Digital Commons Network^™

Imperial Crosshairs: Grand Marronage At Negro Fort Along The Apalachicola River, Colby J. Williams Ii

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Grand marronage describes the process whereby Africans sought to liberate themselves from enslavement through means of escape to establish permanent communities and create a truly free society. The Southeastern region of the modern United States was once a geopolitical arena where European and Euro-American empires sought to spread their power and influence over both the Indigenous and African inhabitants. Following the American Revolution was the War of 1812, fought between the former colonial master and the recently formed United States. Commonly referred to as the Second War of American Independence, and infamously known for the burning of the White House. …

Hidden In Plain Sight: Chinos, Casta, And La Florida, Kylie A. Culver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

"Hidden in Plain Sight: Chinos, Casta, and La Florida" looks at the origin and use of the term chino/a within the Spanish casta system, focusing on its role in the St. Augustine Parish Archives from 1693 to 1754. In the St. Augustine parish registers, there were thirty-two separate entries that consisted of chinos/as. The presence of multiple individuals identified as chinos in Spanish Florida highlights the diversity of colonial Spain and demonstrates crucial understandings of the legal effects of casta. A careful analysis of these individuals reveals that the term chino/a did not necessarily refer to people of Asian origin …

From Russia With Love: The Transposal Of Hunger Strikes From Russia To Britain In The Late Nineteenth And Early Twentieth Centuries, Rachel Yvonne Stanton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The British suffragettes’ utilization of the hunger strike as a political tool in the early twentieth century has roots tracing back to Russian political prisons of the late nineteenth century. The unique adoption and adaptation of the Russian method of hunger strike in England cannot be fully understood without examining the origins of the revolutionary hunger strikes through a gendered lens. Using case studies of various Russian women and their experiences as both university students and political prisoners, this research aims to unearth the reasons why women in both Russia and England had a particular affinity for the use of …

An Investigation Into The Efficacy Of Self-Monitoring And Mixed Schedules For Reducing Stereotypy In Children With Autism, Ryan J. Hinderliter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with disabilities, especially children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), often engage in problem behaviors that can have a negative impact on their quality of life. This study explored the application of self-monitoring (SM) and mixed schedules as alternative strategies for reducing stereotypy in children with autism. Stereotypy (STPY) is a repetitive motor behavior commonly observed in individuals with autism. The study employed a multiple baseline across participants design with three participants ages 6 and 14, diagnosed with autism, and exhibiting STPY as the target behavior. After participant selection, a baseline phase was followed by three treatment conditions: Differential Reinforcement …

A Python Pipeline For Rapid Inversion Of Gravity Data Aimed At Early Career Researchers: Application To The Lost River Fault, Idaho, Bradford C. Mack

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gravity data and modeling can be used to create a 3D view of basin and fault geometries, a valuable tool for seismic hazard assessment. Additionally, access to a high-speed, easy-to-use modeling workflow will enable more researchers to supplement their work with a new method and allow students to be exposed to modeling earlier in their academic careers. The primary goals of this work are to create a widely usable 3D gravity and basin model, to create an introduction to modeling teaching module for undergraduate geology students, and to apply the model to the northernmost two segments of the Lost River …

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 …

Cultivating Coastal Communities: An Exploration Of Synergies And Tradeoffs To The Colocation Of Stormwater Ponds And Urban Agriculture In Tampa Bay, Estenia Ortiz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cultivating resilience in coastal communities such as Tampa Bay is becoming increasingly important as urbanization continues to fuel complex environmental and social challenges further exacerbated by sea level rise, habitat degradation, and more intense storm events. Food and water systems are particularly vulnerable under these circumstances, jeopardizing residents’ quality of life. This research explored the nexus of stormwater detention ponds and urban agriculture, namely community and residential gardens, this research reveals factors to consider in the colocation of these systems to build local community resilience and protect waterways.

