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Loved ones share in the college experience at Phoenix Family Day

September 22, 2025

Florida Polytechnic University buzzed with energy on Saturday, Sept. 20, as more than 850 parents, siblings and friends joined students on campus for the annual Phoenix Family Day. Visitors explored the University, played games, tackled hands-on STEM challenges and experienced firsthand the vibrant spirit of the Florida Poly community alongside their favorite Phoenix student. Gladys Diaz, from Miramar, Florida, joined

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

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Florida Poly Men’s Lacrosse accepted to major conference

October 12, 2021

Only seven months after playing its first game, the Florida Polytechnic University Men’s Lacrosse team has been accepted into the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) and the group’s SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC). Now that Florida Poly is in the MCLA and SELC, it will play against teams from institutions such as the University of Florida, The Citadel, University of South

Students, employers connect at hybrid fall career fair

October 8, 2021

Ryan Sobolewski donned his sharpest business wear and set out to impress the recruiting representatives from high-tech companies looking for team members at the Fall 2021 Career and Internship Fair at Florida Polytechnic University on Thursday, Oct. 7. Although he was eager to meet with many of the companies present, Sobolewski had his heart set on making a connection with

Florida Poly president three-peats as one of Florida’s most influential leaders

October 4, 2021

Dr. Randy K. Avent, president of Florida Polytechnic University, has been recognized as one of Florida’s most influential business leaders for the third consecutive year by Florida Trend magazine. The publication released its annual Florida 500 list on Monday, Oct. 4, highlighting the state’s top leaders in several economic sectors. “I am honored to receive this distinction because it reflects

Phoenix Family Day offers fun, exploration for students and their families

September 23, 2021

Florida Polytechnic University students will welcome their families to campus this Saturday, Sept. 25, at the annual Phoenix Family Day. The annual event is one of the University’s proudest traditions. In addition to offering students a chance to show their loved ones around campus, families will have an opportunity to learn about the resources available to Florida Poly students and

Florida Poly wins NSF grant to research durability of 3D-printed jet engine materials

September 21, 2021

With the advanced technology of today’s rockets and jet engines, these powerful devices require metal parts that are stronger than ever. An engineering professor at Florida Polytechnic University has received a National Science Foundation grant to research the durability and longevity of the critical metals now used in these ever-changing machines. Dr. Sanna Siddiqui, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at

Florida Poly debuts as #1 public college in the South in US News ranking

September 13, 2021

Florida Polytechnic University has been ranked the number one public college in the Southern region of the United States by U.S. News and World Report. It is Florida Poly’s first appearance on that list. In its 2022 Best Colleges list, U.S. News and World Report ranks Florida Poly third among all top colleges in the Southern United States, including public

Budding game designer embraces his passion on Video Games Day

September 10, 2021

Mark Ellis was only in kindergarten when he picked up a Nintendo GameCube controller and discovered a technology that would shape his life. He embraced the world of Lego Star Wars and soon dove headfirst into new and exciting games every chance he could get. Sunday, Sept. 12, is Video Games Day, and Ellis will likely spend part of the

Six steps to prepare for the peak of hurricane season

September 7, 2021

As hurricane season nears its peak on Sept. 10 and the National Hurricane Center continues monitoring potential storm systems in the Atlantic, it’s important for everyone at Florida Polytechnic University to make sure they are prepared. September is National Preparedness Month, and the annual campaign encourages all Americans to prepare for disasters and other emergencies through the end of hurricane

Florida Poly gets approval for high-tech research partner on campus

September 1, 2021

The Florida Board of Governors has given the green light to a public-private partnership between Florida Polytechnic University and Fortune 500 company International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) during its meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 1, at Florida International University. The Board’s approval of the affiliation agreement is an important milestone in a project that could potentially bring the first high-tech industry

Chemistry practice wins national award for lab innovation

August 31, 2021

An effort to shift chemistry lab practices and reduce the amount of hazardous waste produced during the completion of student lab experiments has won Florida Polytechnic University Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) a national award for innovation. Dr. Scott Wallen, chemistry lab staff in the Department of Environmental Engineering at the University, and the team received the 2021 Innovation –

Focused on student involvement, SGA president is ready to lead

August 30, 2021

With an agenda that includes strengthening student organizations, increasing student resources, and helping the University community move beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, Samantha Ashby has hit the ground running in her new position as Student Government Association president at Florida Polytechnic University. “Right now, the big focus is coming back after a year of being partially online because of COVID,” said

New dining options, leadership invigorate campus food choices

August 27, 2021

Phoenixes seeking to satisfy a craving for tasty, healthy food are finding a pleasant slate of updates across the Florida Polytechnic University campus. The most prominent of these is the Fire + Ash: Concepts Reborn, a new dining venue inside the Wellness Center that offers a specialized, in-demand menu for several weeks before transitioning to a different food concept. The