Digital Commons Network^™

Sea Turtle Nesting On Nourished Beaches With Different Construction Designs: A Case Study In Southeast Florida, Usa., Lara Novalvos Hernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the influences of different beach nourishment designs and subsequent post-nourishment profile adjustments on loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles nest survival and reproductive success. Data on time-series post-nourishment beach-profile changes, positions and elevations of turtle tracks and nest/false-crawl apices, and sea turtle nest hatch/emergence success were collected on five high density nesting beaches along the east coast of Florida: Melbourne Beach, Jensen Beach, Jupiter Island Beach, Juno Beach, and South Hutchinson Island Beach. The field data collection was conducted in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 with the main goal of documenting and comparing turtle …

Behavior And Land Use Of Eastern Gray Squirrels In Urban And Suburban Environments, Laura F. Engel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization has significantly altered natural habitats, impacting wildlife behavior and distribution. This study examines the behavior and land use of eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in urban and suburban environments at the University of South Florida. Using a combination of point count surveys and time-activity budgets, squirrel presence was assessed in relation to tree genera, nest locations, human activity, and infrastructure. Results indicate a significant association between squirrel presence and tree genera, with a preference for Quercus species, as well as a strong positive correlation between human infrastructure and squirrel presence. However, no significant relationship was found between human presence …

Using Stomach Content Analysis To Determine The Trophic Ecology Of Omosudis Lowii, A Deep-Sea Predator In The Gulf Of Mexico, Claire De Noyo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the feeding dynamics of deep-sea communities, despite their significant ecological importance. Deep-pelagic communities contribute to marine biodiversity and ecosystem stability while directly offsetting climate change via carbon sequestration. Omosudis lowii is an understudied, deep-sea fish found in temperate and tropical waters worldwide, including the Gulf of Mexico. Omosudis lowii have large jaws and distensible stomachs, allowing them to capture prey items larger than their body size. The present seminal study used stomach content analysis to quantitatively describe the O. lowii trophic ecology, providing baseline data regarding diet composition, feeding selectivity, and factors that impact prey selection. …

Branching Corals Modulate Their Hydrodynamic Environment, Enhancing Capture Rates Of Evasive Prey, Kelsey Daniels

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Reef-building corals obtain nutrients through two primary means: autotrophy (via mutualism with photosynthetic zooxanthellae) and heterotrophy (via feeding). The latter form of resource acquisition is understudied and many aspects of predator-prey interactions between coral and naturally occurring prey species remain unexplored. In this thesis, I elucidate the role of branching coral morphology in shaping the colony’s local hydrodynamic environment and describe how this environment impacts prey capture, particularly among evasive and hydrodynamically sensitive, but highly abundant prey such as copepods. I used acrylic cylinders of three sizes in aquaria to model the structure of coral branches across the range of …

Effects Of Antecedent Choice On Academic Engagement And Disruptive Behavior In The Classroom, Ivy Grace E. Morgan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The number of students enrolled in public school systems receiving special education services continues to increase. Students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those classified with emotional disturbance (ED) often engage in challenging behaviors such as inappropriate outbursts, disruptive behaviors, and off-task behavior that distract other students from learning. These behaviors can negatively impact educational outcomes for both the student and their classmates. Unfortunately, teachers often lack adequate training in addressing disruptive behavior in the classroom and have limited access to feasible interventions. Across-activity choice is a feasible antecedent intervention teachers can use in the classroom. It allows students …

Reparative Cuteness: Summer Camp Island’S Obfuscated Streaming Distribution Reveals Our Dependence On Monetary Care, James R. Hanjian

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Summer Camp Island exhibits the culmination of the animation styles and ethics of dependent care produced within contemporary Cartoon Network animations. As part of the production cycle of Warner Bros. animated television programs following Adventure Time, Julia Pott’s animated program depicts networks of collaborative care informed by the lived realities of the creator-animators. By employing a reparative reading of the narratives and cute aesthetics which appear in the program, I maintain that the care networks presented within the diegesis of Summer Camp Island depict alternatives to the precarious economic and industrial realities that actively shaped the show’s production and distribution. …

A Community-Based Study To Investigate Persistent Ambient Odors In Childs Park, Fl, Gennaro Saliceto

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For many years, residents in Childs Park, Saint Petersburg, Florida, have reported unpleasant odors. Although there have been prior efforts to address the issue, the odors continue to be a concern for the community, who worry about possible health implications. This research aimed to equip residents with information to address the issue by identifying the presence of airborne pollutants that generate odors, quantifying the concentrations of toxic organic pollutants, and exploring the sources and environmental conditions that contribute to odors and their perception.

