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Florida Poly opens new hub for innovation: the Gary C. Wendt Engineering Center

November 18, 2025

Florida Polytechnic University celebrated a major milestone with the debut of its 40,000-square-foot Gary C. Wendt Engineering Center (GCW) on Tuesday, Nov. 18. The $15 million facility adds state-of-the-art laboratory space and equipment designed to elevate student learning, fuel innovation and solidify the University’s role as an economic driver for the state of Florida. The GCW features advanced research and

Florida Poly alum at the heart of bioprinting innovation

November 17, 2025

Dr. Steven Chisolm ’19 believes the future of medicine is being built layer by layer, literally. What may sound like science fiction, such as 3D printing functional hearts or kidneys for transplant, is quickly becoming possible, and he is among the innovators helping turn that vision into reality. A proud Florida Polytechnic University mechanical engineering graduate, Chisolm is now a

Florida Poly faculty joins national committee on recycling innovation

November 14, 2025

Florida Polytechnic University’s Dr. Malak Anshassi has earned national recognition for her research advancing recycling, solid waste management and sustainability. She was recently appointed to serve as a recycling expert on a prestigious committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to address the pressing problem of waste reduction. Anshassi, an assistant professor of environmental engineering, was selected

From boot camp to Blue Origin: Engineering student builds future at Florida Poly

November 10, 2025

Celebrating Veterans Day Every Veterans Day, Florida Polytechnic University student Jonny Anderson can’t help but reflect on the journey that led him from serving in both the Marine Corps and Air Force Reserve to helping build rockets for space technology company Blue Origin. With determination squarely focused on earning a mechanical engineering degree, Anderson is living a dream many students

Florida Poly and South Korean university GIST team up to drive global STEM research

November 6, 2025

A new partnership between Florida Polytechnic University and South Korea’s Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) is set to boost academic and research collaboration at both institutions, widely recognized for advancing STEM education. The partnership facilitates student and faculty exchanges as well as research initiatives, with the goal of elevating the quality and impact of each university’s scholarship and

New podcast spotlights Florida Poly alumni lessons and achievements

November 4, 2025

Graduation marks a major milestone in a student’s life, but learning doesn’t stop there. A new podcast showcases how Florida Polytechnic University alumni continue to grow, adapt and lead in their fields. Now working in high-tech careers across industries, Florida Poly alumni are sharing their personal journeys, insights and lessons they’ve learned on the “The Legacy Podcast,” presented by the

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A vision fulfilled: President Avent reflects on decade of leadership

July 1, 2024

When Florida Polytechnic University opened its doors for instruction in August of 2014, every bit of the STEM-focused institution was brand new – including its president. Now, 10 years later, Dr. Randy K. Avent, is wrapping up his tenure as the University’s founding president and reflecting on the decade spent leading Florida Poly from an audacious experiment to a nationally

NSF grant funds pioneering Florida Poly Parkinson’s research

June 26, 2024

The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease could become more definitive and measurable thanks to cutting-edge research being developed at Florida Polytechnic University. Dr. Chris Kelley, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, has received a $200,000 National Science Foundation Grant to apply control theory to improve the understanding of movement dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease. The progressive brain disorder causes unintended, uncontrollable movements like

Autonomous vehicle leader advancing research through prestigious Fulbright award

June 18, 2024

Dr. Rahul Razdan, a globally recognized expert in autonomous vehicle technology and senior director of special projects at Florida Polytechnic University, is preparing to head to Hungary this August to begin research funded by the esteemed John von Neumann Distinguished Award in STEM. Razdan will be hosted by the Audi Hungaria Faculty of Automotive Engineering at Széchenyi István University. Fulbright

President Avent’s passion project a tribute to his dad

June 15, 2024

Dr. Randy K. Avent is giving himself a gift that would make his father proud. For the last three years, the Florida Polytechnic University president has spent many of his weekends outside his Lakeland, Florida, home carefully restoring his dad’s 1983 Chevrolet C10 pick-up truck to its original condition. It was the first new vehicle his dad ever owned. Avent’s

Florida Poly secures state funding for new Student Achievement Center

June 13, 2024

A new Student Achievement Center will soon provide even greater support to Florida Polytechnic University students as they pursue the in-demand STEM degrees that help fuel Florida’s high-tech economy. Florida Poly received $5.7 million in funding for the achievement center’s preliminary design stage after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state budget on Wednesday, June 12. The new budget takes effect

Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Poly join forces to fight Artificial Intelligence crime

June 7, 2024

The Polk County Sherriff’s Office (PSCO) announced the creation of a new law enforcement unit focused on cybercrime related to artificial intelligence (AI). The new AI investigative unit was developed in partnership with Florida Polytechnic University, which will provide essential technical and research support. “Modern law enforcement needs to stay ahead of the technological curve when it comes to preventing,

Florida Poly’s pioneering solar racecar team fueled by TECO donation

June 5, 2024

The Phoenix Racing team at Florida Polytechnic University received a financial boost from Tampa Electric (TECO) to support its first-ever entry into the national collegiate 2024 Formula Sun Grand Prix solar car race in mid-July. TECO donated $7,500 in shareholder funds to the interdisciplinary student team, which has spent the last two years honing their ideas and constructing the car,

Prepare now for the hurricane season ahead

May 31, 2024

The Atlantic hurricane season starts on Saturday, June 1, bringing with it the potential for strong storms in Central Florida. While the exact timing and strength of storms can’t yet be known, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center again expect an above-average hurricane activity in the Atlantic with 17-25 named storms this season. Of those,

Florida Poly’s noteworthy Fulbright cohort geared up to make a difference

May 29, 2024

In a prestigious international exchange of research, ideas, and culture, Florida Polytechnic University is again expecting robust participation in the U.S Fulbright Program for the 2024-2025 academic year. Fulbright Scholars are professionals like college or university faculty members, administrators, artists, and others who travel to other countries to reach, lecture, research, and exchange ideas. This year, Florida Poly will host

Alum engineers multistate success with Whiting-Turner

May 23, 2024

In the six years since Chris Dowdy ’18 earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering as a member of Florida Polytechnic University’s inaugural class, he has built a solid career as a project manager at Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, a nationwide construction management, design-build, and integrated project delivery firm. Before joining the company’s Nashville, Tennessee, office two years ago, he was

Drs. Faeza and Peter Kazmier’s gifts leave lasting impact at Florida Poly

May 17, 2024

In a display of generosity and commitment to education, Dr. Faeza Rashid Kazmier and her husband, Dr. Peter Kazmier, have each made significant contributions of $50,000 to Florida Polytechnic University. Their gifts have resulted in the naming of two classrooms in their honor, symbolizing their dedication to supporting the University’s mission and fostering a culture of philanthropy. “We cannot control

Researcher celebrated for valuable contributions in nanotechnology

May 15, 2024

Dr. Ajeet Kaushik’s expertise in nanotechnology, sensors, biosensors, and nanomedicine for health and environmental management has carried his stellar reputation across the country and around the world. The assistant professor of chemistry at Florida Polytechnic University spent much of the 2023-2024 academic year sharing his knowledge both in the classroom and among his vaunted peers. “Doing research in a particular