News

Latest News

From NASA to startup: Alumna launches AI platform to bridge tech and policy

September 5, 2025

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

NSF-funded study uses brain data to rethink engineering education

September 3, 2025

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

Florida Poly student research uncovers laser light from peacock feathers

August 27, 2025

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

New SGA president focuses on student voices, organizational strength

August 22, 2025

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 Poly’s enrollment hits record high, momentum soars

August 18, 2025

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.

Florida Poly reaches new heights with record Fulbright participation

August 13, 2025

Florida Polytechnic University is welcoming the largest cohort of distinguished Fulbright awardees in its history, with international scholars and students set to pursue advanced research and graduate studies during the 2025-26 academic year. The group of 21 graduate students and scholars participating in the prestigious U.S. State Department program reflects the University’s solid commitment to fostering global collaborations and advancing

All Stories

Florida Poly donors honor inspiring father with endowed scholarship

April 9, 2024

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 Poly begins construction of state-of-the-art Gary C. Wendt Engineering Building

April 4, 2024

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,

Successful alumni share STEM pathways at Wendt Leadership Speaker Series

April 3, 2024

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

Q&A: 2024 student commencement speaker fulfills dreams of following, surpassing dad’s footsteps

April 2, 2024

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

Capstone team develops self-cleaning solution for Space Force security cameras

April 1, 2024

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

Expert panel examines AI’s potential and challenges in healthcare

March 29, 2024

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

Five finalists named in Florida Polytechnic University Presidential Search

March 25, 2024

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,”

Florida Poly commemorates 10-year anniversary with dazzling celebration

March 24, 2024

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

President Avent granted prestigious international Fulbright award

March 21, 2024

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

Capstone team works to improve Air Force midflight refuelers’ comfort

March 18, 2024

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,

Florida Poly Alum thrives as business analyst at TECO

March 14, 2024

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

Boost in state funding fuels Florida Poly’s extensive growth

March 11, 2024

LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University received essential funding in the state budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which was passed by state legislators on March 8. With this important investment, the state is affirming support for Florida’s all-STEM university as it continues to demonstrate its exceptional value by producing high-demand, low-supply graduates and serving as an overall economic driver.