Anthropology
Anthropology Department Contacts
Scott Branting
Graduate Director
Anelis Diaz
Graduate Support Staff
Graduate Program Contact Email: anthrograduate@ucf.edu
Anthropology Graduate Degrees & Certificates
Recent Anthropology Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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Improving Osteological Sex Estimation Methods for the Skull: Combining Morphological Traits and Measurements Utilizing Decision Trees and Random Forest Modeling
by Morgan Ferrell on August 27, 2024
Osteological sex estimation is a key component of the biological profile in forensic anthropological casework. However, there are still limitations with current methodologies for the skull as well as inadequate […]
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Exploring Multi-isotopic Intra- and Inter-individual Skeletal Variation within Single Interred and Commingled Contexts in Geographically Distinct Populations
by Stephanie Fuehr on August 26, 2024
The focus of this research was to determine the intra- and inter-individual isotopic variation in individuals from the Meroitic cemetery 8-B-5.A (350 BC–350 AD) at Sai Island, Sudan and from individuals at Lamanai, Marco […]
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Exploring Malabar II Site Use and Social Interaction: Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Formal Clustering of the Ceramics at The Burns Site (8br85), Cape Canaveral, Florida
by Emily Tyler on August 26, 2024
This research addresses group interaction and site use of the Burns Site (8BR85). Burns is a Malabar II (900-1565 AD) period site located within the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) region. The site includes a mound with spoke-like […]
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Assessing Precolumbian Land-Use Changes in the Llanos de Mojos, Bolivia Through Diatom Analysis of Sediment Cores
by Kathryn Whelton on May 28, 2024
The Llanos de Mojos is a tropical savanna in the Bolivian Amazon with strong seasonality. Abundant earthworks and anthropogenically shaped landscapes suggest that precolumbian inhabitants had a much larger impact on the […]
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Reconstructing Seasonality at the Buns Mound Site, Cape Canaveral, Florida Using Oxygen (δ18O) Isotopes from Donax Variabilis
by Zachary Boal on May 28, 2024
This thesis analyzes Donax variabilis from the Burns Site (900 to 1600 CE), located on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station along the Atlantic Coast of Central Florida. Samples were taken along growth lines of 12 Donax […]
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Assessing the Manifestations of Marginalization in Early Bronze Age Western Anatolia: Nonspecific Stress Indicators at Karataş-Semayük
by Chelsea N. Rose on May 28, 2024
The Early Bronze Age in Western Anatolia represents a period of social transition, associated with hierarchical social stratification. Evidence for stratification at Karataş-Semayük (i.e., Karataş) (2700 to 2300 BCE) is […]
Biology
Biology Department Contacts
Laurence von Kalm
Graduate Director
Juana Pasco
Graduate Support Staff
Graduate Program Contact Email: juana.pasco@ucf.edu
Biology Graduate Degrees & Certificates
Recent Biology Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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The Influence Of Natural And Anthropogenic Drivers On Estuarine Food Webs At Various Spatio-Temporal Scales And Levels Of Complexity
by Michelle Shaffer on January 16, 2025
Global coastal ecosystems support human life by providing critical services like food, water purification, and coastal protection, yet these ecosystems are among the most threatened due to natural and human-driven […]
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On immunogenomic evolution and disease in marine turtles
by Katherine R. Martin on January 16, 2025
Characterizing immune gene diversity and function is paramount to understanding population adaptive potential and species survival in the face of selective pressure from infectious disease. In this dissertation, I examined […]
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Quantifying Age and Growth Rates of Gray Snapper (Lutjanus griseus) in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida
by Wei Chen on January 15, 2025
Gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) is a common reef fish inhabiting the western Atlantic Ocean. In estuaries of the Southeastern United States, such as Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, oyster reefs, seagrass, and mangrove shorelines […]
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Comparative Analysis of Volatile Terpenoid Profiles in Agrobacterium Rhizogenes-Transformed Hairy Roots of Helianthus Annuus
by Roberta Beard on August 27, 2024
Hairy roots are a syndrome of the plant pathogen Agrobacterium rhizogenes, which induces the aggressive growth of roots in the plants it infects. Hairy roots are shown to have increased production of secondary metabolites […]
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Do Generalist-Pollinated Plants Exhibit Pollination Syndromes? Examination of Floral Size, Shape, Color, and Scent on Pollinator Services to Wild Sunflowers (Helianthus)
by Charles A. Pitsenberger II on August 27, 2024
Traditional pollination syndromes group angiosperms into categories based on how floral traits impact the functional group of pollinator most associated with those traits. The concept, while well supported for […]
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Building better homes for pollinators: How native plants benefit pollinator communities in suburban landscapes
by Mykayla Hagaman on August 26, 2024
Pollinators provide key ecological services. With one-third of our global food production dependent on pollinators, maintaining healthy pollinator communities is vital. Bees are the most pervasive and effective pollinator […]
Chemistry
Chemistry Department Contacts
Qun Ho
Graduate Director – Chemistry
Candice Bridge
Graduate Director – Forensic Science M.S.
