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Poly Protothon Lab Challenges Students to Test Ideas

June 17, 2015

More than 100 students at Florida Poly participated in the Poly Protothon Lab, a three-part event that involved idea generating, fast prototyping, product testing and launch!

Harris Corporation partnered with Florida Poly for the event, which aimed to expand student knowledge while challenging the participants to create a first-stage prototype, according to Dr. Ryan Integlia, a Florida Poly professor and event organizer. “This was a purpose-driven collaboration competition to build, test, refine, demonstrate and innovate using both hardware and software,” said Dr. Integlia, noting the support of the University President, Provost and the entire campus community in organizing the event.

The Poly Protothon Lab was held throughout the spring semester, starting in March and ending in May.

  • Phase one: Students brainstormed concepts.
  • Phase two: Students took part in an immersive, collaborative process to bring their designs closer to a prototype for testing.
  • Phase three: The event concluded with students receiving feedback and the knowledge to plan the next phase of product development.

“This gave students a unique experience to grow new ideas and take part in a rapid prototyping process, constantly adjusting their design in the process based on test results, as well as feedback from judges, supporters and mentors,” Dr. Integlia said.

Session Details

This session will demonstrate that practical risk management is for everyone, regardless of a formal program. Attendees will learn actionable and simple strategies that are easy to implement, enabling them to start immediately by focusing on their top risks to build greater operational resilience and ensure the sustained success of their auxiliary enterprises.

Presenter Profile

Michelle Powell serves as the pioneering Risk Manager at Florida Polytechnic University, the state’s sole 100% STEM-dedicated institution. Having been with the university for nearly 11 years, Michelle transitioned from a leadership role in Admissions in October 2023 to establish and evolve the risk management function from the ground up. In this solo capacity, Michelle builds robust frameworks for our dynamic, young university, overseeing our insurance portfolio, consulting on third-party and event risks, and developing critical campus-wide training programs. Michelle has obtained the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management certificate and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations. Her distinct background in mathematics and engineering, combined with extensive higher education leadership, brings an analytical and strategic approach enhancing the institution’s resilience.