Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

C.S.A. Assessment - Tamp Family Health Center Portal, Delante Clark

Graduate Scholarship and Creative Works

This C.A.S. assessment evaluates how the Tampa Family Health Centers website influences userattention, cognitive processing, information accessibility, navigation efficiency, and digital user experience.The assessment examines whether the platform supports intentional engagement and informed decision-making while minimizing cognitive overload, distraction, confusion, and unnecessary attentional demands.

TFHC serves as a healthcare access portal providing appointment scheduling, patient resources, providerinformation, healthcare services, MyChart access, payment services, and community health resources.These functions make attention management and information clarity critical to successful user outcomes.

Securing The Energy Transition: Cyber-Physical Security And Resilience In Next-Generation Power Systems, Airin Rahman

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Modern power systems are rapidly evolving into renewable-dominated and digitally interconnected cyber-physical infrastructures due to the increasing deployment of distributed energy resources (DERs), inverter-based technologies, and advanced control platforms. Maintaining reliability under high renewable penetration requires flexible resources capable of shifting energy across extended time horizons. Long-duration energy storage (LDES), particularly hydrogen-based energy systems, has therefore emerged as an important enabler of renewable integration, grid flexibility, and resilience. However, the growing dependence on communication, sensing, and distributed control also expands the cyber-physical attack surface of modern power systems, creating security and resilience challenges that conventional operational paradigms were not designed …

Advancing Cyber-Physical Security And Resilience Of Modern Power Systems: Intelligent Monitoring, Secure Operation, And Resilient Recovery, Md Moshiur Rahman

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Modern power distribution systems are rapidly evolving into cyber-physical, DER-rich, and data-driven networks that rely on extensive sensing, communication, automation, grid-edge intelligence, and operator decision support. While this transformation improves flexibility, observability and controllability, it also expands the cyber-attack surface and increases the risk that cyber intrusions can propagate into physical disturbances, compromised DER operation, degraded situational awareness, and interrupted service continuity. This dissertation advances the cyber-physical security and resilience of modern distribution systems by developing a high-fidelity real-time cyber-physical hardware-in-the-loop testbed using OPAL-RT, EXata CPS, industrial relays, SCADA/RTAC, HMI, and grid-edge devices to emulate realistic DER-integrated distribution grid operation. …

Comparative Evaluation Of Linear Regression, Cross Validation And Regularization Approaches In Multivariate Data Analysis, Ransford Owusu, Felix Yeboah, Francis Effah Boateng

Data Science and Data Mining

This study evaluates linear regression and its enhanced variants incorporating cross-validation and regularization techniques for high-dimensional, multivariate datasets. We address challenges such as multicollinearity and overfitting. Methods including Ridge, LASSO, and Elastic Net are compared against ordinary least squares regression. Empirical analysis using an automobile dataset for fuel efficiency prediction shows that while OLS regression captures basic relationships, its limitations are mitigated through regularization and cross-validation, resulting in improved model interpretability. The findings provide a comprehensive framework for predictive modeling in complex data environments and offer insights into statistical methodology and practical applications in the automobile industry.

Optimized Hiv/Aids Resource Allocation In Ohio: A Linear Programming Approach, Godfred Ahenkroa Kesse

Data Science and Data Mining

This study employs a linear and integer programming approach to optimize HIV resource allocation in Ohio, aiming to minimize new infections and enhance the impact of limited resources. With the advances in HIV prevention and treatment, Ohio faces challenges in addressing disparities in access to healthcare, particularly among high-risk populations. The proposed model integrates data on infection rates, transmission patterns, demographic factors, and cost-effectiveness to provide a decision-support framework for policymakers. Using epidemiological data and equity constraints, the model prioritizes high-risk regions and populations while ensuring fair resource distribution. Results indicate that increased funding allocations significantly enhance the potential to …

