of Mathematics Curriculum From The Lens Of Universal Design For Learning, Weichen Zhao

Journal of Practitioner Research

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework encourages educators to proactively remove barriers in curriculum and instruction to increase accessibility for all learners. While UDL is often applied during lesson planning, it can also serve as a powerful tool for critically examining and revising existing mathematics curricula. Drawing on qualitative data from teacher candidates’ reflective journals and curriculum artifacts collected over two semesters, this study examines how guided reflection supported teacher candidates in identifying barriers, proposing inclusive adaptations, and deepening their understanding of equity-oriented mathematics instructional design. As a self-study grounded in participatory action research, the findings also informed the …

(Re)Imagining Research-Practice Collaboration And Partnership: Constructivism By Way Of Interdisciplinarity, Multimodality, And Humanity, Bethany Silva, Alecia Magnifico, Laura Allen, David Baroody, Ashley Barry, Shawna Coppola, Cathy Fraser, Emily Geltz, Anne Mcquade, Christina M. Ortmeier-Hooper, Laura Smith, Donna Turco

Journal of Practitioner Research

Research-Practice Partnerships (RPPs) have become an important vehicle for educational research. By connecting researchers and educators, RPPs can couple systematic research and practical application. However, relational practices for building research collaboratives are understudied, and RPPs often reinscribe power imbalances among practitioners and researchers. With its focus on the centrality of practitioners and their knowledge, practitioner research offers possibilities for disrupting such power imbalances. In this reflective essay, our team describes our efforts to harness practitioner research’s capacity to identify and address salient school-level issues and RPPs’ power to impact a wider audience. We identify practices to build relationships, inform research …

Breathing Life Into Sel: A Practitioner Inquiry On Hā, Belonging, And Multilingual Learners In Hawai‘I, Mylia Briggs, Monica Gonzalez Smith

Journal of Practitioner Research

This practitioner inquiry explores how a Pacific-oriented social-emotional learning (SEL) framework, Nā Hopena A‘o (HĀ: BREATH), can affirm the cultural identities and emotional well-being of Filipino multilingual learners (MLs) in Hawai‘i. Implemented over a 15-week period in a third-grade classroom, the study draws on culturally adapted SEL lessons, student exit tickets and focus groups, and teacher reflections to examine how SEL shifts when grounded in Indigenous values, heritage language use, and community knowledge. Findings reveal three key themes: (1) Cultural Connection Fosters Belonging, (2) Language Visibility Promotes Emotional Safety, and (3) Identity-Affirming Practices Build Confidence and Voice. While students responded …

From Inquiry To Action: Leveraging Group Level Assessment To Elevate Teacher Voice, Claire C. Underwood, Leslie Kochanowski, Abraham Underhill

Journal of Practitioner Research

This methodological paper explores the use of Group Level Assessment (GLA) (Vaughn & Lohmueller, 2014; Vaughn, 2024) as a participatory approach to practitioner inquiry within an early childhood education program. Using Cochran-Smith and Lytle’s (2009) inquiry as stance as a guiding conceptual framework, GLA is framed as a methodology that affirms educator expertise, fosters collective reflection, and generates tangible action. We document the adaptation and implementation of the GLA protocol at the Arlitt Center, a university-affiliated early childhood laboratory school committed to teacher-led professional learning. Through an adapted GLA process, teaching staff engaged in identifying barriers and opportunities related to …

Exploring Researcher-Practitioner Authorship Collaboration In English, Foreign Language, And Mathematics Education, Rachel Cullen, Joseph Taylor, Matthew Laney, Mohamed Nouri

Journal of Practitioner Research

This study examined collaboration and bidirectional relationships between researchers and practitioners in the context of journal publications. Through exploration of research and practitioner journals in the areas of English, Foreign Languages, and Mathematics, we aimed to understand how authorship patterns and types of references illustrate the gap between research and practice. Findings indicate that collaboration between researchers and practitioners in the context of journal publications is minimal, and practitioner presence is scarce in research. The types of references included in publications are high quality regardless of authorship, but there is a problem of exposure that limits the research from reaching …

Numeracy-Based Civic Education Model: Needs Analysis Through An Explanatory Sequential Design, Sulkipani Sulkipani, Kokom Komalasari, Sapriya Sapriya, Susan Fitriasari, Vina Amilia Suganda Makenun

Numeracy

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals emphasize numeracy as essential for quality education, and require its integration across the curriculum, including into civic education (CE). However, the integration of numeracy in CE in Indonesian universities has not yet been clearly mapped out. This study aims to analyze the need for numeracy integration in CE as a basis for developing a numeracy-based CE learning model. Using a mixed method with an explanatory sequential design, the study involved a convenience sample of 225 students and 10 lecturers from various universities through surveys, interviews, observations, and documentation studies. Quantitative findings show that numeracy …

