Digital Commons Network^™

Notes On The Birds Of Schirmacher Oasis, Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica., Peter G. Ryan

Marine Ornithology

The Schirmacher Oasis in central Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica, has a long history of ornithological observations and is one of the few areas in East Antarctica experiencing a warming climate. Snow Petrels Pagodroma nivea and Wilson’s Storm Petrels Oceanites oceanicus were reported to breed at Schirmacher Oasis in the past, but currently the only confirmed regular breeding species is the South Polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki. This note summarises observations at the Oasis in November and December 2023. Wilson’s Storm Petrels were the most abundant bird, breeding at several sites along the northern scarp in December. Pairs of Adelie Penguins …

Masthead, Pacific Seabird Group

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Inside Front Cover, Pacific Seabird Group

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Front Cover, Pacific Seabird Group

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Approximating Data-Driven Combinatorial Search In The Feature Space: Pwfs, Mehmet Bugrahan Ayanoglu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the development and application of a novel feature selection method, Probability Weighted Feature Selection (PWFS), designed to address key challenges in machine learning involving high-dimensional, noisy, or biased datasets. It is a comprehensive exploration of feature selection strategies to enhance the performance, interpretability, and practicality of machine learning models in both engineering systems and educational data mining. PWFS introduces a structured, probabilistic approach to feature selection that adaptively weights features based on their empirical contribution to model performance. This method not only accelerates convergence to near-optimal feature subsets but also enhances flexibility for ensemble learning by encouraging …

Analyses Of Morphological Effects Of Cryopreservation On Plasmodium Yoelii Sporozoites, Lauren J. Topley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Malaria is a vector-borne disease and is a major global public health threat caused by the genus Plasmodium. Of the five species that infected humans, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum contribute the highest rates of morbidity and mortality. Research efforts to develop antimalarial drugs and effective vaccines is imperative to the prevention of future cases. Plasmodium has three reproductive stages: sporogonic, liver, and blood. Sporozoites are injected into the human host from an infected female Anopheles mosquito, which travel to the liver to initiate liver stage malaria. Since few sporozoites are successful, the liver stage is a bottleneck of the …

Concentration And Composition Of Organic Contaminants In Blackfin Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, And The Common Clubhook Squid In The Western Gulf Of Mexico, Lisa Rose-Mann

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cephalopods are an important component of pelagic food webs. They play ecological roles not only as predators but also as prey. However, their role as prey in the trophic transfer of organic contaminants to apex predators such as tunas in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is not well known. To investigate the importance of cephalopods in tuna diets, stomach samples were collected in February 2020 from tunas caught by rod and reel aboard the F/V Gulf Eagle near two large offshore floating oil/gas platforms in the northwestern GoM. Cephalopod samples were obtained from gut content analysis of 41 tunas caught …

Edge-Streamer: A Lightweight, Self-Supervised Event Segmentation Model, Lucas Miller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Event segmentation is the practice of autonomously detecting the boundaries of semantically connected sequences of actions within a video. It is connected to many areas of computer vision, including action recognition and event understanding. Nearly all current work requires the entire video to be stored in memory to be processed in multiple passes. This takes up valuable resources, increases processing time, prevents the use of low-power, low-memory devices, and precludes long-form content and live videos from undergoing event segmentation.

This thesis introduces EDGE-STREAMER, a real-time, lightweight, self-supervised, transformer architecture capable of performing event segmentation in a single pass. EDGE-STREAMER uses …

U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan And Realignment Of Eurasian Rival Powers, Toghrul Seyidbayli

Journal of Strategic Security

This article explores the geopolitical ramifications of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, focusing on how it has catalyzed strategic realignments among China, Russia, and Iran in Eurasia. By examining the withdrawal’s impact on the regional power dynamics, the article analyzes how these revisionist states have exploited the resulting power vacuum to assert their influence and challenge the existing international order. China has used this moment to expand its Belt and Road Initiative, Russia has felt emboldened to escalate its military actions in Ukraine, and Iran, despite regional setbacks, remains determined in pursuing its revisionist strategy in Eurasia. The study employs …

Navigating Transit Governance: Wto Rules And Unclos With A Focus On Nepal And Afghanistan, Dr.Neeru Sidana, Disha Tiwari Ms.

