Digital Commons Network^™

Hypergraph Search For Real-Time Multi-Robot Task Allocation In A Smart Factory, Zixiang Nie, Kwang-Cheng Chen

USF Patents

Task assignment for multi-robot systems (MRSs) in a smart factory (Industry 4.0) is described. Aspects are directed to a hypergraph based MRS and production model facilitating the cooperation among robots and serving frequent reconfiguration desired in Industry 4.0. Aspects are directed to a time complexity friendly search algorithm for real-time application using a hypergraph model to get task assignment(s). Parameters are provided for a tradeoff between solution optimality and time complexity. In an implementation, an example system can include a MRS including robots, wherein the MRS is configured to perform a manufacturing task, and a computing device configure to perform …

Publicly Verifiable And Resilient Symmetric Authentication And Privacy Systems And Related Methods, Attila Altay Yavuz

USF Patents

A method for publicly verifiable symmetric cryptography is disclosed. The method includes: obtaining an initial encrypted key and a homomorphic public key; obtaining a first message and an initial signature; calculating an initial hashed value of the first message; setting a cryptographic function of the initial hashed value of the first message and an initial private key; generating an evaluated value based on the cryptographic function, the homomorphic public key, the initial encrypted key, and the initial hashed value of the first message; and transmitting, at the verifier, a verification result based on a hashed value of the initial signature …

Essay, Father John Crossing The Gandy: A Micro-History With Music, Julie Buckner Armstrong

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

“Father John Crossing the Gandy: A Micro-History with Music” synthesizes Father John Culmer’s 1927 passage across the Gandy Bridge with the lyrics of James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” to plot out Culmer’s role in the proliferation of church access and spirituality throughout and beyond the Black communities of South Florida. The work blends historical legacy with speculative interiority to produce an insightful and empathetic statement regarding, what has been, what can be, and how to build a bridge between the two.

Poem, Cornerstones Of A City, Pedro El Poeta Jarquin

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

Cornerstones of a City is a three-part poem that explores Ybor City’s role as an important cultural touchstone of Tampa. The poem references the great Ybor City fire of 1908 and frames this tragic event as a point around which residents would rally to rebuild their neighborhood and preserve Ybor City’s status as the hub of immigrant community in the Tampa area.

Poem, Creek Freak, Tyler Gillespie

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

“Creek Freak” is a first-person prose-poetic hybrid that portrays a short-lived romance between the narrator and a creature composed of various swamp elements that reveals how many of the narrator’s attempts at compassion or sincerity for the swamp creature are hollow platitudes that reflect the moral grandstanding gestures of those who wish to appear ecologically sensitive. The repetitive, back-and-forth exchange that concludes “Creek Freak” emphasizes the gap that continues to exist between ecological emergencies and collective social action.

Essay, Madira Bickel Mounds, Diane Roberts

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

“Madira Bickel Mound” critiques the common contemporary view of Florida history as beginning with European intervention and excavates the centuries of cultural development that occurred prior to the arrival of European entities. The mounds that remain standing across the state act as mementos of a displaced people and cultural system whose ancient presence is not as detached from the current moment as one might believe.

Poem, Research Note, Or, All The Colors Vary According To The Point Of Vision, Tyler Gillespie

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

research note, Or, all the colors vary according to the point of vision is a poem that examines a sketch of two birds that appears in Ellis Hughes’s diary. Instead of conjecturing about Hughes’s intention, the narrator connects the sketch to the formation of their own intimate relationship and how the formation of that relationship metaphorically mimics the subjective romance of the sketched birds.

Essay, Waterskiing Lake Maggiore, Jack E. Davis

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

“Waterskiing Lake Maggiore” is a first-person narrative that recalls Davis' experience waterskiing Lake Maggiore, a body of water that has been polluted by manmade endeavors. The narrative draws parallels between human action, natural consequences, and the desire for a more equitable relationship with nature.

Poem, Maximo Park Picnic, Amanda Hagood

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

Maximo Park Picnic is a sestina (poem) that observes various messages carved into the trees that populate the waterfront park, messages that alternate between youthful and reverential. As a modified natural setting, the park serves as a reflection point for the narrator to remark on what has been, what is, and what is yet to come along the ever-shifting shoreline.

Essay, Oysters, Gary Mormino

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

“Oysters” explores Tampa Bay’s history of oyster harvesting and how this once-revered and plentiful delicacy has suffered from infrastructural expansion and unchecked pollution. The eponymous mollusk oscillates between a readily available bounty and an environmental omen that signals the ecological doom of the region, demonstrating the significance of the oyster regarding the identity of Tampa Bay.

Poem, 1923: A Crowd Of People Swimming In The Water And Walking Through The Sand On Sunset Beach In Treasure Island, Florida, Thomas Hallock

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

1923: A crowd of people… in Treasure Island, Florida is a modified pantoum (poem) that frames the Floridian beach as a space often thought of as frozen in time and insulated from grim consequences. The reality of what can happen at the beach, however, imbues the poem’s tone with the weight of the knowledge that even this conceptual slice of veritable paradise must adhere to the rules of the world beyond the shoreline.

