Digital Commons Network^™

Wireless In-Situ Slurry Testing Device, Andrew Ward

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Deep foundations are a critical piece of infrastructure used in bridge and high-rise constructions. A type of deep foundation called a drilled shaft is commonly used for these types of large structures due to their ability to resist large axial and lateral loads. Excavations in many soils require hole stabilization methods often involving drilling fluids like polymer or bentonite slurries. When used properly, these slurries prevent groundwater intrusion and side wall sloughing into the excavation. Slurry specifications are set by local or state jurisdictions, research findings, or product manufacturers. Over the years, the Florida standard specifications on slurry integrity testing …

A Combined Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Social Skill Intervention For Autistic Youth With Symptoms Of Anxiety, Ashley Dreiss

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent co-occurring diagnoses in autistic youth, often exacerbating challenges in social functioning and quality of friendships. While social skills interventions and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) have demonstrated efficacy in addressing these difficulties separately, limited research has examined the integration of these approaches within an individualized format, while including measures of self-report and generalization of skills. This study investigates the development, implementation, and efficacy of a combined CBT/social skill intervention for autistic youth with symptoms of anxiety. Utilizing a single-case multiple baseline design, the study evaluates outcomes across levels of anxiety symptoms and social competence …

Creative Climates: The Impact Of Different Environmental Exposure On Group And Individual Creativity, Michael P. Hopkins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined the influence of indoor versus outdoor environmental exposure and individual versus group participation on verbal creativity performance. Guided primarily by Attention Restoration Theory (ART; Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989), it was predicted that outdoor natural settings would enhance creativity through restorative cognitive processes. Additionally, it was hypothesized that groups would outperform individuals due to the cognitive advantages of collective induction and information pooling. Participants (N = 256) completed verbal creativity tasks—Remote Associates Task (RAT; convergent creativity) and Alternate Uses Task (AUT; divergent creativity)—following a 30-minute exposure period in either an indoor student center or outdoor botanical garden setting, …

Exploring The Connection Between Mental Health Stigma, Social-Emotional Risk, And Help-Seeking Behaviors Among High School Students, Dorie Ross

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the United States, the rate of adolescents experiencing mental health-related challenges continues to rise, impacting their social-emotional well-being. Despite increasing concerns, the majority of adolescents do not seek treatment for mental health problems. One barrier contributing to a lack of help-seeking behaviors is mental health stigma. Furthermore, for students who have sought help for such concerns, there is a lack of consensus on whom high school students turn to for support when seeking help. The current study utilized quantitative methodology in the form of Structural Equation Modeling to examine the complex relationship between social-emotional risk, perceptions of mental health …

Optimal Well Being Of Those Recovering From Alcohol Use Disorder: An Exploration Of Individual Difference Factors And Treatment Outcomes, Jared Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Harmful alcohol use has continued to be one of the largest negative impact factors of daily living worldwide. Despite the pervasive use of alcohol and negative impacts that it has on the individual and society there is large disagreement on how to know when someone has “recovered” from AUD (El-Guebaly, 2012), with much of the literature focused narrowly on negative indicators (e.g., return to heavy drinking, re-occurrence of AUD symptoms). Such views have not only restricted definitions of recovery but has also created public perception that those with AUD will continue to struggle even when cessation of drinking has occurred. …

Cultural Continuity And Identity Preservation In Diaspora: The Role Of African Pentecostal Churches In Maintaining Traditions Within African Communities In The United States, Olamide T. Awoyemi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the role of African Pentecostal churches in preserving cultural traditions andshaping identities among African diaspora communities in the United States, focusing specifically on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) and Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in Tampa, Florida. Through detailed participant observation and in-depth qualitative interviews, this thesis examines how rituals, religious practices, and community engagement within these churches facilitate cultural continuity and identity negotiation among Nigerian and Ghanaian immigrants. Findings reveal that these religious institutions serve as critical sites for resisting cultural erasure, navigating the complex tensions between maintaining African heritage and adapting to American society, and providing …

Development And Photophysical Characterization Of Bioinspired Materials, Qaisar Maqbool

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Porphyrins are versatile aromatic macrocycles with unique photophysical properties that make them attractive for applications in light harvesting, photocatalysis, and sustainable energy conversion. Incorporating porphyrins into metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offers a unique opportunity to modulate their photophysical behavior through spatial confinement and host–guest interactions. This thesis explores how structural modifications influence porphyrin excited-state behavior through a multi-stage investigation. The work begins by comparing the photophysical properties of two cationic porphyrins: tetra(N-methylpyridyl) porphyrin(TMPyP) and tetra(4-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium) porphyrin(4TANP). While TMPyP exhibits significant singlet–charge transfer (S₁–CT) state mixing due to charge delocalization onto peripheral pyridinium groups, 4TANP lacks comparable behavior. The localized nature of …