Gnsi Decision Brief: Global Fragility Reauthorization Act: Through An America First Foreign Policy Lens, Greg Howell

GNSI Decision Briefs

Over the past several decades, positive collaboration between U.S. government departments and agencies supporting development, diplomacy, and defense (3D) has resulted in foreign policy success stories, improving international relations and saving lives around the world. Many of these positive outcomes were achieved when American assistance was requested in response to natural disasters or humanitarian crises, such as following the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and the 2020 COVID pandemic. The Global Fragility Act (GFA) created a framework for interagency cooperation internationally, which produced a strong foundation to advance this promising 3D model for foreign assistance. The …

Needs Assessment Plan: For An Undergraduate In Reearch Administration (Ra) Curriculum With Artificial Intelligenc Integration., Jo Ann Smith

All Research Ops Exchange Publications

This needs assessment plan establishes a framework for developing an undergraduate Research Administration (RA) curriculum that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) competencies across all program components. The plan synthesizes findings from research literature across workforce competency studies, national RA curricula frameworks, e-mentoring models in undergraduate programs, and AI pedagogy in professional education. Key findings reveal that entry-level research administrators require core competencies, including critical thinking, interpersonal skills, written communication, and knowledge of the research enterprise, which are valued by hiring managers (Parker, 2024; Signorelli et al., 2025). The evolving research administration landscape increasingly demands AI literacy, including the ability to interact …

Drainage Proximity And Sinkhole Occurrence In Sivrihisar (Central Turkey): A Comparative Analysis Of Linear, Poisson, And Negative Binomial Regression Models, Bilge Bingül, Emrah Pekkan, Resul Çömert

International Journal of Speleology

This study investigates the relationship between sinkhole occurrence and distance to drainage in the Sivrihisar region (Central Turkey) and evaluates the suitability of different regression approaches for modeling clustered count data in karst terrains. A comprehensive inventory of 104 sinkholes developed within the Neogene lacustrine limestones of the Akpınar Formation was compiled using official records, remote sensing analyses, and detailed field surveys. Sinkhole occurrences were analyzed relative to a drainage network derived from a high-resolution Digital Surface Model and grouped by proximity to drainage lines. Linear Regression (LM), Poisson Regression (PR), and Negative Binomial Regression (NBR) models were comparatively applied …

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 …

The Materiality Of Religious Syncretism And Co-Production In The Catacombs Of Sicily And Malta: Novel Techniques For The Interpretation And Dissemination Of Legacy Data, Madeleine A. Kraft

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the lengthy history of the investigations into the catacombs of Sicily and Malta. These investigations, in some cases, began as early as the 17th century. They have maintained the intrigue of archaeologists beginning in the late 19th century. In doing so, these spaces have amassed truly remarkable amounts of data and of interpretations of that data. This legacy data has proved simultaneously a barrier and an entrance to understanding these complexes. While they are valuable for descriptions of the spaces prior to mutilations and interventions as well as descriptions of evidence no longer extant due to a …

Development And Feasibility Testing Of A Video-Based Virtual Reality Bullying Safety Skills Intervention For School-Aged Children With Disabilities, Trevor C. Maxfield

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Virtual reality (VR) technology has emerged as a promising instructional tool for children with disabilities; however, research on using VR to improve safety skills in this population remains limited. The present study employed a 2-phase approach to develop and evaluate a video-based VR bullying safety skills intervention for children with disabilities. In Phase 1, bullying and applied behavior analysis experts reviewed and validated the intervention content, including the response to bullying steps, school-based scenario storyboards, and embedded behavioral procedures, rating the content as valid and technically adequate. Expert feedback informed refinements to the intervention content and the decision to transition …

Unveiling The Intersection Of Institutional Racial Identity And Student Loan Debt: An Analysis Of The State University System Of Florida’S Higher Education Institutions, Valerie Marie Moore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Federal student loan patterns in Florida’s State University System (SUS) from 2013/14 to 2022/23 reflect differences in institutional revenue capacity rather than individual borrowing behavior. Using data from all 12 SUS institutions, this study examined how institutional wealth and revenue composition shape student loan outcomes through both race neutral and race considerate analyses informed by Ray’s (2019) theory of racialized organizations. Overall, the SUS operates as a racialized organizational field in which inequities in funding flows, access to capital, and institutional logics sustain long term disparities in wealth and debt. Results show that borrowing levels closely track how institutions assemble …

The Year’S Latest / Earliest Dates, The Cleveland Bird Calendar

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents, The Cleveland Bird Calendar

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.