Focusing on East Tampa, a historic Black community in Florida, and the …

Narratives Of Resilience: The Power Of Creative Expression And Community Support During Familial Incarceration, Alana Alexander

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Existing literature stresses that the far-reaching effects of mass incarceration extend beyond prison walls, profoundly shaping familial experiences. Despite this, families remain consistently overlooked in criminal justice discourse, leading to heightened stress and diminished resilience. This thesis is a program review of a community-based program, referred to here as the Storytelling, Creativity, and Care (SCC) program, to protect the confidentiality of its participants and activities. The SCC program integrates neuroscience and narrative theory to explore how storytelling influences cultural perceptions, shapes lived experiences, and supports psychological and physiological healing. Additionally, this work investigates the socio-political narratives that perpetuate stigma and …

3d Reconstruction And Comparative Anatomical And Kinematic Analyses Of The Foot Of Archaeopteryx, Alexander M. Kirk

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research on the evolution of dinosaur flight has long been dominated by the wing, often overlooking the foot. The foot of Archaeopteryx, the “icon of evolution”, thus offers a unique opportunity to investigate this critical evolutionary stage. Chapter I of this dissertation integrates advanced 3D reconstruction techniques, combining photogrammetry with X-ray data, to create a high-resolution model of the foot of the Thermopolis specimen of Archaeopteryx for visualization and analysis. Driven by 3D coordinate axes derived from joint surface topology, the analyses in Chapter II reveal terrestrial adaptations -- such as a medially oriented hallux (81°), serially shorter phalanges on …

“It’S Essential We Learn How To Grow For Ourselves”: The Legacies Of Black Gardening In Racialized Food Systems., Funmi Odumosu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I aim to investigate the impact of food racism on Black communities, with a specific focus on the importance of gardening in combatting food apartheid and fostering holistic connections to nature and community in school-aged children. Inequitable access to major retail supermarkets and unequal distribution of healthy food options are intentionally occurring patterns in the food spaces of predominately Black communities. These food system inequities exacerbate a lack of consumption and potential consequences on the health and well-being of children of color particularly during critical physical and cognitive developmental periods.

Many solutions to these inequities entail implementing …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

Relationship-Influenced Cyber Hygiene (Rich) In Community Banks, Monte L. Ward

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a research study that introduces the theoretical model of Relationship-Influenced Cyber Hygiene (RICH) through its investigation of the phenomenon the researcher experienced: how the interpersonal relationship between top management and cybersecurity personnel within smaller community banks influences the cyber hygiene of top management. Due to the value proposition of community banks to their clients and the limited budget of smaller institutions for investment in cybersecurity controls and initiates, community banks need additional strategies to achieve stronger cyber hygiene, especially as it relates the greatest weakness in most cybersecurity infrastructures—the human element. This study identifies and addresses a …

Compositional Characteristics And Relationships Between Oceanic Basement, Sediment, And Volcanic Arc Rocks: Geochemical Evolution Of The South China Sea And Luzon-Taiwan Arc, Antonio J. Luna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I have characterized the geochemical signatures of the South China Sea (SCS) igneous basement and marine sediments with the intent to examine the results in the context of the understanding the origin and evolution of the SCS oceanic mafic crust, the type of sediments found in the SCS, and finally their impact on the composition of the island arc lavas within the northern Luzon Arc. This dissertation research has three main objectives:

1. Examining the origin, composition, and evolution of the SCS mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB), as well as the preexisting crustal rocks recovered near the continent-ocean transition …

Secondary Teacher Perceptions And Practices Of Intercultural Communicative Competence Development In Online Intercultural Exchanges, Paige L. Roland

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Secondary level world language programs in the United States lack efficient infusion and assessment of intercultural communicative competence in the curricula. When a learner acquires a new language, they also shape their personal identity and expand their ability to successfully interact cross-culturally, thus the need for culture and language to be understood as interdependent components of the bigger whole is evident (Liontas & Siegel, 2019). While there are extensive research theories and studies regarding models of assessment for various competences underlying intercultural communicative competence (e.g., communicative competence, idiomatic competence, sociolinguistic competence) throughout the decades, little research is available which utilizes …

Towards An International, Generalizable Marketing Strategy Maturity Model, Juan Manuel Harraca

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In an increasingly dynamic business environment, organizations face relentless pressure to adapt their strategies and optimize value propositions to maintain competitiveness. The formulation of effective marketing strategies has emerged as a critical factor in achieving sustainable competitive advantage and ensuring long-term success. However, many firms struggle to refine their marketing capabilities in response to evolving market demands. Addressing this challenge, the Marketing Strategy Maturity Model (MSMM), introduced by Harraca in 2023, offers a structured framework to assess and improve a firm’s marketing strategy formulation processes.

