Latest news with #FloridaPolytechnicUniversity
Fox News
2 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Florida Poly and OCOM offer accelerated medical degree to address physician shortage
Amid a growing healthcare provider shortage in Polk County, Florida Polytechnic University and the Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine have announced a new six-year accelerated medical degree program designed to fast-track the next generation of doctors. In Polk County, reports show that they have half as many doctors, dentists and pediatricians per 100,000 residents than the state average. This shortage has been linked to a rapid growth in the population. They also report a notable increase in emergency room visits linked to non-emergent care and general chronic disease management due to the absence of primary care access. With the new initiative, students will be able to complete both a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree in just six years — compared to the traditional eight years (four for undergrad, four for medical school), not including residency. The accelerated curriculum will assist students in getting both degrees needed by addressing physician shortages while making medical education accessible. The program will also promote STEM-medicine integration, cost-effective education, and innovative academic partnerships. Dr. Kiran C. Patel, OCOM's Founder, and Dr. Devin Stephenson, Florida Poly's President, announced that they had signed an agreement to move forward with the endeavor in July of this year. The program will limit acceptance to 20 high-achieving students a year and will require a minimum SAT score of 1390, an ACT score of 31, and a GPA of 3.5. However, a Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) will not be required. "This is a transformative opportunity for students who want to become physicians and are eager to begin serving their communities," Stephenson said. "By combining rigorous STEM education with a clear, accelerated track to medical school, we are reimagining what's possible in health education and responding to a critical need for more doctors across Florida and beyond. This agreement also reflects Florida Poly's 25|30 Strategic Plan's commitment to build capacity through enhanced partnership development, strengthening our role as a driver of innovation and impact." The hopes of the new program are that, by limiting entry to high-achieving students and eliminating the MCAT requirement, the program will be able to produce local physicians faster, more affordably, and in greater alignment with Florida's rapidly growing healthcare needs.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Mind-Blowing Discovery: Peacocks Have Lasers In Their Tails
Sharks with frickin' lasers are tired news. Peacocks, apparently, are where it's truly at. Famous for their dazzling iridescence, peacock feathers are known to contain nanostructures that scatter light in ways that make their plumage shimmer in hues of blue and green. Applying a special dye to multiple areas on a peacock's tail, researchers from Florida Polytechnic University and Youngstown State University in the US went on the hunt for structures that may emit a very different signature glow. In a mind-blowing first for the animal kingdom, they discovered the eyespots on the fowl's fabulous feathers have unique properties that align light waves by bouncing them back and forth, effectively turning them into yellow-green lasers. Related: The word laser itself is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Shine a light on atoms in certain materials, such as certain dyes or crystals, and they'll collectively excite one another into releasing a flood of photons. This kind of light amplification isn't rare in nature, attracting the attention of researchers who are interested in developing biological lasers. To become a bona fide laser beam, however, the buildup of stimulated waves must be neatly aligned so their phases march in step. One way to achieve this is to reflect the waves back and forth in a confined space known as an optical cavity. The researchers found evidence of optical cavities in the form of resonating nanostructures in different parts of the eyespot, all faintly emitting two different wavelengths: green and yellow/orange. Exactly what kind of structure is responsible for aligning the amplified light at these colors isn't clear. But the fact they are found across the feather, all emitting the same precise wavelengths in a signature fashion, is a sign that something strange is at work. Identifying the physical properties of these resonators could lead to advances in laser technology, or provide biologists with a new tool for analyzing living materials. As for the peacocks, we can only guess why evolution built lasers into their stunningly iridescent plumage. Given how biologists are quickly coming to terms with the way animals fluoresce and shine in patterns and colors beyond our perception, it may be for displays that other peacocks are well adapted to see. Perhaps sharks with lasers aren't such a terrible idea after all. This research was published in Scientific Reports. Related News World's Longest Lightning Strike Crossed 515 Miles From Texas to Kansas Stunning New Video Reveals Deepest-Known Undersea Life Forms How a Giant Earthquake Triggered a Surprisingly Small Tsunami Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Student-led research deploys AI to spot stealthy Android malware
