Buddy, Can You Spare A Claim?" Sparing Debtors' Claims From Dismissal Under The Doctrine Of Judicial Estoppel, Post-Keathley V. Buddy Ayers Construction, Inc., Abigail B. Willie

Faculty Articles

In Keathley v. Buddy Ayers Construction, Inc., the Supreme Court considered the (decidedly) unglamorous issue of the proper standard for determining when judicial estoppel may be applied. The case (perhaps unsurprisingly) did not attract protestors on the courthouse steps (there were no hand-painted signs demanding “END ESTOPPEL NOW!”—go figure), nor did it pique the interest of talking-head cable news pundits (apparently, a semi-obscure equitable doctrine isn’t a ratings-grabbing red v. blue state issue—again, go figure). However, those of us in the bankruptcy law world knew the stakes, as evidenced by the amicus briefs filed by retired bankruptcy judges, bankruptcy scholars, …

Investigating The Dynamic Rating Method: Effects Of Flood Wave Geometry On Discharge Estimation, Daniel James Read

Masters Theses

Rating curves are a vital tool to convert from observed stage to discharge in streamflow monitoring. Most gaging sites utilize a simple rating curve, which assumes a monotonic relationship between stage and discharge. In most cases, this assumption is valid; however, dynamic effects of flood waves often cause significant error in discharge estimation for mildly sloped streams. The dynamic rating method utilizes a numerical solution of the St. Venant Equations applied to time series stage data to compute discharge. Within this method, there is a flood wave parameter called the flood wave factor. The researchers designed a formal computational model …

Validating A Low-Cost Radio Frequency Characterization Framework For Development-Grade Software-Defined Radios In Short-Duration Cubesat Missions, Thomas Wayne Francois

Masters Theses

Software-defined radios (SDRs) and CubeSat platforms have reduced the cost and complexity of space-based communication systems, enabling broader participation in satellite missions. While low-cost radio hardware is increasingly accessible, the ability to characterize and validate its performance remains constrained by the high cost and limited access to traditional RF test equipment. This disparity creates a challenge for small satellite development teams, which must characterize communication-system technical performance with limited access to laboratory-grade instrumentation.

This thesis presents a low-cost RF characterization framework for assessing key radio-frequency performance metrics using readily available hardware and measurement techniques. The approach integrates frequency translation, SDR-based …

Transformer-Based Language Models For Bitcoin Market Prediction And Interpretation, Erich Gozebina

Masters Theses

"In the context of a Master's thesis in applied mathematics, this work investigates compact transformer-based language models as an instrument for Bitcoin-related predictions and decision support. The work connects three topics: the structure of the Bitcoin system and its data, the mathematical and algorithmic foundations of deep autoregressive transformers, and the design of practical training pipelines for financial applications. On this foundation, a reproducible ETL pipeline for Bitcoin data is developed and two forecasting experiments are conducted with the compact language model nanochat. The first experiment approaches the prediction of next-day price movements through autoregressive next-token generation based on structured …

Caterpillar's Spatial Metamorphosis: Heavy Equipment Manufacturing In The 21st Century, Utkarsh Kumar, Michael L. Dougherty

Faculty Publications – Sociology and Anthropology

Caterpillar Inc., the world's largest heavy equipment manufacturer, grew rapidly in the 20th century before a crisis of overproduction in the early 1980s threatened its survival. In response, it launched the $2.8 billion “Plant with a Future” (PWAF) program, a sweeping material and ideological overhaul that remade the firm for the post-Fordist global economy. This article advances three interventions. First, it shows how post-Fordism as a spatial and ideological project emphasized decentralization, accountability, and customer orientation, which helped legitimize and institutionalize corporate restructuring. Second, it demonstrates that flexibilization operated as a spatial strategy, implemented through four interrelated processes: bureaucratic restructuring, …

Benign Painful Soft Tissue Tumors Of The Digits: A Contemporary Review, Nethmi Withanage, Athikur Rahman, Lawrence Hurst, Samantha Muhlrad

Purpose: Benign painful tumors of the digit are commonly encountered in hand surgery yet frequently pose diagnostic challenges due to overlapping clinical presentations. This review synthesizes current evidence on eight benign soft tissue tumors and cystic lesions that commonly cause digital pain: glomus tumor, giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath (GCTTS), digital mucous cyst, digital ganglion cyst, epidermoid inclusion cyst, pyogenic granuloma, nerve sheath tumors, and angioleiomyoma.

