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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

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Florida Poly delivers standout ROI for nation’s 2 most valuable degrees

August 7, 2020

Degrees in computer science and engineering deliver the highest return on investment (ROI) for college students, according to a new analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. At Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s only university exclusively dedicated to STEM, 85% of students are pursuing these high-value degrees, positioning them for strong career outcomes and long-term success. The analysis by Student Choice,

Research aims to keep critical services humming after disaster

August 6, 2020

When disaster strikes, critical facilities like hospitals, police stations, and military bases can’t afford to be without power for long. Dr. Mohammad Reza Khalghani, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Florida Polytechnic University, is hoping to find novel and practical ways to provide emergency power to these important entities. The project has been funded by Southeast Center

Combat robotics team ready to take on international rivals

August 4, 2020

LAKELAND, Fla. – The Combat Robotics Division of Florida Polytechnic University’s Purple Fire Robotics club is ready for a challenge unlike any it has ever faced. The team is preparing to pack up its champion robots and travel nearly 9,000 miles to prove their mettle at Techfest, a renowned robot fighting event hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Internship sparks excitement for remote coding work

July 31, 2020

The technical know-how that senior Arthur Gelman sharpened in his computer science courses at Florida Polytechnic University is being put into practice this summer in a remote internship with MMG Fusion, a marketing and technology company based in Severna Park, Maryland. As a junior software developer, Gelman is working to help MMG Fusion complete its integration of a newly acquired

Autonomous golf cart gets rolling at Florida Poly

July 30, 2020

LAKELAND, Fla. – A team of researchers at Florida Polytechnic University is turning a disused golf cart into a solar-powered autonomous vehicle that will be used to advance cutting-edge research for years to come. The project is funded by the University’s Advanced Mobility Institute and will be used to support a $350,000 National Science Foundation award to develop a large-scale Hardware-in-the-Loop simulation

Weather the season’s storms with strong hurricane prep

July 29, 2020

As the National Hurricane Center tracks Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, it’s a good time to revisit your personal disaster preparedness plans. The atmospheric disturbance is expected to become Tropical Storm Isaias soon and possibly make landfall in Florida by this weekend. With a hurricane season that forecasters expect to be busier than normal, these preparations can’t wait. By taking simple

Cutting-edge research at Florida Poly’s FIPR Institute featured on television

July 27, 2020

Research underway at Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute (FIPR), a research entity within Florida Polytechnic University, was featured on “Action News Jax” as part of an investigative report on the future production of rare earth elements in the United States. The segment highlights a collaboration with Critical Materials Corporation (CMC), a company based in Jacksonville, Florida, which aims at providing a new source

New Phoenix Flight internship program guides student entrepreneurs

July 27, 2020

Students who have a great idea and the drive to make it become a reality are finding support this summer with Phoenix Flight, Florida Polytechnic University’s new entrepreneurial internship program. The program took shape this summer after COVID-19 restrictions and closures caused many planned student internships to be delayed or canceled. More than 40 students are working in teams to

Florida Poly senior helps inspire children’s love for STEM

July 24, 2020

Juliana Laurin is using her passion for STEM to encourage children’s interest in science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines. Her summer internship with Stemwerx is focused on creating an engaging experience for elementary-age kids through an innovative virtual book about engineering. “My team is in charge of planning, designing, and rendering three-dimensional computer-aided assets for the augmented reality aspect of

Florida Poly’s new Scatter Band prepares to soar

July 22, 2020

Students will have a fun, new musical outlet for their time and talent when Florida Polytechnic University kicks off its fall semester. The University has hired two band directors to lead the new Florida Poly Scatter Band. Scatter bands, also known as scramble bands, perform similarly to university marching bands, but rather than marching to form complex geometric formations, these

Florida Poly partners with Florida Funders to continue evolving the Sunshine State into the Startup State

July 20, 2020

Lakeland, Fla. – July 20, 2020 – Florida Polytechnic University, known for shaping the state’s future STEM talent, today announces a partnership with Florida Funders, a hybrid of a venture capital fund and an angel investor network, to provide the next generation of students with meaningful connections in the technology startup industry. The partnership fosters the potential career placements of

Programming Club empowers students for success in competitive hackathons

July 17, 2020

Hackathons are a way of life at Florida Polytechnic University. The Programming Club is making sure students from all majors have the tools they need to join in and succeed at its upcoming Code of the Phoenix Mini Hackathon on July 25. The club is hosting virtual workshops throughout the month of July on topics such as the basics of