Digital Commons Network^™

Perceptions Of Senior Faculty Concerning Doctoral Student Preparation For Faculty Roles, Jennifer M. Purcell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Calls for reform in doctoral education are not new. However, the past decade has experienced renewed interest and discussion in preparing the future professoriate. Whereas most studies of graduate student socialization and preparation for faculty roles have focused on doctoral students or new faculty, this study examined the perceptions of senior faculty members involved in doctoral education. All senior faculty (n=4970) in biological sciences, English, mathematics, and non-clinical psychology from a stratified sample of 69 research universities nationwide were invited to participate. More than 1150 faculty completed a web-based survey. Respondents rated the importance of 18 competencies (based on a …

Pricing Models And Analysis Of Corporate Coupon-Bonds And Credit Default Swaptions, Michiru Shibata

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this work, pricing models of corporate coupon-bonds and credit default swaptions are derivedand analyzed. Corporate coupon-bonds are priced incorporating both intensity models and structural models, and also jumps introduced by seasonal effects. In deriving the models, we form portfolios to hedge the risk incurred by the instruments, then derive PDE equations using the arbitrage principle and the Ito Lemma for jump processes. The mathematical models are the parabolic-type PDE equations with terminal conditions and boundary conditions. These PDE problems are analyzed and solved by various transformations and incorporation with probabilistic properties. Either a unique solution in the exponential form …

Construct Validity Of Situational Judgment Tests: An Examination Of The Effects Of Agreeableness, Organizational Leadership Culture, And Experience On Sjt Responses, Jonathan Adam Shoemaker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Numerous factors are likely to influence response patterns to situational judgment tests, including agreeableness, leadership style, impression management, and job and organizational experience. This research presents background information and research on situational judgment tests and several constructs hypothesized to influence situational judgment test responses. A situational judgment test and manipulations to influence response patterns were developed and piloted with a small sample of management professionals and undergraduate students. Larger samples of management professionals and undergraduate students participated in the experimental research. Participants were asked to imagine that they are applying for a job. Each participant was presented with background information …

How Do Proficient Intermediate Grade Writers Percieve Writing In School?, Tammy Weiss Schimmel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine students' perspectives of writing instruction to gain insights into their awareness of the impact of high-stakes writing assessments on instructional practices and teaching strategies. Students in grades four and five who attended the 2004 Suncoast Young Author's Celebration (SYAC) served as the sample for this study. Data were gathered through surveys and interviews with 20 students who attended the SYAC. Survey questions were used to obtain general information about the students' perceptions of writing instruction and assessment. Interviews were conducted to gain a richer understanding of their perceptions of classroom experiences.The participants …

The Relationship Between School Connectedness And Bullying Vicitmization In Secondary Students, Janet Urbanski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bullying is a complex behavior that can cause academic and social problems for students and can contribute to a negative school climate. Students who feel isolated or do not feel connected to their school may experience similar risks to those who are victimized by peers. Recent school violence incidents have led to an increase in bullying behavior research. The importance of the school climate is also emerging in educational discourse prompting a growth of research in school connectedness and positive relationships. However, research on the impact that relationships and school connectedness may have on bullying victimization at school is limited. …

Assistive Force Feedback For Path Following In 3d Space For Upper Limb Rehabilitation Applications, Ramya Swaminathan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary objective of this research was the design of an easy to use C++ Graphical User Interface (GUI) which helps the user to choose the task that he/she wants to perform. This C++ application provides a platform intended for upper arm rehabilitation applications. The user can choose from different tasks such as: Assistive Function in 3D Space to Traverse a Linear Trajectory, User Controlled Velocity Based Scaling, Fitts' Task in X, Y, Z Directions. According to a study conducted by the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology, stroke patients aided by robotic rehabilitation devices gain significant improvement …

Uncertainty In The Information Supply Chain: Integrating Multiple Health Care Data Sources, Monica Chiarini Tremblay

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Similar to a product supply chain, an information supply chain is a dynamic environment where networks of information-sharing agents gather data from many sources and utilize the same data for different tasks. Unfortunately, raw data arriving from a variety of sources are often plagued by errors (Ballou et al. 1998), which can lead to poor decision making. Supporting decision making in this challenging environment demands a proactive approach to data quality management, since the decision maker has no control over these data sources (Shankaranarayan et al. 2003). This is true in health care, and in particular in health planning, where …

Tourist, Shopertainment, Eatertainment, Edutainment, Nature Tourism, Mass Tourism, Stephanie Tomita Wong

