
Florida Poly president earns distinguished statewide recognition
Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of Florida Polytechnic University, has been named one of Florida’s 50 most influential leaders over the age of 50 by the News Service of Florida.

Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of Florida Polytechnic University, has been named one of Florida’s 50 most influential leaders over the age of 50 by the News Service of Florida.

Becoming a Presidential Ambassador set Jorgeandrés Alvarez-Lopez ’26 on a path leading to a professional internship, his “dream job,” and an opportunity to address his fellow graduates as the Class of 2026 student speaker at Florida Polytechnic University’s commencement ceremony on May 9.

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.
At 19, Kirsten Benjamin found herself with her hands full and dealing with exciting responsibilities she never saw coming. She was just a freshman at Florida Polytechnic University, yet she was already hiring employees for a high-tech project. Benjamin successfully completed an internship with the Boston tech company VisitDays, where she learned new program languages, reviewed code, and immersed herself
Business, government and economic development leaders gathered at Florida Polytechnic University for its first Economic Development Symposium in early March, to begin discussions on how to create long-term economic growth partnerships around the university campus. ABB, Heacock Insurance and Saunders Ralston Dantzler Realty were among the businesses represented at the event, which was sponsored by the Central Florida Development Council,
Growing up, Alex Kiss watched his uncle build computers for neighbors and friends. “I thought it was the coolest thing in the world,” said Kiss. “I couldn’t believe you could go from almost nothing, put a few pieces together, and then be able to do all these amazing things.” His fascination with computers grew stronger while growing up, and once
Students at Florida Polytechnic University have a new state-of-the-art facility designed enhance their on-campus experience. The Student Development Center is located at 4600 Polytechnic Circle and officially opened its doors on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The 8,600 square feet building is shaped like a phoenix (the university’s mascot) and has a strength and cardio training area with exercise machines, free weights
David Duré walks the hallways of Florida Polytechnic University like a man on a mission. And at age 30, his career mission is very clear: to become an aerospace military contractor. The Marine veteran will graduate from Florida Poly in December 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. This summer he’ll intern with Goldman Sachs, a global investment firm, in
A panel of industry experts had the difficult task of judging eight innovative ideas presented by Florida Polytechnic University students during the Great Eight competition, which was held on Friday, Feb. 23 at the university’s Innovation, Science & Technology building. The students pitched their projects “Shark Tank” style to a group of six successful entrepreneurs, investors, and business mentors: Todd
Florida Poly junior Payton Barnwell is about to expand her career wings into an out-of-this-world internship, as a winner of the prestigious 2018 Brooke Owens Fellowship. The program awards internships and senior mentorships to exceptional undergraduate women seeking careers in aviation or space exploration. A total of 41 young leaders from major research universities, Ivy League schools, historically black colleges
Florida Polytechnic University welcomed a record number of companies for its third annual Career and Internship Fair held on Tuesday, Feb. 20. A total of 50 employers participated in the event this year, up from 26 in 2017 and 13 companies in 2016. Over 350 students took advantage of the opportunity and attended the fair at the Innovation, Science and
Faculty and students at Florida Polytechnic University are developing a critical component for the next generation of spacesuits that will not only make astronauts more comfortable and efficient, but will also keep them happy. Depression is a major problem in space, as astronauts can be adversely affected by factors like insufficient exercise, excessive exposure to light and lack of sleep.
Seven of the ten science and engineering students selected to receive the prestigious Hays Travel Award are from Florida Polytechnic University. The award, given by the Florida Academy of Sciences (FAS) Council, enables the students to attend and present their research projects at the FAS Annual Conference on March 9, 2018 at Barry University in Miami Shores. “At Florida Poly,
Ecieno Carmona, Mechanical Engineering Mentor: Dr. Sesha Srinivasan This project looks for ways to maximize the effects of UV-visible light to break down the organic contaminants in waste water. A series of 3D printed batch reactors have been designed and successfully commissioned that have act as a shield against the UV light and protect the eyes of the lab personnel.
Geoffrey Doback, Mechanical Engineering Nathaniel Florer, Computer Science Mentor: Dr. Melba Horton Frustules (Silica wall) of the diatom Thalassiosira oestrupii were researched for their capability to capture and store methane gas. Zinc chloride has ability to bond to one of the carbon-hydrogen bonds in methane. Methods of doping the frustules composed of silicon dioxide were explored using the zinc chloride,