Wichita State News: College of Engineering

WSU to hold commencement ceremonies May 17-18

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:13:00 CST

More than 2,200 students are eligible to participate in the 115th spring commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday, May 17-18, at Wichita State University. Ceremonies will be held in Charles Koch Arena.

Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be conferred in individual college ceremonies.

Information on individual college ceremonies is available at http://www.wichita.edu/j/?2195.

Links to stories about some of the graduates are available at:

http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/cnews/?cnid=11220

Sri Lanka native finds success in WSU aerospace engineering

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:50:00 CST

His pleasant demeanor presents an unassuming college senior at the beginning of the rest of his life, but most seniors at Wichita State didn't grow up moving in and out of a war zone.

For Tharindu "TJ" Jayaratne, it was a fact of life. As a native of Sri Lanka, he lived in danger nearly every day because of the 30-year-long civil war in the country.

In 1994 when he was 6 years old, Jayaratne and his mother left Sri Lanka during one of the most violent periods of the war. Just four years earlier, hundreds of police officers were massacred by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in one day.

"I was glad we were in the U.S. when we were growing up," said Jayaratne. "While we were here [in the U.S.], the terrorists blew up the building my mom worked in back home."

While his mom was earning her master's degree at Vanderbilt University, Jayaratne spent some of his childhood in Nashville, Tenn.

"I enjoyed both lifestyles," said Jayratne about the cultural diversity he experienced as a child.

Upon returning to Sri Lanka, 10-year-old Jayaratne could not speak Sinhalese. He learned it with ease as a fifth-grader that year and spent the rest of his adolescence in his native country.

Coming back to America

In 2008, Jayaratne returned to the United States and began attending Wichita State University. He credits his decision to a "world-class aerospace engineering program for one-sixth the cost of other such programs." Jayaratne will graduate in May 2013 with a degree in aerospace engineering and a 4.0 GPA.

Jayaratne's interest in engineering is also clear to his teachers. Larry Whitman, associate professor at the department of industrial and manufacturing engineering, emphasized Jayaratne's passion for learning as an engineer.

"His passion to learn more — engineering is not static, and he tries to learn more about the subject at hand," said Whitman. "He does a good job trying to get better."

When asked about his experience at Wichita State, Jayaratne said he most enjoyed the "truly extraordinary" hands-on curriculum the aerospace engineering program provides.

"A lot of engineers haven't built anything by the time they get out of college," said Jayaratne. "That's the good thing about WSU."

Jayaratne has also served as president of the International Student Union (ISU) and project chair for Interfest. Under Jayaratne's direction, Interfest doubled its ticket and food sales in 2012.

As president of ISU, Jayaratne helped organize airport pickups for international students with help from other student groups. The student-run program picks up more than 200 students before each fall semester.

Jayaratne now has a co-op position at the National Institute for Aviation Research, working with the certification and testing of the Learjet 85 business jet. He plans to continue his work there after graduation.

As for graduate school, Jayaratne will apply to several programs.

"I'll probably stay here, though. I like it here," he said.

Outside of work and school, Jayaratne is researching building a 1967 Mustang Fastback.

Faculty/staff news update: March/April 2013

Wed, 8 May 2013 13:26:00 CST

Academe welcomes news from WSU faculty and staff about research, teaching and service activities. This column recognizes grants, honors, awards, presentations and publications, new appointments, new faculty, sabbaticals, retirements and deaths of our current and former colleagues.

William Proctor Artz, instructional technologist and designer, School of Community Affairs, presented a paper "Secure Testing in the Virtual Classroom: Is It Even Possible?" at the Innovative Technology to Recharge and Connect (ITRAC) instructional technology conference on March 8.

Dinorah Azpuru, associate professor of political science, was invited to present her research on U.S-Latin America relations at the Woodrow Wilson Center, in Washington, D.C., on March 27. In the framework of the seminar "China in Latin America: Public Impressions and Policy Implications" she compared public opinion in the Americas about the influence and role of China and the United States in the region. Watch the webcast here.

Michael Birzer

Michael Birzer, professor, School of Community Affairs, worked with the Wichita Police Department's Command Staff on organizational transformation and issues. He also recently received a $32,000 grant award from the Kansas Department of Transportation to continue his research on racial profiling across the state of Kansas.

Travis Bruce, assistant professor, history, has published a book about the trading community of Denia, a Muslim city state in al-Andalus in the Middle Ages, and the trade links and cultural ties between the Muslim and Christian worlds.

