Digital Commons Network^™

Design And Evaluation Of A Code-Switching-Aware Multilingual Conversational Ai System Using Advanced Rag Architectures, Ashutosh Juvale

Master’s Dissertations

Conversational artificial intelligence has become the primary interface through which hundreds of millions of users in India seek information and customer support. Yet the way these users actually write and speak is fundamentally at odds with the monolingual assumptions baked into most retrieval and generation systems: they code-switch, fluidly mixing one or more of the twenty-two scheduled languages of India with English, frequently typing Indic words in the Roman script ("mera refund kab tak aayega"). Standard Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines silently fail on such input — the retriever returns off-topic passages because the query and the knowledge base live in …

An Efficient Hierarchical Deployment Of Sensors For K-Coverage In Planner Wireless Sensor Network, Abhay Raj Singh

Master’s Dissertations

Ensuring reliable sensing coverage is a fundamental challenge in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), particularly when multiple sensors are monitoring each location to provide robustness against node failures. In this work, we address the problem of deterministic k-coverage in planar WSN by proposing a hierarchical triangular lattice-based deployment strategy that organizes sensor locations across di↵erent refinement levels and guarantees coverage of every point in the sensing domain by at least k sensors. Each lattice is three-colorable, and selective activation of color classes ensures adjustable coverage guarantees. We prove that activating a single color class at refinement level t guarantees at least …

Telluric Correction Of M-Dwarf Stars Using Machine Learning, Sayak Rana

Master’s Dissertations

The study of M-dwarf stars is of prime scientific interest to us because of their closer habitable zones and the favorable conditions they offer for exoplanet detection. However, telluric contamination of the ground-based spectra results in sharp absorption lines, which makes their study cumbersome. Removing this contamination is necessary for estimating key stellar parameters. The central contribution is a one-dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) that retrieves the four atmospheric parameters governing telluric absorption: pressure, temperature, humidity, and airmass. These predicted parameters are passed to Telfit which produces an estimated telluric spectrum. The observed spectrum is then divided by this estimated …

Get Ready To Lead: Human-Centered Leadership In An Ai-Driven World, Ellen Ramsey

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, online students continue to seek instructors who consistently appear, genuinely care about them as individuals, and provide guidance, challenge, and support. AI tools can help with speed and structure, but human-centered leadership keeps connection and meaning at the forefront of the learning experience. 

This interactive workshop invites online instructors and faculty leaders to explore how human-centered leadership can support their teaching in the middle of rapid technological change.

Grounded in a six-pillar leadership model that encompasses conscious self-awareness, relational intelligence, ethical influence, adaptive growth, transparent communication, and empowered action, this session …

Detection, Persistence, And Rising Prevalence Of Oncogenic Viruses Revealed By Wastewater Metagenomics, Harihara Prakash, Ryan K Perez, Matt Ross, Michael Tisza, Sara J Javornik Cregeen, Jennifer Deegan, Joseph F Petrosino, Eric Boerwinkle, Justin R Clark, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Oncogenic viruses cause high-risk cancers in humans and are responsible for nearly 20% of all cancer cases worldwide. Currently, very limited data exist in the realm of wastewater-based viral epidemiology (WBE) for cancer-causing viruses, with existing studies using targeted approaches (i.e., PCR-based approaches) that lack genomic resolution. In this study, we used a hybrid-capture approach to detect, filter, and sequence all known oncogenic virus signals from wastewater samples collected over 3 years (May 2022-May 2025) in 16 Texas cities, covering nearly 25% of the state's population. Once sequenced, we used custom computational tools designed for wastewater metagenomics to assign reads …

K–3 General Education Teachers’ Experiences On Their Roles In Supporting English Language Learners, Sylvia Pollard-Ware

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Reality Tv & Social Media Impact On The Psyche Of Adult Women Who Experience Physical Image Discomfort, Tierra James

