Dr. Rawa Adla is an associate professor of electrical, computer, and cybersecurity engineering at Florida Polytechnic University, specializing in intelligent transportation systems (ITS), connected and autonomous vehicles, and AI-driven transportation safety solutions. Her current work bridges the gap between research, deployment and education, with a focus on shaping the future of safe, equitable, and intelligent mobility systems.
She joined the University in August 2019.
With over 15 years of combined academic and industry experience, Adla has a strong record of interdisciplinary collaboration across academia, government, and private industry. Prior to joining the University, she held academic positions at the University of Arizona and the University of Detroit Mercy.
At Florida Poly, Adla founded and currently directs the Autonomous Vehicles and Automotive concentration program to advance transportation safety and autonomous vehicle education. She also has developed and taught innovative courses such as Introduction to Autonomous Vehicles, Autonomous Vehicle Design and Safety Applications, and AI in Transportation, which integrate current industry trends and technologies to equip students with practical, hands-on skills.
Her teaching emphasizes collaborative learning and real-world applications, incorporating industry-sponsored projects and internships that provide students with direct exposure to the transportation technology sector. Adla actively mentors student research teams, fostering innovation in system design and operational safety.
Adla also leads several cutting-edge research projects focusing on autonomous and connected vehicles, advanced traffic management strategies, and safety enhancements for mobility systems. She is principal investigator for the FDOT I-4 FRAME project, a large-scale integrated corridor management initiative spanning four counties in Central Florida.
In addition to her academic career, Adla was a technical manager in the Autonomous Vehicle Research and Development Department at Ford Motor Company. She successfully led over $30 million in federally funded research projects on autonomous mobility systems, including Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control and traffic optimization in signalized corridors. She oversaw the development, testing and deployment of autonomous vehicle safety systems, working closely with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), universities, government agencies and industry consortiums to advance connected and autonomous vehicle technologies. She played a key role in aligning technical development with strategic goals, strengthening industry collaboration and advancing vehicle safety standards.
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This session will demonstrate that practical risk management is for everyone, regardless of a formal program. Attendees will learn actionable and simple strategies that are easy to implement, enabling them to start immediately by focusing on their top risks to build greater operational resilience and ensure the sustained success of their auxiliary enterprises.
Michelle Powell serves as the pioneering Risk Manager at Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s sole 100% STEM-dedicated institution. Having been with the university for nearly 11 years, Michelle transitioned from a leadership role in Admissions in October 2023 to establish and evolve the risk management function from the ground up. In this solo capacity, Michelle builds robust frameworks for our dynamic, young university, overseeing our insurance portfolio, consulting on third-party and event risks, and developing critical campus-wide training programs. Michelle has obtained the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management certificate and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations. Her distinct background in mathematics and engineering, combined with extensive higher education leadership, brings an analytical and strategic approach enhancing the institution’s resilience.