Amy Delamaide, director, community and organizational development, WSU Center for Community Support and Research, was recently named a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer and is now certified to deliver BoardSource's signature nonprofit governance trainings in the Midwest and Great Plains area. BoardSource supports and promotes excellence in nonprofit board service by providing cutting-edge thinking and resources on board effectiveness and by engaging and developing the next generation of board leaders.

Amy DeVault, assistant professor, Elliott School of Communication, earned four awards in the Kansas Professional Communicators 2012 contest: First and second in magazine page design; first in PR magazine (editing/creative direction); and second in magazine feature story. First-place winners move on to compete at the national level.

Ed Flentje

Ed Flentje, professor, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, was recognized at the December 2012 legislative policy summit for outstanding service in fostering regional cooperation for south-central Kansas. At the invitation of the Center for Information and Resources for Development, he also traveled to Asuncion, Paraguay to participate in the Public Policy and Presidential Elections Project. This trip was the seventh of an eight-part series to educate and engage political activists on democracy, elections and public policy prior to upcoming elections in April 2013.

Mark Glaser, professor, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, and Misty Bruckner and Corinne Bannon, both from the Center for Urban Studies, collaborated with the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County as part of a four-step process to guide a comprehensive plan update and to develop and implement a multiphase citizen engagement effort. Glaser was also recently appointed to the publication committee of the American Society for Public Administration. This is a prestigious appointment to the committee that oversees publication of the Public Administration Review, the top rated journal in the field.

Sabrina Perez Glatt, director of field practicum, School of Social Work, is the 2013recipient of the Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award. The award is presented to an unclassified professional who models the standard of extraordinary service.

Brandy Jackson, undergraduate program director, was approved to receive funding from the College of Health Professions' IPE Fund to support participation in the Team STEPPS training program at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Phyllis Jacobs, assistant professor, nursing, and her husband, Lou, are receiving the 2013 Joel A. Gingras, Jr. Award from the American Brain Tumor Association. The award recognizes individuals, organizations or groups who through philanthropy, advocacy, discovery or patient care and support, have had a transformative impact on the advancement of the mission of the American Brain Tumor Association. Phyllis and Lou have facilitated a brain tumor support group called Headstrong at Victory in the Valley in Wichita for the past 14 years. The Award will be given at the American Brain Tumor Association national conference in Chicago in July.

Kim Johnson, DNP Candidate, whose submission titled "Does primary care provider advance directive education influence attitudes and practice?," was accepted as a poster presentation at the Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects. She was also selected to participate by WSU in the Rising Stars of Scholarship and Research Poster Program at Sigma Theta Tau International's 42nd Biennial Convention.

Stuart Lasine, professor of religion, has been elected vice president of the Society of Biblical Literature's southwest region. In 2014 he'll become president-elect and then in 2015, president.

Jacquelyn McClendon, senior clinical educator, Kelly Anderson (Dental Hygiene) and Mary Koehn (CHP IPE coordinator) abstract, "Making IPE Discipline Relevant" was accepted for presentation at the Collaborating Across Borders IV Conference in Canada.

Cheryl Miller, assistant dean, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, earned several awards in the 2012 Kansas Professional Communicators contest: First in personality profile, first in editing; second in advertising; and third in editing. Miller also received honorable mentions in feature writing, personality profile, and specialty articles - travel. First-place winners move on to compete at the national level.

Pamela O'Neal, SON Academic Writing Specialist, and Michelle Dreiling, a graduate student at the Elliott School of Communication, were invited to Wiley College in Marshall TX to speak at the Ethical Student Leadership Conference about the WSU Hunger Awareness Initiative.

Susan Parsons, assistant professor; Carla A. Lee, Debbie Strickert and Margaret Trumpp are authors of an article entitled "Oral Care and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia-An Integrated Review of the Literature" accepted for publication in the forthcoming May/June 2013 issue of Dimensions in Critical Care Nursing.

Elaine Steinke, professor, nursing, Adult Health & Illness Clinical nurse specialist program coordinator, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program coordinator, had two book chapters published. Steinke, E. E. (2014). Ineffective sexuality patterns. In B. Ackley, G. Ladwig. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook,10th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; pp. 724-730. And Steinke, E. E. (2014). Sexual dysfunction. In B.Ackley, G. Ladwig. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, 10th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; pp. 717-724.