Essay, Lake Legacies, Black And Beautiful, Sheree Greer

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

“Lake Legacies, Black and Beautiful” is a short, observational meditation on the natural surroundings of Lake Rogers Park and other nearby bodies of water as witnesses and repositories of history that reverberate with the identities and deeds of Black families and figures. The observations culminate in a vision of subtropical comfort that simultaneously echoes past lives and assures the respite of the present.

Poem, Water Hyacinths, Gloria Muñoz

Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives

Water Hyacinths is a poem that explores the sights, sounds, and composition of Florida through a synthesis of mythological imagery and theatrical descriptions. The poem presents the state as a natural entity that conceals and reveals itself in both whimsical and dire situations and phrases.

Contribution To The Knowledge Of Cave-Dwelling Fauna From The Prokletije Mountains, Joanna Kocot-Zalewska, Iwona Słowińska, Paweł Domagała, Jakub Bienias, Dominik Szymański, Dawid Szymański, Hubert Szymański, Paweł Sienkiewicz, Andrzej Józef Woźnica

International Journal of Speleology

The article presents the results of the study on invertebrate fauna inhabiting caves in the Prokletije Mountains. This mountain range is located on the border of Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo. During the expeditions to Albania in 2021 and to Montenegro in 2022–2023, 17 caves and one bauxite mine were visited altogether. All the studied caves are located very high, above 1,700 m a.s.l., where the temperature inside is low, and several are filled with ice or snow. During the Albanian expedition 102 arthropods have been collected altogether. Among these were 19 beetles (Coleoptera), 44 flies (Diptera), three crickets (Orthoptera), five …

Crow's Nest, April 14, 2025, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The April 14, 2025, issue of Crow's Nest.

Integrating Visual Pedagogies With The Digital Platform To Establish Authenticity As A Gold Standard In Chinese Ideological And Political Education, Ruiqian Su

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigates the role of visual pedagogies, including photo-elicitation via Xiaohongshu, in fostering authentic engagement in asynchronous discussions within Chinese Ideological and Political Education (CIPE). It examines both the pedagogical opportunities and challenges associated with integrating visual content—such as images, videos, and multimedia—into CIPE. In response to limitations in traditional CIPE teaching methods, particularly in promoting critical thinking and meaningful student interaction, the research explores how digital tools can enhance engagement and provide a culturally responsive framework for ideological education.

The study addresses two central research questions: (1) How do CIPE instructors perceive the role of visual pedagogies …

Between The Land And The Sea: Belizean Voices In Environmental Governance, Kris-An K. Hinds

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coastal communities around the world are at the epicenter of dynamic socio-environmental transformations driven by the impacts of climate change, shifting human–more-than-human environmental relationships, and the decisions made in response to these challenges. As environmental concerns intensify, the governance decisions made to address these impacts will determine the severity of the impacts and the future of affected coastal areas. In regions such as the Caribbean, Central America, and Latin America, environmental governance is complicated by uneven power dynamics, historical legacies of racialized environmental spaces, and the ongoing challenge of balancing national economic growth with environmental preservation. These transformations are not …

Adapting To Uncertainty: Strategic Decision Making In The Fresh Produce Supply Chain Under Fluctuating Market Conditions, Jacqueline Kelly

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The global fresh produce supply chain faces increasing uncertainty due to economic volatility, shifting trade policies, logistical constraints, and evolving consumer demand. In this dissertation, I examine industrial purchasing decision-making grounded in the Industrial Buyer Behavior (IBB) framework. The study explores how supply chain experts navigate uncertainty, mitigate risks, and implement adaptive strategies to maintain efficiency and profitability.

Using a qualitative approach, this research draws on in-depth interviews with industry professionals to identify key factors influencing purchasing decisions, including supply chain resilience, technological advancements, sustainability, and geopolitical risks. Findings indicate flexible sourcing strategies, real-time logistical adjustments, and predictive analytics are …

Corridor-Wide Surveillance Using Unmanned Aircraft Systems Phase Iii: Exploration Of The Implementation Of Using Unmanned Aircraft Systems For Freeway Incident Detection And Management: Part B, Yu Zhang, Achilleas Kourtellis, Joseph Post, Bai Li, Brian Porter, Mahdi Monemi Nodehi

Research Reports

In the third phase of the project, the research team continued utilizing drone systems equipped with thermal cameras to enable real-time detection of traffic incidents and their resulting non-recurrent congestion on freeways, while distinguishing them from recurrent congestion. A comprehensive literature review on existing traffic incident detection methods was conducted. Building on insights from the literature and prior accomplishments, the team designed and implemented a drone-based incident detection framework. This framework first extracts vehicle trajectories at fixed intervals from thermal video data and generates corresponding trajectory images. A customized convolutional neural network (CNN) based deep learning model is then developed …

