Research advancing scientific knowledge and technology has earned five Florida Polytechnic University faculty members a place on Stanford University’s 2026 World’s Top 2% Scientists list.
Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of Florida Polytechnic University, has been named to Florida Trend magazine’s prestigious Florida 500 list for the third straight year, recognizing his leadership and growing influence in advancing STEM education and economic development.
Florida Polytechnic University’s new athletics program has received its first philanthropic gift, a $60,000 contribution from longtime Lakeland residents Bob and Deedra Knight. The milestone donation marks an exciting step forward for Florida Poly Athletics as the University builds its inaugural sports teams and gains support from the local community.
The Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE) announced today that its Board of Directors has voted to grant accreditation to Florida Polytechnic University, marking the Commission’s first accreditation decision since its founding in 2025.
University and international leaders gathered at Florida Polytechnic University on Wednesday, Oct. 21, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the U.S. State Department’s Fulbright Program alongside the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The Florida Polytechnic University Police Department has become the first law enforcement agency in the nation to integrate an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle into its operations. The manned aircraft, dubbed Astro in a double nod to science and the dog from the classic Jetsons cartoon, marks Florida Poly’s entry into the rapidly developing field of advanced air
Students at Florida Poly earn more than a degree. They gain hands-on training for jobs that impact your daily life. Like the lights in your house, for instance. Maya Wilson knows firsthand what it takes to keep the people of Tampa Bay supplied with power. She doesn’t drive a truck or climb poles, but her behind-the-scenes job at Tampa Electric
The president of Florida Polytechnic University, Dr. Randy K. Avent, was invited to testify at the Senate hearing on autonomous vehicles hosted by the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The hearing entitled “Driving Automotive Innovation and Federal Policies” will be held on Wednesday Jan. 24, starting at 10 a.m. in Washington D.C. Watch real-time starting at 10 a.m. The
Dr. Randy K. Avent, president of Florida Polytechnic University, will play a meaningful role in advancing high-tech economic growth in our region as the new member of The Florida High Tech Corridor Council. The Corridor is an economic initiative that stretches across 23 counties, with the purpose of developing a stronger high-tech industry through partnerships that support research, marketing, entrepreneurship
For the first time, students from Florida Polytechnic University will get the opportunity to share their research with state lawmakers as part of the third annual Florida Poly Day in Tallahassee. The event will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 16, starting at 8:30 a.m. on the third floor of the rotunda in the State Capitol. Nearly 50 students and leaders
Florida Polytechnic University Police Chief Richard A. Holland has been selected to head the Polk County Police Chiefs Association. He served as the vice president in 2017. Holland was sworn in during the 36th Polk County Police Chief’s Association Annual Installation of Officers Thursday, January 4th at 6:30 p.m. at the Florida Polytechnic University campus located at 4700 Research Way in
A tiny ant was the inspiration behind an idea that landed a Florida Polytechnic University Junior a $20,000 grant from NASA. The grant from the Florida Space Research Program provides Esteban Segarra and faculty advisor Dr. Bradford Towle the resources to explore autonomous capabilities for robots exploring the surface of Mars. Esteban hit upon the idea after watching the orderly
Pursuing your passion Converting your passion into a career was the topic Wednesday of a presentation by conservation specialist Dr. Tracy Fanara. Students heard over an hour Dr. Fanara’s career path as a civil engineer, from her dissertation research into protecting the Florida aquifer through intelligent landscaping, to an appearance on the Science Channel’s “Mythbusters: The Search.” Today, Dr. Fanara
A student-developed plan that models the city of Jacksonville’s vision for an autonomous public transportation system earned a second-place finish recently for Florida Polytechnic University. The design was one of six presented Nov. 9 at the Urban International Design Contest in Las Vegas. Teams from universities around the globe entered their vision for how new modes of sustainable public transportation can be
It’s easy to dream big. Creating a real, marketable product from that idea is a different story. “It’s important to understand your personal goal. What do you want to create in the world?” explains Justin Heacock, Entrepreneurship Center Coordinator at Florida Polytechnic University. Giving students the tools and coaching they need to bring their ideas to market is central to
Trying to keep track of a dozen passwords is an accepted part of today’s modern society. But what if your password was literally unforgettable? Florida Polytechnic University Sophomore Austin Lubetkin has a working prototype of a program that relies on eye movements while reading to secure your assets, not letters or characters. His research paper drew great interest when he
More than 1,100 elementary school students at risk of going hungry are guaranteed a meal every week thanks to the work of a small Lakeland nonprofit called KidsPack. KidsPack distributes food donations to students across three counties and the logics can be daunting — and expensive. That’s why four Florida Polytechnic University students are volunteering their time to update KidsPack’s
Florida Polytechnic University Professor of Data Analytics Dr. Robert Steele delivered a keynote speech at the 8th Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Annual Ubiquitous Computing, Electronics and Mobile Communication Conference (IEEE UEMCON 2017), on October 21 at Columbia University in New York. Fellow keynote speakers included other distinguished experts in analytics and computational systems from organizations including Columbia University,
