Ghosts Moving from the Margins: Comparing Representations of Migrants in Contemporary Italian Media

This thesis examines how two different cultural mediums produced by a prominent Italian director and a popular Italian musical artist engage with themes of immigration and diaspora and their impacts on Italian national identity. The works that I have selected represent a mix of well-known and emergent figures in Italian cultural life and its related discourses around immigration and identity from the last 20 years of Italian history. Focusing on director Emanuele Crialese’s film Terraferma (2011) and rapper and singer Ghali’s songs “Mamma” (2017) and “Bayna” (2022), I analyze how each work frames migration as a metaphorical haunting that engages with broader social and political discourses surrounding immigration in Italy. By performing a comparative case study of migrant hauntings across different medias, I investigate the role of popular cultural productions in shaping and reframing Italy\u27s discourses on immigration, national identity, and inclusion. This thesis centers itself around migration studies, transnationalism, diasporic studies, and postcolonial studies to argue that both Crialese’s and Ghali’s works call for a reimagined sense of an Italian national identity that is more inclusive of and empathetic to diverse peoples

Leading the Newsroom: Exploring the Development of Management and Leadership Skills in College Journalism Students

The purpose of this study is to examine the management and leadership skills that are developed in college journalism and how that experience and training prepares students for the challenges of reporting for, managing, and leading in today’s journalism businesses. I explored leadership (e.g. influence in the newsroom culture) of young journalists in student media, such as what skills are being emphasized by their advisers. This study utilizes gatekeeping theory to connect its main points with leadership-related characteristics. Findings show that the support and training students in student media receive are more directly related to management as opposed to leadership. While students have revealed leadership skills and acted as gatekeepers, the lack of leadership guidance has resulted in concerns and self-doubt from some of them

What Kind Of World Do I Want To Live In?

Marine Conservation and Restoration is one of the most influential courses through community engagement and class discussion on conservation and restoration strategies. I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Walters’ CEE (Coastal & Estuarine Ecology) Lab to plant mangroves and census oysters for restoration projects and to contribute to microplastics research based out of the Indian River Lagoon. Through this course, I gained experience that can be utilized in active research and active restoration through hands-on work both in the field and in the laboratory which will strengthen my academic CV and personal skill development. Engagement with the local community through volunteering events such as International Coastal Cleanup and the Restore Our Shores oyster restoration projects also helped me develop a sense of community across a greater range from Central Florida to Coastal and South Florida. This course also distilled a greater sense of hope for the ongoing biodiversity and ecological crisis that the world faces and allowed me to make a more immediate, material impact on the ecosystems we rely on.https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hip-2025fall/1015/thumbnail.jp

HOPE Helps Orlando: Hunger and Homelessness

My service learning project was focused primarily on the issues of hunger and homelessness, which is a prevalent issue due to rising housing costs and economic instability from any number of situations in a variety of populations. Homelessness can affect anyone, and HOPE knows that. This is why they work tirelessly to ensure that people suffering from homelessness are able to have the support they need through their various programs. This poster highlight\u27s HOPE\u27s ability to fight homelessness in the long term and the short term. HOPE has very specific methods and strategies that it uses to combat each of its specified issues, and it fights them effectively. Additionally, HOPE is able to bring the community together through volunteer work, its various locations, creating lifelong relationships, and its various events that involve local people.https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hip-2025fall/1063/thumbnail.jp

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Fish Oil Supplements at Reducing the Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation

The purpose of my project, Evaluating the Effectiveness of Fish Oil Supplements at Reducing the Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation, was to analyze whether omega-3 fatty acids could lower the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence compared to a placebo. AF is an irregular and often rapid heart rhythm that can lead to serious complications such as stroke or heart failure. Through review and analysis of clinical trial data, patients who took fish oil experienced a lower recurrence rate of AF (46.8%) compared to the placebo group (73.4%), though the difference was not statistically significant. I also examined two supplemental studies that supported the safety and potential benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in postoperative patients. Key takeaways from this project include understanding how nutritional supplements can influence cardiovascular outcomes and the importance of proper study design, dosage variation, and statistical reporting in clinical research.https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hip-2025fall/1001/thumbnail.jp

Multilevel Network Governance for United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of European Subnational Entities in Urban Resilience