DISTINGUISHED AND PHENOMENAL AWARDS
The Wichita State University Women's Association named its Distinguished Gentlemen Award winners in March. They are: Wilson Baldridge, chair, Modern & Classical Languages; Michael L. Birzer, professor, criminal justice/director SCA; William Bischoff, professor, geology; Buma Fridman, chair and professor, mathematics; Terre Johnson, vice president for major gifts, WSU Foundation; Chuck Koeber, associate dean, liberal arts, professor, sociology; Ron Matson, interim dean, liberal arts and sciences; Rodney Miller, dean, College of Fine Arts; Rick Muma, associate provost and professor, public health; Ravi Pendse, vice president, Information Technology, and chief information officer; Wade Robinson, vice president for Campus Life and University Relations; Mel Whiteside, director, engineering technology program;

The Office of Multicultural Affairs announced its Phenomenal Women of the Year at the fifth annual Phenomenal Women Award Recognition on March 14. Jean Patterson, from the Educational Leadership Department was awarded Faculty Phenomenal Woman of the Year. Frankie Brown, from Human Resources was awarded the Unclassified Professional Staff Phenomenal Woman of the Year. Juanita Reed from the Alumni Association was awarded the Classified Staff Phenomenal Woman of the Year. These women were recognized along with five other nominees.

IN MEMORIAM

Ronald Christy, 63, business instructor at Wichita State University, died Monday, April 22. He is survived by a son, Cody; Cody's mother, Linda Pool; extended family members, Jamie Doss, Mary Giordenella Belden and Wanda Aikin, and their children Jordan Doss, Kaylee Doss, Brooklyn Aikin, Madison Aikin, Makenna Belden and Cade Belden, who referred to Mr. Christy as Grandpa. Mr. Christy was a pioneer in entrepreneurial education and was instrumental in helping Fran Jabara found WSU's Center for Entrepreneurship in 1977. Mr. Christy taught the widely acclaimed "Your Future in Business" class to thousands of Kansans in the 1970s and 1980s. He co-authored four books on entrepreneurship, was the recipient of the prestigious Sargent Americanism Award, as well as the Outstanding Teaching Award from the W. Frank Barton School of Business. As a businessman, he founded several businesses and was a sought after consultant for over 35 years. The Ron Christy Entrepreneurship Memorial has been established through the WSU Foundation. Donations can be sent to support this memorial, in lieu of flowers, to 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002. Services have been held.

Jeraldine Cobb, 77, retired, died April 15. Services have been held. Survivors: husband, James; sons, Terry (Diane) Evans, Larry Evans, Michael Cobb ; daughter, Jacqueline Cobb ; sister, Roberta (Lawrence) Crockett; brother, Claude (Linda) Dayton; 7 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; a host of other relatives, Strangers Rest family and friends.

Donald Leroy Foster, 77, retired Wichita State Physics professor, died Sunday, May 5. He taught at WSU for 39 years, where he served as department chair. He is preceded in death by parents, Raymond and Hilda Mae (McCrea) Foster. Mr. Foster is survived by his cherished wife, Deanna; sister, Susan A. Foster; children, Andrew (Amy) Foster, Matt (Lucinda) Foster, Brandie (Kevin Blount) French and Kelly French; 12 grandchildren, Josh, Nick, Jack, Ethan, Luke, Zach, Alex, Sebastian, Sofia, Evelyn, Levi and Lydia; and one great-grandchild. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 9, followed by the funeral mass at 10:30 a.m., both at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Memorials may be sent to National Parkinson Foundation, P.O. Box 51018, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741. Baker Funeral Home, Wichita.

Doris Kathleen "Kathy" Lewis, 73, former chair and associate professor, physical therapy, died March 11 in Peoria. Services have been held. She is survived by her daughter, Terri Lewis, and son-in-law, Daniel Angot, of Peoria; grandsons, Dustin and Jordan Angot; four brothers; two sisters; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery Program in Peoria.

Marguerite "Mickey" Miller, 92, professor emeritus and longtime former chair of keyboard, College of Fine Arts, died April 17. She was preceded in death by parents, Joe and Mary Smith; husband, Luther; and grandson, Brandon. Survivors include sons Joe of Wichita, Jay (Madeline) of Lake Forest, Ill., and Jon of Kechi; daughter, Jean Little (Kent) of Kechi; three grandchildren. In accordance with her wishes, services will be private.

