Dennis Herman Washer - Cwgc Certificate, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: Dennis Herman Washer

Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Certificate for RAF cadet Dennis Herman Washer who died on April 28, 1943, while training to be a pilot at 5BFTS. He is buried in the CWGC British Plot. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia.

Leonard George Stone Course 14 Cwgc Certificate, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: Leonard George Stone

Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Certificate for RAF cadet Leonard George Stone who died on August 24, 1943, while training to be a pilot at 5BFTS. He is buried in the CWGC British Plot. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia.

Louis Wells - Biography, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: Louis Wells

Biography of RAF cadet Louis Wells who died in a car accident while training to be a pilot under the Arnold Scheme at Gunter Field, Montgomery, Alabama. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission British Plot. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia.

Richard Baden Thorp - Biography, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: Richard Baden Thorp

Biography of RAF cadet Richard Baden Thorp who was killed in a plane crash on July 16, 1942, while training to be a pilot at 5BFTS. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission British Plot. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia.

Ronald Albert Purrett - Biography, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: Ronald Albert Purrett

Biography of RAF cadet Ronald Albert Purrett who was killed in a plane crash on December 14, 1942, while training to be a pilot at 5BFTS. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission British Plot. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia.

Alfred Thomas Lloyd - Cwgc Certificate, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: Alfred Thomas Lloyd

Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Certificate for RAF cadet Alfred Thomas Lloyd who accidentally drowned while training to be a pilot under the Arnold Scheme at Carlstrom Field, Arcadia, Florida. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission British Plot. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia.

Dennis Herman Washer - Biography, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: Dennis Herman Washer

Biography of RAF cadet Dennis Herman Washer who was killed in a plane crash on April 28, 1943 October 9, while training to be a pilot at 5BFTS. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission British Plot. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia.

Mervyn H E 'Terry' Thomas - Cwgc Certificate, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: Marvin H.E. (Terry) Thomas

Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Certificate for RAF cadet Mervyn H E ‘Terry’ Thomas who died on April 28, 1943, while training to be a pilot at 5BFTS. He is buried in the CWGC British Plot. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia.

Edward C F Vosper - Biography, Jenifer A. Harding

Documents: Edward C.F. Vosper

Biography of RAF cadet Edward Claude Frederick Vosper who was killed in a plane crash on August 8, 1943, while training to be a pilot at 5BFTS. He is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission British Plot. at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia.

Supporting Clinical Readiness And Well-Being In New Graduate Nurses: A Scoping Review, Angela Cyr

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

Objective: To map and synthesize current evidence on orientation strategies that integrate clinical and psychosocial support for newly licensed nurses, with a focus on first-year retention outcomes.

The Fundamentals Of Care (Foc) Experience: Educators Introducing Clinical Staff To The Fundamentals Of Care Through Technology., Ashley E. Cunningham, Sophia Ouellette

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

The aim of this project was to examine how watching a video explanation of the Fundamentals of Care Framework would influence clinical staffs’ reflections on their implementation of fundamental care.

Rethinking Orientation: Embedding The Fundamentals Of Care Framework In The Onboarding Of Newly Licensed Nurses, Angela Cyr

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

The transition from education to NICU practice is a vulnerable and high‑stakes period for new nurses, requiring rapid clinical, emotional, and professional adaptation. Grounded in the Fundamentals of Care framework, this work reframes orientation as a person‑centered, relational process that supports readiness, well‑being, and sustainable practice.

Using A Multimedia Icu Diary To Support Patient Recovery And Enhance Family Engagement In The Medical Intensive Care Unit Primary, Eliza Palow

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

The purpose of this project was to design and implement a multimedia ICU diary incorporating QR-coded educational tools to support patient and family engagement, improve understanding of the ICU environment, and enhance emotional orientation and recovery during and after hospitalization.