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to examine the perception of adult women regarding the role of reality television and social media in influencing body image, self-worth, and mental health. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on 15 women aged between 18 and 50 years, who lived in the United States and actively used reality TV and social media, and reported body-image distress, which was indicative of body dysmorphic trait. Data interpretation was done in an ideographical manner and followed by pattern analysis across cases. The results suggested that idealized and edited media images were popularly identified by the participants as …

Leadership Reflections: The Unique Challenges And Rewards Of Leadership In Library Technical Services, Maria Savova

Library Staff Publications and Research

Library Technical Services functions are at the core of library operations and are indivisible from any public service the library provides. The way technical services librarians and staff approach their work, communications, and organizational experience, however, is distinct and requires thoughtful approaches and concerted effort from leadership. Greater visibility and institutional understanding are critical to resourcing these services properly and sustaining their excellence. Drawing on practice-based reflections, this column proposes approaches to capturing the insight and expertise of the people who steward the library’s largest investments, connecting their task-based sustainer activities to the larger strategic library context, supporting and empowering …

Being Desi At School: Exploring The Racialized School Experiences Of South Asian American Youth, Prabha Kaundinya

Dissertations

Schools in America have been central areas for racialization, and as an immigrant, racial-ethnic minority population, South Asian American (SAA) students have been subjected to a variety of racialization processes (S. J. Lee et al., 2017; Rice, 2017, 2019; Subedi, 2013). However, what is known about SAA educational experiences is often based on celebratory stereotypes that proclaim their uniform success while neglecting attention towards the diversity of their needs (including academic, social-emotional, or mental health needs; Saran, 2015; Ngo & Lee, 2007; P. Patel & Patel, 2017; Pedraza & Guillaume, 2023; N. Sharma et al., 2020). This dissertation uses a …

The Year Of Birth Age Grouping Policy: Its Impact On Participation In Us Youth Soccer, Murray James Findlay

Dissertations

In 2016, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) implemented a nationwide year-of-birth (YOB) age grouping policy that aligned youth soccer teams with calendar years (January 1st –December 31st), replacing the traditional schoolyear (August 1st –July 31st) grouping system. This dissertation investigates the impact of that policy on youth soccer participation in the United States, addressing a critical gap in empirical research linking national policy interventions to participation outcomes. Framed through the Fun Integration Theory (FIT) (Visek et al., 2015), which conceptualizes youth sport engagement as driven by social and intrinsic enjoyment factors, the study examines whether the YOB policy caused …

“Being An Arab Is Like Fighting For Your Joy”: Exploring Bicultural Identity, Racialization, And Psychological Well-Being Among Us-Born Arab Americans, Hisham Nsier

Master's Theses

Bicultural identity development in Arab Americans, who must manage sometimes conflicting cultural expectations, is understudied. Even less is known about Arab Americans born in the United States (US-born AA), who are American by birth yet are alienated from society due to differences between their ‘white’ racialization and their cultural identities. The current study aimed to examine the relationship between bicultural identity, racialization, and psychological well-being at the intersection of US-born AA’s co-existing identities. Eight adult US-born AAs (Mage = 28 years, SD = 4) were recruited from professional Listservs and WhatsApp affinity groups. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed …

Articulating The Future: How The Techno-Optimist Manifesto Constructs Ai Hegemony, Christian Noel Yeomans

Master's Theses

This paper analyzes two recently published digital manifestos—the Techno-Optimist Manifesto (TOM) by Marc Andreessen and the Bitcoin Whitepaper (BW) by Satoshi Nakamoto—and how they articulate political visions for the respective rising technologies of artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency. I apply Laclau and Mouffe’s discursive articulation theory to both manifestos, analyzing how they contribute to the formation of hegemonic ideological visions among the elites of these two technological sectors. In the context of AI elites, TOM transforms an existing Silicon Valley ideology, techno-optimism, into a radical new form of accelerationism, which I coin t/opt. This shift is examined within the context …

Selective Extraction Based On Molecular Imprinting Polymer For Determination Lorazepam In Pharmaceutical And Biological Samples, Eman W. Ammen, Yehya K. Al-Bayati

