ORLANDO, Fla. — At the University of Central Florida, the future of engineering is being shaped not just by cutting-edge technology and innovation but by the diverse group of students making their mark in the field.
When we think of STEM, many of us think of careers in engineering or medicine. Still, there are STEM careers with a social component and one such field, urban planning, provides solutions to problems in Orange County.
Alissa Barber Torres is no stranger to the complexities of urban planning. With over 30 years of experience, she has been working for Orange County since 1998.
One of her recent projects was helping bring electric scooters to downtown Orlando. “I’m very proud of the county’s micro-mobility device ordinance, and that’s a very wonky name for the commercial rental of electric scooters and bikes.”
It’s her job to create the framework that turns ideas into reality, and in the case of the electric scooters, that meant, “We did a process that involved me presenting to 10 different advisory boards in the county. We held two industry forums... And at the end, we came up with an ordinance that really provided a sustainable and low-cost transportation option while addressing the safety and livability needs that we heard throughout that community dialog.”
As the Chief Innovation & Emerging Technology Officer, one of her primary roles is to spearhead projects that will shape the future of Orange County and now that includes an innovation lab.
Barber says the lab will provide a space where ideas not only thrive, but are brought to life, “Provide technology training, a maker space room for robotics groups and other youth organizations to collaborate. So, that’s an exciting aspect of the position. But also, there’s a number of different programs for non-profit organization grants to provide residents with digital literacy training.”
The innovation lab is a STEM-related passion project for Mayor Jerry Demings. It’s scheduled to open in early 2026.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