Integrated Compliant Structure For A Hand Exoskeleton, Tristan R. Koopman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis presents the design and prototyping of a wearable hand exoskeleton that integrates a flexible structural framework to assist with hand movement while maintaining comfort and anatomical conformity. The goal was to create a device that supports tendon-driven actuation through a compliant structure, combining elements of rigidity and flexibility to match the natural geometry and motion of the human hand. Traditional hand exoskeletons often trade off motion for structure or vice versa. This project aims to bridge that gap with a hybrid compliant design that balances flexibility and support. The design process followed an iterative approach involving rapid prototyping …

Exploring Service Quality Among Us Hajj Pilgrims In Compliance With Vision 2030 Objectives, Majid Abdulmalik Alshaibi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Saudi Arabia is progressing with Vision 2030, an ambitious blueprint for economic variation, global connection, and improved quality of life. The Hajj pilgrimage is addressed by the Doyof Al Rahman Program (DARP), one of the vision's programs aiming to enhance the Hajj experience. The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the world's largest annual massive gatherings and it has already received increased attention from researchers combining elements of pilgrimage and tourism. This dissertation aims to explore Hajj service quality and pilgrims' satisfaction. To attain this objective, a narrative and systematic literature review was conducted to develop a framework with standardized …

Models Of Information Diffusion And The Role Of Influence, Chathura Jj Don Dimungu Arachchige

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Information diffusion is significant in fields such as propagation prediction and influence maximization, with applications in viral marketing and rumor control. Despite conceptual differences, existing diffusion models may not represent identical underlying generative structures. A classification of diffusion of information models is developed based on infection requirements and stochasticity. The study involves analyzing seven existing DOI models on directed scale-free networks. The distinctive properties of each model are identified through simulations and analysis of experimental results. Our analysis reveals that similarity in conceptual design does not imply similarity in behavior concerning speed, the final state of nodes and edges, and …

An Examination Of The Role Of Industry 4.0 In Supply Chain Management: Critical Success Factors And A Roadmap, Alper Senol

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Global supply chain management aims to enhance efficiency and profitability for suppliers, manufacturers, logistics providers, and warehouses. It faces challenges due to the complexity involved. To stay competitive, organizations in the industry are leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies, but some struggle with implementation due to limited expertise. The primary challenge of Global Supply Chain Management now is to integrate Industry 4.0 tools and technologies to maintain high-quality standards and optimized processes. This study focused on identifying the key factors that directly affect the success of integrating Industry 4.0 into the supply chain. It examined both tangible and intangible business resources and …

Improving Basic Cadet Training For Changing Environment: Case Study At The Korea Air Force Academy, Yoojin Kwon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Increasing uncertainty, such as Covid-19 and weather changes, threatens BCT (Basic Cadet Training) at ROKAFA (Republic of Korea Air Force Academy). In preparation for the changing and adverse environment, this study carried out the following steps to propose a system improvement utilizing LVC (Live, Virtual, Constructive) in BCT system at ROKAFA; 1) Researching the examples of BCT and LVC by advanced countries, 2) Analyzing BCT (ROKAFA) through systems approach (document analysis, survey of 140 cadets and officers, written interviews with military experts), 3) Applying LVC to BCT. BCT is a vital step in the transition from civilian to military status …

Optimal Sequencing And Scheduling Algorithm For Traffic Flows Based On Extracted Control Actions Near The Airport, Sharmistha Chakrabarti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This dissertation seeks to design an optimization algorithm, based on naturalistic flight data, with emphasis on safety to perform a benefits' analysis when sequencing and scheduling aircraft at the runway. The viability of creating a decision-support tool to aid air traffic controllers in sequencing and optimizing airport operations is evaluated through the benefits' analysis. Air traffic control is a complex and critical system that ensures the safe and efficient movement of aircraft within the airspace. This is particularly true in the immediate vicinity of an airport. Unlike in en-route or terminal area airspace where aircraft usually traverse well established routes …

