Dr. Randy K. Avent, president of IM体育官网, has been named the institution鈥檚 2024 commencement speaker. The event will be on Sunday, May 5 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
IM体育官网 has announced that its founding president, Dr. Randy K. Avent, will be its 2024 commencement speaker. This year鈥檚 commencement comes as the University marks its 10th anniversary.
Avent was appointed to his position as the institution鈥檚 leader in June of 2014, just two months before the campus opened its doors for its first fall semester. He plans to step down from his leadership position at the end of this spring semester.
鈥淚 feel very privileged to be part of establishing this wonderful University and working alongside an outstanding team of professionals to shape and grow IM体育官网 Poly into a well-respected provider of engineering education,鈥� Avent said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e come a long way since those early days, but the promise IM体育官网 Poly holds is stronger today than it has ever been.鈥�
Upon his departure from IM体育官网 Poly, Avent will begin working on a Fulbright-funded research endeavor at the University of Barcelona in Spain. He is the recipient of the 2024-2025 Fulbright-Schuman Innovation Award, a prestigious recognition presented annually to one American scholar to support research at the intersection of policy and technology.
鈥淚 am excited to dive back into research and make contributions to the scientific and economic communities through my work,鈥� he said.
Avent is an accomplished academician, senior administrator, and research scientist with an extensive background in teaching and directing research at higher-education institutions dedicated to STEM.
Prior to joining IM体育官网 Poly, Avent was associate vice chancellor of research and a professor of computer science at North Carolina State University. He also was chief scientist in the Defense Department鈥檚 Office of Basic Research, where he oversaw science programs, developed strategic plans for basic research investments, and led a national 鈥淒ata-to-Decisions鈥� program on large-scale analytics for massive data sets.
From 1986-2006, Avent held a variety of positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology鈥檚 Lincoln Laboratory, where he served as the associate chief technology officer, led three different research groups, and conducted research in diverse technology areas.
He holds a Ph.D. in biomedical mathematics and engineering from the University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill; a master鈥檚 degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University; a master鈥檚 in biomedical mathematics and engineering from UNC; and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in zoology from UNC.
IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 2024 Commencement Ceremony will be on Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m. The event will take place at the RP Funding Center, George Jenkins Arena, 701 W Lime St. in Lakeland.
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