To accomplish these aims, the study utilized different methods. First, two walking measurement campaigns were conducted to …

Motivations To Learn English Among First-Year Undergraduate Chinese Students, Yunyu Chen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the motivations to learn English among first-year Chinese undergraduates enrolled at an American university in the southeastern United States and it is essentially grounded in theories such as Self-Determination Theory and Achievement Goal Theory. It addresses a central research question about how is motivations to learn English shaped by external and internal factors among the first-year undergraduate Chinese students? Recognizing that many Chinese students experience low levels of interest and confidence in English, the study explores internal and external factors that shape motivations, including emotional engagement, cultural and academic expectations, and supportive roles played by teachers and …

“We Built Our Plane As We Flew It”: Communicative Resilience In Nonprofit Organizing During The Pandemic, Evgeniya Pyatovskaya

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how nonprofit organizations cultivate resilience through communication and practice during periods of disruption, focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a case study of Apex for Youth—a New York City-based nonprofit serving low-income Asian and immigrant youth—this research explores how organizational members co-constructed resilience in response to both the pandemic and rising anti-Asian hate. Guided by the Communicative Theory of Resilience (CTR) and practice theory, resilience is examined as a dynamic, relational process enacted through daily organizational life.

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, Formative Influences Timelines (FIT), ethnographic observation, and organizational documents. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed four …

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 …

Volatile Organic Compound (Voc) Sensing Trend Among Novel 2d/3d Materials, Mohammad Shakhawat Hossain

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) present significant health risks to both humans and animals. Long term exposure to certain VOCs belonging to certain chemical classes can cause both short- and long-term effects including nausea, damage to the central nervous system, and cancer. VOCs can be found in various everyday products like varnishes, paints, cooking items, cleaning products, nail polishes etc. Because of their ubiquitous nature, health concerns and risks regarding VOC exposure have become even more pressing. In this study, the VOC sensing capabilities and trends of novel 2D, and 3D materials (perovskite, and phthalocyanines) have been explored through electrochemical and …

Dnajb6: A Potent Dnajb Chaperone In Regulating Tau Proteostasis, Abigail R. Esquivel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases often feature the pathological buildup of misfolded proteins, and tau is a principal culprit in multiple tauopathies. One chaperone of emerging interest is DnaJB6b, a member of the Hsp40/DnaJ family, which exhibits potent anti-aggregation activity against several disease-related proteins. Recent investigations highlight its unique capacity to recognize and neutralize aggregation-prone forms of tau. DnaJB6b appears potent against multiple variants of tau and may be acting against tau, in part, by directing misfolded tau toward proteasomal clearance. The first lines of evidence come from systematic chaperone screens, where DnaJB6b repeatedly emerged as a strong suppressor of tau seeding. Further …

Awful, Yet Awe-Full: The Sublime Dystopia Of Blade Runner 2049, Charles E. Butt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Blockbuster dystopian sci-fi features stories of environmental collapse, authoritarian governments, out of control corporations, unbounded consumerism, and other awful possibilities. Scholars of science fiction broadly agree that this genre explores collective fears, anxieties, and speculations about the present and future. At the same time, film scholars have established that dystopian sci-fi cinema is compelling, and audiences respond to their effects-driven visuals, photorealistic mise-en-scene, and dramatic narratives. This creates an apparent paradox: Blockbuster cinematic aesthetics portray undesirable worlds desirably. I resolve this paradox by arguing that the worldbuilding of spectacle-driven, dystopian sci-fi cinema is Romanticized. That is, the provocative style of …

Murine Studies On Ketogenic Modulation Of Metabolism And Epigenetics In Olfaction- Based Learning, Lps Inflammatory Response, And Sex Dimorphisms In Dietary Response, Sara E. H. Moss

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ketogenic diets are well-established therapeutic interventions for epilepsy, with documented neuroprotective effects arising from their metabolic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Beyond epilepsy, ketogenic therapies are under investigation for various conditions including Alzheimer disease, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. These diets suppress insulin levels and shift metabolic physiology toward fat and ketone body metabolism. This elevates circulating levels of ketone bodies, namely beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, and acetone, which serve as both energy substrates and signaling molecules. The state of elevated ketone bodies (ketosis) can be achieved with various formulations of a ketogenic diet as well as exogenous ketone supplementation, though the signaling …