This dissertation investigates the role of subnational actors in European Union (EU) multilevel governance networks focused on reducing urban poverty and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Focusing on the SDG #1 (No Poverty), SDG #11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG #17 (Partnerships for the Goals) it examines the participation and impact of subnational actors in two case studies: Naples, Italy and Krakow, Poland. Using Social Network Analysis (SNA), the research investigates the configuration and performance of the networks created within the framework of the URBinclusion projects, which are part of the URBACT and Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) programmes. The results show that subnational entities are central to the design and delivery of urban poverty policies, particularly through collaborative governance with other levels of government and other stakeholders. The study adds to the increasing literature on multilevel governance by revealing the relationships between subnational entities, urban resilience and sustainable development, and the necessity of partnership in addressing global challenges

LINK AI Reference ChatBot: A Bridge Between Library Resources

LINK (Library Information and Knowledge) is an AI-powered reference chatbot that enhances user access to academic library resources. Designed as a bridge between users and complex systems, LINK improves navigation, streamlines frontline reference support, and reduces common service bottlenecks. Rather than replacing human librarians, LINK handles redundant, routine tasks, allowing information professionals to focus on higher-level inquiries and provide more in-person, personalized support. Developed by a diverse team across multiple USF Libraries departments, LINK reflects a broad range of perspectives and priorities, ensuring its design addresses the needs of stakeholders within the library and beyond. This session will showcase LINK\u27s development, ethical considerations, and its continued potential for integrations within pre-existing services. Attendees will learn practical strategies to implement similar tools in their own libraries

The Impact of Virtual Backgrounds in Video-Mediated Selection and the Role of Candidate Qualifications

Videoconferencing allows users to manage their self-presentation through virtual backgrounds that mask their immediate physical environment. Prior research suggests that backgrounds depicting professional home spaces (e.g., bookshelves) elicit more favorable impressions than those that depict personal home spaces (e.g., bedrooms). Expectancy Violations Theory (EVT) provides a framework for understanding such effects. The present dissertation applied EVT to video-mediated selection interviews, that have become increasingly popular since the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the strict expectations for professionalism in interviews, virtual backgrounds that deviate from such expectations may negatively impact hiring decisions. Consequently, this work examined the impact of two virtual background types, bedroom and home office, on perceptions of job candidates. It also evaluated the moderating role of candidate qualifications, candidate gender, and participant gender. Study 1 established virtual background stimuli that were comparable on measures of prototypicality, environmental attributes (e.g., colorfulness and cleanliness), and memorability. Study 2 had participants view images of qualified or unqualified candidates using the bedroom or home office backgrounds and evaluate the candidate’s perceived competence, warmth, recommended salary, and hiring likelihood. Results indicated that while qualifications were the primary driver of candidate evaluations, the bedroom background negatively impacted unqualified candidates. Effects also varied by participant gender. Analysis revealed that the negative impact of the bedroom background on hiring outcomes was mediated by both warmth and competence, although through different mechanisms. This research advances understanding of expectancy violations in virtual environments and the role of virtual backgrounds on hiring perceptions. It also provides practical guidance for job seekers in selecting effective virtual backgrounds

Florida Frontiers Radio Program #592

SEGMENTS | Remembering Highwayman Artist Al Black | Timucuan Healing Practices | War Correspondence from Floridian

The Influence of Regolith Properties and Environmental Conditions on Plume Surface Interactions

When landing or launching spacecraft, the impingement of rocket exhaust can cause significant surface erosion on planetary bodies, resulting in high-velocity ejecta, formation of dust and debris clouds, or even cratering. With humans returning to the Moon, and future missions to the surface of Mars, understanding and mitigating rocket plume effects is essential for the protection of personnel and equipment. To better understand the influence of surface properties and environmental conditions on plume induced erosion rates, this study leverages a series of geotechnical measurements and small-scale plume experiments in atmosphere, cold temperatures, and reduced ambient pressures using regolith simulants. This study also examines debris collected from the first Starship test flight to reveal a new launchpad failure mode and predict ejecta velocities on the Moon and Mars. Results show that geotechnical properties and erosion rates can change greatly based on ambient pressure, regolith density, and particle size. Depending on mass flow rate, cohesion has a small, non-linear influence on surface erosion, while ambient temperatures likely have a negligible impact on geotechnical properties and erosion. In addition to affecting geotechnical properties, results also show that a small percentage of absorbed water can cause increased ejecta velocities during pad failure events. While additional research is needed, surface grading and compaction may mitigate some plume effects, but permeable launch and landing pads should be considered. Using results from different ambient conditions, updated erosion rate equations are provided, as well as novel equations for predicting regolith cohesion, shear strength, and internal angle of friction. The results from this study should be included in future mission planning, plume models, and pad designs