Geriatric Comfort Cart Implementation In The Emergency Department, James Benson, Robert Anderson, Jake Simon, Doris Meehan

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

Background: As emergency departments (ED) increasingly serve aging populations, evidence-based approaches to improve geriatric care are essential. The Mayo Clinic’s Geriatric Comfort Cart received strong provider endorsement, but little was known about item choices. Understanding these differences is critical for patient centered care. This project examined whether items chosen by ED staff differed from those chosen by patients and tracked selection rates.

Numerical Study Of Air Vents Influence On Wave Forces Acting On Box-Type Bridge Girders With Cavities Under Storm Surge, Khalida H. Jihad

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Along with the continuous rise of sea level, direct interaction between elevated coastal structures, such as coastal bridges, and seawater during storm surge, has been shown to potentially cause bridge failures in the past. For example, Hurricane Irma (2017) generated storm surge levels exceeding 2-3 m in portions of South Florida, causing widespread transportation disruption including roadway washouts, erosion, and bridge approach damage along US-1 in Florida Keys. Similar failures have occurred during Hurricane Ivan (2004), where uplift forces displaced spans of the Escambia Bay Bridge, and Hurricane Ian (2022), which caused partial collapse of the Sanibel Causeway when elevated …

Development And Testing Of A Low-Cost Inertial Impact Sensor, Gabriel Michael Pesek

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Acceleration sensors have seen increasing usage within sports to detect when somebody receives an impact to their head which can potentially lead to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). While adoption of these sensors has steadily risen, the cost of these sensors is often cited as a reason they have not been as widely adopted, especially for amateur teams. This leads to the need for a lower-cost option for detecting these impacts. To fill this gap, a low-cost, lightweight acceleration sensor was designed that exploits the inertia of a working fluid on impact in order to rupture a metallic membrane which acts …

Cryptic Social Mechanisms And Associated Consequences In The Gouldian Finch, Thomas Mateo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many species of birds rely on visual displays to communicate information to their conspecifics, but it can be difficult to determine the specific functions of such displays. In the Gouldian Finch and its relatives, the contexts in which the peering display has been witnessed indicate that it has multiple uses in social learning such as song learning and communicating reproductive intent. Two flocks of finches were housed separately at the University of North Florida aviary and observed for several months while nest boxes were placed in each habitat. In both flocks, peering increased during the summer molt, but did not …

The Un-Bridged Pipeline: Leading And Preparing Women Of Color To Senior-Level Higher Education Administration, Jacqueline D. Slater

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite increased educational attainment among Black women, representation in senior‑level leadership positions within higher education remains limited. This qualitative study examines the experiences of Black women who serve or have served in senior‑level academic administrative roles and explores how those experiences inform guidance, preparation, and decision‑making for future Black women leaders. The study focuses on practical barriers, workplace realities, and strategies that shape leadership entry, advancement, and retention.

Using a descriptive case study design, five Black women with professional experience as presidents, provosts, vice provosts, and academic deans participated in semi‑structured interviews lasting 45 to 75 minutes. Purposeful sampling ensured …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Families Of Students With Significant Disabilities In Accessing Community Transition Supports In Rural Settings, Michael David Green Jr.

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The transition process beyond high school can be daunting for students with disabilities and their families. Families often encounter difficulties accessing community-based supports after students leave the K–12 education system despite federal legislative mandates under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Rural contexts further complicate the experience for families accessing adult services after high school. The current hermeneutic phenomenological study explored how families of students with significant disabilities experienced accessing community transition supports after leaving high school in rural contexts. Through the lens of van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenology, the study explored …

Investigating The Effects Of Pressure On Fe And Co Intercalated 2h-Tas2 Through First-Principle Calculations, Ronald E. Putnam Jr.

