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- Title
- Successful Organizational Change: Aligning Change Type with Methods.
- Creator
-
Al-Haddad, Serina, Kotnour, Timothy, Mollaghasemi, Mansooreh, Hoekstra, Robert, Diaz, Rey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The motivation behind this research is the prevalence of challenges and ambiguity associated with successful organizational change and the numerous available approaches in dealing with these challenges and ambiguity.Many definitions and methods have been suggested to manage change; however, organizations still report a high failure rate of their change initiatives. These high failure rates highlight the continuing need for research and investigation, and imply a lack of a valid framework for...
Show moreThe motivation behind this research is the prevalence of challenges and ambiguity associated with successful organizational change and the numerous available approaches in dealing with these challenges and ambiguity.Many definitions and methods have been suggested to manage change; however, organizations still report a high failure rate of their change initiatives. These high failure rates highlight the continuing need for research and investigation, and imply a lack of a valid framework for managing successful organizational change. This dissertation critically reviews the concept of having one change approach as the (")silver-bullet("). In pursuit of this goal, this research contributes a roadmap to the change management literature and provides definitions for describing change types, change methods and change outcomes. This dissertation also develops a conceptual model that proposes relationships and connections between the change types, change method and change outcomes that is assumed to enable successful change. To validate the research conceptual model, two hypotheses were developed and a self-administered survey was created and administered (paper survey and online). The respondents were professionals involved in change projects in the Central Florida region. The unit of analysis in this research was a completed change project. Respondents were asked to complete the survey for two different projects: a successful project and an unsuccessful project. Statistical processes were applied to verify the conceptual model and test the research hypotheses.Based on the data collected, exploratory factor analysis was used to verify the validity and reliability of the conceptual model measures. Results of the hypotheses testing revealed that there are relationships between the complexity of the change type and the use of change methods that significantly relate to successful change. The results also revealed that the alignment of the change type and change methods significantly relates to successful change.From the viewpoint of change project managers, the results of this dissertation have confirmed that the complexity of the change project type negatively correlates with change success and the increased use of change methods positively correlates with change success. The results also confirmed that the methods that highly correlate to change success address the following: (a) the situation that needs changing, (b) the proper implementation of change, (c) the establishment of suitable plans and controls to sustain change, and (d) the presence of a credible team leader who influences the major decisions during the change project.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005121, ucf:50691
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005121
- Title
- THE EFFECT OF AN AUDITORY STIMULUS ON CHANGE BLINDNESS.
- Creator
-
McCormack, Shane, Neider, Mark, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This research examined whether or not an auditory stimulus would affect rates of change blindness. Change blindness occurs when there is a failure to detect an obvious change to a visual scene. For this experiment 40 participants were asked to determine if a change occurred between two pictures. This involved an original picture shown for 1 second, a neutral screen shown for 50 milliseconds and then either a modified version of the original image or the same image for 1 second and then...
Show moreThis research examined whether or not an auditory stimulus would affect rates of change blindness. Change blindness occurs when there is a failure to detect an obvious change to a visual scene. For this experiment 40 participants were asked to determine if a change occurred between two pictures. This involved an original picture shown for 1 second, a neutral screen shown for 50 milliseconds and then either a modified version of the original image or the same image for 1 second and then repeated. Participants then determined whether a change occurred in the visual display. For some participants a familiar song played on repeat during the visual task. My goal was to determine if music would affect rates of change blindness and how quickly changes would be detected if present. I found that participants in both the music and non-music conditions were more accurate when there was no change to a scene. Participants in the music condition also took longer to respond as opposed to the control group. When examining reaction times of only correct responses, both conditions responded in a similar amount of time for pictures with changes. In trials with no changes the participants in the music condition took longer to respond than the control group. Overall, it appears that music had a negative effect on reaction times when a change was present. Participants were also more accurate in detecting pictures with no changes as opposed to pictures with changes.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFH0004360, ucf:45016
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004360
- Title
- INVESTIGATION OF VISUAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CHANGE DETECTION.
- Creator
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Niederman, Elisabeth, Hancock, Peter, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
In this study, participants performed a change detection task. Specifically we examined whether participants had to fixate on a difference between two images before they could detect it. Thirty-six participants performed a change detection task in either a 3 minute or a 1.5 minute condition. We found a significant interaction between task duration and fixation type (whether the participant had fixated on the difference in both, one, or neither image). Participants found a greater number of...
Show moreIn this study, participants performed a change detection task. Specifically we examined whether participants had to fixate on a difference between two images before they could detect it. Thirty-six participants performed a change detection task in either a 3 minute or a 1.5 minute condition. We found a significant interaction between task duration and fixation type (whether the participant had fixated on the difference in both, one, or neither image). Participants found a greater number of differences given more time only when they fixated on the difference in both images. The number of differences which were detected by participants with a fixation on only one image or on neither image did not increase with a corresponding increase in time, indicating that some mechanical error may be involved. This suggests that participants need to fixate on a difference before being able to detect it.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFH0004500, ucf:45152
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004500
- Title
- ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AT THE SERVICE DELIVERY LEVEL: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PERCEIVED REACTION TO CHANGE INITIATIVES IN MORALE, WELFARE ANDRECREATION ACTIVITIES OF THE US ARMY.