The MSMM provides a dual approach, emphasizing the enhancement of both the processes and the …

An Ai-Driven Framework To Enhance The Quality And Sustainability Of Manufacturing Systems, Purvee Bhatia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sustainability in manufacturing is emerging to be a key factor to minimize waste and enhance resource efficiency while maintaining product quality. Sustainability and quality are intertwined and have an impact on each other wherein sustainable practices for surface quality assessment play a pivotal role in waste management and process optimization. Advanced technologies such as machine learning have gained prominence in manufacturing and the availability and ubiquity of diverse data streams allows for the enhancement of manufacturing systems across metrics critical to the sectors in which they are employed such as performance and quality. However, many challenges remain in the effective …

Moral Of The Story: Secondary Language Arts Teachers’ Perceptions Of Students’ Moral Intelligence, Sadia Fauzia Zaman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The literature review reveals a gap in secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers’ perception of students’ moral intelligence (MI). While many character education studies examine the student perspective, this study contributes to the limited research on secondary ELA teachers’ perceptions of students’ moral intelligence and how it can be cultivated. This dissertation addresses that gap by collecting and analyzing ELA teachers’ lived experiences and perceptions of students’ MI, as well as exploring how ELA teachers and schools can support students’ moral development by integrating moral and ethical topics into instructional practices. This qualitative study used narrative inquiry to gather interview …

Determining The Role Of The Histone Demethylase Kdm5b In Microglial Reactivity To Ethanol, Jessica Wohlfahrt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Through their involvement in various processes such as phagocytosis of foreign materials and damaged cellular debris, regulatory factor release, and surveillance, the macrophages of the brain, microglia, maintain homeostasis within the central nervous system. These diverse microglial functions therefore require transition to a range of phenotypic states. The epigenetic regulation of this activity, especially through trimethylation of lysine 4 on histone H3, and its regulator, lysine demethylase (KDM)5B, is an emerging research area. KDM5B has been implicated in several diseases including cancer, inflammatory disorders, and alcohol use disorder (AUD), the latter being the focus of this dissertation project. Deep proteomic …

Flexible Docking Method Development For Computer-Aided Drug Design, Luke C. Warrensford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Modern drug discovery, the process of identifying or developing novel therapeutic compounds to treat a disease, increasingly relies on computational methods to make the process faster and more efficient. One of the most useful tools in the computer-aided drug design toolbox is molecular docking, the simulation of a protein-ligand complex to determine ligand binding affinity. The results from molecular docking help inform the overall drug discovery process on which compounds have more potential to be potent inhibitors, thus saving time and resources during the later and more expensive stages of drug discovery. Two important considerations of modern docking methods are …

Framing Barbie: A Thematic Analysis Of News Media, Mckenzie Muskett

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study qualitatively examined how newspapers and digital media sources frame the 2023 movie, Barbie, and how news media can either perpetuate stereotypes or uproot them. This was done by first facilitating a thematic analysis of newspaper articles from five major U.S news outlets, New York Times, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Tribune, and then from four major digital news outlets, Newsweek, Reuters, BBC, and NewsNation. This study utilized framing theory to identify ten frames news outlets used to frame Barbie. Additionally, feminist theory was implemented to inform the findings and analyze the articles. …

Understanding The Impact Of Cultural Competency Development On College Students Through Experiential Learning: A Study Of An Honors High-Impact Course, C. H. Kevin Lee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore how students develop cultural competency through participation in an experiential learning-embedded college course. Existing literature often addresses career readiness, student success, cultural competency, and faculty-student affairs collaboration as distinct areas of research. However, while students may engage with diversity best practices as leaders or through diversity-related courses, bridging the gap between curriculum and competency development remains a critical area for ongoing discussion.