Gilbert "Gil" Perez, 61, WSU Environmental Scientist, passed away Saturday, April 27, 2013. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Perez; children, Paul (Annie) Perez, Angela Perez, Isaac (Crystal) Perez, all of Wichita; grandchildren, LaTaylah, Zayda, Adrian, Evan, Aiden, Brittany (Kade), Cidnie, Daphne, Emilie and Remi; mother, Beatrice Perez of Kinsley; brothers, John (Olga) Perez of Dodge City, Larry Perez of Kinsley, Tom (Diane) Perez of Dodge City; sisters, Rose Perez of Kinsley, Gloria (Joe) Lock of Lewis and Mary (Alvaro) Bencomo of Dodge City; many other family and friends. Services have been held. Memorials to Riverlawn Christian Church, 4243 N. Meridian, Wichita, KS 67204. Baker Funeral Home, Valley Center.

WSU announces spring commencement schedule, speakers

Wed, 1 May 2013 10:14:00 CST

Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be conferred in individual college ceremonies.

Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
More than 800 liberal arts and sciences students are eligible to participate in commencement exercises at 3 p.m. Friday, May 17. Kenny Wilk will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be Mike James, president of the Critical Care Systems subsidiary at Express Scripts.

College of Health Professions
About 400 health professions students are eligible to participate in commencement at 7 p.m. Friday, May 17. Kenny Wilk will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be Dr. Paul Uhlig, Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Central Plains Cardiothoracic Surgery.

W. Frank Barton School of Business
About 275 business students are eligible to participate in commencement at
8 a.m. Saturday, May 18. Robba Moran will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be Wayne Chambers, president and CEO of High Touch Technologies.

College of Education
Almost 300 education students are eligible to graduate in a ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 18. Robba Moran will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The speaker will be Brad Neuenswander, deputy commissioner for Learning Services for the Kansas State Department of Education.

College of Engineering
More than 320 engineering students are eligible to graduate in a ceremony at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18. Dan Lykins will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The commencement speaker will be John Lovitt, former senior executive for Rational Software and former CEO of Pattern Insight.

College of Fine Arts
About 100 fine arts students are eligible to graduate in a ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18. Dan Lykins will represent the Kansas Board of Regents. The speaker will be Bob Workman, director of the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University.

Wichita State University unveils strategic plan

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:45:00 CST

Strategic Plan background

A strategic plan defines the future of an organization. Wichita State University's strategic plan will shape the future of the university, guide decision-making and determine resource allocations.

The new plan will be used to guide the next phase of strategic planning at Wichita State University. In the next phase, all departments will create plans appropriate to their areas that respond to the institution's strategic plan.

Changes in direction and resource allocations are likely as everyone on campus strives to accomplish the lofty vision and the big audacious goals set out by the institution's strategic plan.

John Bardo

On Sept. 5, 2012, Wichita State University President John Bardo kicked off a campus and community-wide strategic planning process for the university. He appointed a steering committee composed of WSU faculty, staff and students, along with leaders from the larger Wichita community, and charged them with developing a strategic plan for Wichita State University.

Since that time, the steering committee received thousands of comments from students, faculty, staff, community leaders, business people and others with a stake in the future of WSU, Wichita and the region. The goal of the steering committee was to use this input to map a strategic course for the university. To create a new strategic plan the steering committee thoughtfully analyzed this large body of work. The result is a phenomenal integration of the comments received to create an exciting and energizing strategic direction for Wichita State University.

The steering committee's work is almost complete with today's (Thursday, April 25) preview of the new strategic plan for Wichita State University. Following several meetings to reveal this new plan to interested groups, a formal document will be finalized in the summer of 2013. The details of the draft plan follow.

The new vision — Wichita State University is internationally recognized as the model for applied learning and research — means that WSU will aspire to be "the model" not simply "a model" for requiring students to apply their skill sets in practical or real world contexts.

The new mission — The mission of Wichita State University is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good — identifies WSU's unique niche in the higher education system of Kansas.

Goal 1: Guarantee an applied learning or research experience for every student by each academic program.

Ensures that every student will study a curriculum that engages them in real world experiences that allows them to develop and apply their skill sets, preparing them for jobs upon graduation.

Goal 2: Pioneer an educational experience for all that integrates interdisciplinary curricula across the university.

Ensures that faculty will work across disciplines to create integrated student experiences to develop students' critical thinking skills and help them make important connections between their fields, society and culture.

Goal 3: Capitalize systemically on relevant existing and emerging societal and economic trends that increase quality educational opportunities.

Ensures a process where all new initiatives exploit relevant existing or emerging trends including social, business, technology, demographic, policy or economic trends that add to the educational opportunities in Kansas.

Goal 4: Accelerate the discovery, creation and transfer of new knowledge.

