Wichita State University may be known internationally for its aviation research program, but it is also quietly building another engineering research powerhouse.

The 7-year-old Advanced Networking Research Center is set to nearly double in size over the next 18 months because of interest from major technology companies and university officials' ambitious plans.

"The potential is extraordinary," said Gary Miller, WSU's provost and vice president for academic affairs and research. "There are networks in everything."

Wichita benefits from that growth by retaining and attracting more top students at WSU, by producing better-trained workers for local industry and, eventually, university officials say, by seeing an economic boost from new companies that develop out of the center.

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