Graduate Program Contact Email: chemgrad@ucf.edu
Chemistry Graduate Degrees & Certificates
Recent Chemistry Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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Engineered Metallic Nanoparticles as Colorimetric Labels for Sensitive Lateral Flow Assay
by Zhiyuan Wei on November 18, 2024
The Lateral Flow Assay (LFA) represents one of the most classical in vitro detection platforms, wherein gold nanoparticles have emerged as the most extensively employed chromogenic agent. However, their utility has been […]
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Tailoring the Internal Architectures of Hollow Nanoparticles for Enhanced Plasmonic Properties
by Shikuan Shao on November 18, 2024
Plasmonic nanoparticles have garnered significant attention for their potential applications in various fields such as sensing, imaging, biomedicine, and catalysis owing to their unique ability to manipulate light at the […]
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Hierarchical Heterogeneous Catalysts for Hydrogenation Reactions
by Azina Rahmani on November 18, 2024
Noble metal catalysts are widely used for their remarkable activity and stability. However, their sustainability is challenged by their scarcity, both in terms of Earth-abundance and production sources. To ensure their […]
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Insights Into Nitric Oxide Reactivity With Iron-containing Enzymes
by Christopher P. Martin on August 27, 2024
Nitric oxide (NO) is a small, gaseous molecule that is toxic to life at high doses but serves a crucial role in biological processes at lower concentrations, including: cell signaling, immune response, and more recently, as […]
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Non-Destructive Nylon Microplastics Analysis Using Room-Temperature Fluorescence Spectroscopy
by Noah M. Froelich on August 26, 2024
Due to the frequent use of plastics in daily life, encountering microplastics as pollution and trace evidence in forensic investigations is a common occurrence. Nylons are a plastic class known to be strong and durable, and […]
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Surface Engineering of Nanoparticles for Efficient Polymerization Inhibition, Catalysis, and Plasmonic Sensing
by Pooria Golvari on June 18, 2024
Surface modification of colloidal nanoparticles is essential for broadening the scope of nanotechnology. In this dissertation, we discuss novel approaches to functionalize the surface of nanoparticles to tailor their […]
Mathematics
Mathematics Department Contacts
Eduardo Teixeira
Graduate Director
Giovanna Scheraldi
Graduate Support Staff
Graduate Program Contact Email: giovanna.scheraldi@ucf.edu
Mathematics Graduate Degrees & Certificates
- Financial Mathematics Graduate Certificate
- Mathematical Science Graduate Certificate
- Mathematical Science MS
- Mathematics PhD
Recent Mathematics Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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Low-rank Matrix Estimation
by Xing Fan on May 28, 2024
The first part of this dissertation focuses on matrix-covariate regression models. While they have been studied in many existing works, classical statistical and computational methods for the analysis of the regression […]
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A Limit Order Book Model for High Frequency Trading with Rough Volatility
by Yun S. Chen-Shue on May 28, 2024
We introduce a financial model for limit order book with two main features: First, the limit orders and market orders for the given asset both appear and interact with each other. Second, the high frequency trading (HFT, for […]
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Extremal Functions for Kt-s Minors and Coloring Graphs with No Kt-s Minors
by Michael M. Lafferty on January 17, 2024