Methods: A comprehensive review of PubMed/MEDLINE was performed, supplemented by hand surgery textbooks and online educational resources. Case series, retrospective cohort studies, and review articles were included.

Results: Each tumor exhibits a …

Fault Tolerant Adaptive Control Under Actuator Saturation For Robot Manipulators, D. J. López-Araujo, N. Alvarez-Jarquin, P. Borja, A. T. Becker

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

In practice, actuators inherently have natural limitations that are often overlooked by theoretical control strategies, such as bounded output and discrepancies between calculated and actual responses. Consequently, reliable control techniques must be employed to ensure safe and dependable operation. We propose an adaptive control law for global regulation in the case of partial loss of effectiveness due to input faults. The proposed control strategy maintains the system at the desired configuration while accounting for the physical limitations of the actuators. Additionally, it is suitable for dealing with unknown parameters in the vector of gravitational forces, making it robust to these …

Usable Authentication: Are We There Yet?, Nathan Clarke, Steven Furnell

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

With technology increasingly embedded in everyday life, the demand for secure and usable authentication methods has never been greater. Traditional password-based systems continue to dominate, despite well-known usability and security challenges. This paper explores the evolution of user authentication technologies, from secret knowledge and tokens to biometrics and emerging approaches such as Passkeys. It critically evaluates the extent to which usability has been achieved, identifying both successes—such as biometrics integrated into smartphones—and persistent issues, including inconsistent guidance, ecosystem dependence, and accessibility barriers. Drawing on academic and commercial developments, the discussion highlights the growing burden on users who must authenticate across …

Global Manta And Devil Ray Population Declines: Closing Policy And Management Gaps To Reduce Fisheries Mortality, Betty J.L. Laglbauer, Nidhi G. D'Costa, Joshua D. Stewart, Marta D. Palacios, Melissa Cronin, Daniel Fernando, Nerea Lezama-Ochoa, Asia O. Armstrong, Rima W. Jabado, Sarah Fowler, Julia M. Lawson, Olga Koubrak, Jefferson Murua, Thanda Ko Gyi, Divya Karnad, Mayuri Chopra, Giuseppe Notarbartolo-Di-Sciara, Joshua Rambahiniarison, Don Croll, Stefany Rojas, Abdulaziz Fahmi, Joanna L. Harris, Alifa Binthe Haque, Hilario Murua, Juan Carlos Pérez-Jiménez, Emily Humble, Ellen Barrowclift, Muhammad G. Salim, Godefroy De Bruyne, Issah Seidu

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Significant progress has been made in advancing priority actions to conserve manta and devil rays, yet implementation and enforcement of protective measures often fall short, leaving most mobulid populations at risk of overfishing. Drawing on a literature review, fisheries databases, agency reports, and expert interviews, we assess global trends in mobulid catch and mortality. We examine both targeted and incidental catch, in small (<15 m, ‘SV’) and large (>15 m, ‘LV’) vessel fisheries to identify hotspots with the highest risk of fisheries-related mortality and population decline. We estimate global fisheries catch at 264,520 (184,407–344,987) mobulids per year, with SV fisheries accounting for 87 % …

Diagnosing Long-Term Divergence In Build Back Better Outcomes In Low- And Lower-Middle-Income Communities, E. A. Opabola, M. Baiguera, A. Raby, T. Rossetto, A. Pomonis, E. Meilianda, Y. Idris, S. Nurdin, K. Adams, D. J. Mcgovern, N. Acikgoz, H. Mistry, F. Marafini