- Creator
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Cochran, Larry, Maiden, Paul, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As the speed of change increases, federal agencies are challenged more often to develop and implement improvements to existing programs, new programs to meet new needs, or adjustments to programs based on changed circumstances of delivery. Built on the foundation of systems theory, expectancy theory, and field theory, this research seeks to explain why some managers do not propose changes in their organizations---even when the very survival of the organization is at risk. By measuring the...
Show moreAs the speed of change increases, federal agencies are challenged more often to develop and implement improvements to existing programs, new programs to meet new needs, or adjustments to programs based on changed circumstances of delivery. Built on the foundation of systems theory, expectancy theory, and field theory, this research seeks to explain why some managers do not propose changes in their organizations---even when the very survival of the organization is at risk. By measuring the fields of influence encountered by managers, we find that the chain of command is supportive of change initiatives. Other organizational elements--human resources and legal staff were measured in this research--are, in general, indifferent about the managers' effort to change. Employees, on the other hand, are strongly opposed to any change with even minimal impact on their work habits and conditions. Based on a survey of 201 managers of Army morale, welfare and recreation activities worldwide, this research views the climate for change from the perspective of the activity manager. There are general findings, along with detailed analysis, that support the need for a change to the environment itself. Executives charged with reviewing and approving activity-initiated changes may find this study useful in developing implementation strategies. Managers may take comfort in knowing that their environment is highly consistent with the experiences of other managers. Support staff--particularly legal and human resources offices--may find the perceptions of managers to be incongruent with the service objectives. We hope that everyone can find enlightenment, or perhaps confirmation of their own experiences, in the responses of these managers, and can use this information productively in the management of their areas of responsibility.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001004, ucf:46834
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001004
- Title
- Ego-involvement as an alternative measure of resistance to persuasion.
- Creator
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Snider, William J., Pryor, Albert, Social Sciences
- Abstract / Description
-
Florida Technological University College of Social Sciences Thesis;
- Date Issued
- 1975
- Identifier
- CFR0004329, ucf:52984
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFR0004329
- Title
- Stress-induced phase change sintering: A novel approach to the fabrication of barium chloride transparent ceramic scintillators.
- Creator
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Shoulders, William, Gaume, Romain, Coffey, Kevin, Sohn, Yongho, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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For the precise in-field identification of dangerous radioisotopes, the desire for higher resolution, cheaper, and more rugged gamma-ray scintillator detectors has pushed the materials science community to investigate new compounds and processing techniques.(&)nbsp; One particular solution is Eu:BaCl2 transparent ceramics processed by the novel phase-change sintering technique. Typically, optical transparency in BaCl2 would be limited by birefringence scattering at grain boundaries due to...
Show moreFor the precise in-field identification of dangerous radioisotopes, the desire for higher resolution, cheaper, and more rugged gamma-ray scintillator detectors has pushed the materials science community to investigate new compounds and processing techniques.(&)nbsp; One particular solution is Eu:BaCl2 transparent ceramics processed by the novel phase-change sintering technique. Typically, optical transparency in BaCl2 would be limited by birefringence scattering at grain boundaries due to mismatch in refractive index.(&)nbsp; Traditional ceramic processing routes would also predispose this volatile and hygroscopic material to the formation of defects, which interrupt the energy transfer in the scintillation process. Literature shows that these challenges have prevented halide gamma-ray scintillator ceramics, including Ce:LaBr3, Eu:SrI2, and Ce:Cs2LiYCl6, from reaching the performance of their single-crystalline counterparts. The sintering method explored in this thesis utilizes a polymorphic orthorhombic to cubic phase transition followed by plastic deformation.(&)nbsp; The experimental implementation of this method necessitated the design of a unique airtight hot-pressing device, capable of developing conditions for this phase conversion, and the synthesis of high purity powders. Systematic experiments on powder synthesis and on densification were carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach and understand the conditions for phase-change sintering. These experiments, supported by characterizations including x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and thermal analysis, lead to the production of optically isotropic cubic barium chloride ceramic samples. Finally, the optical and scintillation properties of Eu:BaCl2 ceramic samples were investigated, revealing an energy resolution of 6% at 662 keV, an unprecedented value for a halide ceramic scintillator.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006844, ucf:51779
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006844
- Title
- CHANGE ORDERS AND PRODUCTIVITY LOSS QUANTIFICATION USING VERIFIABLE SITE DATA.