Journal of Strategic Security

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Many developing, landlocked countries, such as Nepal and Afghanistan, face significant challenges in accessing international markets, which hinders their development. These issues inspired the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982, which grants landlocked states the right to navigate through coastal territories for trade. This article investigates how UNCLOS has influenced the transit and trade of Nepal and Afghanistan since the treaty's signing. The research examines the macroeconomic impacts of UNCLOS on these countries, focusing on trade trends and regional cooperation agreements. It analyzes how UNCLOS has facilitated increased trade and new economic activities …

Human Security And Afghan Refugee Resettlement In The Us: A Case Study Of Camp Atterbury, Arif Akgul, Jennifer Grimes, Samuel Valentine

Journal of Strategic Security

This study examines the application of human security theory in the humanitarian operation at Camp Atterbury, which provided temporary resettlement for over 7,200 Afghan evacuees in the State of Indiana as part of Operation Allies Welcome (OAW). Afghan evacuees were admitted to the US under humanitarian parole and experienced a transitional period since their arrival on August 2021. Using the three pillars of human security: freedom from fear, freedom from want, and freedom to live in dignity, conceptualized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Kofi Annan, this analysis explores the security measures, essential services, and accommodations implemented to …

From Uncertainty To Strategic Failure: U.S. Military Interventions And The Complexity Of Nation-Building In Afghanistan, Goddy Uwa Osimen, Oluwamurewa Newo

Journal of Strategic Security

The American occupation of Afghanistan from 2001-2021 is widely regarded as a strategic failure, particularly after the Taliban took over the government in 2021. This work seeks to observe the strategic flaws of the 20-year occupation from the perspective of nation-building within the state. Using the theoretical lens of strategic culture and borrowing from Huntington’s discourse on the clash of civilizations, this article notes that nation-building failure in Afghanistan can be attributed to the ideological differences between the West and the Middle East. Using a descriptive qualitative approach and secondary sources such as books and peer-reviewed articles, the study employs …

China-Taliban Security Ties: A Reimagining Of South Asia's Security Discourse, Amit Kumar Mr., Veena Ramachandran

Journal of Strategic Security

This article examines how China constructs a distinct security discourse on terrorism through its engagement with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Moving beyond traditional materialist interpretations of security, the study draws on critical security studies to explore how China uses language, representation, and institutional practices to frame terrorism and project itself as a regional stabilizer. The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 has prompted China to expand its strategic presence in South Asia, particularly through economic diplomacy, intelligence cooperation, and regional multilateral and minilateral forums. Through qualitative discourse analysis of Chinese official statements, white papers, SCO documents, and state media narratives, …

Causes And Effects Of Science Tutor Attrition At The Colleges Of Education In The Northern Zone Of Ghana: A Qualitative Study, Collins D. Amadu, Rose Dognia, Solomon Boachie, Taarique-Ahmad Yahaya

Journal of Global Education and Research

The study investigated the causes and effects of science tutor attrition in the colleges of education in the Northern Zone of Ghana. Three science and mathematics colleges were used for the study. The study adopted a qualitative approach with 9 participants who volunteered to take part. The interview guide was the sole instrument for data collection. The interviews were conducted through face-to-face and phone calls. The recorded conversations were transcribed and categorized into themes. The study found that the science tutor attrition rate was caused by several factors. These factors could be grouped into unmet expectations of the tutors and …

Effectiveness Of Digital Learning Materials On Students' Achievement In Science: A Meta-Analysis, Bingo L. Aligo, Maricar S. Prudente

Journal of Global Education and Research

Researchers have been examining educational resources and content to enhance and support the learning experience. As technology continues to transform the way we learn and access information, digital learning materials have become increasingly popular in modern education. This study looked at how different kinds of digital learning materials affected science students’ learning achievement. The moderator variables used were grade level (kindergarten, primary, intermediate, and secondary), subject (biological sciences, general science, and physical sciences), and length of exposure (1 to 3 weeks, 4 to 6 weeks, and 10 to 12 weeks). A total of 14 studies were considered, involving 789 students …

Service Encounter Behavior (Seb) In Higher Education: The ‘Moment Of Truth’ From A Dyadic Perspective In Programme Administration, Lai Hong Ng, Lai Ling Ng

Journal of Global Education and Research

The global increase in demand for higher education has intensified competition and led to the marketisation of higher education. It is pertinent to manage service quality because students rely on the service encounter behavior (SEB) of employees when judging service encounters. This research gains insights into the SEB of student-employee in programme administration, which are influenced by situational definitions and situational roles (role expectations and role response), from a dyadic perspective. The critical incident technique is employed to elicit employees’ experiences in service encounters. The outcome of this research offers an SEB guide, identifying situational roles in a range of …

