ABOVE VIDEO: Florida Polytechnic’s main classroom building – the Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) Building – is a state-of-the-art facility designed by world-renowned architect Dr. Santiago Calatrava.
FLORIDA’S NEWEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SHUNS ‘OLD FASHIONED’ BOOKS
CENTRAL FLORIDA, USA – Florida Polytechnic University welcomed its inaugural class of 550 students last Monday and is the newest of the state’s 12 public universities – and the only polytechnic institution in the State University System of Florida.
Florida Polytechnic University welcomed its inaugural class of 550 students last Monday, and is the newest of the state’s 12 public universities – and the only polytechnic institution in the State University System of Florida. (FPU image)
Located in Lakeland, Florida, about 75 miles west of Brevard County, and along the I-4 High Tech Corridor, Florida Polytechnic is dedicated exclusively to hands-on learning and applied research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Preparing 21st century learners to become innovative problem-solvers and high-tech professionals is at the core of Florida Polytechnic’s mission.
Kathryn Miller, director of FPU’s library, in The Commons. A totally digital library is among the futuristic features of Florida Polytechnic University’s striking dome-shaped building. (Florida Polytechnic University image)
The University focuses on practical and applied research, internships with industry partners, and hands-on leadership opportunities delivered by distinguished faculty who excel in their fields.
The College of Engineering and College of Innovation and Technology offer six undergraduate degree programs, two graduate programs and 19 high-tech concentrations like Big Data Analytics, Cloud Virtualization, Motion Intelligence, Nanotechnology, Cyber Security and Machine Intelligence.
BOOKLESS LIBRARY
A totally digital library is among the futuristic features of Florida Polytechnic University’s striking dome-shaped building.
The 11,000-square-foot Florida Polytechnic library, on the second floor of the IST Building, is open in design and modern in furnishings. Students can access more than 135,000 ebooks on their choice of reader, tablet or laptop.
The college consulted with similar libraries run by NASA and a mostly digital medical school library at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
Kathryn Miller
“It’s a boldly relevant decision to go forward without books,” said Kathryn Miller, the university’s director of libraries. “The library will provide and promote opportunities for every Florida Polytechnic student and scholar to connect, collaborate and anticipate technological progress.”
Without stacks to organize, librarians staffing the main reference desk, which is called a “success desk,” will direct students to tutoring resources and train them in managing digital materials
Old-fashioned books can be requested on loan from libraries at Florida’s 11 other public universities.
MAIN CLASSROOM BUILDING DESIGNED BY WORLD-RENOWNED ARCHITECT DR. SANTIAGO CALATRAVA
Dr. Santiago Calatrava
Florida Polytechnic’s main classroom building – the Innovation, Science and Technology (IST) Building – is a state-of-the-art facility designed by world-renowned architect Dr. Santiago Calatrava.
The IST Building features cutting-edge laboratories, including a Supercomputer and Student Data Center, a Visualization and Technology Collaboration (VTC) Lab, and a Rapid Application Development (RAD) Makerspace Lab with 3D printing capabilities. Here, students work side-by-side with their professors, participating in experiential learning to solve real-world challenges.
To ensure students graduate job-ready, Florida Polytechnic collaborates with a network of industry partners to offer guidance on curriculum development and provide internship opportunities that stress real-world experience.
Florida Polytechnic already has more than 70 committed industry partners including Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Mosaic, Cisco and Harris Corporation, and that list continues to grow.