- Creator
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Serag, Engy, Oloufa, Amr, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Change orders occur frequently in most construction projects, where contract modifications that increase the contract value between 5 to 10% are expected. Changes occur not only because of errors and omissions, but also for other reasons such as scope of work changes, or changes because of unforeseen conditions encountered on the site; a problem which is very common in most heavy construction projects. Changes themselves might not cause productivity losses; in this case the damage calculation...
Show moreChange orders occur frequently in most construction projects, where contract modifications that increase the contract value between 5 to 10% are expected. Changes occur not only because of errors and omissions, but also for other reasons such as scope of work changes, or changes because of unforeseen conditions encountered on the site; a problem which is very common in most heavy construction projects. Changes themselves might not cause productivity losses; in this case the damage calculation will be straightforward. However, changes may cause disruption in unchanged work where the working conditions are impacted, and as a result, lost productivity (inefficiency) is encountered. Delay and loss of productivity are the two main types of damages experienced by the contractor when the owner issues a change order. Courts have recognized Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule analysis as the preferred method of identifying and quantifying critical delays. As for the inefficiency damages, there is no way of directly measuring inefficiency due to its qualitative nature and the difficulty of linking the cause of the productivity loss to the damage. Most of the scholarly work published in this area was based on productivity data supplied by the contractors. The owner's viewpoint was seldom considered; and that explains why there are discrepancies between what the contractor asks for and what the owner believes the contractor is entitled. This research focuses on analyzing the change orders and the productivity loss from public owner data. The study addresses the need for a statistical model to quantify the change orders and the productivity loss from verifiable owner's data such as owner's daily reports, change orders, drawing, and specifications, rather than rely on contractor surveys. Two models are developed and validated; the first model is to quantify the percent increase in the contract price due to the change orders. This model will provide the owner with an estimate of the cost of the changed work, where it can be used for forward pricing or retrospective pricing of the change orders. The second is to quantify the productivity loss of the piping work due to the change orders. The productivity loss study analyzed two set of data; the first included all the predictor variables which both parties, the owner and the contractor, contributed to the productivity loss, and the second one included the predictor variables, from the legal view point, only the owner is responsible for. The study showed the difference between what the contractor asked for and what he is actually entitled. This model can be used by both the owner and the contractor to quantify the productivity loss due to change orders.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001221, ucf:46899
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001221
- Title
- FROM LIBERAL TO RESTRICTIVE: THE 1992 ASYLUM POLICY CHANGE IN GERMANY.
- Creator
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Ramos, Natalie, Kinsey, Barbara, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As the most popular destination country for migrants and refugees in the EU since the end of World War II (MPI, 2004), Germany has a history of refugee inflows. In this thesis I focus on the different factors that led to asylum policy change in reunified Germany, from liberal since 1945 to restrictive, after the end of the Cold War in 1992, with the 1992 amendment of Article 16 of the German Basic Law. The study of the factors that account for German asylum policy change is important to...
Show moreAs the most popular destination country for migrants and refugees in the EU since the end of World War II (MPI, 2004), Germany has a history of refugee inflows. In this thesis I focus on the different factors that led to asylum policy change in reunified Germany, from liberal since 1945 to restrictive, after the end of the Cold War in 1992, with the 1992 amendment of Article 16 of the German Basic Law. The study of the factors that account for German asylum policy change is important to understand the future of German asylum policy, and potentially provide a model of asylum policy change in other countries. In this study, I analyze German public opinion that seems to have been affected by large migrant inflows and the declining state of the economy. I argue that electoral pressures by the German public contributed to political party platform changes and asylum policy change. I use data from Eurobaromeer surveys, the World Bank, and the Migration Policy Institute to describe the refugee inflows and the state of the German economy, and how these may have contributed to public opinion, as reflected in Eurobarometer survey results. I examine German political party platforms and campaign tactics based on secondary literature, such as scholarly articles and studies, as well as political speeches and statements. I also consider Germany's membership in the EU as a factor that may have affected the change in German asylum policy. Germany's membership in the EU may have been used as a form of leverage by the Christian Democratic Party (CDU), to pressure the Social Democratic Party (SPD), to compromise on asylum policy restrictions, as Germany's constitutional right to asylum impeded the implementation of EU asylum policy provisions. The findings of my research suggest that German public sentiments may have affected Germany's political party platforms. Evidently, the SPD, aligned its political platform and policy agenda to align with the changes in the German electoral context and gain electoral support. Also, Germany's position as a founding member of the EU, may have contributed to the compromise on German asylum policy change, because the right to asylum as explained in Article 16 of the constitution, withheld Germany from utilizing the EU's asylum procedures and policies, until Article 16 was amended in 1992.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFH2000113, ucf:46059
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000113
- Title
- THE RESPONSE OF A GENERAL CIRCULATION CLIMATE MODEL TOHIGH LATITUDE FRESHWATER FORCING IN THE ATLANTIC BASINWITH RESPECT TOTROPICAL CYCLONE-LIKE VORTICES.