Afghan Generational Radicalization, Kaneshka Nawabi

Journal of Strategic Security

Abstract:

This study examines the evolution of political Islam and its role in shaping Afghan generational radicalization. Rooted in a romanticized vision of a "mythical golden age," Islam in Afghanistan has been instrumentalized to justify armed resistance, particularly against foreign invasions. The Soviet invasion marked a pivotal moment, catalyzing ideological shifts and embedding radical narratives. The Taliban's resurgence in 2021 has further entrenched radicalization, amplifying the role of madaris and sidelining moderate Islamic ideologies. By examining the interplay of political isolation, the unchecked expansion of madaris, and the distinct ideological divergences between “Islamism” and Deobandism, this research highlights …

Afghanistan: Consolidation Of Power Under The Taliban, Challenges And Sustainability, Ali Ahmad Jalali

Journal of Strategic Security

Four years after the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, the country under the clerics’ rule is peaceful but not stable. The country is internationally isolated, economically in crisis and socio-politically divided. Despite earlier pledges to share power with other Afghan parties and respect democratic rights of all Afghans,^[i] the Taliban swiftly reinstated many of their harshest policies, pushing women out of public life and allowing no dissent.

Adhering to an ideology of radical exceptionalism, the ruling Taliban maintain control over the country through a totalitarian governance while keeping ideological ties with regional and global Jihadist groups. …

Learning From Afghanistan: The Futility Of Occupation In Nation-Building, Jithin Raveendran

Journal of Strategic Security

This article explores the challenges and failures of nation-building under occupation Amidst an active warfare, using Afghanistan as a critical case study. Over two decades, the US-led intervention sought to establish stability and democracy but ultimately faltered due to misaligned strategies and systemic flaws. Efforts to impose Western governance structures clashed with Afghanistan’s deeply rooted tribal and cultural norms, fueling resistance and eroding legitimacy. The article identifies key shortcomings, including the neglect of local agency, cultural insensitivity, over-reliance on military solutions, and the perpetuation of dependency and corruption. It argues that nation-building by occupying forces is inherently flawed without prioritizing …

From Nation-Building To Collapse: Analyzing Afghanistan’S 2021 Fall And The Geopolitical Entropies Of U.S. Withdrawal, Arash Beidollahkhani, Edriss Rasa

Journal of Strategic Security

The collapse of the Afghan government in 2021 and the subsequent return of the Taliban marked a significant shift in contemporary geopolitics. This paper examines the political and social dynamics surrounding the U.S. and allied forces' withdrawal, focusing on the entropic forces that contributed to the breakdown of Afghanistan’s governance system. While Afghanistan has experienced recurrent governmental collapses, the post-2021 crisis highlights deeper structural challenges within both the geopolitical and domestic spheres. The research investigates the failure of the U.S.-backed Afghan government, established through two decades of nation-building efforts, and explores how the abrupt foreign withdrawal dismantled fragile political structures, …

The Political Philosophy Of Habitude: Conservatism Analytically Explained, Kyle S. Hodge

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Conservatism is both undertheorized and poorly understood in philosophical political theory; all extant theories have proven deficient. They either conflate what is contingently associated with conservatism with its essence, draw mistaken generalizations from apparently conservative behavior, or else are explanatorily incomplete.

To avoid these deficiencies, I develop a rigorous, theory-neutral groundwork for evaluating theories of conservatism. This groundwork utilizes both traditional methods of analytic philosophy and, for the first time in the field, historiometry. Philosophical analysis determines the formal requirements of a successful explanation while empirical, historiometric data determines the most salient conservative exemplars whom any such theory must explain. …

Beyond The Gray Ghost: John S. Mosby And The Power Of Legend, Kevin R. Youngberg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Civil War generals are among the most celebrated figures of their time. In the post-Civil war era, many of these officers retreated to farms, and businesses and disappeared into obscurity. This was not the case with Colonel John Singleton Mosby, who quickly transformed into a figure whose legacy from the Civil war gave him a unique place in the American imagination as the legendary Gray Ghost of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He lived until 1916, a remarkable fifty years filling those decades with a host of accomplishments in public service both at home and abroad. His legacy is complex, …

The "N" Framework: A Teacher Knowledge Framework For Numeracy Across The Curriculum, Kathy O'Sullivan, Niamh O'Meara, Merrilyn Goos, Paul Conway

