News

Latest News

Colombian National Team coach brings World Cup experience to Florida Poly soccer players

September 19, 2025

Legendary Colombian soccer coach Nelson Abadía brought his expertise and inspiration to Florida Polytechnic University on Thursday, Sept. 18, as he observed the men’s and women’s soccer teams in training and shared advice to strengthen their game. “It was unforgettable. Coach Abadía brought so much knowledge, and his presence alone elevated the atmosphere,” said Sebastian Anzola, captain of Florida Poly’s

Florida Poly professor’s powerful new tool brings higher accuracy to nuclear physics

September 15, 2025

Dr. Ian Bentley, chair of the Department of Physics at Florida Polytechnic University, developed a new machine learning model to improve predictions of nuclear binding energies.

Students face off in epic Humans vs. Zombies Nerf battle

September 12, 2025

A “zombie infection” overtook Florida Polytechnic University during the week of Sept. 8, slowly spreading from three infected students to nearly all the players in a campuswide Humans vs. Zombies Nerf dart battle.

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.

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

All Stories

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.

Florida Poly Fulbright program spurs academic, professional successes

March 7, 2024

Florida Polytechnic University began building relationships with nations around the world through the international Fulbright program when it opened its doors 10 years ago. Since then, its Fulbright involvement has not only grown, but delivered professional and academic successes for the foreign students and scholars working at the Lakeland university, and for the Florida Poly students traveling elsewhere for their

Capstone team gamifies child respiratory care with underwater exploration game

February 23, 2024

A group of seniors at Florida Polytechnic University is working to help improve the respiratory health of pediatric patients by making the use of a basic medical device more fun and engaging. The project is sponsored by Lakeland Regional Health. When recovering from illness or surgery, patients can be asked to blow into an incentive spirometer to exercise their lungs.

Florida Poly Foundation Board welcomes tech expert, father of alum

February 20, 2024

Anthony Adams, a serial entrepreneur and tech executive with decades of experience in STEM-related fields, is the newest member of the Florida Polytechnic University Foundation Board of Directors. The University’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved Adams’ appointment, making him the first member who is also the parent of a Florida Poly alum. His son, Austin Adams ’22, was a Presidential

Students find big opportunities at annual spring career fair

February 16, 2024

More than 600 of Florida Polytechnic University students donned their most professional attire, printed out their resumes, and headed to the Barnett Applied Research Center this week in hopes of finding a job or internship with some of Florida’s leading employers. “I’m looking at where I can get my foot in the door and doing a lot of networking,” said

Florida Poly celebrates 3rd student residential building with ‘topping out’ ceremony

February 13, 2024

Construction of Florida Polytechnic University’s third student residential building reached a significant milestone this week. The University held a “topping out” ceremony at the construction site on Tuesday, Feb. 13, to celebrate, with attendees signing the final steel beam of the structure before workers fastened it into place at the top of Residence Hall III. The next phase of the

NSBE chapter empowers Black students in STEM

February 9, 2024

When mechanical engineering major Arianna Pierre arrived at Florida Polytechnic University, she was eager to build connections with her peers and find a circle of friends that reflected her own experience. Now president of the campus’ chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Pierre has not only found a motivated, STEM-minded community of Black students, but she’s also

Florida Poly student excels at prestigious quantitative finance program

February 6, 2024

Andrew Sheha, an electrical engineering major at Florida Polytechnic University, recently completed the training program of a lifetime. The sophomore traveled to New York City as one of a handful of select participants for the highly competitive Jane Street IN FOCUS Program. The immersive one-week experience, which is designed to train and cultivate talent in quantitative finance, took place on

Florida Poly boosts graduate opportunities with higher stipends, program enhancements

February 1, 2024

Florida Polytechnic University students who have their sights set on a graduate degree now have a head start on the competition thanks to recent changes made to the University’s graduate program. The updated program increases the graduate assistantship stipend amount for thesis-track students from $2,400 to $4,000 per semester. “With this change, our graduate programs now offer some of the