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The Board of Governors has confirmed Dr. Randy K. Avent as º£½Ç³Ô¹ÏÍøs first president

June 19, 2014

ORLANDO—The Board of Governors Thursday confirmed Dr. Randy K. Avent to be the first leader of the State University System’s newest institution, º£½Ç³Ô¹ÏÍø.

“The Board is pleased to welcome Dr. Avent to our State University System,â€� said Board Chair Mori Hosseini. “It is no small challenge to guide Florida’s first polytechnic university. But I have no doubt, with Dr. Avent’s credentials and vision, that º£½Ç³Ô¹ÏÍø is in good hands.â€�

“I’m grateful for the Board of Governors’ confirmation and support, and I’m proud to be joining the State University System of Florida, which has a great reputation for excellence nationwide,â€� said Dr. Randy Avent. “I am already focused 100 percent on opening º£½Ç³Ô¹ÏÍø in August, and I look forward to working with the faculty and staff and with the Board of Governors to advance STEM education and applied research in the state of Florida.â€�

Avent is an accomplished academician and administrator. Most recently, he was associate vice chancellor of research development at North Carolina State University. He also acted as a professor of computer science and the founding director of the university’s Data Science Institute.

Avent holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, a master’s degree in electric engineering from North Carolina State University and master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in biomedical mathematics and engineering. He is also a graduate of the Boston Executive Program at MIT’s Sloan School of Management.

“The º£½Ç³Ô¹ÏÍøtechnic Board of Trustees identified Dr. Avent as their inaugural leader, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the choice,â€� said Chancellor Marshall Criser III. “He has the State University System’s full confidence and support.â€