Florida Polytechnic University has named Jack Paris as the first head coach of its women’s soccer program as the University continues building its new athletics department.
Florida Polytechnic University marked a significant milestone on Saturday, May 9, celebrating its largest graduating class to date as more than 430 students crossed the stage at the University’s 2026 commencement.
Andrew McDonnell ’26 never stopped dreaming about the stars. As a child, he looked up at the sky, wondering what was out there, and that curiosity followed him to Florida Poly, where he pursued a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, took aerospace courses, and worked on a lunar mobility senior capstone project. He graduates on May 9.
Florida Polytechnic University has reached on-campus housing capacity for the upcoming academic year, reflecting continued strong demand and record student interest.
Florida Polytechnic University inducted 12 students into its highly selective Presidential Ambassadors program, where they will serve as official student representatives at key University events and engage with campus and community leaders.
Samantha Bentley ’26 didn’t always feel ready to step into leadership or research roles during her time as a computer science student at Florida Polytechnic University, but discovered she grew the most by doing it anyway. She will receive her bachelor’s degree on Saturday, May 9.
Researchers from as far away as Australia and China were represented this weekend as Florida Polytechnic University hosted its first international conferences. The 2017 International Conference on Computing and Data Analysis and International Conference on Computing and Data Analysis brought together over 40 researchers representing a dozen countries to share their research on topics including data analysis, machine learning and
LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University and the Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America (Fulbright Canada) have formed a partnership bringing new educational opportunities for students and professors. The partnership establishes Killam Fellowships, as well as a Fulbright Visiting Research Chair at Florida Poly – creating study abroad programs, research exchanges, and teaching opportunities
Florida Polytechnic University students can develop and research green technology in one of the fastest growing countries in the world thanks to a newly signed agreement with Panjab University in India. The agreement opens up a talent exchange between the universities, allowing selected professors and students to collaborate and take advantage of world-class research facilities. A memorandum of understanding was
The Medical Offensive Security Competition was a student-led event that combined the concentrations of Health Informatics and Cyber Security. Electronic healthcare records and medical devices, like other computer systems, are vulnerable to security breaches that impact the safety and treatment of patients. Drs. Susan LeFrancois and Kanwalinderjit Gagneja joined forces with students, Max Farrell, Alexander Fronteddu and Jonah Loctar to
Florida Polytechnic University students earned almost $15,000 in prize money this semester with their innovative ideas and inventions. The most recent prize was through SlingShot Polk, an event presented by the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. The competition is divided into three age categories: middle school; high school; and college and entrepreneurs under 30. Florida Poly students were the sole representatives
Jenario Johnson has an invention he thinks is a knockout. It’s called StrikeSense, and it answers a problem the Florida Poly junior noticed in his martial arts classes. Two instructors teaching a class of 20 couldn’t accurately keep track of a student’s individual progress. StrikeSense uses an accelerometer to measure in real time the velocity and power of punches and
Editor’s Note: View the most recent senior profiles featuring several of Florida Poly’s CLASS OF 2018 GRADUATES. LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University held its second-ever graduation during a spring commencement ceremony on campus Friday. Twenty-four students, including four who will finish courses over the summer, received degrees in either Innovation and Technology, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical
Move over spellers. The math whizzes are here. Florida Poly recently hosted its first Integral Bee, a friendly competition among students to determine who can best solve the math problems known as integrals. Organizers say the inaugural competition was an outstanding success and poised to become a tradition at Florida Poly. “The students did great and had a lot of
On April 12th, Florida Polytechnic University hosted its fourth #STEMTalks of the 2016-2017 academic year. The virtual event titled, “Drones: Changing Your Perspective,” consisted of a panel of drone experts with experience in recreational, commercial and military drone use. Ryan English, president and co-founder of Tampa-based FLYMOTION Unmanned Systems, spoke about FLYMOTION’s involvement in drone technology. FLYMOTION provides unmanned systems
Florida Poly inventions and business plans took home top prizes at recent state competitions. Ten universities from across the state were represented at the Governor’s Cup in Tallahassee from March 30-31. The Governor’s Cup is an entrepreneurial competition hosted by the Roundtable of Entrepreneurship Educators of Florida (REEF). The top three teams received start-up funding for their concepts. The Florida
An innovative idea for creating nylon from shrimp shells was among the winners of Florida Polytechnic University’s fourth Bio Expo. The Expo is one of the longest standing traditions at Florida Poly, and an introduction for new students to the university’s belief in tying all classes — including core requirements — back to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). “The
Nearly 50 Florida Polytechnic University students and leaders filled the Florida State Capitol on Tuesday for “Florida Poly Day.” The annual event focuses on promoting the future of research and innovation at the state’s only university dedicated exclusively to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). This year’s visit included one-on-one meetings with legislators to discuss the university’s mission, applied research
Dr. Lily Li is a Professor of Physics at Florida Polytechnic University, where she specializes in materials science, analytical imaging, advanced manufacturing, and biomedical devices. Prior to joining Florida Poly in 2025, she spent 11 years at SUNY Potsdam, where she advanced to Full Professor and developed a 3-2 Engineering dual-degree program with Clarkson University. Her work emphasizes experiential learning and research-driven education to prepare students for careers in STEM fields.
