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Harvard faculty to lead unique Executive Leadership Course at Florida Poly

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Business executives from all over Florida are invited to participate in a one-of-a-kind leadership course developed by Harvard professors and taught at Florida Polytechnic University from August 5-10.

The immersive week-long Florida Poly Executive Leadership Course is designed for mid-career professionals looking to improve their leadership skills. Attendees will learn how to better understand their market, execute creative change, and grow their organizations through flexible and adaptive leadership.

The course is led by Harvard professors emeritus Drs. Paul Marshall and Earl Sasser to provide participants with the most advanced leadership strategies through hands-on activities, real-world case studies, group break-outs and self-reflection. Both Marshall and Sasser are leaders in the field of management and executive education, each having over 40 years of experience in the classroom.

“What makes this course unique is that it is led by Harvard faculty and modeled by what people can find at Harvard,” said Florida Poly president, Dr. Randy K. Avent. “It’s also a resident program which brings the opportunity to build valuable relationships with leaders from other companies.”

Participants will also learn from Florida Poly faculty members who will emphasize the role technology and innovation play in the skills needed for success in today’s business world.

Marshall and Sassar created the program drawing from their experience with the Harvard Business School case study method, which helps participants gain insider perspective, decision-making skills, and increased confidence through small-group discussion and engaging lecture.

Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to explore Florida Poly’s campus and will spend time in the iconic Innovation, Science & Technology (IST) Building, designed by famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The IST is home to a supercomputer, 3D printing lab, media lab, big data lab, and the university’s bookless library.

Attendees will spend their evenings in a residence hall and are invited to take advantage of the on-campus fitness center.

Seating in this unique program is limited and the registration deadline is July 22. For more information, contact [email protected] or 863-874-8614.

Florida Poly’s bookless library takes spotlight in Mexico

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Florida Poly’s 11,000 square foot library, located on the second floor of the Innovation, Science and Technology building, has a digital collection of over 150,000 full text e-book volumes that are a mixture of owned and licensed materials

Florida Polytechnic University’s bookless library was at the center of an international discussion in Mexico focused on the creation and development of university libraries around the world.

Dr. Kathryn Miller, vice provost of academic support services at Florida Poly, was a guest speaker at the first International Colloquium on Library Architecture and Environments, hosted by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) on early May, 2018.

Miller was invited to share how Florida Poly’s innovative digital library enhances the overall learning experience.

“Information access, storage and retrieval are skills students learn in a digital library,” said Miller. “If we can teach students how to work with digital information, they will have an advantage in the workplace because they will know when to seek information and understand how to find and validate it. As a result, they’ll make informed decisions.”

Miller added that digital libraries are the future for disciplines like STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and research institutions in countries like Mexico are taking notice of the model.

“I found great interest in the international collection of librarians gathered to understand how the Florida Polytechnic University Library functions. They were very curious about how our library staff engages campus interest without physical books and how the digital library has changed the librarians’ job functions,” said Miller. “The interest and acceptance of a digital library has become even stronger since Florida Poly first opened our campus with no books in 2014.”

Florida Poly’s 11,000 square foot library, located on the second floor of the Innovation, Science and Technology building, has a digital collection of over 150,000 full text e-book volumes that are a mixture of owned and licensed materials.

Since there is no physical stack area, Miller pointed out that one of the benefits of the bookless library is a more effective use of space.

“The Florida Polytechnic University Library would require 15,000 linear feet of stack area for shelving our books if they were not in digital format,” she explained.

The goal of the colloquium was to exchange knowledge and multidisciplinary experiences in the planning, design, construction and evaluation of physical and virtual spaces in university libraries in order to establish lines of action and policies for improvement in three environments: teaching-learning, research and reading.

UNAM is a UNESCO World Heritage site and shares high world academic rankings.

“They’re a significant research institution, and I was very impressed with Mexico’s commitment in projecting growth and ensuring utility with the university libraries,” said Miller.

