Vijaya Sista joined Florida Polytechnic University as an instructor of chemistry in 2023. Prior to this, Sista was an adjunct instructor and visiting instructor of chemistry at Florida Poly from 2016-2022.
She also was an Adjunct instructor at the University of South Florida, Tampa from 2015 to 2022, and an adjunct and temporary full-time instructor at Hillsborough Community College in Ruskin, Florida from 2008 to 2021.
Sista’s hobbies include volunteering at events like the Science Olympiad, spending time with family, exercising, yoga, reading, and listening to music.
Her interests include areas of education in chemistry, including the achievement gaps in science and math, retention of students entering STEM majors, connecting chemistry with technology, and exploring active learning pedagogy for undergraduate students.
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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.