Baghdad Science Journal

A new and selective method was evaluated for the separation and quantification of lorazepam in pharmaceutical and biological samples utilizing a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as a solid-phase extraction adsorbent material. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized via free-radical polymerization with lorazepam as a template and acrylamide as a functional monomer. The synthesized polymers were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The adsorption isotherm and Kinetic studies were applied to characterize the adsorption of lorazepam by the synthesized polymers; additionally, the selectivity and reusability of the molecularly imprinted polymer were evaluated. …

Sexual Dimorphism, Reproductive Biology, And Growth Patterns Of Sumatran Combtail (Belontia Hasselti, Cuvier 1831) From The Kelekar River, South Sumatra, Indonesia, Muslim Muslim, Edo Saputra, Selly Oktarina, Muhammad Rizky Ariansyah Putra

Baghdad Science Journal

Sexual dimorphism, reproductive biology, and growth patterns are fundamental knowledge in fisheries studies. This study aimed to analyze the sexual dimorphism, reproductive biology, and growth patterns of Belontia hasselti. Samples were collected in the Kelekar River, South Sumatra, Indonesia. Traditional fishing gear, specifically fish traps (``bubu'' and ``pengilar''), was used to catch fish samples. The samples were transported to the Basic Fisheries Laboratory of the Universitas Sriwijaya for collecting study parameters. A total of 100 B. hasselti were used in this study: 56 males (TL: 8.00-13.24 cm, BW: 9.50-37.49 g) and 44 females (TL: 8.00-13.99 cm, BW: 9.00-38.99 g). …

The Behavioral Ethical Lens Of Generative Ai Application In Organizations: From Corporate Reputation, Leadership, And Technological Sustainability Perspectives, Rajat Subhra Chatterjee, Irfan Hameed, Sumana Chaudhuri, Sheshadri Chatterjee

Plymouth Business School

Purpose – The rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping organizational processes and competitive dynamics across industries. Although scholarly interest in AI adoption is increasing, there remains a lack of research on how ethical leadership and technological sustainability affect organizational outcomes related to generative AI. This study investigates the role of virtue ethics in guiding the implementation of generative AI in HR-driven customer service contexts and examines how leadership perspectives influence the responsible and sustainable adoption of technology. Design/methodology/approach – This study draws on normative ethical theory and dynamic capability theory to develop a conceptual framework explaining how …

Data-Driven Electrochemistry Reveals The Impact Of Hydrophobicity On Aptamer Cross-Reactivity, Emily Carroll, Michael A. Pence, Elizabeth Winterholler, Taylor D. Sparks, Shelley D. Minteer

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) biosensors offer a promising platform for reagentless detection of molecular targets, yet aptamer recognition can be limited by cross-reactivity, particularly for hydrophobic analytes such as steroid hormones. To investigate how cross-reactivity influences E-AB sensor performance, we use automation and machine learning to screen a library of possible interferent molecules against a steroid-binding aptamer, with progesterone serving as a physiologically relevant test case. Here, we develop a label-free E-AB sensor for progesterone detection using a methylene blue-modified aptamer anchored with a hexanethiol linker. We then used an automated electrochemistry platform to perform reproducible and high-throughput characterization of our …

Wearable Technology For Depression Assessment: A Scoping Review Of Datasets, Ml Tlachac, Hayley K. Elsbree, Michael V. Heinz

Information Systems and Analytics Department Faculty Journal Articles

As wearable technology continues to develop, wearable devices are becoming more common and being increasingly used to collect datasets for depression assessment. Documenting the collection procedures, recruitment strategies, and demographics of these datasets is important to allow for synthesis across the datasets and uncover common limitations. As such, in this scoping review, we identify 80 observational datasets collected by wearable devices through the start of 2025 that can be used for depression assessment. Of the 80 datasets, 50% used an actigraph and 47.5% used other wristbands. These wearable devices were used to collect activity, sleep, and heart rate for 87.5%, …