Improves the educational, cultural and economic well-being of Kansas through increased quantity and quality of research projects that enhance the reputation of WSU, attract funding, or lead to new products by advancing knowledge, producing intellectual property, or transferring knowledge for practical application.

Goal 5: Empower students to create a campus culture and experience that meets their changing needs.

Allows students to create a desired destination campus by stepping away from dictating to students what they should want, or what we think they want, in a student experience.

Goal 6: Be a campus that reflects — in staff, faculty and students — the evolving diversity of society.

Ensures successful fulfillment of WSU's mission by mirroring the variety of types of people found in society.

Goal 7: Create a new model of assessment, incentive and reward processes to accomplish our vision and goals.

Develops an integrated reward system that breaks down the insularity that exists across the colleges on campus.

For full details of the strategic plan see:
http://wichita.edu/wsustrategy.

Strategic plan preview for Wichita State to be revealed

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:21:00 CST

A draft of Wichita State University's strategic plan will be revealed to the WSU campus and Wichita-area community in a town hall meeting from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 25, in 208 Hubbard Hall.

The strategic planning steering committee developed the plan following numerous sessions with faculty, staff, students, community leaders, business people and others with a stake in the future of WSU, Wichita and the region.

President John Bardo will make comments, and the strategic plan will be presented by steering committee members.

In addition, a structured group discussion will be facilitated by strategic planning steering committee co-chairs Cindy Claycomb and Ed O'Malley.

WSU group helps Wichita City Hall reduce electricity use, costs

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:47:00 CST

Wichita State University industrial and manufacturing engineering faculty Bill Wentz, Michael Overcash and Janet Twomey led the Industrial Sustainability Initiative group that collaborated with Wichita City Hall to lower lighting use and cost at the building.

The project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, allowed City Hall's team, led by Rebecca Lewis, environmental services, and Kay Johnson, manager of environmental initiatives, to purchase and install occupancy sensors in offices on eight floors in the building. The Wichita State group analyzed the effects and results of the automatic lights.

The WSU team projected $280,000 in savings over the next 10 years for City Hall—the result of a 10 percent light electricity reduction, or 620,000 pounds less carbon dioxide emissions per year at Westar Energy power plants.

Wichita State College of Engineering's involvement in the project was sponsored by the Sam Bloomfield Chair in Sustainable Engineered Systems—a part of WSU's Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation.

WSU professors' research could enhance quality of human life

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 15:35:00 CST

Coronary stents have saved a lot of lives over the years, but there is a growing interest in what happens when a stent stays inside the body for too long.

With that in mind, Wichita State assistant industrial and manufacturing engineering professor Anil Mahapatro is focusing his research on the investigation of biodegradable metallic stents.

Mahapatro, who came to WSU in August 2011, is collaborating with associate mechanical engineering professor Ramazan Asmatulu and Li Yao, assistant biology professor.

The goal of their research is to someday develop metallic implants, including cardiovascular stents, that will safely dissolve inside a person's body.

"There exists a critical clinical need, as well as a growing interest, in development of biodegradable stents," Mahapatro said.

About biodegradable stents

A biodegradable metal is a metal that would degrade inside the body without causing any harm to the human body. Biodegradable metallic implants are being explored for applications that currently use permanent metallic implants but do not required those implants to be in the body lifelong.

Examples include cardiovascular stents and orthopedic fracture fixation devices. Coronary stents are placed during a percutaneous coronary intervention procedure, better known as an angioplasty, for treating coronary artery diseases resulting from narrowing of coronary arteries.

A stent is a tubular mesh-like scaffold that is placed and expanded inside a coronary artery during angioplasty.

There have been many arguments within the medical research community over the potential benefits of having the stent removed after 12-18 months, by which time most of stents have fulfilled their purpose.

Mahapatro said the most obvious argument for stent removal is the fact that the stent is a foreign object, and its presence is associated with the potential for inflammatory reactions and other damage.

Researchers also worry that the long-term presence of a stent could cause remodeling of the arterial wall in a person's heart.

But a biodegradable stent would provide a temporary opening to a narrowed arterial vessel. When the vessel is fixed, the stent would progressively disappear.

A successful biodegradable stent could possibly phase out other long-term clinical problems sometimes associated with traditional metallic implants, Mahapatro said.

Contributing to society's well-being

The research being done by Mahapatro, Asmatulu and Yao includes the testing of magnesium-based alloys as possible metallic biodegradable stent material.

Typically, pure magnesium corrodes too quickly, losing its mechanical integrity before the tissue has had time to heal.