Hadwiger's Conjecture from 1943 states that every graph with no Kt minor is (t-1)-colorable; it remains wide open for t ≥ 7. For positive integers t and s, let Kt-s denote the family of graphs obtained from the complete […]
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Topological Data Analysis Using the Mapper Algorithm
by Jessica Girard on August 24, 2023
Topological data analysis is an expanding field that attempts to obtain qualitative information from a data set using topological ideas. There are two common methods of topological data analysis: persistent homology and the […]
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On Quantitative Hessian Estimates for Fully Nonlinear Elliptic Equations
by Thialita Moura Do Nascimento on August 24, 2023
A fundamental issue in the theory of fully nonlinear elliptic equations is to establish quantitative, possibly sharp, Hessian integrability of their solutions. The problem is particularly relevant, both from pure and applied […]
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Clustering of Diverse Multiplex Networks
by Yaxuan Wang on May 26, 2023
This dissertation introduces the DIverse MultiPLEx Generalized Dot Product Graph (DIMPLE-GDPG) network model where all layers of the network have the same collection of nodes and follow the Generalized Dot Product Graph […]
Nicholson School of Communication & Media (NSCM)
NSCM Contacts
Ann Miller, PhD
Graduate Director – Strategic Communication PhD, Communication MA
Elizabeth “Lisa” Kritzer
Graduate Director – Film MFA
Peter Smith
Graduate Director – Digital Media
Graduate Program Contact Email: nicholsongrad@ucf.edu
Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA) Contacts
Richard Grula
Graduate Director
Kenneth Koloski
Graduate Support Staff
Graduate Program Contact Email: kenneth.koloski@ucf.edu
NSCM Graduate Degrees & Certificates
- Communication MA
- Corporate Communication Graduate Certificate
- Digital Media MA
- Feature Film Production MFA
- Interactive Entertainment MS
- Strategic Communication PhD
Recent NSCM Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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Holding an Empathic Lantern to Help Depressed Friends Find their Way out of the Darkness: An Examination of Intention to Offer Social Support Guided by the Reasoned Action Approach
by Laura Boutemen on June 18, 2024
Guided by the reasoned action approach, this two-fold research first used an online open-ended elicitation survey to identify beliefs held by undergraduate students (N = 397) pertaining to offering social support to […]
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Giving Voice to The Voiceless: Health Communication and Female Fieldworkers in Central Florida
by Sofia Salazar on May 28, 2024
This qualitative research project examined health experiences of female agricultural workers in central Florida. Specifically, this study identified the most common physical and mental health illnesses and issues reported by […]
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Student Perceptions of Campus Crime and Victim Services
by Tracy Gulliford on January 17, 2024
Few would argue that college campus crime is a serious problem across the United States. Debate arises, however, regarding why the problem is so pervasive and how best to address it. This dissertation addresses that gap by […]
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The Study of Crisis Narratives Over Time: Mayfield, KY in the Aftermath of the 2021 Tornadoes
by Rebecca Freihaut on January 17, 2024
This study was a year-long longitudinal qualitative research project using the case study of Mayfield, KY after the catastrophic tornado event that impacted their community on December 10, 2021. Oral histories were collected […]
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Painting and Fear: The Creation of Death's Visage
by Mark A. Felbinger on January 17, 2024
Death's Visage is a feature film that was created from an idea developed due to a personal relationship with an artist, who was a professional illustrator and painter. The film follows a young woman who becomes entrapped in […]