Analysis Of Song Choice At An Anglican Church In The North West, Yvette Wong

Masters Theses

The rise of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) in the last hundred years has gradually led to the so-called worship wars in the late twentieth century. While scholars (Lester Ruth, Ted Peter, and Vernon Whaley) note that the tension has several fronts, Ruth points out that the most obvious front line of combat in the wars was music on instrumentation, song repertoires between hymns and choruses, and the role of song in corporate worship. To keep the peace, many churches have settled for either one style of service, combined the two in the same service, commonly known as a blended service, …

Interviewing Civilians For A Local Perspective Of Violent Extremism In West Africa, Benjamin Ellis

Masters Theses

This study examines how civilians in West Africa experience violent extremism, with the goal of informing more effective policy solutions. Using a qualitative research design, the study draws on a focus group conducted with ten participants from various countries in West Africa. Data was transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns in participants’ responses. Six major themes emerged: prolonged fear and restricted daily movement; economic and infrastructural disruption; psychological distress and uncertainty about the future; recruitment into extremist groups driven by complex factors; limited outsider understanding of local realities; and support for multidimensional responses rather than purely …

Violent Tides: A Novel, Teal Rose

Masters Theses

Violent Tides is a coming-of age fantasy novel that invites readers to navigate themes of identity, forgiveness, and compassion

A Critique Of Richard Carrier’S Jesus-Myth Theory: Examining Select References To The Historical Jesus In Paul’S Epistles, John P. Nichols

Masters Theses

Richard Carrier is arguably the contemporary voice promoting Jesus-mythicism, the idea that Jesus of Nazareth never existed. Though in the scholarly minority, Carrier has assembled numerous arguments for rejecting the Gospels and Acts as historically reliable, as well as all historical references to Jesus in Paul’s letters. He has proposed his own rules for historical inquiry to replace the traditional criteria of authenticity used by historical-Jesus scholars. In conjunction with his own criteria, Carrier has demonstrated the use of Bayes’ Theorem to assess the probability of Jesus’ existence. This thesis has considered certain portions of Carrier’s thesis against the historical …

Heirlooms, Jenna Ashby Macfarland

Masters Theses

The title of my creative manuscript is Heirlooms. It contains chapters of a fictional novel in the mystery genre. In the critical paper, I address Literary Tradition as it pertains to mystery writing. Specifically, I focus on the evolution of the mystery genre from the detached rationalism of Sherlock Holmes to the psychological realism of writers like Tana French and Liane Moriarty. Their styles reveal a shift from intellectual detection to moral introspection within the genre. Heirlooms continues this transformation by centering a female protagonist whose investigation becomes a search for spiritual and emotional truth. By integrating women’s voices and …

Shame, Guilt, Resilience, And Intimate Relationships: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study, Tiara Schnese Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This descriptive phenomenological study explored how shame and guilt among Christian CSA (Childhood Sexual Abuse) survivors influence resilience, intimate relationships, and social support in the United States. The central research questions examined how Christian CSA survivors experienced shame, guilt, and resilience over time; how these emotions affected intimate and romantic relationships; and how they shaped help-seeking behaviors in both clinical and faith-based contexts. Guided by Bowlby and Ainsworth’s attachment theory (1958), data collection involved semi-structured interviews with participants selected through purposive sampling to meet specific inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using Giorgi’s (2012) descriptive phenomenological method, and eight essential constituents …

Barriers And Beliefs: Narratives Of Mental Health Help-Seeking Among First-Generation Latino/Hispanic College Students, Karina L. Alba Lockhart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health challenges among college students in the United States have increased in recent years, yet first-generation Latino/Hispanic college students continue to underutilize available services while facing unique cultural and structural barriers to care. This qualitative narrative study explored how first-generation Latino/Hispanic college students made meaning of mental health help-seeking in relation to perceived barriers, perceived benefits, and cultural values such as familismo and stigma. Guided by the health belief model and cross-cultural psychology, this study recruited 15 participants from four-year institutions in the United States and collected data through an online asynchronous questionnaire. Thematic and narrative analysis revealed that …