Archaeological, Pxrf, And Gis Analyses At The Trestle Bridge Site (8ja186), Northwest Florida, Victoria Marie Freitas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Trestle Bridge Site (8JA186), located on an eroding riverbank of the upper Apalachicola River in northwest Florida, represents a significant multi-component precontact site with occupations that date from the Early Woodland (~800 B.C.–A.D. 300) and the Fort Walton periods (A.D. 1000-1500). Previous research has broadly classified the site based on ceramic and lithic assemblages, but a detailed investigation into pottery production and environmental changes over time at the site remains unexplored in the understudied Apalachicola valley region. There also appears to be over a thousand-year gap in occupation at the site, as no Middle or Late Woodland ceramic or …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Integrative Multi-Omics And Clinical Data Analysis For Predicting Recurrence And Survival In Uterine Cancer, Varun Sai Raigir

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The prediction of uterine cancer recurrence is very important for assisting women in reducing the cancer risks and also for the growing field of personalized medicine. The primary aim of this thesis is to investigate the integration of various omics data alongside clinical and therapeutic information to predict survival in uterine cancer. The combination is very important for understanding the risk factors, including clinical aspects, genetics, and the treatment schedule, in order to prescribe the appropriate way to reduce the risk of recurrence, make clinical interactions easier, and enhance personalized patient care. This study utilizes the publicly accessible TCGA dataset, …

Essays On Policy Initiatives For Equitable And Fair Distribution Of Benefits Of Information Technology, Roohid Ahmed Syed

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The impact of Information technology on human lives is beyond measure. Information technology has become so integral to our human lives that we can no longer undermine its societal impact. While there is ample evidence for the societal gains from digital technologies, there is evidence for the inequitable distribution of such gains across society. For example, accelerated digitization of economy has left the digital haven-nots with limited access to education, health care and employment opportunities further deepening the already existing social inequities. Furthermore, increasing implementation of algorithms has created the problem of algorithmic bias across multiple domains including hiring. Though …

Automated Data Analysis For Concussion Patient Records: A Flutter-Based Desktop Application, Fhaheem Tadamarry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Concussions are a prevalent and complex medical condition requiring careful clinical assessment and data-driven insights for effective management. This thesis presents the development of an automated data analysis system for concussion patient records, integrating Flutter-based desktop application development with SQL-driven data processing. The system provides a streamlined, interactive interface for clincians and researchers to upload, visualize, and analyze patient data efficiently.

The proposed solution automates data cleaning, preprocessing, and statistical analysis, ensuring robust and reliable insights into demographic, clinical, and recovery-related factors. Key analyses include sex-based differences injury mechanisms, prior head injury impact, mood disorder correlations, and time-to-treatment variations. The …

Multimodal Ai-Driven Biomarker For Early Detection Of Cancer Cachexia, Sabeen Ahmed

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cancer cachexia is a metabolic syndrome characterized by substantial skeletal muscle loss, impacting cancer patients' survival and quality of life. Despite its clinical significance, early detection remains a challenge due to the lack of standardized diagnostic criteria and the reliance on indirect markers. This work presents an AI-driven approach to enhance cachexia detection and monitoring by integrating multiple deep learning methodologies. We explore transformer architectures for time-series analysis to model sequential medical data, enabling disease prediction and progression modeling. To ensure robust and reliable decision-making in clinical settings, we explore Bayesian deep neural networks for uncertainty estimation. Additionally, we introduce …

Enhancing Ai Reliability: Probabilistic Inference And Neural Optimization, Behnam Zeinali Rizi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Deep neural networks have recently shown better performance than traditional machine learning algorithms in various applications such as computer vision, natural language processing, indoor navigation, and biomedical signal/bio-informatics data processing tasks. However, some main challenges still exist when harnessing these models for different applications. The first challenge is the performance of these methodologies for some specific types of data, such as Biomedical images, IMU measurements, and even bioinformatics data, such as genome expression. Moreover, deploying these models on mobile and IoT devices is computationally challenging. Most devices use cloud computing, where powerful deep-learning models analyze the data on a server. …

Textbook Content Analysis For Statistical Content Standards For 8th-Grade Math: Commercial Publishers, Curriculum Software Supplement, And An Open Educational Resource, Matthew M. O'Brien

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the vertical and horizontal content analysis of statistical content within current 8th-grade mathematics instructional materials to determine the extent to which students are provided with opportunity to learn high cognitive instances and the usage of the four phases of statistical problem-solving across two commercial publishers, one open educational resource, and one curriculum software supplement. All previous analyses of statistics education content textbooks have only examined textbooks from commercial publishers or those published by national governments. The horizontal content textbook analysis investigated the textbook's background information and overall structure. The vertical content textbook analysis examined the cognitive level …

Pedagogy, Technology Acceptance, And Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Among Nursing Faculty, Rachel Ross

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Integrating pedagogical and technological knowledge among faculty is crucial, especially within Florida state colleges’ Nursing (ADN) programs. I explored the impact of three decades of technological advancements on faculty's ability to incorporate technology into their teaching methods using a qualitative, exploratory design; I conducted semi-structured interviews via Microsoft Teams. The analysis of faculty perceptions, experiences, and challenges reveals a significant gap in pedagogical knowledge despite strong subject matter expertise, indicating underdeveloped instructional strategies and learner-centered pedagogies. Additionally, participants exhibited a diverse understanding of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, highlighting difficulties in effectively integrating technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. …