Florida Polytechnic University to graduate its 1st four-year class

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More than 200 Florida Polytechnic University undergraduate and graduate students will be receiving degrees, as Florida’s newest public university graduates its inaugural class.

Florida Poly’s Spring 2018 Commencement will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 4 at the RP Funding Center (Youkey Theater), located at 701 W Lime St., Lakeland.

Established in 2012 as an innovative university dedicated entirely to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), Florida Poly is focused on graduating students who are lifetime employable and ready to be the leaders of high-tech industries. Classes began in fall 2014 with hundreds of students taking a chance on a brand-new institution with a hands-on approach to teaching, and a learning environment that encourages them to think big and challenge the status quo.

“These students believed in Florida Poly’s mission before the doors even opened,” said Florida Poly President, Dr. Randy K. Avent. “They have come a long way since, and the university has grown with them. We are proud of their journey with Florida Poly and know they’re prepared to make an impact on the world.”

The commencement speaker will be Dr. Jeffrey Wadsworth, who will be awarded anhonorary degree by Avent.

Wadsworth recently retired as president and CEO of Battelle Memorial Institute, the world’s largest nonprofit research and development organization, executing about $6 billion of work annually and employing about 22,500 people. He has previously overseen the management or co-management of seven national laboratories of the U.S. Departments of Energy and Homeland Security.

The ceremony will also feature an address by the State University System Chancellor Marshall Criser and student speaker Chris Dowdy. Dowdy, who is from Lakeland, is graduating summa cum laude with a degree in mechanical engineering.

Dowdy says he’s humbled to be representing his class and the university at commencement and says he’s thankful for the many opportunities made available to him.

“Florida Poly has given me tremendous opportunities,” said Dowdy. “From the faculty to staff and administration, I’m excited about honoring everyone who made it all possible. There’s no doubt the hands-on experience we have gained at Florida Poly has positioned us well to be future leaders in our fields.”

Florida Polytechnic University to graduate its inaugural class

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MEDIA ADVISORY

Four years after the state’s newest public university opened its doors, Florida Polytechnic University will graduate its inaugural class with more than 200 undergraduate and graduate students receiving degrees.

WHAT: Florida Poly Spring 2018 Commencement

WHEN: Friday, May 4, 2018. Ceremony begins at 3:30 p.m. and Student arrivals begin at 1:30 p.m., and doors open to ticket holders at 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: RP Funding Center (Youkey Theater), located at 701 W Lime St., Lakeland. Parking available in the Blue Parking Lot.

WHO: The commencement speaker will be Dr. Jeffrey Wadsworth, who will be awarded an honorary degree by President Dr. Randy K. Avent.

Wadsworth recently retired as president and CEO of Battelle Memorial Institute, the world’s largest nonprofit research and development organization, executing about $6 billion of work annually and employing about 22,500 people. He has previously overseen the management or co-management of seven national laboratories of the U.S. Departments of Energy and Homeland Security.

The ceremony will also feature an address by the State University System Chancellor Marshall Criser and student speaker Chris Dowdy, a mechanical engineering major from Lakeland.

EDITORS/PRODUCERS: To ensure access and space, please RSVP by 10 a.m. Thursday, May 3, to Lydia Guzmán, assistant director of communications, at [email protected] or 863.874.8557.

Florida Poly students making Winter Haven a ‘smart city’

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A group of Florida Polytechnic University students have taken on the mission of making the City of Winter Haven a “smart community” to better prepare it for the challenges of the future.

The Winter Haven Economic Development Council (WHEDC) partnered with the city of Winter Haven and Florida Polytechnic University to take the first steps into making that objective a reality.

“Our goal is to build on Winter Haven’s rich fiber optic network and the rapidly expanding business and residential markets with high-value, innovative, smart communities ideas that have been proven elsewhere and can be customized to meet our local needs,” said Bruce Lyon, president of the WHEDC.