Numeracy

Governments and policymakers around the world are encouraging teachers to teach numeracy across the curriculum. This paper proposes a theoretical framework for the knowledge required to teach numeracy across multiple disciplines. The concept of teacher knowledge is complex and consists of many different facets of knowledge. This paper proposes a framework that integrates theories from existing models of general and subject specific teacher knowledge, along with a model of numeracy. The authors developed the "N" framework, an integrated framework of numeracy knowledge, subject specific knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge. Each element is essential for teaching numeracy across the curriculum in …

An Exploratory Analysis Of Automated Deception Detection For Mental Health Applications, Sayde Leya King

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Deception in mental health settings can undermine therapeutic relationships, compromise treatment efficacy, and impact patient outcomes. Yet, research shows that mental health clinicians often perform no better than chance at detecting deceptive behavior in therapy. Automated deception detection, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and multimodal behavioral cues—such as eye gaze, body gestures, and facial expressions—offers a promising alternative. However, most existing research focuses on high-stakes legal contexts, limiting its applicability to mental health settings.

This dissertation addresses this gap by pursuing three key research objectives using a mixed-methods approach. First, we investigate mental health clinicians’ perspectives on AI-assisted deception detection through …

Healthy Bodies, Moral Minds, And Rural Ideals: Contextualizing Interwar British Childhood And Citizenship Through Children's Country Holidays Fund Vacations, Paula J. Pack

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation uses the Children’s Country Holidays Fund (CCHF) as a critical lens to examine how philanthropy, childhood, class, public health, and rural nostalgia intersected within the broader context of citizen formation in interwar Britain. Founded in 1884 to provide country holidays for poor London schoolchildren, the CCHF evolved from a philanthropic response to Victorian slum life into an informal arm of welfare governance by the end of the interwar period. Through its country holidays, the Fund became an active participant in shaping ideals of health, morality, and civic responsibility in a period marked by heightened concern over national vitality …

Physical Activity And Functional Mobility In Adults With Hearing Loss: A Series Of Embedded Studies Within A 6-Month Clinical Trial With Hearing Aids, Sarah L. Bochat

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adults with hearing loss engage in low levels of physical activity and demonstrate poor performance on measures of functional mobility. The impact of hearing rehabilitation on these outcomes is not fully understood. Previous investigations were largely quantitative and focused on older adults ≥ 65 years of age who may respond differently to hearing intervention than relatively younger adults. They also tended to focus on exercise rather than global engagement in physical activities and did not report hours of hearing aid use, an important indicator of intervention success. One purpose of this dissertation was to determine the feasibility of collecting accelerometry-assessed …

Affirmation And Aspiration: Black Women Enrolled In Doctoral Programs At A Pwi Striving For The Tenure-Track, Anayah Alicia Walker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black women remain vastly underrepresented in tenure-track positions at research universities in the United States, facing systemic barriers that hinder their academic progression. This study examines the experiences and strategies that contribute to Black women’s preparation for tenure-track positions while enrolled in doctoral programs at a predominantly white institution. Grounded in Black feminist thought coupled with an appreciative inquiry lens, this study utilized the sista circle methodology to capture the narratives of seven Black women from various academic disciplines. Findings revealed three experiences that contribute to Black women’s preparation for tenure track positions: intrinsic motivation, funding and institutional resources, and …

The Role Of Langmuir Circulation In Coastal Flows Driven By Wind, Waves And Tides, Thathsarani Dilini Herath Herath Mudiyanselage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Langmuir Circulation (LC) is a wind and wave-driven process and is a key driver of vertical mixing and transport in the ocean. In coastal shelf regions, LC can span the entire water column, linking surface and bottom boundary layers and amplifying turbulent mixing. However, the influence of LC on vertical mixing and cross-shelf transport in shallow, tidally forced coastal waters remains poorly understood. This dissertation addresses this knowledge gap by developing a novel modeling framework based on the Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations, offering a computationally efficient alternative to more resource-intensive Large Eddy Simulations (LES).

The proposed RANS-based approach is first …

Democracy, Expertise, And The Disinformation Problem, Richard Randall Frohock Iv

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Experts are an essential part of our social epistemology. They grant us access to knowledge that would otherwise be inaccessible. Because of this, experts are also typically seen as invaluable political contributors. Without expert contributions, public policy risks being ill-informed and therefore incapable of addressing society’s needs. Recently, however, the extent to which expertise should inform public policy has come into question. Fueled largely by disinformation, there is a growing movement against traditional experts. Those within this movement argue that experts have overstepped their bounds and are working against the societies they are meant to be helping. Fearing that that …

Acknowledgements, John C. Mceachen Ii

Military Cyber Affairs

No abstract provided.