- Creator
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Paulis, Victor, Clarke, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The current cycle of climate change along with increases in hurricane activity, changing precipitation patterns, glacial melt, and other extremes of weather has led to interest and research into the global correlation or teleconnection between these events. Examination of historical climate records, proxies and observations is leading to formulation of hypotheses of climate dynamics with modeling and simulation being used to test these hypotheses as well as making projections. Ocean currents...
Show moreThe current cycle of climate change along with increases in hurricane activity, changing precipitation patterns, glacial melt, and other extremes of weather has led to interest and research into the global correlation or teleconnection between these events. Examination of historical climate records, proxies and observations is leading to formulation of hypotheses of climate dynamics with modeling and simulation being used to test these hypotheses as well as making projections. Ocean currents are believed to be an important factor in climate change with thermohaline circulation (THC) fluctuations being implicated in past cycles of abrupt change. Freshwater water discharge into high-latitude oceans attributed to changing precipitation patterns and glacial melt, particularly the North Atlantic, has also been associated with historical abrupt climate changes and is believed to have inhibited or shut down the THC overturning mechanism by diluting saline surface waters transported from the tropics. Here we analyze outputs of general circulation model (GCM) simulations parameterized by different levels of freshwater flux (no flux (control), 0.1 Sverdrup (Sv) and 1.0 Sv) with respect to tropical cyclone-like vortices (TCLVs) to determine any trend in simulated tropical storm frequency, duration, and location relative to flux level, as well as considering the applicability of using GCMs for tropical weather research. Increasing flux levels produced fewer storms and storm days, increased storm duration, a southerly and westerly shift (more pronounced for the 0.1 Sv level) in geographic distribution and increased activity near the African coast (more pronounced for the 1.0 Sv level). Storm intensities and tracks were not realistic compared to observational (real-life) values and is attributed to the GCM resolution not being fine enough to realistically simulate storm (microscale) dynamics.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001810, ucf:47339
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001810
- Title
- ISOLATION OF CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ENDEMIC POPULATION OF VIBRIO CHOLERAE IN THE FLORIDA INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.
- Creator
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Ganan, Carolina, Almagro-Moreno, Salvador, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Vibrio choleraeis the etiological agent of the severe diarrheal disease-cholera and natural inhabitant of estuarine and coastal waters. The proximity of the Florida Indian River Lagoon (IRL) to areas affected by recent cholera outbreaks makes this estuary ideal to investigate the environmental dynamics and their potential role in V. cholerae's pathogen emergence. We identified two locations in the IRL, Feller's House UCF Field Station and Shepard Park, as our collection sites. We collected...
Show moreVibrio choleraeis the etiological agent of the severe diarrheal disease-cholera and natural inhabitant of estuarine and coastal waters. The proximity of the Florida Indian River Lagoon (IRL) to areas affected by recent cholera outbreaks makes this estuary ideal to investigate the environmental dynamics and their potential role in V. cholerae's pathogen emergence. We identified two locations in the IRL, Feller's House UCF Field Station and Shepard Park, as our collection sites. We collected samples from three different fractions - water, plankton, and sediment - and recorded data for several water parameters such as pH, temperature, and, turbidity. In the laboratory, we enriched samples in alkaline peptone water and isolated V. choleraeusing widely used selective media Thiosulfate-Citrate Bile Salts-sucrose agar (TCBS) and CHROMagar Vibrio. From our study, we isolated 100 potential V. cholerae isolates, which were confirmed using biochemical tests such as oxidase and Kligler's Iron Agar. V. cholerae has allelic variations in the core genes such as ompU, which provide pre-adaptation to virulence. We investigated the allelic variations within ompU to characterize V. cholerae isolates. We elucidated the sequenced allele of ompU and built a neighboring-joining phylogeny tree to view the differentiation among vibrios. Our findings provide insight into the endemic population of V. cholerae in the Eastern Coast of Florida. Further studies include a screen for additional virulence genes and investigate the role of environmental dynamics on the distribution of V. cholerae and emergence as a human pathogen.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFH2000581, ucf:45680
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000581
- Title
- THERMAL DETECTION OF BIOMARKERS USING PHASE CHANGE NANOPARTICLES.
- Creator
-
Wang, Chaoming, Su, Ming, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Most of existing techniques cannot be used to detect molecular biomarkers (i.e., protein and DNA) contained in complex body fluids due to issues such as enzyme inhibition or signal interference. This thesis describes a nanoparticle-based thermal detection method for the highly sensitive detections of multiple DNA biomarkers or proteins contained in different type of fluids such as buffer solution, cell lysate and milk by using solid-liquid phase change nanoparticles as thermal barcodes....