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A Puerto Rican Diasporic Study in Central Florida
by Chelsea Vélez on May 26, 2023
This study seeks to explicate the intercultural experiences of Puerto Ricans within the diaspora of Central Florida. Specifically, the navigation of communication behaviors among intergroup and outgroup behaviors as Puerto […]
Physics
Physics Department Contacts
William Kaden
Graduate Director – Physics
Yan Fernandez
Graduate Director – Planetary Science
Esperanza Soto
Graduate Support Staff
Graduate Program Contact Email: soto@ucf.edu
Physics Graduate Degrees & Certificates
Recent Physics Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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Progress Towards Attosecond Science with a Turn-Key Industrial-Grade Ytterbium Laser
by Thi Tran Chau Truong on June 18, 2024
Advancements in laser technology over the last decades have allowed compression of laser light pulses to few-femtosecond durations. To obtain even shorter pulses, a new mechanism was required. The discovery of high-order […]
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Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Probing of Structures of the Rous Sarcoma Virus Capsid, Amyloid Beta, and Reflectin Proteins
by Tyrone Thames on June 18, 2024
Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy can be a powerful tool for investigating the atomic-level structures and dynamics of biological macromolecules, including proteins. In this dissertation, I present […]
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Probing Electron Correlations with First-principles Calculations of the High Harmonic Spectrum in Solids
by Didarul Alam on June 18, 2024
High harmonic generation (HHG) is an extreme non-linear phenomenon where strong laser fields interact with a medium to produce coherent and high-frequency harmonics of the incident light. It has emerged as a rapidly growing […]
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An Atomistic Approach to Large Scale Transport: An Investigation of the Resistivity-size Effect in Thin Films with Realistic Disorder
by William E. Richardson on May 28, 2024
The resistivity-size effect has emerged as an obstacle in our pursuit of ever shrinking electronic devices. Interconnects and vias are the nanoscale copper conductors connecting within and between layers of a CPU, […]
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The Case for Photothermal Spectroscopy in the Future of Planetary Science Missions
by Christopher T. Cox on May 28, 2024
Optical PhotoThermal InfraRed (O-PTIR) is a relatively new spectroscopy method for studying materials. It produces transmission-like spectra using a remote reflectance technique that is rapid, requires little sample […]
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Enhancing Scanning Tunneling Microscopy with Automation and Machine Learning
by Darian Smalley on May 28, 2024
The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is one of the most advanced surface science tools capable of atomic resolution imaging and atomic manipulation. Unfortunately, STM has many time-consuming bottlenecks, like probe […]
Psychology
Psychology Department Contacts
Industrial & Organizational Ph.D.
Graduate Program Contact Email: danielle.draper@ucf.edu
Industrial & Organizational Psychology M.S.
Michael Chetta
Graduate Director
Dani Draper
Graduate Support Staff
Graduate Program Contact Email: danielle.draper@ucf.edu
Clinical Psychology Ph.D.
Jeffrey Bedwell
Graduate Director
Amy Newins
Associate Director
Colleen O’Connor
Graduate Support Staff
Graduate Program Contact Email: colleen.oconnor@ucf.edu
Human Factors & Cognitive Psychology
Mustapha Mouloua
Graduate Director
Nichole Lighthall
Associate Director
Elizabeth Tummons
Graduate Support Staff
Graduate Program Contact Email: elizabeth.tummons@ucf.edu
Clinical Psychology M.A.