One of the focuses of their research is to develop surface coatings and modification strategies to control and slow the biodegradation rates of magnesium-based materials.

Mahapatro's interest in this line of work started with casual discussions with clinicians and slowly evolved from there.

"Being involved in biomaterials and biomedical engineering research enables me not only to be involved in basic and applied research, but also in contributing to the well-being of the society by developing medical technologies that improve and enhance the quality of human life."

Vizzini named VP for academic affairs at Wichita State

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:17:00 CST

Anthony Vizzini

Anthony Vizzini has been named vice president for academic affairs at Wichita State University, effective July 1, according to President John Bardo.

Vizzini assumes the position vacated in 2011 by Gary L. Miller, who left to become chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Keith Pickus has served as interim provost since Miller's departure.

"I am pleased Dr. Vizzini has accepted the offer to become WSU's next vice president for academic affairs," said Bardo. "His academic background will prove invaluable for advancing the university's academic programs, and he brings to campus a wealth of experience in the development of entrepreneurship and business innovation in private and public partnerships. I am excited to have his breadth of experience in both business and academics."

Vizzini earned his undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research involved the manufacture, testing and analysis of composite structures.

He is a Fellow of the American Society for Composites and served as president of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering.

Vizzini served as a catalyst in the economic development of the aerospace corridor in Mississippi.

"I am eager to be joining so many exciting individuals and to be part of the team of students, staff and faculty who will make great things happen for Wichita State University and the state of Kansas," said Vizzini. "I have had a great welcome thus far."

Since 2009, Vizzini has served as dean and professor of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Western Michigan University.

Previously, he was department head, professor and inaugural holder of the Bill and Carolyn Cobb Chair for the aerospace engineering department at Mississippi State University.

Vizzini started his professional career as assistant professor at the University of Maryland, where he eventually became founding director of the Composites Research Laboratory, graduate director of aerospace engineering and associate professor.

College of Engineering names 2013-2014 Wallace Scholars

Tue, 5 Mar 2013 14:18:00 CST

Wichita State University's College of Engineering has awarded 10 high school seniors $200,000 in Wallace Scholarships. Each scholar will receive a four-year renewable scholarship for a total of $20,000.

Selection for the Wallace Scholarship is based on the recipients' high school GPAs, ACT scores and performance at the annual Wallace Invitational for Scholarships in Engineering (WISE), which is held in November.

In addition to the scholarship, selected students will become part of the Wallace Scholars, a community of engineering students, composed of more than 40 members from every class and major within the College of Engineering.

Wallace Scholars are actively involved on the WSU campus and within the Wichita community to promote engineering, math and science, and community service.

The Wallace Scholarship is made possible through the Dwane and Velma Wallace Endowment, created in 1976, which supports scholarships for engineering students and provides funds for the College of Engineering. Since 1980, 270 engineering students have graduated as Wallace Scholars.

Wallace Scholars for the 2013-2014 academic year:
Parker Amos, Maize High School South, aerospace
Joshua Barker, Blue Valley West High School, aerospace
Madison Bays, Wichita Northeast Magnet High School, aerospace
Chandler Bolen, El Dorado High School, computer science
Peter Jensen, Hesston High School, undecided
William Klausmeyer, Kapaun-Mt. Carmel High School, aerospace
Sachin Pendse, Wichita High School East, computer engineering
Alec Potluri, Newton High School, industrial
Jacob Simon, Trinity High School, undecided
Alec Willford, Andover High School, aerospace

WSU engineering lab advances research with Kawasaki robot

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 15:55:00 CST

A new Kawasaki refill integral fastening system at Wichita State University's Advanced Joining and Processing Lab (AJPL) is enhancing research to reduce weight and increase performance capabilities in aerostructures.

Only two of these systems exist in the world, one in Japan and the other at Wichita State's AJPL. Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) and AJPL are collaborating to implement the joining technology in aerostructural manufacturing.

Integral fastening is a solid state forging process in which two or more metals are joined together without an external heat source. With the technology, the lab is aiming to reduce the use of mechanical fasteners, such as rivets, in aircraft wing panels, skin panels and fuselage joints.

"Integral fastening will be an innovative way to join aerostructure components," said Michael McCoy, engineering professor and director of AJPL. "This process forges materials together to form an 'in situ join' stronger than that of traditional mechanical fasteners of the same size."

McCoy said the KHI refill system produces a fastener with no head, hole, indention or upset in the aircraft skin, which strengthens metal connections. Also, the elimination of rivets means lower manufacturing costs and airframe weight, leading to lower operational costs.