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Predictive models for diffusion-controlled particle dissolution are important for designing advanced and efficient solid products for controlled release applications. A computer-aided modeling framework was developed to derive the effective dissolution rates of multiple particles as the solid surface material eroded gradually into the surrounding liquid phase. The mathematical models were solved with numerical methods using the computational software MATLAB. Results from the models were imported into COMSOL Script to create three-dimensional plots of the particle size data as a function of time. The release model found for the monodispersed particles was manipulated to incorporate polydisperse solids, as these are found …

Comparison Of Student Outcomes In Distance Learning Internships Versus Traditional Dietetic Internships, Lauri Y. Wright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One way in which higher education is responding to technology advances, demographics changes, and economic pressures is through the development of distance learning. Distance learning represents one of the most prominent trends in higher education today. Understanding the impact of this technologically driven change on student outcomes is unmistakably important. One example of this trend in higher education is the distance learning internship in dietetic training programs. The purpose of this study was to compare student outcomes in distance learning dietetic internships to student outcomes in traditional dietetic internships. The pass rate of the registration exam for dietitians, levels of …

Design Of Metal-Organic Framework Materials Based Upon Inorganic Clusters And Polycarboxylates, Zhenqiang Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Network structures based upon metal-organic backbones represent a new class of functional materials that can be rationally constructed by employing the concepts of supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering. The modularity of design strategies, the diversity of prototypal structures, and the dynamic features of networks have afforded great advantages over traditional materials syntheses. The research presented in this dissertation is primarily concerned with developing an in-depth understanding of the basic principles that govern the supramolecular behaviors of metal-organic frameworks and gaining an experimental control over the structure and function of these new classes of hybrid materials.

The use of rigid and …

Statistical Environmental Models: Hurricanes, Lightning, Rainfall, Floods, Red Tide And Volcanoes, Rebecca Dyanne Wooten

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study consists of developing descriptive, parametric, linear and non-linear statistical models for such natural phenomena as hurricanes, lightning, flooding, red tide and volcanic fallout. In the present study, the focus of research is determining the stochastic nature of phenomena in the environment. These statistical models are necessary to address the variability of nature and the misgivings of the deterministic models, particularly when considering the necessity for man to estimate the occurrence and prepare for the aftermath.

The relationship between statistics and physics looking at the correlation between wind speed and pressure versus wind speed and temperature play a significant …

Hydrogen Isotopic Ratios Of Algal And Terrestrial Organic Matter In Lake Tulane, Florida: From A Modern Calibration To The Reconstruction Of Paleoclimatic And Paleohydrologic Conditions, Eric Charles Cross

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent sedimentary records have indicated that climate in low latitude, continental environments have varied significantly throughout the mid to late Holocene. In subtropical North America, major climatic phenomena such as the migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the Bermuda High have been shown to play a major role in this variability. Specifically, the northward migration of the ITCZ and the eastward position of the Bermuda High during summer months leads to warmer and wetter conditions over subtropical North America, and vice versa. A quantitative approach to understanding hydrologic dynamics (i.e. atmospheric circulation patterns, relative humidity) associated with these …

Geophysical Investigations And Groundwater Modeling Of The Hydrologic Conditions At Masaya Caldera, Nicaragua, Richard Eric Macneil

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Masaya volcano, Nicaragua, has been the site of tremendous Plinian basaltic eruptions. Two eruptions ~6,500 and 2,250 BP formed the 6 kilometer (km) x 11 km, northwest trending Masaya caldera. The present day active Santiago Crater within the caldera is the site of persistent volcano degassing and occasional phreatic explosions. While the mechanism responsible for these phreatic explosions is unclear, one possible explanation is the interaction of groundwater with the shallow magma chamber beneath Masaya. This interaction with meteoric water is supported by the substantial steam discharge from the vent, which is significantly larger than other similar volcanoes in the …

Metal-Organic Networks Based Upon Dicarboxylato Ligands, Zhenqiang Wang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Network structures based upon metal-organic backbones represent a new class of functional materials that can be rationally constructed by employing the concepts of supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering. The modularity of design strategies, the diversity of prototypal structures, and the dynamic features of networks have afforded great advantages over traditional materials syntheses. The research presented in this thesis is primarily concerned with developing an in-depth understanding of the basic principles that govern the supramolecular behaviors of metal-organic networks and gaining an experimental control over the structure and function of these new classes of hybrid materials.