A Conceptual Model For Quality 4.0 Deployment In U.S. Based Manufacturing Firms, Thomas Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Manufacturing is currently undergoing a fourth industrial revolution, referred to as Industry 4.0, enabled by digital technologies and advances in our ability to collect and use data. Quality 4.0 is the application of Industry 4.0 to enhance the quality function within an organization. Quality practitioners are uniquely positioned within organizations and already possess data application skillsets. Despite a perception that Quality 4.0 will be critical to future success shared by a majority of industry, most companies have not attempted to implement Quality 4.0 strategy, and those that have report very low rates of success. The goal of this study was …

A Holistic Work System Approach To Creating Flow During Transactional Work, Steven Clapp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Psychological flow is a positive mental state where one is so fully concentrated in a challenging task that self-consciousness falls away, time seems to stand still, and the reward is the experience of meeting the challenge. Previous research on flow in the workplace has been performed on how to create conditions to promote its occurrence in workers, to describe its attendant individual and organizational benefits, and to measure it through self-reported means and physiologically. Such research has been focused on creative endeavors (such as the arts, sports, medicine, teaching), where individuals have high agency over the execution of activities needed …

Understanding Outgroup Aversion Effects On Innovation Adoption And Polarization In Network Environments, Bruce G. Miller

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Individuals' decisions to adopt an innovation can be influenced by the group identity of previous adopters or non-adopters in their social network. Previous research in innovation diffusion considered initial innovators and word-of-mouth imitator effects using analytical models. Simulations and agent-based models have been developed to address the heterogeneity of decision makers and the non-linearity of the process. A further refinement modeled adoption based on networks of social relationships between potential decision makers, analogous to the spread of disease on networks. In addition, adoption or non-adoption of some innovations has been characterized as a means of signaling identification with or aversion …

A Framework Of Critical Success Factors For Implementation Of Industry 4.0 In Aerospace And Defense Industries, Lina Khan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0, is essential to the success of Aerospace and Defense (A&D) organizations as it showcases the ability to adapt, innovate, and remain competitive. Industry 4.0 technologies such as cyber-physical systems (CPS), big data, cognitive computing, smart factories, connected manufacturing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) focus on revolutionizing manufacturing through embedding digital and physical systems, with the goal to maximize the desired output(s) while using minimal resources. Although there are numerous advantages, there are challenges associated with implementation of these complex systems. This doctoral research investigates the critical factors needed for successful implementation of …

Globally Distributed Teams: The Between-Team Barriers That Impede The Successful Delivery Of Agile Software Development, Ben Park

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Software development projects fail far too often, costing companies billions in revenue, loss of the intended purpose and damage to both customers and suppliers in the process (A. Shenhar & V. Holzmann, 2017a). Understanding the challenge of ever-failing globally distributed software development projects is the goal and research conducted in this dissertation. The vision guiding the direction of this research is "What are the betweenteam barriers that impede the successful delivery of Agile software development in Globally Distributed Teams?" Through the literature review, a model was created and refined. A Mixed-Method Sequentially Replicated Case Study Research was performed to determine …

A Framework To Define And Quantify Leadership Styles Within Navy Engineering Units, Megan Praschak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study aimed to develop a framework for the U.S. Navy's leadership styles by assessing self-perceived leadership styles in a sample of reserve Engineering Duty Officers (EDOs) and the Senior Enlisted Leaders (SELs) in these technical units. Transformational and transactional leadership styles were examined using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) Form (Avolio & Bass, 2004), while the servant leadership style was analyzed using the Servant Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SLSQ) (Sandling, 2021). The effect of rank and the triad leadership position on leadership style was explored in this study. The survey was made available to all EDOs and SELs (n = …