Valuable student experience

The lab installed the Kawasaki integral fastening system at the beginning of the spring 2013 semester and has been running tests on the robot since Jan. 22.

Other AJPL capabilities include continuous friction stir welding and various robotic applications.

Adam Wiley, a Wichita State senior majoring in mechanical engineering, has worked in the lab for more than a year. He values the experience because he has learned how different robots operate and works on projects from start to finish.

"Students get to work in all parts of the lab and perform a variety of tasks," said Wiley. "It's not a place where you do the same monotonous task day in and day out; students have to be intuitive to overcome complications in each project."

WSU's Advanced Joining and Processing Lab is located in the National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT) in northeast Wichita.

Faculty/staff news update: January/February 2013

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 11:34:00 CST

Kathy Coufal, professor and chair, communication sciences and disorders, recently joined the board of directors of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges.

George Dehner

George Dehner, associate professor, history, had two books published recently. "Influenza: A Century of Science and Public Health Response" is aimed at the academic market, and "Global Flu and You: A History of Influenza" is a more general book on the subject.

Suzy Finn, engineering coordinator/job developer, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning, has been accepted into the Young Professionals of Wichita 2013 Leadership Academy.

Ed Flentje, professor and longtime REAP consultant, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, was recognized at the December 2012 legislative policy summit for outstanding service in fostering regional cooperation for south-central Kansas.

Ed Flentje fielded calls on Kansas politics about the 2012 November elections from national reporters with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, in addition to Kansas newspaper reporters. He also made presentations on Kansas politics and elections, including the Docking Symposium on Kansas Politics at Southwestern College in Winfield; the Downtown Lions Club, Wichita; the Post-election Roundtable, with professors Joe Aistrup (Kansas State), Bob Beatty (Washburn), Burdette Loomis (University of Kansas), and Michael Smith (Emporia State) at Washburn University in Topeka; and the Lions Club in Clay Center.

Eric Freeman, assistant professor, Jean Patterson, associate professor, and Pat Terry, senior fellow, served as faculty advisers to students in the College of Education's educational leadership program who presented research papers at the USA|Kansas Annual Convention in January. "Growth and Sustainability in a Rural Kansas Town: The Role of Public Schools" was presented by Michael Argabright, superintendent, Southern Lyon County USD 252; Andi Williams, principal, Haysville Elementary, USD 261; and Royce Powelson, superintendent, Jayhawk USD 346 (Freeman). "Successes and Challenges of Implementing 21st Century Skills" was presented by Mary Liebl, literacy coordinator, Wichita USD 259; Janice Smith, executive director, The Opportunity Project Early Learning Center; Alicia Thompson, assistant superintendent, Wichita USD 259; Tiffinie Irving, executive director, Wichita USD 259; and Brad Pepper, executive director, The Service Center at Clearwater (Patterson/Terry).

Philip Gaunt, professor, Elliott School of Communication, director and founder, Interdisciplinary Communication Research Institute, had a book signing hosted by Watermark Books in Wichita on Feb. 9 for his recently published novel, "The Blane Game."

Lou Heldman, Distinguished Senior Fellow and interim director of the Elliott School of Communication, presented "Communicating with Citizens on Their Terms" at the 2013 Kansas Association of City and County Managers Winter Seminar, hosted by the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, on Feb. 8.

Sharon Iorio

Sharon Iorio, dean and professor, College of Education, presented "Partnerships with School Districts," along with other Kansas Board of Regents' college of education deans at the USA|Kansas Annual Convention conference in January.

Ashlie Jack, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, has been selected to serve on the Kansas Handwriting Standards Committee, which will design the new handwriting standards for schools in Kansas in response to the request of the Kansas State Board of Education.

Ashlie Jack and Mandy Lusk, assistant professors, special education, received funding for their study "Developing Word Consciousness of Academic Vocabulary in Adolescents with Challenging Behaviors through Co-Teaching" to be conducted during the spring 2013 semester.

Elizabeth King, president and CEO, WSU Foundation, was re-elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges. The KSCC was established in 1925.

Kenneth Kriz, professor of Public Finance and Economics with the University of Nebraska-Omaha who will soon join the Hugo Wall School as Regents Professor of Public Finance, presented the keynote speech "Public Finance in the 2010s: an Environmental Scan" at the 2013 Midwest Regional Public Finance Conference on Feb. 14 and 15 in Wichita.