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Using first-principles methods, we investigate the effects of applied isotropic pressure on the electronic and magnetic properties of intercalated Fe1/3TaS2 and Co1/3TaS2. Fe1/3TaS2 has been shown to be a ferromagnet that undergoes structural and magnetic phase transitions under applied pressure. The magnetic phase transitions are observed to be linked to the structural shift, and a mixture of magnetic phase states is present between 3 GPa and 6 GPa. Co1/3TaS2 was found to be antiferromagnetic, as confirmed by experimental work. One- and two-unit-cell systems of Co1/3TaS2 are analyzed, both showing band splitting that disappears under pressure. The application of pressure forces …

Suspended Futures: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Black Adult Males Affected By Exclusionary Discipline, Tamara Jones

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black males continue to experience exclusionary discipline at disproportionately high rates in American schools, often resulting in academic disruption and long-term educational and social consequences. While existing research had extensively documented disciplinary disparities, less attention had been given to how Black males interpret and make meaning of these experiences over time. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of Black adult males who experienced exclusionary discipline during their secondary school years and examined how they now make sense of those experiences in adulthood. Grounded in Critical Race Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, the study focused on participants’ perceptions of …

Growth And Dielectric Characterization Of Epitaxial $\Mathbf{Sr_{1-X}\Text{Mg}_{X}\Text{Ti}\Text{O}_{3}}$ \Text{Thin Films}, Richard Badu

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Complex oxide materials with ferroelectric ground states remain promising candidates for next-generation high-capacitance and nonlinear microelectronic applications. One of those materials is $\mathrm{SrTiO_3}$ (STO). However, STO is an incipient ferroelectric with anomalously high dielectric permittivity at low temperatures. STO crystals possess a highly polarizable lattice that is sensitive to even small amounts of impurities. Substituting  Mg into the STO matrix is predicted to induce a correlation between ferroelectric and relaxor behavior. In this thesis, we demonstrated the growth of a series of epitaxial STO and $\mathrm{Sr}_{1-x}\mathrm{Mg}_{x}\mathrm{Ti}\mathrm{O}_{3}$ thin films using molecular beam epitaxy. The surface evolution of the $\mathrm{Sr}_{0.8}\mathrm{Mg}_{0.2}\mathrm{Ti}\mathrm{O}_{3}$ sample revealed …

Brewing Black Girl Magic: From Hush-Toned Kitchens To Educational Spaces: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Inherited Wisdom, Radical Resilience, And Professional Becoming Of Black Women, A Three-Paper Dissertation, Sheryl Patterson-Coulibaly

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how racialized and gendered expectations shape the professional experiences of Black women in predominantly white educational spaces. Drawing on a three-article format, this study investigates how Black women navigate institutional conditions that depend on their labor yet fail to provide adequate support. Grounded in Black Feminist Marxist Thought and emerging Black Womanist Theory, the study centers the emotional, relational, and spiritual dimensions of Black women’s labor, extending traditional analyses of work, leadership, and resilience.

Of Fire and Fabrication: A Systematic Review on the Myth of Strength and Erasure of Black Women in White Educational Spaces reveals that …

Finding Community: Addressing Doctoral Student Loneliness And Fostering Belonging In Higher Education, Sydney Hamrick

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Doctoral students often experience loneliness, isolation, marginalization, and other challenges related to belonging. While prior research has connected belonging to persistence, well-being, and academic success, little is known about doctoral students’ lived experiences of belonging and loneliness. This hermeneutic phenomenological study, grounded in Max van Manen’s Phenomenology of Practice, guided by the Sense of Community Theory and informed by a Transformative Worldview, explored how institutional, structural, relational, and personal factors shaped doctoral students’ experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological approach informed by van Manen’s lifeworld existentials, including lived relation, lived space, lived …

Towards All-Epitaxial Josephson Junctions With High-Temperature Superconductors, Daniela Amalfi Ojeda