Show moreMost of existing techniques cannot be used to detect molecular biomarkers (i.e., protein and DNA) contained in complex body fluids due to issues such as enzyme inhibition or signal interference. This thesis describes a nanoparticle-based thermal detection method for the highly sensitive detections of multiple DNA biomarkers or proteins contained in different type of fluids such as buffer solution, cell lysate and milk by using solid-liquid phase change nanoparticles as thermal barcodes. Besides, this method has also been applied for thrombin detection by using RNA aptamer-functionalized phase change nanoparticles as thermal probes. Furthermore, using nanostructured Si surface that have higher specific area can enhance the detection sensitivity by four times compared to use flat aluminum surfaces. The detection is based on the principle that the temperature of solid will not rise above its melting temperature unless all solid is molten, thus nanoparticles will have sharp melting peak during a linear thermal scan process. A one-to-one correspondence can be created between one type of nanoparticles and one type of biomarker, and multiple biomarkers can be detected simultaneously using different type nanoparticles. The melting temperature and the heat flow reflect the type and the concentration of biomarker, respectively. The melting temperatures of nanoparticles are designed to be over 100°C to avoid interference from species contained in fluids. The use of thermal nanoparticles allows detection of multiple low concentration DNAs or proteins in a complex fluid such as cell lysate regardless of the color, salt concentration, and conductivity of the sample.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003330, ucf:48473
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003330
- Title
- ENCAPSULATED NANOSTRUCTURED PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS FOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT.
- Creator
-
Hong, Yan, Su, Ming, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A major challenge of developing faster and smaller microelectronic devices is that high flux of heat needs to be removed efficiently to prevent overheating of devices. The conventional way of heat removal using liquid reaches a limit due to low thermal conductivity and limited heat capacity of fluids. Adding solid nanoparticles into fluids has been proposed as a way to enhance thermal conductivity of fluids, but recent results show inconclusive anomalous enhancements in thermal conductivity....
Show moreA major challenge of developing faster and smaller microelectronic devices is that high flux of heat needs to be removed efficiently to prevent overheating of devices. The conventional way of heat removal using liquid reaches a limit due to low thermal conductivity and limited heat capacity of fluids. Adding solid nanoparticles into fluids has been proposed as a way to enhance thermal conductivity of fluids, but recent results show inconclusive anomalous enhancements in thermal conductivity. A possible way to improve heat transfer is to increase the heat capacity of liquid by adding phase change nanoparticles with large latent heat of fusion into the liquid. Such nanoparticles absorb heat during solid to liquid phase change. However, the colloidal suspension of bare phase change nanoparticles has limited use due to aggregation of molten nanoparticles, irreversible sticking on fluid channels, and dielectric property loss. This dissertation describes a new method to enhance the heat transfer property of a liquid by adding encapsulated phase change nanoparticles (nano-PCMs), which will absorb thermal energy during solid-liquid phase change and release heat during freeze. Specifically, silica encapsulated indium nanoparticles, and polymer encapsulated paraffin (wax) nanoparticles have been prepared using colloidal method, and dispersed into poly-±-olefin (PAO) and water for high temperature and low temperature applications, respectively. The shell, with a higher melting point than the core, can prevent leakage or agglomeration of molten cores, and preserve the dielectric properties of the base fluids. Compared to single phase fluids, heat transfer of nanoparticle-containing fluids have been significantly enhanced due to enhanced heat capacities. The structural integrity of encapsulation allows repeated uses of nanoparticles for many cycles. By forming porous semi crystalline silica shells obtained from water glass, supercooling has been greatly reduced due to low energy barrier of heterogeneous nucleation. Encapsulated phase change nanoparticles have also been added into exothermic reaction systems such as catalytic and polymerization reactions to effectively quench local hot spots, prevent thermal runaway, and change product distribution. Specifically, silica-encapsulated indium nanoparticles, and silica encapsulated paraffin (wax) nanoparticles have been used to absorb heat released in catalytic reaction, and to mitigate the gel effect during polymerization, respectively. The reaction rates do not raise significantly owing to thermal buffering using phase change nanoparticles at initial stage of thermal runaway. The effect of thermal buffering depends on latent heats of fusion of nanoparticles, and heat releasing kinetics of catalytic reactions and polymerizations. Micro/nanoparticles of phase change materials will open a new dimension for thermal management of exothermic reactions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003698, ucf:48816
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003698
- Title
- UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP IN SUSTAINABILITY AND CAMPUS-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM.
- Creator
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Roosth, Joshua, Lynxwiler, John, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This thesis examines the development of environmental sustainability on 194 of the wealthiest colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Campus-based environmental organization membership data, organizational profiles, participant observation, and sustainability grades (from the Sustainable Endowment Institutes College Sustainability Report Cards 2009) are used to examine the relationship between campus-based environmental organizations and sustainability of higher educational...