Graduate Program Contact Email: eun.park@ucf.edu
Psychology Graduate Degrees & Certificates
- Clinical Psychology MA
- Clinical Psychology PhD
- Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology PhD
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology MS
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology PhD
Recent Psychology Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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The Trickle-Down Effects of Manager Gratitude Expression
by Meghan E. Kane on May 28, 2024
Gratitude is an emotion with a number of positive benefits for both individuals and organizations; however, very little research has addressed the role of leaders in influencing the gratitude of those they lead. […]
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The Effects of Sexual Assault on Identity and Interpersonal Relationships Among Male and Female Victims
by Ishara Jean-Francois on May 28, 2024
The current study aimed to examine the effect of sexual assault on identity and interpersonal relationships. Although previous studies have examined the connection between sexual assault and interpersonal relationships […]
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Assessment of Caretaker Resources and Motivation in the Wean-to-Market Phase of Swine Production
by Joshua W. Holtkamp on May 28, 2024
This study is a novel application of I/O Psychology principles to the U.S. swine industry. The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) recently identified caretaker motivation related to compliance with biosecurity behaviors […]
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Human Performance in Context: Exploring the Effect of Social Support on Vigilance
by Allison E. Garibaldi on May 28, 2024
Over many decades, vigilance research has consistently found that performance on vigilance tasks decline over time (i.e., the vigilance decrement; Davies & Parasuraman, 1982), and that performing a vigilance task is both […]
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From Ramen to Research: The Experience of Financial Scarcity in Graduate School
by Charlotte Holden on May 28, 2024
Recent economic trends and wage stagnation are putting employees in challenging financial situations that may impact their contributions at work. This study draws on scarcity theory (Mullainathan & Shafir, 2013) to […]
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The Role of Medical Cannabis Use in Pain, Sleep, and Mental Health Outcomes Among Older Adults
by Madison H. Maynard on May 28, 2024
Older adults represent the fastest growing demographic of cannabis users, and they endorse cannabis use for a variety of reasons including modulation of chronic pain, mental health symptoms, and sleep concerns. Despite […]
School of Politics, Security, & International Affairs (SPSIA)
SPSIA Department Contacts
Jacopo Baggio
Graduate Director – Network Analysis
Andrew Boutton
Graduate Director – Intelligence
John Hanley
Graduate Director – Survey Research
Graduate Program Contact Email: graduatepolisci@ucf.edu
Psychology SPSIA Degrees & Certificates
- Intelligence and National Security Graduate Certificate
- Network Analysis and Applications Graduate Certificate
- Political Science MA
- Security Studies PhD
- Survey Research Graduate Certificate
Recent SPSIA Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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Drones, Peacekeeping, and Civilian Protection in Armed Conflict
by Michael Yekple on June 18, 2024
Under what conditions are drones effective in protecting civilians in armed conflict? And what shapes support for their use for civilian protection in armed conflict? Drones have been adopted into international peacekeeping […]
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Sectarianism and Elite Strategies in Fueling Conflict: Evidence from Iraq under Saddam Hussein and Nouri Al Maliki
by Mohammed Al Awwad on May 28, 2024
What contributes to sectarian conflict? Some existing literature essentializes sectarian identities and blames ancient hatred between different groups as the cause of conflict, this thesis argues that sectarian conflict […]
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The Online Teacher's Lounge: Understanding How Small Non-Political Groups Discuss Politics on Social Media
by Sarah Holland on May 28, 2024
Social media is becoming an increasingly studied phenomenon in recent years, with a rise in users and the wide variety of content. Political socialization covers mass media and social media, though it only discusses the […]
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Refugee Language Barriers in Host Countries and Treatment of Refugees. A Cross-country Analysis
by May Ali on January 17, 2024
This mixed-methods study investigates factors influencing refugee treatment across countries, focusing on the impact of language barriers on attitudes toward refugees. The research employs qualitative and quantitative […]
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Violence Against Civilians During Armed Conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa
by Augustine T. Larmin on January 17, 2024
Why victimize civilians during civil war? Inspired by my survival of two civil wars in Liberia, I offer a theory of violence against noncombatants during armed conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa. Civil wars in post-colonial […]
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Leadership and Military Power – Can a Leadership Approach Provide a Competitive Advantage?