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Low-income communities in disaster-prone regions face persistent challenges in translating post-disaster recovery investments into sustained resilience, as they navigate trade-offs among engineering objectives, policy constraints, and evolving socio-economic needs. Despite the widespread adoption of Build Back Better (BBB) principles, evidence on the long-term sustainability of outcomes remains limited, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income contexts. This study examines the sustainability of BBB outcomes in two Indonesian case studies: Banda Aceh (approximately 18 years after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami) and Central Sulawesi (approximately 4 years after the 2018 earthquake, liquefaction, and tsunami). Drawing on structured housing assessments, household surveys, semi-structured interviews, …

Measuring Outcomes In Evaluations Of Interventions To Prevent Youth Crime And Violence: Challenges And Potential Solutions, Sajid Humayun, Finlay Green, Helen Downham, Nick Axford

Peninsula Medical School

There is a clear imperative to prevent youth crime and violence owing to the significant social and economic costs for individuals involved and wider society. A considerable evidence base for ‘what works’ in this space exists but gaps remain. To address these, it is necessary to evaluate intervention effectiveness. The aim of this article is to explore challenges and potential solutions regarding outcome measurement in such evaluations. To do this we draw on the literature and our experience as evaluators. We argue that outcome selection should be informed by a robust theory of change, and that normally this will mean …

Royal College Of Psychiatrists College Report 244: Optimising Psychotropic Medication Prescribing For People With Intellectual Disability, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Best Practice Guidelines For Professional Carers In Emergency Seizure Medication, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Small-Molecule Therapies Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages In Glioma: Mechanisms And Potential, Hua Wang, Heng Luo, Haijian Zhong, Amy Ockleton, Feng Jiang, Renhui Yi, Shaochun Yang, Ming Li

Peninsula Medical School

Glioblastoma, a highly prevalent and aggressive primary brain tumor, is marked by poor prognosis due to the blood-brain barrier and chemoresistance, which limit conventional pharmacotherapy. Recent research has pivoted toward targeting the tumor microenvironment, where tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) drive gliomagenesis and malignant progression through immunosuppressive signaling. Small-molecule agents targeting TAMs have emerged as promising therapeutics, capable of reprogramming macrophage polarization, modulating immune cell dynamics, and suppressing glioma growth. This review explores the mechanistic roles of TAMs in glioma and evaluates how small-molecule compounds exert antitumor effects via TAM modulation. These insights lay a foundation for developing next-generation TAM-targeted therapies, offering …

Dampened Social Motivation In Dysphoria: The Role Of Negative Social Expectancies And Internal Causal Attribution Style, Julie L Ji, Nilly Mor, Colin Macleod

School of Psychology

Dysphoria is associated with dampening of social interaction intention, but the cognitive mechanisms that underpin this relationship are under-investigated. This study tested the hypothesis that heightened negative social expectancies mediate the association between dysphoria and dampened social motivation. Additionally, it tested the hypothesis that the association between dysphoria and negative social expectancies is mediated by an attribution style bias that attributes negative, but not positive, outcomes to internal causes. University students (N = 271) with varied levels of dysphoria read vignettes describing hypothetical situations where they initiate a social interaction that results in positive or negative outcomes. Participants rated their …

Others’ Requests May Dampen The Desire To Do Good: The Effect Of Requests On Children's Prosocial Motivation Across Five Cultures., Anneliese Skrobanek, Patricia Kanngiesser, Jahnavi Sunderarajan, Jorge David Mantilla Salgado, Saiwa Sisa Quimbo Yacelga, Shoji Itakura, Marie M. Morita, Masanori Yamaguchi, Nadia Chernyak, Lucy M. Stowe, Joscha Kärtner