LAKELAND, Fla., June 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Florida Polytechnic University have developed an artificial intelligence technique that can detect elusive malware known as remote access trojans (RATs) on Android devices. The breakthrough could help protect millions of users from cybercriminals who use RATs to steal personal information and control devices without detection. Nesreen Dalhy B.S. '23, M.S. '25 worked with Dr. Karim Elish, associate professor of computer science at Florida Poly, to identify new, more effective ways to detect this malicious software as part of her master's thesis. "RATs are a significant cybersecurity threat – they are particularly hard to detect, remain persistent and attempt to steal as much of your data as possible," said Dalhy, who has bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science from the University. "A lot of the existing research tries to identify general types of malware, but there isn't much that specifically tries to detect RATs." Dalhy, from Davenport, Florida, said RATs have been a problem for years, evolving alongside technology. They continually find new ways to stay hidden in smartphones and steal users' personal information. Androids account for over 80% of the world's mobile devices. "It can silently run in the background of your phone and spy on you without you realizing it," she said. "When you're using an app, you're just seeing whatever is on the screen and not everything that is going on, and that's what RATs take advantage of." It's under this cyber cloak that the malware can take control of an Android device to make calls, send messages, record audio or video, or even encrypt the device's files and demand a ransom. Dalhy and Elish trained a machine learning model to focus only on narrow samples of malware to identify and differentiate specific RAT patterns. By using different threat intelligence databases, they were able to analyze which malware exhibited RAT behavior and use RAT characteristics to highlight more of the smaller samples for detection. Elish, an expert on Android security, said three models they developed detected almost all RATS with 99% accuracy. The next steps for this work will be developing a mobile application based on its results and expanding the research model to detect a broader range of malware families to improve its utility and effectiveness. "Nesreen did amazing work that will have a lot of impact on the community," Elish said. "I am very proud of her work and that we are able to publish this and present it at an important conference." Dalhy and Elish presented the research at the industry-leading IEEE/ACIS International Conference on Software Engineering, Management and Applications in May. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Florida Polytechnic University
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Florida Poly assistant professor receives Fulbright to continue research in Canada
Chris Kelley, an assistant professor at Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland, has been selected by the U.S. State Department as a Fulbright Specialist. Kelley, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, will travel to Canada in August to collaborate on academic curriculum development at the University of Windsor in Ontario, Florida Poly said in a news release. Kelley's research focuses on Parkinson's disease diagnosis and wearable care technology. The Fulbright Specialist Program provides an opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in project-based exchanges at host institutions around the world, the release said. During Kelley's project at UWindsor, he will primarily collaborate with Jalal Ahamed, associate professor at UWindsor's Department of Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering, in building mechatronics systems curriculum while incorporating biomedical aspects, the release said. Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary field that combines mechanical engineering, electronics and computer systems to design and build intelligent, automated devices and processes, the release said. 'This is a really great opportunity, and I'm excited to be a part of it,' Kelley said in the release. 'Project-based learning engages students and helps them become better problem solvers because instead of doing everything on paper, they're physically working on something and accomplishing a goal.' Kelley collaborated last year with Ahamed to develop sensors that capture changes in the gait of a person with Parkinson's disease. Ahamed was at Florida Poly as a Fulbright Canada research chair, the release said. Kelley will conduct seminars, workshops and lectures on project-based and experiential learning. Upon his return, Kelley plans to begin implementing the new methods into Florida Poly's mechatronic systems, human robotics and other courses, the release said. 'Dr. Kelley's selection as a Fulbright Specialist highlights Florida Poly's growing role on the global stage,' said Mustapha Achoubane, the senior adviser for international relationships at Florida Poly. 'We are dedicated to fostering international partnerships and academic excellence that empower our faculty and students to become leaders and innovators in science and technology worldwide.' This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Florida Poly assistant professor is named Fulbright Specialist
Business Journals
25-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Florida Poly students invest $250,000 in planned $85M Student Achievement Center
Taki Tsetsekas (center), president of Florida Polytechnic University's Student Government Association, signs a resolution approving the investment of $250,000 in the construction of the Student Achievement Center. From left are SGA officers Jonathan Gauthier, treasurer, Hannah Friday, chief of staff, and Lang Towl, vice president.