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Josephson junctions are fundamental components of superconducting electronics. Although junctions based on conventional superconductors are well established, reproducible devices based on high-temperature superconductors remain challenging. This work investigates the growth, fabrication, and electrical characterization of all-epitaxial DyBa₂Cu₃O₇₋ₓ (DBCO) /SrTiO₃ (STO) /DBCO trilayer heterostructures for potential Josephson junction applications. An initial optimization of YBa₂Cu₃O₇₋ₓ (YBCO) growth produced reproducible films with a zero-resistance critical temperature ( ) of K and a maximum  of 89 K. These growth conditions were adapted to DBCO, resulting in reproducible superconducting films with values of approximately 80 K. DBCO/STO/DBCO trilayers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and …

Operationalizing Mtss: A Case Study Of Principal Leadership Practices In Guiding School-Based Leadership Teams Through Inquiry And Improvement Science, Heather M. Teto

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic widened academic achievement gaps, creating an urgent mandate for school leaders to implement systemic, data-driven frameworks to support student academic recovery. While the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a widely adopted framework for addressing these disparities, its success is dependent on the strategic involvement and instructional leadership of the school principal. This qualitative case study explores the lived experiences and leadership characteristics of elementary school principals as they lead School-Based Leadership Teams in implementing a district-developed MTSS framework.

Guided by the principles of Improvement Science and the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) inquiry cycle, this research examines the specific …

Integrating Inquiry, Peer Observation, And Professional Learning Communities: Teachers’ Experiences With A Job-Embedded Professional Learning Design, Tiffany Outman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Professional learning is often experienced through disconnected initiatives that limit opportunities for sustained collaboration, reflection, and instructional growth. This qualitative action research study explored teachers’ experiences with the integration of teacher inquiry, peer observation, and professional learning communities (PLCs) as a design for job-embedded professional learning within an elementary school setting. The study emerged from an existing culture of collaboration and peer observation at Timber Oaks Elementary, a suburban elementary school in Northeast Florida, and examined what happened when inquiry was intentionally integrated into those structures as the next stage of the school’s professional learning journey. While the professional learning …

Novice Teachers' Perceptions Of Clinical Experience And Their Preparedness To Teach In High-Need Urban Schools, Robin D. Renelus

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This hermeneutic phenomenological study examined novice teachers’ perceptions of how clinical experiences in a teacher preparation program prepared them to teach in high-need urban schools. The study included 12 novice teachers with three or fewer years of teaching experience who completed their clinical experience at the same university in Northeast Florida. Data were collected using Seidman’s (2019) three-interview approach, which explored participants’ backgrounds, day-to-day teaching experiences, and reflections on their sense of preparedness. Data were analyzed to develop textural descriptions of what participants experienced and structural descriptions of how those experiences were shaped (Moustakas, 1994).

Participants described clinical experiences as …

Exploring The Undergraduate Student Perceptions Of Sense Of Belonging At Their University: A Q-Methodological Approach, Jose Acevedo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

       The transition to higher education is a significant life event requiring substantial social, academic, and psychological adjustment, during which a powerful sense of belonging is critical for student success and retention. While traditional models of student retention often prioritize support services and academic integration, they frequently overlook the intricate relational dynamics and deeply personal subjective experiences that shape belonging. This research utilized Q methodology to explore the multifaceted ways undergraduate students at the University of North Florida (UNF) understand and prioritize the determinants of institutional belonging. Guided by an integrated conceptual framework of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Self-Determination Theory, Social …

What Novice Educators Find Supportive, Robin M. Bossinger

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teacher shortages have increased in the past two decades, creating greater emphasis on recruitment, talent development, and retention efforts for educational leaders. Novice educators feature prominently in these considerations. A teacher’s first years can be extremely challenging, and induction, the professional learning experiences specific to early career professionals, is often considered the answer. Despite the seeming ubiquity of induction, there is much variability in interpretation, enactment and outcomes. While it is generally accepted that some induction is better than no induction, new teachers deserve more intentionally designed support.

This study sought to reexamine assumptions about induction, adding to the literature …