The Effects Of Miscarriage On African American Men, Serita E. Baysmore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of African American men who have endured the loss of a child through miscarriage. Schlossberg’s transition theory, developed in 1981, was used to identify how men work through their grief by focusing on how they enter into, move through, and move out of the transition. By centering the descriptions on lived experiences, semi-structured interviews were utilized with African American men from a North Texas church, which boasts a predominantly African American population, and by word of mouth. After completion of the interviews, the data were analyzed according …

The Prevalence Of Moral Injury Among Veterans Diagnosed With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd): Analyses By Combat Exposure, Gender, Age Group, And Military Service, Carl B. Forkner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, and the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, heralded in a new concept affecting our combat and support military personnel. This concept is known today as moral injury. Military personnel were already familiar with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whether from personal experience or from reading and training on the subject, but no training addresses the prevalence or effects of moral injury. The term moral injury (MI) was first coined by psychiatrist Jonathan Shay and his colleagues based on feedback from military and veteran patients in 1998; however, it remains that …

The Lived Experience Of Inconsistent Legal Recognition: A Phenomenological Study Of Job Burnout And Moral Injury In Florida Correctional Officers, Jeffrey A. Snipes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences of Florida correctional officers (FCOs) regarding inconsistent legal recognition and the divergence between functional mandates and legislative definitions. Utilizing Dr. Jonathan Shay’s moral injury framework, this research explores how statutory marginalization functions as a precursor to burnout. A transcendental phenomenological research design was employed; 21 officers were screened using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS) followed by semi-structured interviews with a nine-participant subsample.

Data analysis followed Creswell’s spiral procedures to identify themes describing the essence of these experiences. Findings suggest that inconsistent recognition as first responders catalyzes moral injury, exacerbating burnout and …

Predicting Employee Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Technology: The Roles Of Job Embeddedness & Grit On Military Veterans In The U.S. Workforce, Ajay Joseph Koovackal

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) technology demands are growing rapidly to aid organizations in innovation, improving efficiency, increasing profits, and staying competitive within their respective markets. However, the irresponsible implementation of AI tools may cause organizations to suffer significantly by negatively affecting employee attitudes, perseverance, affiliation, and retention. This research is a cross-sectional quantitative study investigating the relationship between attitudes toward artificial intelligence (ATAI), job embeddedness (JE), and grit (GT). The study participants are 132 adult military veterans employed full-time in the United States. The researcher collected data through a self-report survey deployed on the SurveyMonkey online platform. After which, the …

Veteran Reintegration: A Strategic Approach To Success, Stephanie Irene Hennessy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A critical gap exists in non-clinical support programs for military service members transitioning to civilian life, especially in addressing purpose, personal narrative, and community reintegration. This study examined how a reintegration program addressed this gap through a unified conceptual framework—Purpose, Narrative, and Community (PNC)—which guided program design and delivery. The program was delivered through the Surf Brigade Foundation, a veteran initiative specializing in surf immersion located on Florida’s Emerald Coast. Using a quantitative pretest-posttest case study design, this research evaluated changes in well-being, purpose identification, and social connectedness among participants. Outcomes were measured using the Integration of Stressful Life Experiences …

Evaluating Some Effects Of Exposure To Prompt Topographies On Intraverbal Acquisition Rates And Choice For Prompt Topographies, Isabella Zaccor

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People with developmental disabilities often have communication deficits, which create challenges with functioning in everyday life, making it more difficult for these people to foster meaningful relationships and live an independent life. People with developmental disabilities may need a more structured approach to learning important skills such as communication and social skills, such as learning with prompt topographies. By replicating Roncati et al. 2019, which evaluated exposure to prompt topographies and the effect on acquisition rates, we evaluated an adapted alternating treatments design within a multiple baseline across participants design to examine whether exposure to a specific prompt topography changed …