The use of rigid and …

Development Of Models For Understanding Causal Relationships Among Activity And Travel Variables, Xin Ye

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding joint and causal relationships among multiple endogenous variables has been of much interest to researchers in the field of activity and travel behavior modeling. Structural equation models have been widely developed for modeling and analyzing the causal relationships among travel time, activity duration, car ownership, trip frequency and activity frequency. In the model, travel time and activity duration are treated as continuous variables, while car ownership, trip frequency and activity frequency as ordered discrete variables. However, many endogenous variables of interest in travel behavior are not continuous or ordered discrete but unordered discrete in nature, such as mode choice, …

Inorganic Sorption In Polymer Modified Bentonite Clays, Melody Schwartz Nocon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 1986, geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) were invented and successfully used as a replacement for the soil layer in composite lining systems. In some applications an additive (polymer) is mixed with the bentonite to increase performance, especially in those that have low concentrations of sodium bentonite (EPA 2001).Studies showing significant increases in hydraulic conductivity values for bentonite in the presence of high salt concentrations are frequently documented and there is a risk of early breakthrough due to performance failure of the GCL clay component. (Ashmawy et al, 2002). It has also been stated that sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium have …

An Investigation Into The Antifungal Activities Of N-Thiolated Beta- Lactams Against Selected Candida Species, Marci Culbreath

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

β-lactam antibiotics have long been a reliable course of treatment for bacterial infections. However, with recent increases in resistance and rising populations of immunocompromised patients new β-lactams have been synthesized and tested. The Turos laboratory has recently discovered novel β-lactams that have a mode of action distinct from penicillin and other β-lactam antibiotics as cell lysis is not observed. In the current investigations, these compounds are shown to also have antifungal properties. The rising incidence and prevalence of invasive fungal infections has become an increasing concern. The most common fungal pathogens involved in these infections are species in the genus …

Impacts Of Rainfall Events On Wastewater Treamtent Processes, Erin K. Mcmahan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Current research is revealing that stormwater can carry pathogens and that this stormwater is entering wastewater treatment facilities. During periods of intense rainfall, not only can stormwater carry higher amounts of pathogens, but it also increases the flow rate to the wastewater treatment facility. In many instances, the flow rate exceeds the facilities' treatment capacity and can impact treatment performance. The purpose of this study was to identify whether wastewater treatment is impaired during periods of increased rainfall, and to compare current policies that address this issue. The study was conducted using a case study approach to analyze historical precipitation …

Predicting Delinquency In Adolescence And Young Adulthood: A Longitudinal Analysis Of Risk And Protective Factors, Amy E. Green

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Longitudinal studies that track individuals from childhood into adulthood may be the best method to identify risk and protective factors for crime and delinquency. The primary goals of this study were to determine 1) the ability of risk factors identified by the end of elementary school to predict delinquency referrals, 2) the extent to which positive assets (promotive factors) add to the prediction of delinquency, and 3) potential interactions between these risk and promotive factors that moderate the relationship between risk and delinquency referrals. The final purpose was to identify gender and racial differences in these relationships. The current study …

The Development Of Leibniz’S Substance Ontology From 1666-1688, Justin Sean Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leibniz’s early conception of individual substance ontology is one of the most puzzling, and fascinating, within the history of philosophy. It is the purpose of this paper to show that: 1) Leibniz did develop a coherent scheme that embodied his substance ontology, 2) the exposition of his early substance ontology is in A Specimen of the Discoveries of the Admirable Secrets of Nature in General, written in 1688 and, 3) the scheme is not sufficiently represented in the Discourse on Metaphysics.

Leibniz slowly developed a multifaceted view of substance within the twenty years previous to the writing of the Discourse. …

Modeling The 100-Year Flood Using Gis: A Flood Analysis In The Avon Park Watershed, Alan Stephen Booker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Using hydraulic modeling and Geographic Information System (GIS) software, the 100-year flood was delineated for the municipality of Avon Park located in Highlands County, Florida. A detailed and rigorous approach was undertaken to first collect and develop an extensive spatial database to store the data collected that is pertinent to the model. This analysis combined ArcGIS version 8.3 and the Interconnected Channel and Pond Routing (ICPR) model version 3.02 to develop hydraulic models that assigned regulatory flood elevation within the watershed. The model results were post processed and brought into GIS to delineate the 100-year flood.The steps outlined in this …

Video-Based Person Identification Using Facial Strain Maps As A Biometric, Vasant Manohar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research on video-based face recognition has started getting increased attention in the past few years. Algorithms developed for video have an advantage from the availability of plentitude of frames in videos to extract information from. Despite this fact, most research in this direction has limited the scope of the problem to the application of still image-based approaches to some selected frames on which 2D algorithms are expected to perform well. It can be realized that such an approach only uses the spatial information contained in video and does not incorporate the temporal structure.Only recently has the intelligence community begun to …

The Enthymeme’S Role In Modern Discourse, Ryan Meehan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this paper, I wish to demonstrate how enthymemic argument pervades modern discourse. First, I will define the enthymeme in Aristotelian terms and compare its qualities to its sibling, the syllogism. Next, I will attempt to demonstrate how the enthymeme functions, paying close attention to its psychological effects as well as analyzing how the media helps promote enthymemic discourse. Finally, I will propose a way that composition instructors can harness the idea of the enthymeme to facilitate critical thinking in the classroom. The purpose of the paper is to provide evidence that a rebirth of this classical term is in …