Show moreThis thesis examines the development of environmental sustainability on 194 of the wealthiest colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Campus-based environmental organization membership data, organizational profiles, participant observation, and sustainability grades (from the Sustainable Endowment Institutes College Sustainability Report Cards 2009) are used to examine the relationship between campus-based environmental organizations and sustainability of higher educational institutions. Linear regression is used to analyze the overall university sustainability grades as an outcome variable. Overall university sustainability grades are impacted by campus-based environmental activism social movement organizations, high endowment per student, the age of the university, and the presence of state renewable portfolio standards. My findings suggest that the Sustainable Endowment InstituteÂÂ's College Sustainability Report Card might be improved by including indicators of greenhouse gas reports and interdisciplinary courses on sustainability.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0002977, ucf:47986
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002977
- Title
- THE FLATS OF PARADISE.
- Creator
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Baker, Pamela, Bartkevicius, Jocelyn, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The Flats of Paradise is a collection of personal essays exploring the interconnectivity between humans, land, identity, and belonging. Through the perspective of my experience as a nurse, these essays probe the friction created when borders rub up against each and the comforts gained through connections both spiritual and physical. "Avoiding the Stepladder," for example, examines a near lightning strike on a mountain in relation to the potential pain caused by the human need for touch. "The...
Show moreThe Flats of Paradise is a collection of personal essays exploring the interconnectivity between humans, land, identity, and belonging. Through the perspective of my experience as a nurse, these essays probe the friction created when borders rub up against each and the comforts gained through connections both spiritual and physical. "Avoiding the Stepladder," for example, examines a near lightning strike on a mountain in relation to the potential pain caused by the human need for touch. "The Dust Trail," a meditation upon various traditions for disposing of the placenta (burning vs. burying), also looks at the problem of finding home when relationships with the land are broken. Other essays in the collection juxtapose memories of people and nature to reflect upon the artificial constructs people erect that separate them from each other and from the land. In "When Nothing Takes Notice," for example, explores similarities between a father's love of the sound of crickets and a child's long wait in line to register for swimming lessons. These and other essays record the search for a sense of place, while also exploring the nature of memory, change, death, and a restless refusal to settle.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002582, ucf:48256
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002582
- Title
- It's a Conspiracy: Motivated Reasoning and Conspiracy Ideation in the Rejection of Climate Change.
- Creator
-
Wycha, Nikilaus, Anthony, Amanda, Carter, Shannon, Gay, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A large disconnect exists between the general public's acceptance of human-caused climate change and the prevailing consensus of actively publishing scientists. Previous research has examined both political and economic motivated reasoning, media influence in print and television, conspiracy ideation as a predictor of science rejection, and the role of the social construction of scientific knowledge in science rejection. Using these previously studied justifications for climate change...
Show moreA large disconnect exists between the general public's acceptance of human-caused climate change and the prevailing consensus of actively publishing scientists. Previous research has examined both political and economic motivated reasoning, media influence in print and television, conspiracy ideation as a predictor of science rejection, and the role of the social construction of scientific knowledge in science rejection. Using these previously studied justifications for climate change rejection as a starting point, this research examines 212 written responses to a prompt at Climate Etc. asking the community to explain their acceptance / rejection of climate change. Using a textual content analysis, this study finds that media choice, motivated reasoning, conspiracy ideation, and the scientific construction of knowledge all play important roles in explanations for climate science rejection. Work and educational background, as well as a reframing of the scientific consensus as a "religion," add new analytical perspectives to the motivated reasoning explanations offered in prior research. This analysis also finds that the explanations for climate science denial given by respondents are often complex, falling into two or more of the explanation types suggesting that science rejection may be a more complex social process than previously thought.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005909, ucf:50862
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005909
- Title
- Tourist responses to potential climate change impacts and adaptation measures in Florida's coastal destinations.
- Creator
-
Atzori, Roberta, Fyall, Alan, Fjelstul, Jill, Tasci, Asli, Miller, Graham, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Some of the most vulnerable areas across the world have started experiencing the consequences of climate change, with action to deal with it long overdue. Florida, one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, holds one of the most 'unenviable' positions in terms of its vulnerability to climate change with the effects already visible, particularly on its coastal areas. Climate is one of the major factors in affecting travel motivations and destination choice, and as such the...