Modeling Behavior And Vaccine Hesitancy For Predicting Daily Vaccination Inoculations Using Trends, Case, Death, And Twitter Sentiment Data, Talal Daghriri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Over the past 100 years, epidemiological models have evolved to incorporate greater facets of the process. With the advent of social networking, massive computational power, population sentiment analysis can now be added to the epidemiological modeling process. Sentiment analysis is greater understanding of the fears, uncertainties, motivation, and trends of the public with respect to vaccination and associated events. Lack of public confidence in the efficacy of models, safety of vaccines, and appropriateness of policies confounds vaccine inoculation prediction. Sentiment analysis of social media is a seminal technique that accesses shared users' contents and tweets on the Twitter platform for …

Understanding Workforce Agility At Nasa Kennedy Space Center, Ledlyne H. Vazquez

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This study aims to define workforce agility via a literature review and a conducted research survey of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Engineering workforce. The survey results will help us determine the workforce agility of the KSC engineering team and understand what has allowed them to transition from the Space Shuttle Program to the new Exploration Ground System (EGS) program. Structural Equation Modeling was used to develop a model of relationships to test the hypotheses. The results show that organizational practices and psychological empowerment significantly support workforce agility. The implications of this study for understanding the characteristics of workforce agility …

Safety Evaluation Of Amusement Rides Using Accumulated Accident Data: Accident Data Framework, Kathryn Woodcock

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

Amusement rides and devices are a popular form of recreation and important component of the tourism industry. Injury-producing accidents are rare, and the viability of the industry relies on perceived safety of the activity. Some existing metrics use accumulated accident reports. Several metrics tabulate the number of injuries, but none collect enough information about the context of accidents to analyse the accumulated data to deduce patterns. This paper describes an Accident Data Framework for a minimal set of variables from reports of amusement device accident, and the structure for a useful narrative to aid reporters and recorders to avoid introducing …

When The Magic Closes: Examining How Disney Fans Coped With Theme Park And Resort Closures Amid The Covid-19 Pandemic, Cody Havard, Carissa A. Baker, Daniel L. Wann, Rick Grieve

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

This essay discusses a qualitative investigation we conducted with fans of the Disney parks and resorts during the summer of 2020 regarding the company’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, 22 people responded to open-ended questions from an online survey to discuss their views of the closures and planned reopenings of the Disney parks and resorts amid the early days of the pandemic. Using social identity theory (Tajfel, 1978) and the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991), we discuss how fans react to and cope with the temporary loss of a favorite activity and how companies in the themed entertainment …

Covid-19 And Immersion: Physical, Virtual, And Home Spaces, Scott Lukas

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

This article considers the dramatic adaptations that have occurred in themed immersive spaces as they have dealt with the challenging dynamics of COVID-19. As COVID-19 has been a respiratory disease, it has impacted the operations of theme parks, casinos, cruise ships, and other immersive spaces, especially as such spaces have relied, traditionally, on physical forms of entertainment and immersion. The writing begins with a consideration of the COVID-19 challenges noted in the theme park and cruise ship industries. OceanMedallionTM and MyMagic+ technologies are considered for their possible positive role in addressing the operational dynamics during the pandemic. Issues of guest …

Brighter But Not Clearer: Entertainment-Dependent Destinations Dealing With Long Covid, Louis-Etienne Dubois, Frederic Dimanche

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we explored a range of very different possible outcomes for destinations that rely heavily on their entertainment sector (Dubois & Dimanche, 2021). Several months later, this article seeks to revisit those outcomes, while also highlighting the ongoing recovery efforts and evolving strategies of entertainment-dependent destinations (EDDs). To do so, we reconnected with the panel of respondents from various destinations (i.e., Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans etc.) to take stock of both new challenges and opportunities, as well as emerging factors impacting their respective markets. Our results show that while EDDs are facing a …

Theme Parks, Staycation Practices, And Covid-19: Opportunities And Uncertainties, Salvador Anton Clavé