Throughout this semester, six Florida Poly students have taken part in an internship with the WHEDC to conduct a comprehensive assessment aimed at developing high-tech ideas and recommendations from projects that have been implemented and proven valuable in other communities worldwide. The effort includes interviews with residents, businesses and government leaders.

The information collected will be used to determine how various sectors – government, environment, health, infrastructure, public safety, transportation, business and innovation, and housing and commercial development – can benefit from smart community initiatives.

“This assessment will enable decision-making on strategic and tactical guideposts towards community improvements that will make our lives healthier, easier, and more productive while expanding our economic base through innovative deployment of new technologies,” said Lyon.

Kyle Cook is one of the Florida Poly students taking part in the assessment. The senior from Lake Mary, Florida, is majoring in computer engineering with a focus in embedded system design. He says the concept of making a community “smart” is much more than throwing a bunch of technology at cities and using sensors.

“In addition to cutting-edge technology, it’s a matter of using existing technologies in ways that aren’t implemented in the general Winter Haven community yet,” said Cook.

The internship, he says, has provided him and his peers an invaluable out-of-class experience.

“It’s almost vital if you’re looking to go toward industry because having this practical experience puts you ahead of your competition and also confirms whether you’re in the right field or not,” he said. “If you like what you’re doing, then you know you’re in the right place.”

The students will present their research to the WHEDC board of directors later this spring. Lyon expects the organization to continue working with Florida Poly students as the smart community initiatives move closer to implementation.

Florida Poly seeks joint opportunities in Brazil

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A Florida Polytechnic University delegation is in Brazil this week looking to build strategic alliances with universities and high-tech companies in South America’s largest country.

The contingent includes Dr. Randy K. Avent, president of Florida Poly, Shahram Taj, professor of logistics and supply chain management, Dr. Mustafa Ilhan Akbas, professor of computer science, and Mustapha Achoubane, associate director of international students.

Brazil is one of the largest emerging economies in the world, according to a report from Forbes magazine, and is driven by extensive industrial, engineering and technological sectors.

During the seven-day trip, the Florida Poly contingent will interact with more than 2,000 engineering students to highlight the university’s programs and will also connect with international research centers and educators in order to join forces for future research collaboration.

“We look forward to strengthening our ties in Brazil through key partnerships with high-tech industry leaders and other universities that will increase international opportunities for our students,” said Avent. “This trip will enable us to develop strategic relationships between faculties.”

The delegation will meet with the founder and other top leaders at Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that provides aeronautical services and produces commercial, military, executive and agricultural aircraft. The main goal is to explore manufacturing connections between the company and the university, as well as potential project funding.

They will also visit two universities in Sao Paulo – FACENS and FIAP — that focus mainly on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. They will discuss a variety of topics including programs for graduate students, joint venture research, the diverse education models in the U.S., and the uniqueness of Florida Poly.

Avent and Akbas will be panelists at FIAP alongside leaders from IBM, Microsoft and Oracle, to talk about how artificial intelligence will impact every industry. Taj will be a guest speaker at FACENS, where he will discuss the effects of big data analytics in the global supply chain.

“This visit is a golden opportunity for Florida Poly, and for us as faculty, to be able to develop a rich collaboration with Brazil in academia, as well as in industry,” said Taj.

Polk County lakes researched as source of biofuel

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Students at Florida Polytechnic University are looking into ways of creating a source of biofuel by using algae known as diatoms, which are found in Polk County lakes.

The search for viable alternatives to fossil fuels is a hot topic worldwide with biofuel being one possible solution. This study, headed by professor of biology Dr. Melba Horton, seeks to determine the viability of using endemic diatoms from local lakes for various technological applications, including as a source of renewable energy.

Polk County Parks and Recreation provided students with water samples from more than 50 lakes around the county. The diatoms they found were grown and harvested in both indoor and outdoor photobioreactors. After periods of 15 and 30 days, results of a preliminary extraction showed a yield of more than 30 percent, which is on par with other biofuel sources, but with the promise of better cost efficiency.

