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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