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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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Nanotechnology for disease diagnosis and treatment earns Florida Polytechnic University professor international award

November 12, 2019

Dr. Ajeet Kaushik is determined to make detecting and treating diseases easy, accessible, and precise through the use of nanomaterials for biosensing and medicine. His extensive work and resolute desire to improve the delivery of healthcare has earned Kaushik the prestigious Universal Scientific Education Research Network (USERN) Prize. He was named a laureate in the field of biological sciences during

Florida Polytechnic University students reflect on military service this Veterans Day

November 11, 2019

The modern Florida Polytechnic University campus surrounded by sprawling farmland in Lakeland, Florida, is far removed from the submarines and military bases where one group of student veterans were stationed prior to enrollment. But their experiences in the U.S. Army, Navy, and Army National Guard have shaped the determined way they approach their studies at Florida Poly. This Veterans Day,

Harvard professor emeritus joins Florida Polytechnic University as new trustee

November 8, 2019

LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University’s Board of Trustees can now count on valuable Harvard wisdom from its new trustee, Dr. Earl Sasser. Florida’s Board of Governors appointed the Harvard Business School professor emeritus recently to serve as a trustee effective immediately. Sasser was a Harvard faculty member from 1969 until his retirement in 2017. “This is still a young

Florida Polytechnic University students make connections through radio

November 6, 2019

From the lawn outside the Innovation, Science, and Technology Building, a group of Florida Polytechnic University students make contact and build connections with people across town, across the country, and around the world. Radio Frequency (RF), a committee of the Florida Poly chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), is dedicated to bringing as many students as

Changes to special fees fines and charges regulation

November 6, 2019

LAKELAND, Fla. – Regulation FPU-4.003 Special Fees, Fines and Charges is being revised to reflect a change to the convenience charge that the University’s payment processor charges to students. Currently, the regulation sets the convenience fee at 2.3% of the transaction amount on each web-originated financial transaction when the payment is made by credit card, charge card, or debit card.

Determination breeds success for Florida Polytechnic University alumna

November 4, 2019

When Alieth Rodríguez ’18 pauses to looks at the life she is building for herself and her family, she’s proud of the sacrifices and hard work it took to earn a bachelor’s degree from Florida Polytechnic University and begin her promising engineering career. “Every single class gave me a little of what I need right now,” Rodríguez said. Rodríguez is

Research at Florida Polytechnic University’s FIPR Institute to produce new sources of critical elements in U.S.

November 1, 2019

United States. FIPR and CMC signed a three-year, $876,000 agreement to initiate the partnership on Nov. 1, 2019. “We are pleased at the opportunity to work closely with CMC and FIPR, which both have decades of practical experience and extensive contacts in the industry,” said Dr. Terry Parker, provost and executive vice president of Florida Poly and executive director of

Florida Polytechnic University student and movie buff shares best horror films for Halloween fright

October 31, 2019

This Halloween, Florida Poly senior Robert White will be spending his night watching horror movies and hoping they scare the wits out of him. As something of a connoisseur of scary movies and movies in general, the films have a high bar to clear. “Ari Aster directed ‘Hereditary,’ which is supposed to be one of the best horror movies to

Professor focuses on the future with $100000 gift to Florida Polytechnic University

October 29, 2019

Dr. Muhammad Rashid knows from experience what a difference education can mean in a person’s life. As a first-generation college graduate, he sees his own struggles and concerns reflected in many of the students he encounters at Florida Polytechnic University, where he is professor and chair of the electrical and computer engineering department. That’s why he and his wife decided

Florida Polytechnic University hosts spooky fun events this Halloween week

October 29, 2019

Students can find a break from classes and studying this week with multiple Halloween-themed events that will provide a fun and friendly atmosphere on campus. “We believe that by establishing a fun atmosphere we are preparing each student to be successful in their career choice as well as their personal lives,” said Jimmy Surin, student development assistant director at Florida

Green science and technology take center stage at international conference

October 28, 2019

A group of international scientists and scholars gathered at Florida Polytechnic University on Oct. 24 for the third annual USA-India Roundtable Conference and Workshop on Green Chemistry, Engineering and Technologies (GCET) to share ideas on the next generation of green and sustainable technologies. The conference is a joint effort of Florida Poly, Panjab University in Chandigarh, India, and Florida-based Molekule

Sophomore finds the right fit at Florida Polytechnic University

October 23, 2019

Before choosing Florida Polytechnic University as the best place to work toward her degree in mechanical engineering, Ameila Wood began her studies at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. “I liked it because it was close to home and had a good program, but when I got there, I was sitting in lectures of like 500 students,” said Wood,