Expert panel explores phosphate mining and its impacts
September 10, 2025
A panel discussion at Florida Polytechnic University on Monday, Sept. 8, examined the history, benefits and future of phosphate mining.
A panel discussion at Florida Polytechnic University on Monday, Sept. 8, examined the history, benefits and future of phosphate mining.
Payton Barnwell ’19 has dedicated her successful high-tech career to creating meaningful impact through innovation. She helped optimize space station crops as a NASA intern, worked in mission control at Virgin Galactic, and led geospatial product development at SkyFi, creating easy-to-use tools from complex data and imagery. Now, the Florida Polytechnic University alumna has embarked on a new adventure. Barnwell
Fueled by a new National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, innovative research at Florida Polytechnic University aims to redefine the way professors approach engineering design education. Dr. Elisabeth Kames, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, received a $200,000 grant to study how students cognitively engage with engineering design challenges. The research will employ neurocognitive tools such as electroencephalography (EEG), as well as
Undergraduate discovery sparks nationwide scientific attention Florida Polytechnic University senior Anthony Fiorito has captured national attention in the scientific community with groundbreaking research revealing that peacock feathers can emit precise laser light. Fiorito, an engineering physics major, is the first author of a study that has been spotlighted by leading publications including Science, Ars Technica, Interesting Engineering and MSN. The
Connection, communication and advocacy are Colby Manrodt’s top goals as the new president of Florida Polytechnic University’s Student Government Association. “I think our University is in a period of transitioning and going through a lot of change, so we are going to focus this year on bringing better forms of communication to our student body,” said Manrodt, a senior majoring
Florida Polytechnic University welcomed the new academic year on Monday, Aug. 18 with a record-breaking total enrollment of more than 1,900 students, marking a more than 10% increase over last year’s historic enrollment and the second consecutive year of growth. “This remarkable enrollment underscores the growing recognition of Florida Poly’s value in preparing students for high-demand STEM careers,” said Dr.
Sydney Wickett ’24 is on the fast track to earning her master’s degree from Florida Polytechnic University. When she receives her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a concentration in aerospace on Sunday, May 5, Wickett will be only one year away from returning to the commencement stage for her advanced degree. She is among the first participants in the
Prof. Raj P. Seekri works to pay tribute to his late father every day with his actions and philanthropy. As part of this dedication, he and his wife, Raj K. Seekri, have contributed $25,000 to Florida Polytechnic University to create an endowed scholarship in honor of Raj P. Seekri’s late father. “The Ram Lal Seekri Endowed Scholarship is a tribute
Florida Polytechnic University leaders were joined by state and community officials on April 4 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Gary C. Wendt Engineering Building, a cutting-edge 40,000-square-foot academic facility designed to elevate the institution’s in-demand engineering programs. The $15-million, two-story building will house research and development labs for a variety of engineering disciplines, staff and faculty offices, collaboration spaces,
Five outstanding Florida Polytechnic University alumni who are making their mark in STEM returned to campus on Wednesday, April 3, to share their career experiences as part of the Wendt Leadership Speaker Series. The event, which focused on “Trailblazing in STEM,” attracted a crowd to the Innovation, Science and Technology Building’s Aula Magna to hear the panelists discuss their careers
Melina Ramos ’24 will encourage her fellow graduates to pursue their goals both personally and professionally when she receives her bachelor’s degree in computer science with a concentration in software engineering from Florida Polytechnic University on Sunday, May 5. She was selected by a committee as this year’s student commencement speaker. After graduation, the student from Spring Hill, Florida, is
A tedious monthly job at Patrick Space Force Base may soon be a thing of the past thanks to a project by an interdisciplinary team of Florida Polytechnic University senior capstone students. The team is designing and building a self-cleaning device for the approximately 1,000 security cameras located at the Space Coast base. “Due to being on the coast of
Leaders in healthcare and cutting-edge technology led a public panel discussion about the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and healthcare at Florida Polytechnic University on Thursday, March 28. The event, hosted by the University’s Office of Public Policy Events (OPPE), was held in the Barnett Applied Research Center and was moderated by Dr. Susan LeFrancois, assistant professor of data science
The Florida Polytechnic University Presidential Search Committee announced today the names of the five finalists that will be presented to the University’s Board of Trustees for consideration. The announcement was made after a committee vote on Thursday, March 21. “Our search committee thoroughly reviewed, vetted, and interviewed a vast pool of exceptionally qualified candidates to identify and recommend these finalists,”
LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s only all-STEM public institution, shone a spotlight on 10 years of pioneering innovation and educational excellence on March 23, when it hosted a grand gala to celebrate its remarkable achievements and promising path for the future. Over 300 supporters, partners, and advocates of Florida Poly gathered at the state-of-the-art Barnett Applied Research
LAKELAND, Fla. – Dr. Randy K. Avent, president of Florida Polytechnic University, has been selected as the 2024-2025 recipient of the Fulbright-Schuman Innovation Award. The prestigious award is presented annually to one American scholar, with the purpose of supporting research at the intersection of policy and technology that can improve the understanding of issues important to the United States and
A team of senior students at Florida Polytechnic University is working to make it easier and more comfortable for a military KC-135 aircraft’s boom pod operator to refuel planes midflight. The team is made up of four mechanical engineering majors and one engineering physics major, Sebastian Sage. “The KC-135 is one of three models of aerial refueling tankers in service,
Nicholas Springett ’20 has spent the last year deepening his experience in data analytics and making significant contributions to TECO Peoples Gas in Tampa, Florida. “When I was hired, we had a huge initiative to make everything simple and clean up relationships within our data,” said Springett, who earned his bachelor’s degree in business analytics from Florida Polytechnic University in