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

The effects of COVID-19 on the market transformation of the theme park industry has been significant in the short term because of travel restrictions. Challenges, impacts, responses, and strategies might vary from one region to another and even from one theme park to another. However, it can be assumed that domestic travel will continue to have an effect on the theme park industry during the months to come and likely beyond the pandemic. In this context, the “staycation” is becoming a booming trend in the leisure, entertainment, and tourism industry, creating new, current, and future unexpected economic winners and losers. …

Disney During Covid-19: The Tourist And The Actor’S Nightmare, Jennifer A. Kokai, Tom Robson

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

In this essay, we argue that the experience of being at Disney theme parks in COVID times was a waking version of what is sometimes called “The Actor’s Nightmare.” Due to safety regulations, theme parks either dropped live entertainment that structures the day as a show with a clear beginning and end (e.g. park-opening rope drop performances, and the fireworks), attempted to include references to COVID in live entertainment (like in

the Frozen Ever After singalong, which added some COVID jokes), or to ignore it (like the Festival of the Lion King). In any case, due to these measures the …

The “Politics Of Inclusion/Exclusion” In Times Of The Pandemic, Florian Freitag

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

As commercial enterprises that depend on attracting a maximum number of visitors in order to be economically successful, theme parks have generally been careful to avoid unpleasant, sensitive, or controversial themes (or aspects of a theme) that might offend or alienate potential customers. Due to official regulations concerning e.g. the wearing of masks in waiting lines and during rides, however, the pandemic cannot simply be “excluded” from the parks and remains constantly visually present, thus seriously undermining the companies’ efforts to keep the park grounds rigidly separated from the rest of the world. Particular operational decisions by some theme park …

“It Takes People To Make The Dream A Reality”: Disney’S Hr Strategy In Response To Covid-19, Jaime L. Williams, Allison A. Toth

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

From January 2020 to the beginning of fall 2021, theme parks around the world have been required to engage in abnormal, abrupt, and major shifts in operations caused by the ongoing global pandemic (COVID-19). Through the process of sensemaking, this paper will focus on the human resources related decisions made by The Walt Disney Company in an effort to better understand the organization’s responses to changes in the external environment and the resulting outcomes during the pandemic. The overall management of Cast Members in the United States during this time period with specific focuses on the layoff and re-hiring of …

Are European Theme Parks Likely To Suffer From Long Covid?, Pieter Cornelis

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

COVID-19 has had a major impact on the theme park industry. Visits to European parks were significantly lower in 2020 than the year before. This article discusses the short-term and long-term economic consequences of the pandemic for the theme park industry. Attitudinal loyalty, inertia effects of guest satisfaction on repeat visits, (deferred) reinvestments, and the difference between theme and amusement parks will be considered. To compensate for losses in 2020, many parks increased their visitor numbers in the 2021 season to the maximum permitted capacity, especially in the summer months. As a result, analysis of waiting times at 22 investigated …

Introduction: Theme Parks And Covid-19, Salvador Anton Clavé, Florian Freitag

Journal of Themed Experience and Attractions Studies

In the tourism industry, “crises” have been conceptualized as local and temporary phenomena, interval states that may require imminent action, but that can eventually be overcome, with business simply resuming. At the moment of writing, however, it is not at all clear when or if the theme park sector can simply return to a pre-pandemic state of affairs. Even if tourism may once again attain pre-COVID numbers, it may well be through entirely new and different forms. The essays collected here provide scholarly and professional snapshots of the current (winter 2021/2022) state of the theme park industry, with special attention …

Learning And Decision Making In Social Media Networks, Zhecheng Qiang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Social media is a virtual community where users share news, ideas, interests, and information. Learning the information diffusion dynamics and making decisions correspondingly, e.g., selecting the seed nodes to maximize the influence, have been widely applied to the areas of viral marketing and cyber security. In this dissertation, we study the problem of learning diffusion process, i.e., infection prediction, in social media networks utilizing both feature-based machine learning methods and mathematical model-based methods. For feature-based machine learning methods, the neighborhood information is treated as an important feature together with user profile and content similarity features. For model-based methods, two distinctive …