School of Psychology

There exists cultural variation in how people react to prosocial obligations, but we still know little about when these differences emerge in development and how they can be explained. We investigated this in a study with 6- to 11-year-old children (N = 686) in five cultural contexts. Children listened to scenarios about spontaneous and requested (within-subjects) helping and sharing. They rated requested scenarios as less desirable and less satisfying, but there was significant cross-cultural variation in the magnitude of this effect, which was mostly stable with age. We also measured children's sense of individual agency and internalization of prosocial norms …

From Preparation To Practice: A Study Of Assistant Principals After Completion Of An Aspiring Assistant Principal Preparation Program, Mallory L. Mcconnell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leadership programs and readiness in schools, particularly those in Florida, is well studied. However, few studies have investigated how current assistant principals who have completed Clay County District School’s Aspiring Assistant Principal Program describe their experiences, believe the program has prepared them for the realities of school leadership, or identify the most impactful elements that have supported their leadership development. This case study seeks to collect foundational research knowledge by analyzing data from the program, participants, and key facilitators. Using a sampling of current assistant principals who have completed the Aspiring Assistant Principal Program, this research examines the results in …

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 …

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 …

Fostering Reading: Review Of A College Bridge Program For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing High School Students, Cara Wilmot

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods formative program evaluation examined the reading component of a summer College Bridge Program (CBP) designed for high school students who are deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh). Persistent disparities in reading outcomes among d/Dhh students have been linked to differences in language access, communication access, and opportunities to receive specialized instruction. Using the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) evaluation model, this study evaluated how the CBP identified and addressed students' reading needs, implemented evidence-based instructional practices, and supported reading development through a three-week summer program.

Participants included 45 d/Dhh high school students from 12 southeastern states, as well …

Implementing Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support For School-Based Mental Health Services: An Explanatory Case Study Of An Elementary School, Laura Acker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative explanatory case study examined how school-based mental health services (SBMHS) are implemented within an elementary school’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and sensemaking theory, the study examined how educators and school-based professionals interpret and enact their roles in supporting student mental health within educational contexts. Data were collected through interviews with five MTSS team members and analyzed using a combination of deductive and inductive coding. Results showed that mental health implementation is not a fully integrated system of supports but rather a process shaped by roles and relationships influenced …

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 …

Psychological Distance And Auditor Assessment Of The Severity Of An Internal Control Deficiency, Scott C. Jackson, John D. Keyser, Douglas F. Prawitt

Faculty Publications

Auditors often underestimate the severity of internal control deficiencies, particularly when associated misstatements are immaterial. We find that auditors are more likely to correctly classify a material weakness when no misstatement information is provided than when misstatement information is available, and that this finding may unconsciously arise from auditors’ construal level in judging control deficiency severity. Through a series of experiments, we manipulate misstatement information related to an internal control deficiency designed to represent a material weakness. We hold the size of potential misstatement constant and find that auditors and graduate auditing students are less likely to correctly assess the …

Who Invests In Crypto? Revealed Types And Economic Drivers Of Retail Investment, Darren Aiello, Scott R. Baker, Tetyana Balyuk, Marco Di Maggio, Mark J. Johnson, Jason Kotter

Faculty Publications

Using transaction-level data from millions of U.S. households, we provide the first comprehensive characterization of retail cryptocurrency investment. Crypto investors are distinguished not by demographics but by a latent behavioral type revealed through consumption patterns—one that also predicts higher participation in traditional equity brokerages. The economic forces driving crypto investment, including income shocks, workplace peer effects, and inflation exposure, mirror those driving traditional investment. Crucially, households whose consumption matches the crypto-investor profile are more responsive to all these drivers across both asset classes, suggesting that investor type is a more relevant distinction than asset class.

Review Of 'The Royal Musical Association: Creating Scholars, Advancing Research' By Leanne Langley, Nuria Bonet

School of Art, Design and Architecture

No abstract provided.