Chemo-Enzymatic Route To Synthesis Of Biodegradable Polymers And Glycolipid Analogs, Surbhi Bhatt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

New catalytic synthetic methods in organic chemistry that satisfy increasingly stringent environmental constraints are in great demand by the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Studies over last 15 years have revealed that activity of enzymes can be increased in organic solvents rather than their natural aqueous environment. Because of their ease of use, high selectivity and environment friendliness, enzymes are enjoying increasing popularity in today's synthesis world.

Chapter 1 describes chemo-enzymatic synthesis of various glycolipid analogs. A highly regioselective macrolactonization was achieved using lipase from Candida antarctica as a catalyst. It also describes evaluation of lipases from different source and their …

Modeling The Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Coral-Algal Symbiosis, Dana Joy Gaydos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coral reefs thrive in nutrient-deficient environments yet function among the most productive ecosystems on Earth as a consequence of the symbiosis between coral hosts and their symbiotic zooxanthellae. The symbiotic unit (holobiont) can utilize both inorganic and organic sources of nutrients for the accumulation of carbon and nitrogen required for metabolism, growth, and reproduction. An iterative model was created to describe the flux of carbon and nitrogen between a host and its algae. The model design is based on a previously published conceptual model of algal symbioses; functions and values of input parameters are based on published studies of the …

The Application Of A Modified Human Development Index: Spatial Modeling Of Socioeconomic Well-Being For Florida Counties, Clay Kelsey

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses the United Nations Human Development Index as a model for comparing a selected set of socioeconomic indicators across Florida’s sixty-seven counties. Whether for urban planning, hazards mitigation, transportation forecasting, or other county-level and state-level functions, information and understanding of socioeconomic conditions are keys to efficient planning and policy making, both in the early development stages as well as during implementation. A summary overview of socioeconomic well-being and its distribution across a given area offers a distinct advantage in terms of deciding where planning or policy changes are most needed and where they will prove most beneficial.

This …

The Effect Of Dem Resolution On The Computation Of Hydrologically Significant Topographic Attributes, David Alexander Crosby

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Terrain attributes computed from Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are widely used in hydrology and hydrologic modeling. It is important to consider that the values of the attributes can be different depending on the resolution of the DEM from which they are derived. The question arises as to how much exactly the high-resolution DEMs created through LIDAR remote sensing techniques change the values of the terrain attributes when compared to lower resolution DEMs.In this thesis a LIDAR-derived DEM of 20 feet resolution was resampled using a nearest-neighbour algorithm to various coarser resolutions to examine and quantify the effect of DEM resolution …

An Exploratory Analysis Of The Effects Of A Statewide Mandatory Grade Retention Policy And Student Academic Achievement, Larry J. Porter Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The literacy skills of students have become a significant concern among legislators and educators. The federal government has responded to this by enacting legislation that increases state accountability to provide evidence-based interventions to struggling readers. In response, the State of Florida has mandated mandatory retention for third-grade students who are at risk for reading failure. Third-grade students who do not pass the Florida comprehensive Assessment Test-Reading (FCAT) are retained. Students who score at Level 1 are retained, and students who scored at Levels 2 through 5 are promoted.

Research has indicated that retention has been an ineffective intervention to improve …

An Inquiry Concerning The Teaching Of Critical Thinking In An Advanced Placement Literature And Composition Class, Minnette Northcutt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project is intended to serve as an exploratory investigation of inquiry-based teaching in an Advanced Placement (AP) literature and composition course. The rigid curricular constraints of AP courses and the assessment-based guidelines for teaching such courses can challenge the value placed in teaching students to think critically. This project seeks to draw attention to the difficult terrain that teachers navigate when trying to foster environments that facilitate inquiry-based learning while at the same time holding students to the standards set by the curriculum. As an exploratory study, the project aims to identify important issues and questions concerning inquiry-based learning …

The Effects Of Role-Playing On The Development Of Adaptive Skills In A Parent Training Program, Chantell A. Rodriguez-Del Valle

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Parent training programs are widely used to remediate ineffective strategies being

used by parents of children with maladaptive behaviors. While there are a multitude of

parenting workshops available, it has been estimated that over half have no established

effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to advance our knowledge regarding the

effects of modeling and role-playing (in an experimentally controlled design), used to

supplement the parent workshop called “Winning at Parenting” and enhance development

of adaptive parenting skills of participants.

This study trained parents in the behavioral techniques of clear communication,

differential attention, and time-out procedures via modeling by the …