Research advancing scientific knowledge and technology has earned five Florida Polytechnic University faculty members a place on Stanford University’s 2026 World’s Top 2% Scientists list.
Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of Florida Polytechnic University, has been named to Florida Trend magazine’s prestigious Florida 500 list for the third straight year, recognizing his leadership and growing influence in advancing STEM education and economic development.
Florida Polytechnic University’s new athletics program has received its first philanthropic gift, a $60,000 contribution from longtime Lakeland residents Bob and Deedra Knight. The milestone donation marks an exciting step forward for Florida Poly Athletics as the University builds its inaugural sports teams and gains support from the local community.
The Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE) announced today that its Board of Directors has voted to grant accreditation to Florida Polytechnic University, marking the Commission’s first accreditation decision since its founding in 2025.
University and international leaders gathered at Florida Polytechnic University on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the U.S. State Department’s Fulbright Program alongside the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The Florida Polytechnic University Police Department has become the first law enforcement agency in the nation to integrate an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle into its operations. The manned aircraft, dubbed Astro in a double nod to science and the dog from the classic Jetsons cartoon, marks Florida Poly’s entry into the rapidly developing field of advanced air
Those who meet Dr. Devin Stephenson quickly understand two things: 1) He’s ready to take on and elevate every part of the Florida Poly experience, and 2) being on his team means you’re committing yourself to excellence. Stephenson begins his tenure as the second president of Florida Polytechnic University today, July 8, and said he’s ready to fully immerse himself
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
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
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
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
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
The Polk County Sherriff’s Office announced the creation of a new law enforcement unit focused on cybercrime related to artificial intelligence. The new AI investigative unit was developed in partnership with Florida Polytechnic University, which will provide essential technical and research support.
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,
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,
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
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
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