Show moreSome of the most vulnerable areas across the world have started experiencing the consequences of climate change, with action to deal with it long overdue. Florida, one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, holds one of the most 'unenviable' positions in terms of its vulnerability to climate change with the effects already visible, particularly on its coastal areas. Climate is one of the major factors in affecting travel motivations and destination choice, and as such the implications of climate change for tourist behavior and demand patterns are significant. Beside the physical impacts of climate change, society's perception of climate change, and the response to it at various decision-making levels, have become critical issues.This dissertation presents the perspective of tourists who have previously visited Florida, in a hypothetical scenario of changed climatic conditions. It is proposed that existing social representations about climate change, and therefore individuals' attitudes, views and beliefs concerning this phenomenon, need to be taken into account when examining tourists' stated intentions regarding their prospective visitation intentions and potential changes in future tourism demand. Using social representation theory as a theory of reference, this dissertation presents an analysis of visitors' responses to climate change impacts and adaptation measures, in consideration of their attitudes towards climate change. The main purpose of the study was to understand whether, with the implementation of adaptation strategies directed to limit negative impacts of climate change, the likelihood of tourists to return to Florida would improve in comparison with a future in which no action is taken at the state level to address climate change. In this scenario, the filter of social representations in shaping tourists' perspectives was used as a system of explanation of different tourist responses.This study contributes to the tourism and climate change body of knowledge by advancing a further step toward understanding potential responses of tourists in a scenario in which a destination's most appealing climatic and natural resources are impacted by climate change. The existence of a relationship between tourist's visitation intentions and the social representations they hold with respect to climate change offers a different way to look at tourists' stated responses. In fact, this study shows that predicting shifts in tourism demand based on stated visitation intentions requires caution. The findings of this study can encourage future researchers to pursue a more critical way of exploring the meaning behind tourists' stated responses, which could lead to expanding our current understanding of how climate change will transform tourism demand across different destinations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006438, ucf:51477
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006438
- Title
- Dynamic Modeling Approach to Quantify Change Orders Impact on Labor Productivity.
- Creator
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Al-Kofahi, Zain, Oloufa, Amr, Tatari, Omer, Uddin, Nizam, Xanthopoulos, Petros, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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In construction projects, change orders are commonly faced. These change orders, which are issued by the owner, may cause interruption to the contractor's work, resulting in damages such as loss of labor productivity, delay damages, and cost overruns which may lead to claims. The relationship between change orders and loss of labor productivity is not well understood because of the difficulty in linking the cause of the productivity loss to the change order. So, to receive compensation, the...
Show moreIn construction projects, change orders are commonly faced. These change orders, which are issued by the owner, may cause interruption to the contractor's work, resulting in damages such as loss of labor productivity, delay damages, and cost overruns which may lead to claims. The relationship between change orders and loss of labor productivity is not well understood because of the difficulty in linking the cause of the productivity loss to the change order. So, to receive compensation, the contractor needs to prove with a credible calculation that the productivity loss was a result of the change order issued by the owner. Compared to all available productivity loss quantification methods, the (")Measured Mile(") approach is considered the most acceptable and popular approach in litigation. In this study, loss of labor productivity due to change orders is studied using a system dynamics method. A system dynamics model is developed using Vensim Software, validated, and utilized to quantitatively measure the impact of the change in the project scope on labor productivity. Different road construction projects were analyzed using both methods: measured mile analysis and system dynamics model; then, the results from those two approaches were compared
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006430, ucf:51448
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006430
- Title
- An Inconclusive Truth: An Evaluation of Speleothem Evidence for Climate Change as a Driver of Ancient Maya Culture Change.
- Creator
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Goldblatt, Benjamin, Chase, Arlen, Chase, Diane, Callaghan, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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As anthropologists who focus their scholarly attention on the past, archaeologists are interested in examining past changes in human cultures, which can include investigating the role(s) of climatic conditions in shaping them. Paleoclimatology offers the possibility of reconstructing past climates and demonstrating their variability over time, potentially contributing a great deal to archaeology. However, while paleoclimatology may lead to new discoveries about the human past, it may also...
Show moreAs anthropologists who focus their scholarly attention on the past, archaeologists are interested in examining past changes in human cultures, which can include investigating the role(s) of climatic conditions in shaping them. Paleoclimatology offers the possibility of reconstructing past climates and demonstrating their variability over time, potentially contributing a great deal to archaeology. However, while paleoclimatology may lead to new discoveries about the human past, it may also lead to new errors in interpreting it. Cave speleothems are sources of paleoclimatic data that have recently attracted attention in Mesoamerican archaeology, particularly in studies of the Maya region. In order to evaluate past uses of speleothem paleoclimatic records to support archaeological hypotheses, I will describe the strengths and weaknesses of particular datasets, evaluate the arguments that have been advanced for their broad spatial applicability, examine the science behind the spatial variability of precipitation patterns, and consider how the application of speleothem paleoclimatology to Maya archaeology might be improved upon. I hope to make clear that speleothem paleoclimatic records can potentially yield insights into the relationship(s) between Precolumbian climate change and ancient Maya culture change, but must be interpreted with the utmost caution.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006311, ucf:51602
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006311
- Title
- Response of Streamflow and Sediment Loading in the Apalachicola River, Florida to Climate and Land Use Land Cover Change.