This study focused on a course I designed on Korean culture and identity, which provided an overview of topics such as history, politics, cuisine, music, and current events. The …

The Ensemble Code As A Constructed Working Memory, Jacob Zepp

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation formalizes and refines a new theory of ensemble coding: the Non-Selective Transfer Model. Within this theory, ensemble codes and subsequent summary judgments are the result of representations constructed over a subset of information that is encoded into working memory. The work begins with a brief review of current ideas present within the ensemble coding literature, followed by a set of formalized descriptions of ensemble coding theories that have been proposed. A discussion of relevant theories present in the working memory literature is also provided to motivate the structure of the subsequent model. The Non-Selective Transfer Model 2 is …

Can The Effluent From Wastewater Stabilization Ponds Be Effectively Managed For Health And Nutrient Recovery?, Michael Glass

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater stabilization ponds, such as facultative and maturation lagoons, have been shown to be effective processes to manage conventional water quality parameters found in domestic wastewater. The main goal of this thesis is to explore whether wastewater stabilization ponds can simultaneously reduce pathogens to safe levels while supporting agricultural activities through nutrient recovery. A large dataset for water quality of wastewater lagoon effluent in the U.S. was obtained at the state level and combined into regional southern and northern locations. Analysis of data showed there was significant difference in lagoon effluent concentration between northern and southern states for the water …

Feminist Narrative Inquiry: Stories Of Five Young Adults Who Aged Out Of Florida Foster Care, Amy E. Nourie

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are approximately 400,000 children in foster care in the United States and, each year, more than 20,000 reach the age of majority without achieving permanency, also known as aging out (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2022a). Research has consistently called attention to the negative effects of foster care on youth including issues relating to substance use, housing instability, educational obstacles, and mental health concerns (Forkey & Szilagyi, 2014; Sarri et al., 2016). These negative outcomes are often even more pronounced for young adults aging out of foster care and transitioning into adulthood (Haggman-Laitila et al., 2019). Despite the decades of …

Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Level Of Preparedness To Support Students Who Encounter Adverse Childhood Experiences, Lanicia P. Marshall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to explore preservice teachers’ perceptions of their preparedness to support students who have been exposed to or/are currently encountering adverse childhood experiences. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a form of trauma and are very likely to occur among students. Due to students spending a significant amount of time in classroom settings, teachers are the first to identify possible issues that can interfere with academic performance. The present study was built upon the few studies that have focused on preservice teachers and their perceptions of preparedness to support students experiencing ACEs. Data were collected using an online survey …

Monsters, Multiplicities, And Liminal Experiences In Doctoral Education: Fabulation As Research Methodology, Anna V. Gonzalez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to experiment with qualitative research methodologies while exploring the complexities of doctoral education, research practices, philosophies of inquiry, and other topics intersecting with(in) educational scholarship. My vision for this work was fueled by postmodernist critiques of humanist education, frustrations with the methodological status quo pervasive in educational research, and deep concerns about the unsustainability of performance-focused teaching and learning.

The logic I follow in this project is simple: if we—researchers and academics—are to contribute solutions for challenges and ongoing crises in our world, then we must start thinking relationally and in ways more complex …

Seasonal And Interannual Abundance, Distribution, And Carbon Production Estimates In The Northeastern Gulf Of Mexico Using The Sipper Camera Imaging System, Carlyn Scott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Larvaceans are filter-feeding gelatinous zooplankton whose contributions to marine biogeochemical processes are poorly constrained. By frequently shedding their particle-rich houses and producing dense fecal pellets, larvaceans contribute large amounts of particulate organic matter to deeper waters and to the sea floor. Despite their importance, little is known about larvacean abundance, distribution, and carbon production in the highly productive northeastern Gulf of Mexico (NEGOM). To address this gap in knowledge, we collected images of larvaceans at discrete depths in the upper 300 m of the water column between August 2010 –2014 using the Shadowed Image Particle Profiling and Evaluation Recorder (SIPPER) …