by Lawrence E. Skelly III on January 17, 2024
Leadership and Military Power – Can a Leadership Approach Provide a Competitive Advantage? When does a military commander's leadership approach give his or her unit a performance advantage? U.S. Army senior leaders have […]
Sociology
Sociology Department Contacts
Amy Donley
Graduate Director
Jana Mostafa
Graduate Support Staff
Graduate Program Contact Email: socadmissions@ucf.edu
Sociology Degrees & Certificates
Recent Sociology Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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Exploring Hypervigilance Among Trans+ People Navigating Cisgendered Healthcare
by Emma M. Tukdarian on May 28, 2024
This thesis uses the limited research on LGBTQ+ specific hypervigilance and queer battle fatigue to explore the prevalence of hypervigilance and fatigue in trans+ medical experiences, even when emotions aren't centered in […]
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The Black Hair Experience: Exploring the Workplace Experience for Black Women with Natural Hair and Hairstyles
by Shameika D. Daye on May 28, 2024
Despite the guidance provided by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's manual, which encourages workplaces to create policies that respect racial hair texture differences, hair-based discrimination still exists in […]
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An Intersectional Examination of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Educational Outcomes in Children in The U.S.
by Josalie C. Condon on May 28, 2024
Background: Research has found that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been shown to lead to a myriad of issues including struggling in school. The more ACEs a child experiences, the worse their outcome tends to be, […]
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Originalist Framing in Two Civil Rights Cases
by Adrienne Mathews on January 17, 2024
Originalism is a legal framework of constitutional interpretation that re-emerged in the United States in the 1970's as part of the conservative legal movement. In the decades since, originalism has grown in prominence both […]
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Digital Disconnect: The Relationship Between In-game and Real-world Issues in World of Warcraft
by Taylor Devereaux on August 24, 2023
This dissertation explores how players of the Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), World of Warcraft, responded to in-game instances of sexism and racism before and after the Activision Blizzard lawsuit was […]
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Disclosure Experiences and Well-Being Among Heterosexual, Lesbian, and Bisexual Women Sexual Violence Survivors
by Madelyn Diaz on August 24, 2023
Sexual violence (SV) among women is a significant public health concern linked to several adverse mental and physical health consequences. Though national estimates suggest that more than 50% of women experience SV in their […]
Statistics & Data Science
Statistics & Data Science Department Contacts
Edgard Maboudou
Graduate Director
Elena Sequera
Graduate Support Staff
Graduate Program Contact Email: Elena.Sequera@ucf.edu
Statistics & Data Science Degrees & Certificates
- Big Data Analytics PhD
- Data Modeling Graduate Certificate
- SAS Data Mining Graduate Certificate
- Statistics and Data Science MS
Recent Statistics & Data Science Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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Homogeneity Test on Error Rates from Ordinal Scores and Application to Forensic Science
by Ngoc Ty Nguyen on June 18, 2024
The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve is used to measure the classification accuracy of tests that yield ordinal or continuous scores. Ordinal scores are common in medical imaging studies and, more recently, in […]
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Enhancing NFL Game Insights: Leveraging XGBoost For Advanced Football Data Analytics To Quantify Multifaceted Aspects Of Gameplay
by Christopher P. Schoborg on May 28, 2024
XGBoost, renowned for its efficacy in various statistical domains, offers enhanced precision and efficiency. Its versatility extends to both regression and categorization tasks, rendering it a valuable asset in predictive […]
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Deep Learning One-Class Classification With Support Vector Methods
by Hayden D. Hampton on May 28, 2024
Through the specialized lens of one-class classification, anomalies–irregular observations that uncharacteristically diverge from normative data patterns–are comprehensively studied. This dissertation focuses on […]
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Bayesian Variable Selection with Shrinkage Priors and Generative Adversarial Networks for Fraud Detection
by Amina Issoufou Anaroua on May 28, 2024
This research paper focuses on fraud detection in the financial industry using Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) in conjunction with Uni and Multi Variate Bayesian Model with Shrinkage Priors (BMSP). The problem […]
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Smoothing Spline Analysis of Variance Models On Accelerometer Data
by Lulu Chen on January 30, 2024
In this thesis, the basics of smoothing spline analysis of variance are first introduced. Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases in older adults, such as heart disease, stroke, […]
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Football By the Numbers: A Look Into Sports Analytics Currently Used in the National Football League
by Christopher Schoborg on August 24, 2023
Sports analytics is a fast-growing field of analytics. In particular, sports analytics with a focus on National Football League (NFL). In this thesis, we will review many articles on football analytics to have an in-depth […]
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