Presence And Characteristics Of Plastics And Microplastics On The Seabed Of The Western English Channel, Faye Read, Andrew Turner

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Little is known about the presence, distribution, origins and characteristics of plastic litter and microplastics on the ocean floor. In this study, plastics trawled from the bed of the western English Channel have been categorised and analysed by a variety of optical and spectroscopic techniques. A total of 90 plastic samples were classified, in descending order of abundance, as food-drink packaging, unknown, homeware, military and fishing. Most samples showed varying degrees of weathering (e.g., discolouration, distortion, cracking, fragmentation) and were visibly fouled by calcareous deposits. The majority of samples were constructed of polymers of negative buoyancy (e.g., polyamides, polyethylene terephthalate …

Investigating Policy Enactment In Community Sport Coaching: Directions For Future Research, Ben Ives, Dawn Penney, Jimmy O’Gorman, Adam J. Nichol, Paul Potrac, Lee Nelson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This article calls for a sophisticated investigation of policy enactment in sport-related environments, with community sport coaching used as an example case. Emphasis is placed on the need for in-depth empirical research into and theorisation of: 1) political skills involved in the enactment of policy; 2) emotion management when enacting policy; 3) performative and fabricated aspects of policy enactment; and 4) impacts of policy enactment for the health and wellbeing of workers. In doing so, this article challenges scholars to move beyond the study of policy actor types and to develop more nuanced understandings of the political, economic, organisational, interpersonal, …

Stakeholder Perceptions Of The Feasibility Of E-Portfolio-Based Assessment Of Physical Literacy In Primary Health And Physical Education, Jaxon Hogan, Dawn Penney, Eibhlish O’Hara, Joseph Scott

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Physical literacy (PL) is widely acknowledged as an integral component of high-quality physical education programmes. However, what constitutes appropriate assessment of PL remains a contested issue. This study drew on Whitehead’s conceptualisation of PL as a lifelong journey and investigated how primary school teachers can support students’ PL learning through innovative and engaging assessment methods. The study specifically examined the feasibility of using e-portfolios to facilitate quality PL learning and quality assessment in Physical Education (PE), from different stakeholder perspectives. Methods: This interpretive study employed a qualitative design and methods to investigate aspects of feasibility with three purposive participant …

Invisible Innovation: Intellectual Labour On Regional University Campuses In Australia, Merete Schmidt, Lucinda Aberdeen, Colleen Carlon, Robyn Eversole

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In Australia, regional university campuses occupy a geographically and institutionally peripheral position in a metrocentric higher education system. We argue that the concentration of research funding and capabilities at metropolitan campuses devalues the intellectual labour of academics working on regional university campuses. The authors use collaborative autoethnography to explore a common theme of ‘gap filling’, that is, mobilising scarce resources to create unique solutions for local issues, and draw on Southern Theory to theorise the implications for our work in the location-based power relations of the Australian knowledge production economy. In this context, we utilise Eversole's concept of ‘invisible innovation’ …

Overcoming The Challenges Faced By Leaders Of Purpose-Led Medium-Sized Businesses: The Role Of Corporate Communication And Its Interplay With Corporate Reputation And Organisational Identity, Taofeeq Ibn-Mohammed, Suranga Herath, Nicholas Swallow, Charlie Gower, Adriana P. Montes, Dawn Brooks, Andres P. Garcia, Angus Morrison-Saunders

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Induced by worsening environmental conditions, pursuing purpose, not solely profit, now constitutes an ethical obligation for leaders of business organisations, towards future generations. Consequently, increasing numbers of businesses seek to become purpose-led (PLBs), but challenges exist. Despite the significant growth in PLB research since the turn of the millennium, attention has mainly focussed on multinational companies, although small- and medium-sized businesses (MSBs) hugely impact any economy. This research sets out to better understand the challenges faced by leaders of companies undergoing purpose-led MSB transitioning. Thematic analysis of the interview data from founders and leaders of B-Corp certified purpose-led MSBs revealed …