“Algae is already used for biofuel, but it is still very expensive,” said Horton. “This option with endemic diatoms would make producing biofuel less costly considering the local supply and availability of the resource.”

The research, funded by Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute (FIPR), utilizes space saving photobioreactors for mass production of the diatoms, which can also be used for agricultural applications. Diatoms are known for their porous silica shells. Once mass produced, they can be added to improve dewatering of clay settling areas from phosphate mining operations in Florida.

“The main goal we want to accomplish with this research is to grow the diatoms and utilize them for the dual purpose of producing biofuel, and also to mix them with the clays that have limited land use potential, so that these lands can be more productive,” said Gary Albarelli, FIPR representative.

This Florida Poly research explores other technological applications of diatoms, including the use of its silica wall to capture and store methane gas, as well as biomedical and electrical purposes.

Florida Poly wins 1st NSF Research Grant

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Florida Polytechnic University was awarded its first National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to sponsor a cutting-edge research project proposed by Computer Science professors Dr. Luis Jaimes and Dr. Ilhan Akbas.

The research on Cyber-Physical Systems applications focuses on crowd-sensing (CS) to leverage the power of crowds to monitor a variable of interest such as temperature, pollution or state of infrastructure in smart cities. CS systems rely on the willingness of crowds to participate in the collection and reporting of data using sensors either embedded in autonomous vehicles or integrated in participants’ cellphones.

“The chances of winning this NSF grant were very low, but Florida Poly beat the odds,” said Dr. Jaimes, principal investigator. “There were many projects presented in the area of Cyber-Physical Systems and only two percent won a grant.”

The potential of crowdsourcing has been proven in fields like environmental science, transportation systems, and social science. Well-known examples include the mobile applications for community-based traffic and navigation, which help drivers take the most efficient routes based on information provided by other drivers.

This project addresses the problem of spatial and temporal coverage, particularly in isolated sub-regions where participants’ density is very low. This problem is tackled by the development of incentive mechanisms that assigns compensation for data collection based on the density of a given region.

“This technology will help us get more accurate and more up-to-date information on weather, traffic, or even pollen,” said Dr. Akbas. “Then people can make better decisions based on their individual needs, like changing their daily commute to reduce stress or avoid environmental conditions that represent a health risk.”

The $166,000 grant will help explore other potential applications for this research including autonomous vehicle scheduling and navigation, smart robots navigation and smart utilization of transportation resources.

“It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to develop this project in the next two years and be able to hire students to help us with the process,” said Dr. Jaimes.

“We’re confident the models and simulators that we create in this project will lead to future research in this very hot field,” concluded Dr. Akbas.

Florida Polytechnic University Classes Resume Monday

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Florida Polytechnic University classes will resume on Monday, September 18. The University received only minimal damage from Hurricane Irma, and power has been restored.
“We understand this storm has had a massive impact throughout the state. It is our continued hope that our students, faculty and staff remain safe,” said Maggie Mariucci, Director of External Affairs. “We are addressing the minimal damage and look forward to having everyone back on campus Monday.”
Florida Poly school officials are thankful for the help of local and state officials in their campus recovery efforts. Students should continue to check their email, University social media channels and Blackboard Connect (My Poly Alert) for any storm-related updates.

Classes Suspended through Friday at Florida Polytechnic University due to Hurricane Irma Impacts

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Florida Polytechnic University has suspended all classes through Friday due to impacts from Hurricane Irma. The University suffered minimal damage, and is currently without power.
“We are hopeful that our students, faculty and staff made it through Irma safely,” said Maggie Mariucci, Director of External Affairs. “We are now preparing the University to re-open as soon as possible.”
Florida Poly faculty and staff will return to work once power is restored. School officials are working with local and state officials to determine exactly when classes should resume. Students should check their email, University social media channels and Blackboard Connect (My Poly Alert) for the most up to date information.