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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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Students Bring Magic To Life at MIT

December 13, 2016

The magic of Harry Potter met the hard reality of science under a class taught recently at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by three Florida Polytechnic University students. The class was part of a weekend event called Splash, which brings together high school students from all over the country for a weekend focused on learning more about science, technology,

Improving Life: The Next to Change Healthcare

December 12, 2016

A new app in development at Florida Polytechnic University could be a game changer for people with diabetes. The app serves as a personal assistant of sorts for diabetics by reminding them to check their blood glucose levels, providing them personalized reports to chart their habits and, perhaps most importantly, a social environment for emotional support. It’s especially beneficial for

Virtually There: The Next to Pioneer a New Reality

December 12, 2016

Alec Maier is a pioneer in the truest sense of the word. The Florida Polytechnic University freshman stands among the growing group of game developers testing the limits of virtual reality. He’s already developed a bestselling game in Holopoint, an immersive archery battle that keeps players on their toes as they try to repel waves of ninjas. But that’s just

Student Lands $12K Grant To Study Space Radiation

December 9, 2016

It could be decades before humans make it to the rocky surface of Mars, but Florida Polytechnic University sophomore Payton Barnwell is already working to get them there safely. Having landed a $12,000 grant through the Florida Space Research Program, Barnwell will lead a project this spring testing how to possibly protect plants, technology and explorers from radiation. Prolonged exposure

Recap: Top 5 Moments from the Internet of Things #STEMTalks Event

December 9, 2016

Florida Polytechnic University hosted its second #STEMTalks virtual event of the 2016-17 academic year on November 17 titled, “The Internet of Things: A Future of Constant Connection.” This #STEMTalks event featured a virtual panel of experts involved with IoT, from the creation and development of devices to the adaptation of these devices into everyday life. John Walicki, a Watson IoT

Construction of New Phoenix-shaped Wellness Center Begins at Florida Polytechnic University

December 7, 2016

LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University officially broke ground Wednesday on a new and vastly expanded, state-of-the-art wellness center on its campus in Lakeland. The need for the new wellness center became clear during this past year as attendance and usage of the University’s current wellness center soared more than 400 percent. The new wellness center will include a nearly

Biology and Technology Combine At Expo

December 1, 2016

Plant cells and moose antlers have more in common with high-tech research than you might think. Students at Florida Polytechnic University have certainly discovered as much. The third annual Biology Integrated Outlook (Bio) Expo at Florida Poly featured many of these unlikely pairings as students in the core Biology classes presented their semester projects to the public. The expo showcases

Florida Polytechnic University Introduces New Autonomous Vehicles Course in Partnership with MIT

December 1, 2016

LAKELAND, Fla. – The technology behind self-driving cars is coming to life soon at Florida Polytechnic University. A brand new course called “Autonomous Systems and Self-Driving Vehicles” starts in the Spring 2017 semester. Dr. Dean Bushey, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with more than 10 years of experience developing and advancing autonomous systems, will teach the course. Dr. Bushey will

Printing Success: The Next to Break the Mold

November 30, 2016

Entrepreneurs will tell you it takes money to make money, especially for a start-up. But what if there was a way to create a nearly self-sustaining business? That’s the vision of Brandon Lemos, a junior studying Computer Science and Information Technology at Florida Polytechnic University. Brandon, of Fort Lauderdale, carries a reputation on campus as the go-to guy for 3D

Florida Polytechnic University Student Work Showcased at Third Annual Biology Expo

November 28, 2016

WHAT: Florida Polytechnic University students will showcase their work at the third annual Biology Integrated Outlook (BIO) Expo from Wednesday, November 30 to Friday, December 2, 2016 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The BIO Expo allows students, in Computer Science, Innovation and Technology, and Nanotechnology, to apply biological applications and implications to their program. Student project presentations will range from virtual reality

Cooking Perfection: The Next to Get Creative

November 3, 2016

You’ve heard of smartphones and smart cars. But how about a smart toaster? A team of Florida Polytechnic University students have developed a prototype toaster that delivers a perfectly toasted piece of bread every time. The project was creative enough to snag third place at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s recent Hackriddle. “It was an exciting end to the weekend,” says student

Top 5 Moments from #STEMTalks on the Health Tech Revolution

October 31, 2016

Florida Polytechnic University hosted its first virtual #STEMTalks event of the 2016-17 academic year on October 19 titled, “Health Tech Revolution: How Technology is Reinventing Health Care.” This #STEMTalks event featured several prominent members of the health care industry: Dr. Robert Steele, the future Director of the Health Informatics Institute at Florida Polytechnic University; Elizabeth Kerns, Senior Vice President and