Argentine Diaspora In The United States: Experiences Of Recent Emigrants And Their Ties With The Homeland, Anabela Cibele Villach Vaquer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the Argentine diaspora settled in the United States. It analyzes both the experiences of Argentines who have migrated to the United States in the last decade and the transnational ties they develop with the home country as well as the diaspora engagement policies put in place by the Argentine State. The research addresses three key questions: What are the main characteristics of Argentine emigrants who have moved to the United States over the past decade? How do recent Argentine migrants in the United States construct and maintain their transnational ties with their country of origin? Is the …

Unraveling The Narrative: How External Messaging Shapes The Academic Identities Of Neurodiverse Women Of Color, Timarie A. Franco

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how neurodiverse Women of Color understand and experience academic self-concept (ASC) within higher education systems shaped by whiteness, ableism, and gendered expectations. Traditional ASC measures rely on internalized perceptions of ability and often exclude the influence of external messaging and systemic oppression—especially for students with intersecting marginalized identities. Grounded in Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit), this study centers the voices of nine undergraduate collaborators at a large public university who identify as Women of Color and experience neurodivergence. Using narrative interviews and arts-based methods, collaborators explored how academic, social, and cultural experiences informed their sense of …

Precarious Pedagogy: A Critical Autoethnography Of Adjunct Labor, Erin V. Howell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The following autoethnographic study explores the experiences and use of adjunct faculty within the neoliberal higher education landscape. Adjunct faculty comprise most of the contemporary professoriate, accounting for nearly 75 percent of higher education instructors. Precarious labor practices, lack of job security, and limited institutional support often characterize adjunct employment. The use of adjunct labor and the vulnerability of their positions are impacted by structural inequities perpetuated by academic capitalism. By privileging the experiences of adjunct faculty, this study contributes to an ongoing conversation about labor practices and inequities in higher education. This dissertation examines the ways in which adjuncts …

Large Area Sintering Test Platform And Associated Method Of Use, Christopher Joseph Gardiner, Justin Nussbaum, Nathan Crane

USF Patents

A large area sintering platform, system, and methodology. The system includes a convection oven with a projection window disposed within a top surface of the oven. A platform is disposed within the oven below the window at a spaced distance away from the window. A powder is positioned on top of the platform, with a thermocouple positioned within the powder on the platform. A high intensity projector moves in sync with the platform, and uses low intensities and long exposure times to project an image through the window onto the powder and sinter the powder to fabricate the desired model …

Ultrahigh Surface Area Materials And Methods Of Making The Same, Jay A. Bieber

USF Patents

In one embodiment, a surface has a laser-beam machined area including an array of micro-sized conical pillars that are arranged in orthogonal rows and columns across the surface and that extend upward, the conical pillars defining deep troughs between them that are configured to absorb electrons, electromagnetic radiation, or both, the conical pillars tapering from relatively wide bases to pointed tips, the conical pillars comprising outer surfaces that are covered with a plurality of nanoparticles.

Topics In Knot, Quandle, And Quiver Theory, Brooke Jones

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the algebraic and combinatorial structures arising from the study of knot theory through the lens of quandles, their colorings, and associated quiver and ring constructions. It is organized around three central themes: the analysis of quandle coloring quivers for torus links, the development of polynomial invariants and quiver invariants for stuck knots and links, and the algebraic and graphical study of quandle rings. The first chapter begins with an introduction to relevant concepts throughout the dissertation.

In the second chapter, we classify quandle coloring quivers of torus links using dihedral quandles. We describe these quivers as weighted …

From The Editors, Rodney Kite-Powell, Andy Huse

Tampa Bay History

No abstract provided.

Mysterious Munitions In Sleepy St. Pete: The Story Of A 1924 Filibustering Campaign, Arturo Sebastian Gonzalez

Tampa Bay History

No abstract provided.

Work, War, Wit, Wisdom: Lessons And Legacies From Ybor City, Donna Piñero Parrino

Tampa Bay History

No abstract provided.

Enhancing State-Of-The-Art Motor Imagery Classification With Reinforcement Learning, Anton Shepelev

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the key obstacles to the rapid adoption of non-invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) for Motor Imagery (MI) is the low signal-to-noise ratio, and the substantial data requirements which can be mentally taxing for users. EEGNet, a compact Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), has long been considered the state-of-the-art (SOTA) for MI classification, demonstrating strong performance even with limited data. However, recent studies advocate for integrating Deep Reinforcement Learning (RL) to further enhance classification accuracy by dynamically optimizing feature extraction and decision-making processes. Despite this potential, practical implementations remain scarce due to challenges in stabilizing RL training and adapting it to …

The Challenge Of Legitimacy And Governance In Fragile States: A Case Study Of Afghanistan, Ahmad Murid Partaw

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation tackles a central puzzle regarding the recurring legitimacy crises of the Afghan state: why, despite decades of investment and efforts by state and non-state actors, has Afghanistan struggled to build enduring legitimacy? It argues that the concept of performance legitimacy is crucial in fragile states such as Afghanistan, as it focuses on citizen’s expectations and the state's ability to deliver public services and secure support from its population. By contrasting performance legitimacy with traditional theories, such as social contract and Weberian approaches, this work deepens the understanding of how legitimacy through the needs and expectations of ordinary citizens …