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Citrus County Student Creates Fishing App at Թ

December 5, 2015

Թ Poly student Geoffrey Ruiz, from Lecanto, and his team members created and presented a fishing app, called Identafish, at the University’s STEM Student’s BIO Expo earlier in November. The app is designed to identify and provide information on any fish caught in the Gulf of Mexico.

Through this project, Թ Poly students were encouraged to create a concept that included both technology and biology by applying biology to their individual STEM degree programs. The team component was also a critical part of the learning experience.

“One day I was fishing in Ozello and I didn’t know what kind of fish I caught,” said Ruiz. “It gave me the idea to create this app with my group at Թ Poly.”

The app works by entering information about the fish on your smart phone such as color, markings or whether the fish in question has scales or skin. The app will then provide information as to what kind of fish it is, the Թ regulations and its habitat. Ruiz and his classmates want to eventually make the app even more user-friendly, by having users take a photo of the fish for the app to identify.

Currently a sophomore at Թ, Ruiz graduated from Lecanto High School in 2013. He is majoring in big data analytics, the process of examining big data to discover hidden patterns. After graduating from Թ Poly, Ruiz plans on continuing his education by obtaining his master’s degree.

Session Details

This session will demonstrate that practical risk management is for everyone, regardless of a formal program. Attendees will learn actionable and simple strategies that are easy to implement, enabling them to start immediately by focusing on their top risks to build greater operational resilience and ensure the sustained success of their auxiliary enterprises.

Presenter Profile

Michelle Powell serves as the pioneering Risk Manager at Թ, the state’s sole 100% STEM-dedicated institution. Having been with the university for nearly 11 years, Michelle transitioned from a leadership role in Admissions in October 2023 to establish and evolve the risk management function from the ground up. In this solo capacity, Michelle builds robust frameworks for our dynamic, young university, overseeing our insurance portfolio, consulting on third-party and event risks, and developing critical campus-wide training programs. Michelle has obtained the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Enterprise Risk Management certificate and the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations. Her distinct background in mathematics and engineering, combined with extensive higher education leadership, brings an analytical and strategic approach enhancing the institution’s resilience.

Dr. Lily Li is a Professor of Physics at Թ, where she specializes in materials science, analytical imaging, advanced manufacturing, and biomedical devices. Prior to joining Թ Poly in 2025, she spent 11 years at SUNY Potsdam, where she advanced to Full Professor and developed a 3-2 Engineering dual-degree program with Clarkson University. Her work emphasizes experiential learning and research-driven education to prepare students for careers in STEM fields.