Florida Polytechnic University will welcome renowned astronaut Dr. Koichi Wakata as its 2026 commencement speaker. Wakata made history as the first Japanese commander of the International Space Station (ISS) and the first from his country to spend more than 500 days in space.
At 17, Adrian Hernandez Vega is already making his mark in the world of mathematics. The dual-enrolled Florida Polytechnic University student recently earned top honors at the 71st Florida State Science and Engineering Fair, an accomplishment he said reflects hard work and support from his mentors at Florida Poly. Hernandez Vega won the Best in Fair Grand Award for mathematics
As Florida Polytechnic University prepares to debut its inaugural collegiate athletics program this fall, featuring eight sports, new coaches, and a roster of high-achieving STEM-focused student athletes, Derek Lower has been selected as the University’s first athletic director.
Class of 2026: The laboratory became like a second home to Sabrina Roggero ’26 as she pursued an environmental engineering degree at Florida Polytechnic University. She worked alongside faculty on research to help improve a municipal water supply, gather insight on insects, and connect with public school students.
The nation’s skies have grown busier each year, with a surge in the number of drones taking flight. With this in mind, a panel of experts discussed how this rise in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology is reshaping public space, privacy and regulation.
Class of 2026: For Florida Polytechnic University electrical engineering major Josh Alletto ’26, earning his bachelor’s degree on May 9 will mark the culmination of four years of hard work and determination.
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
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
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
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
Materials science professors, researchers, and students from around the globe convened online recently for the International Webinar on Materials Synthesis and Characterization 2020, hosted jointly by Florida Polytechnic University and Dr. Rammanohar Lohia Avadh University in India. “The international scientific community learned about current trends and need-of-the-hour technologies, such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, big data, and 3D
The work senior Alexis Downing is doing as an intern with Argonne National Laboratory, a world-class science and engineering research center, will pave the way for a successful future in research. Downing is completing a remote Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) with the national lab located in Lemont, Illinois. She is working on its Muon g-2 experiment, which is measuring
When the COVID-19 crisis began, Sam Trappen ’18 knew his work helping ensure the health of medically fragile patients was going to be more critical than ever. As a device evaluator at Baxter Healthcare in Largo, Florida, Trappen assesses the functioning of peritoneal dialysis equipment to help patients throughout the United States who are living with kidney failure. While the
Microsoft is lending its expertise to Florida Polytechnic University esports tournaments, boosting both their reach and reputation. The University is working with James Lamb, a gaming expert at Microsoft in Orlando, Florida. Lamb managed a League of Legends tournament on June 24 and will also run a Rocket League 3v3 tournament on July 8. “I’m ecstatic about this,” said Tonya
Restrictions on in-person gatherings won’t stop incoming freshmen and transfer students from getting to know the Florida Polytechnic University campus and way of life before their first day of classes this fall. New student orientation, which typically brings hundreds of students together to learn about the University while making connections with their peers, shifted to an online environment this year
A persistent voice urging Lavendar Phan not to settle pushed her to chart her own course to professional success. Unafraid to pivot and try something new, Phan has gone from governmental consultant to Google account executive in 10 short years, discovering new strengths and passions along the way. Phan shared her story with the Florida Polytechnic University community during the
LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees has a new chair. Trustee Cliff Otto, former CEO of Saddle Creek Logistics Services, has been named chair for a two-year term. Trustee Mark Bostick will serve as vice chair. Otto recently retired from Saddle Creek Logistics Services, a renowned supply chain solutions company based in Lakeland. He was first
Florida Polytechnic University students, faculty, and staff are ready for one of the school’s most popular traditions, and this time the action goes virtual. The annual Florida Poly Pi Run, which traditionally takes place on March 14 to celebrate the mathematical constant of pi, was delayed as COVID-19 forced the cancellation of on-campus events this spring. Although the original date