The Kinematics And Aerodynamics Of Freely Flying Tiny Insects, Evan J. Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tiny insects are an extremely diverse set of organisms that have important engineering and economic applications. These organisms often fly and readily disperse distances that far exceed their body lengths. The mechanisms behind tiny insect flight are not well understood and present complex kinematics and unintuitive aerodynamics that depart from both fixed-winged mechanisms and larger insects. In addition, their tiny spatial and fast temporal scales make them exceedingly difficult to study, and to date, the field has relied on numerical studies and dynamic scaling. Herein, we describe three projects that significantly advanced our understanding of tiny insect flight and experimental …

Anhedonic Features In Effort-Related Reward Processing, Harold Alexander Rocha

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Emerging evidence suggests that distinct stages of reward processing uniquely contribute to psychological traits linked to anhedonia, a core mood-disorder symptom characterized by diminished enjoyment of pleasure. However, the relationship between reward-processing stages and dispositional traits related to mood and anhedonia remains unclear. The present study investigated interindividual reward processing differences in a healthy college sample (n = 83) using self-report measures and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) indexing anticipatory and consummatory subprocesses across high- and low-effort conditions using a recently developed effort-doors task. The goal of the study was first to replicate the original ERP experimental effects of the task …

Development Of S(Vi) And S(Iv) Chemistry: From Asymmetric Synthesis To Covalent Reactive Groups, Chuan Shan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation mainly covers the development of synthetic methodologies related to several heteroatom functional groups, including phosphonates P(V), sulfoximines S(VI), sulfonimidamides S(VI), sulfonimidoyl fluorides S(VI), and sulfinamides S(IV). The interests in these functionalities are not only out of chemistry curiosity but also due to their pharmaceutical importance indicated by the existing drug molecules that contain these functional groups. The first chapter introduced the importance of phosphonates in biochemistry and organic synthesis, also provided some essential background of our synthetic efforts. The second chapter described the phosphonate synthesis from commercially available starting materials, with the purpose to obtain heterocyclic phosphonates in …

“Smart Trap”: A Portable Device For Real-Time Mosquito Capturing And Classification Using Image-Based Analysis, Fahim Rahman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Capturing mosquitoes in real-time and taking high-quality images for classification with state-of-the-art methods is not only time-consuming but also expensive. Sometimes even carefully controlled environments and experimental setups fail to capture living mosquitoes. Catching live mosquitoes is necessary to be able to study aspects of their physiology and behavior that cannot be investigated by collections of resting mosquitoes and dead specimens, and to help estimate the local population numbers. My thesis introduces a “Smart Trap”, a small portable device that can attract mosquitoes in real-time, capture them, take high-quality images with dual cameras, and store those images in the cloud. …

Distributed Repeaters For Extending The Range Of Harmonic Rf Tags, Trevor Saunders

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Passive harmonic Radio Frequency (RF) tags are highly advantageous compared to theiractive counterparts due to their ability to operate effectively in environments that are cluttered or where access to the tag for battery maintenance is challenging, dangerous and/or time consuming. They are also resistant to the local oscillator (LO) phase noise in radar applications where the doppler frequency from slow moving targets is buried beneath the noise. One of the major constraints of passive harmonic RF tags, however, lies in their operating range and the significant amount of power required to overcome the conversion loss and activate the nonlinear device …

Protracting The Immediate: Time As Form In Contemporary Horror, Kennedy Kelley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the expression and experience of temporality in horror films of the last decade. Whereas early twenty-first century horror was characterized by high-octane jump scares, current horror is marked by contemplative slowness. I argue that the elongated duration of recent horror extends an experience of indeterminate anxiety that attunes us to an expansive relationality, offering a corrective not only to contemporary logics of immediacy, but also to the frequently constricting nature of embodiment as a theoretical concept. Recent horror scholarship tends to center sensuous propinquity in response to a long history of gaze theory’s disembodied passivity. While these …

Functional Characterization Of Cryopreserved Plasmodium Yoelii Sporozoites In Vitro, Victoria I. Mills

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Malaria is a major global health burden, contributing to morbidity and mortality across various continents. Due to challenges in malaria research and its advancements, developing novel interventions and further understanding host-parasite interactions is required for future studies. Plasmodium vivax is a human malaria species that is difficult to maintain in laboratory settings, posing obstacles in research. Cryopreservation offers a reliable method to provide a consistent supply of sporozoites for reproducible studies. Plasmodium yoelii is a rodent malaria model commonly used in studies due to its genetic similarity to human malaria species. Utilizing cryopreserved P. yoelii sporozoites potentially extends their usability …