- Creator
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Hovenga, Paige, Medeiros, Stephen, Wang, Dingbao, Kibler, Kelly, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Located in Florida's panhandle, the Apalachicola River is the southernmost reach of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River basin. Streamflow and sediment drains to Apalachicola Bay in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, directly influencing the ecology of the region, in particular seagrass and oyster production. The objective of this study is to evaluate the response of runoff and sediment loading in the Apalachicola River under projected climate change scenarios and land use / land cover ...
Show moreLocated in Florida's panhandle, the Apalachicola River is the southernmost reach of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River basin. Streamflow and sediment drains to Apalachicola Bay in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, directly influencing the ecology of the region, in particular seagrass and oyster production. The objective of this study is to evaluate the response of runoff and sediment loading in the Apalachicola River under projected climate change scenarios and land use / land cover (LULC) change. A hydrologic model using the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was developed for the Apalachicola region to simulate daily discharge and sediment load under present (circa 2000) and future conditions (circa 2100) to understand how the system responds over seasonal and event time frames to changes in climate, LULC, and coupled climate / LULC. These physically-based models incorporate a digital elevation model (DEM), LULC, soil maps, climate data, and management controls. Long Ashton Research Station-Weather Generator (LARS-WG) was used to create downscaled stochastic temperature and precipitation inputs from three Global Climate Models (GCM), each under Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) carbon emission scenarios for A1B, A2, and B1. Projected 2100 LULC data provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) EROS Center was incorporated for each corresponding IPCC scenario. Results indicate climate change may induce seasonal shifts to both runoff and sediment loading, acting to extend periods of high flow and minimum sediment loadings or altering the time at which these events occur completely. Changes in LULC showed minimal effects on flow while more sediment loading was associated with increased agriculture and urban areas and decreased forested regions. A nonlinear response for both streamflow and sediment loading was observed by coupling climate and LULC change into the hydrologic model, indicating changes in one may exacerbate or dampen the effects of the other. Peak discharge and sediment loading associated with extreme events showed both increases and decreases in the future, with variability dependent on the GCM used. Similar behavior was observed in the total discharge resulting from extreme events and increased total sediment load was frequently predicted for the A2 and A1B scenarios for simulations involving changes in climate only, LULC only, and both climate and LULC. Output from the individual GCMs predicted differing responses of streamflow and sediment loading to changes in climate on both the seasonal and event scale. Additional region-specific research is needed to better optimize the GCM ensemble and eliminate those that provide erroneous output. In addition, future assessment of the downscaling approach to capture extreme events is required. Findings from this study can be used to further understand climate and LULC implications to the Apalachicola Bay and surrounding region as well as similar fluvial estuaries while providing tools to better guide management and mitigation practices.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006326, ucf:51543
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006326
- Title
- Effects of climate change and anthropogenic activities on the Everglades landscape.
- Creator
-
Sandhu, Daljit, Singh, Arvind, Wang, Dingbao, Medeiros, Stephen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The Everglades has been experiencing major changes, both climatic and anthropogenic, such that the landscape is experiencing additional stresses and forcings leading it away from its natural equilibrium. The land within and surrounding the Everglades has undergone severe modifications that may have detrimental effects on wildlife and natural features, such as rivers and landscape connectivity. Here in this study, the main focus is on understanding and quantifying hydrologic and geomorphic...
Show moreThe Everglades has been experiencing major changes, both climatic and anthropogenic, such that the landscape is experiencing additional stresses and forcings leading it away from its natural equilibrium. The land within and surrounding the Everglades has undergone severe modifications that may have detrimental effects on wildlife and natural features, such as rivers and landscape connectivity. Here in this study, the main focus is on understanding and quantifying hydrologic and geomorphic signatures of climatic and anthropogenic changes on the Everglades landscape. For this, in particular, available data on natural hydrological processes was used, such as rainfall, groundwater elevation, streamflow as well as surface elevations and satellite images for three different regions. These regions are categorized as forested, urban (nearby Everglades regions) and transition (in between forested and urban regions). The results show distinct differences in the statistics of observed hydrologic variables for the three different regions. For example, the probability distribution functions (PDFs) of groundwater elevation for the case of urban region show a shift in mean as well as lower asymmetry as compared to forested regions. In addition, a significant difference in the slopes between smaller and larger scales of the power spectral densities (PSDs) is observed when transitioning from forested to urban. For the case of the streamflow PDFs and PSDs, the opposite trends are observed. Basin properties extracted from digital elevation models (DEMs) of the Everglades reveal that drainage densities increase when moving from the urban to the forested sub-regions, highlighting the topographic and land use/land cover changes that the Everglades has been subjected to in recent years. Finally, computing the interarrival times of extreme ((>)95th percentile) events that suggest power-law behavior, the changes in power-law exponents of the hydrologic processes further highlights how these processes differ spatially and how the landscape has to respond to these changes. Quantifying these observed changes will help develop a better understanding of the Everglades and other wetlands ecosystems for management to future changes and restoration.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006495, ucf:51395
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006495