Examining Within- And Cross-Language Relationships And Quantitative Methods In Spanish-English Dual Language Learners' School Readiness Skills, Shaunacy R. Sutter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aims of this three paper dissertation are as follows: First, to examine the cross-domain associations between school readiness skills, including oral language, literacy, and math skills, within and across languages in Spanish-English speaking DLLs in PreK. Second, to explore the cross-domain associations between oral language, literacy, and mathematics skills at varying levels of literacy and math achievement. Finally, to review the quantitative methods used in research on school readiness skills and the home and classroom contextual factors that support these skills for Spanish-English speaking DLLs in the United States over the past decade. Spanish-English speaking DLLs enter early childhood …

Relationship Between Motivation, Requesting Accommodations, Rapport, And Adequate Progress In College Students With Disabilities During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Harold Holmes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

College students with disabilities often face challenges including difficulty accessing accommodations and developing satisfactory rapport with instructors when navigating their college experience. These challenges can negatively impact their academic progress and their ability to complete their programs of study. The first purpose of this study was to describe the levels of self-efficacy, perceived control, willingness to request accommodations, instructor- student rapport, and adequate progress towards a degree among college students with disabilities. The second purpose was to determine any relationships between these variables. Undergraduate students with disabilities at a public university in the southeast region of the United States completed …

The Prideful Ass: Using Augustine's Neoplatonic Theory Of Sin To Investigate Curiosity In Apuleius' Golden Ass, Danielle E. Booth

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ancient discourse about the beneficial yet predominantly dangerous role of curiosity inattaining knowledge was prevalent in the Roman Empire around the 2nd century C.E. when the North African author, Apuleius, composed his Latin novel, the Golden Ass. Although there is no shortage of modern scholarship that focuses on how Apuleius dramatizes obsessive intrigue by means of his protagonist, Lucius, contemporary publications seldom reorient the discussion to consider how unclear he is about the unstated source of curiosity, as I do in the following thesis. Approaching this topic through the context of ancient Neoplatonism, I argue Augustine of Hippo – a …

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 …

Incorporating Data Mining Techniques In Inverse Propensity Score Weighting With A Latent Class Exposure: An Application To The Nsse Data, Siyu Liu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

College graduation is a key goal for both students and institutions, yet increasing rates of four-year graduation has proven challenging. An initiative that has been implemented focuses on enhancing student participation both in the classroom and across the broader academic setting. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) has been used by many institutions worldwide as a tool to evaluate student engagement through self-reported data. Research indicates that NSSE is linked to students’ academic success, such as better course grades, retention, and timely graduation. However, the existing relationships have been opaque and even contradictory. This study employs a newly developed …

Finding Solutions To Missed Appointments And Leveraging Virtual Technology In The Healthcare Setting, Adam R. Brown

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The healthcare community faces numerous challenges concerning patients and their ability to attend appointments as scheduled. Reports indicate that annually, between 23% and 34% of appointments are missed. This challenge creates a cascading effect of wasted time, resources, and valuable appointment slots in an already strained environment. The investigation of this phenomenon is not new and has been extensively researched in the operations management literature. While numerous solutions have been proposed over the past decade, there remains a need to continually advance this research. Beyond merely recognizing missed appointments and potential modalities to alleviate this issue within the care framework, …

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 …

Telecollaboration As An Approach To Facilitating Intercultural Communicative Competence And Exposure To Arabic Dialects In Arabic As Foreign Language Classrooms In The Us: Exploring Teachers’ Perspectives And Practices, Reham Abuemira

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The literature on foreign language education shows an increasing interest in incorporating intercultural communicative competence in the foreign language curriculum. However, making intercultural communicative competence an active component in Arabic as a foreign language curriculum in the United States has been overshadowed by a heavy emphasis placed on developing learners’ grammatical competence instead. Intercultural communicative competence has been proven to help language learners develop an awareness of their own culture and other cultures, an appreciation for both the target language and culture, and a set of necessary skills that allow them to communicate effectively and appropriately with others. Intercultural communicative …

Navigating The College-To-Career Transition: Social Capital And Career Readiness Of First-Generation College Students Participating In The Professional Skills Mentoring Program, Olivia T. Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates how first-generation college (FGC) students utilize social capital to navigate the challenging transition from college to career, addressing a critical gap in the literature given the increasing emphasis on post-graduation employment and the unique obstacles these students face. FGC students often lack the same access to professional networks and career resources as their peers, highlighting the need for targeted support programs. This research explores the impact of the Professional Skills Mentoring Program (PSMP) on FGC student career readiness.

Drawing on Yosso's (2005) Community Cultural Wealth framework, this qualitative case study examines how FGC students leverage their diverse …