“We Will Tend To It”: The Reconstruction Of The Wimauma, Florida’S Bethune Area Through Archival Research And Oral Histories, Alanah Cooper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on heritage preservation efforts led by Wimauma community members interested in preserving the history and heritage of Wimauma’s Bethune Area—a historically African American community. This study aims to challenge the dominant narratives of Wimauma that erase/silence the tangible and intangible legacy of the Bethune Area. By collecting and drawing upon oral histories from community residents; engaging in participant observations; conducting archival research, my thesis will strive to construct an expanded narrative of Wimauma to include the history and heritage of the Bethune Area and the everyday lives of underrepresented people and families who helped shape Wimauma. This …

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

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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

Effects Of A Treatment Package Of Video Self-Modeling And Contingency Mapping Procedures On Decreasing Aggressive Behavior In Children With Autism, Valerie Younis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Video self-modeling (VSM) is regarded as a successful evidence-based intervention and has demonstrated effectiveness across a range of behaviors, disabilities, and ages. Additionally, the use of contingency mapping (CM) provides a clear visual representation of the relationship between behaviors and consequences in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study extends the literature on VSM and CM by evaluating the combined effectiveness of these two interventions on aggressive behavior in children with ASD. In particular, the combined effects of VSM and CM were evaluated with three students diagnosed with ASD in their respective homes. A multiple baseline design across …

Are You Who Ai Says You Are? Exploring The Role Of Natural Language Processing Algorithms For “Predicting” Personality Traits From Text, Mukhunth Raghavan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Advances in text analytic approaches to measuring personality traits from text and speech have shown great promise for automating the assessment of personality. While a lot of effort has gone into developing robust algorithms for predicting personality ratings, more work is needed in understanding the function and theoretical relationships of these algorithmic ratings. This study proposes a novel application of the Trait-Reputation-Identity model (McAbee and Connelly, 2016), wherein, algorithm-generated ratings form the Reputation factor and are assumed to resemble learned observer ratings, the original self-report ratings form the Identity factor, and the total set of ratings form the consensus Trait …

Species Distribution Modeling With Environmental Time Series Data And Deep Learning, Austin M. Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Species distribution models (SDM) are frequently used to gain ecological understanding and guide conservation decisions. These models are developed with a wide variety of procedures - from regression-based approaches to more modern machine learning algorithms - but a requirement almost all share is the use of predictor variables that strongly simplify the temporal variability of driving factors. These static features are chosen by the user, which can incorporate unnecessary bias into a study. Additionally, current data preparation techniques often remove variables from the process entirely, which inherently removes information that may still be of importance. Conversely, novel architectures of deep …

Ecological Epidemiology Of The Fungal Pathogen Ophidiomyces Ophiodiicola In Southeastern U.S. Snake Populations: Distribution, Drivers, And Anthropogenic Risk Factors, Shivam Shukla

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Studying wildlife diseases is an important conservation measure, as many pathogens are a critical threat to biodiversity worldwide. Ophidiomycosis is an emerging infectious disease caused by the invasive fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola that affects a wide variety of snake species, often causing mortality. There has been limited surveillance for ophidiomycosis in the southeastern United States’ (US) snake populations and research into the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on disease spread is also lacking. Thus, this project aimed to quantify the distribution and drivers (taxonomic, anthropogenic, and morphological) of ophidiomycosis in Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi’s free ranging snakes as well as study …

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

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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

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

Reflections On The Teacher Evaluation Process: Experiences Told By K-12 Teachers, Trinicia S. Murphy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In education, it is essential for stakeholders like district leaders, teachers, and government officials to collaborate and create a plan of action that would support K-12 instruction. Collaborations as such have been used for decades by policymakers and researchers to express philosophies, values, and beliefs about education to make improvements and/or push for change. Therefore, the educational system will continue to evolve with current and upcoming research findings. For example, evaluating teachers effectively has been one of the most controversial topics in education. According to Boyd (1989), teacher evaluations were constructed to measure teachers’ competences and promote professional development. Today, …

Artificial Reefs As Management Tools, Tiff Raetzel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Artificial reefs are attractive tools for fisheries management and reef conservation, as they can host large fish biomasses, including fisheries-important species, and they may supplement natural recruitment. Prior studies have established that artificial and natural reefs differ in habitat complexity and host both taxonomically and functionally distinct assemblages. These differences may impact how the reef types respond to environmental disturbance because ecosystem stability is dependent upon habitat structure, species composition, and trophic interactions. A question of management importance is whether artificial reefs host a less- or more-sensitive suite of species than natural reefs, and whether the assemblage is conducive to …