Sal Mazzullo, professor, geology, had a book signing hosted by Watermark Books in Wichita on Jan. 5 for his recently published novel, "Chac Balam."

Eunice Doman Myers, associate dean, Fairmount College, and associate professor, Spanish, had her book chapter "Resounding Silences: En las noches que desvisten otras noches" included in the Festschrift Nela Rio: Escritura en foco: La mirada profunda, edited by Qantati e-books (Ottawa, Canada).

Ravi Pendse

Ravi Pendse, chief information officer, presented "Creating Relevance through Innovation and Collaboration" at the 2013 Kansas Association of City and County Managers Winter Seminar, hosted by the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs on Feb. 8.

Michael Rogers, chair and professor, human performance, presented "International trends of study concerning exercise programs and health promotion for older adults" at the 2012 International Forum on Muscle Fitness Exercise as Chokin for Elderly People held at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Japan, in December.

Donna Sayman, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, recently had her article "Quinceaneras and Quadratics: Experiences of Latinas in state-supported residential schools of science and math" published in the Journal of Latinos and Education.

Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn, assistant professor, music theory and composition, had two new compositions premiered at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 9 by an East Coast new music group, the Case Ensemble. While in New York, Sternfeld-Dunn gave guest presentations with undergraduate and graduate composers at The Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Conn., and Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pa.

Clay Stoldt, chair and professor, and Mark Vermillion, associate professor, both of sport management, presented "Member Churning Among Conferences: A Contributing Factor to Economic Inequality at the NCAA Scholarly Colloquium," along with Martin Perline, professor and Bloomfield Foundation Faculty Fellow, Barton School of Business.

Anh Tran, associate professor, and Jim Granada, assistant professor, both of curriculum and instruction, presented "Social, Cultural and Economic Capitals for College Success" at the 2013 USA|Kansas Annual Convention.

NEW TO CAMPUS
Leah DiPietr, coordinator for College of Engineering, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning

Kenneth Kriz, Regents Distinguished Professor of Public Finance, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs

Kelley Mattivi, coordinator for College of Business and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning

Arwiphawee Srithongrung, associate professor, Hugo Wall School

Matthew Cecil, director, Elliott School of Communication

Bob Workman, director, Ulrich Museum of Art

ON SABBATICAL
Dharma DeSilva, professor, management, fall 2013, five related projects including teaching, research and advisory service in Sri Lanka, as well as completion of international business and marketing resource textbooks

Jeffrey Hershfield, associate professor, philosophy, fall 2013, research on linguistic norms regarding truth/falsity and their underlying principles; development of a taxonomy and publication

Xiaomi Hu, associate professor, mathematics, fall 2013, conduct research to identify multivariate order relations and focus on models with their parameter vectors under multivariate order restrictions including testing and implementation

C. Nicholas Johnson, professor, dance, spring 2014, research on mime/physical theatre; further development of the SPA core curriculum mime course and a new Fine Arts exchange opportunity in Mexico

Xiufen Lu, associate professor, philosophy, spring 2014, research on Li Dazhao's adaption of Marxism to Chinese Confucianisnism; publication of two articles

Chungsheng Ma, professor, mathematics, academic year 2013-14, research on spatio-temporal stastics and vecor random fields in space and time leading to book and journal publications

Daowei Ma, professor, mathematics, spring 2014, research on complex analysis and linear transforms in applied mathematics leading to publication of several research papers

Robert Owens, associate professor, history, spring 2014, research and manuscript writing on early American frontier "Indian-hating" and attempts to settle Indian-white disputes

Atul Rai, associate professor, accountancy, spring 2014, study effects of the international financial reporting system and quality of earnings; preparation of papers for publication

Nick Solomey, professor, mathematics (physics), academic year 2013-14, participate in cosmic ray research to expand scientific expertise and enhance the ability of Kansas to qualify for joint hosting of the next large cosmic ray experiment in western Kansas and eastern Colorado

James E. Steck, professor, engineering (aerospace), fall 2013, (1) continue research on advanced aircraft flight control methods at NASA and (2) expand quantum computing research leading to publication in both areas

Craig Torbenson, associate professor, history, spring 2014, continue work on a manuscript examining Norwegian emigration and patterns of westward migration and settlement in the United States

Janet Twomey, professor, engineering/manufacturing, spring 2014, (1) investigate worker education in the emerging field of engineering-public policy and (2) develop a proposal to support a network of researchers in climate change, health care and energy

Chu-Ping Vijverberg, associate professor, economics, academic year 2013-14, compare current models for examining structural change or business cycles with an exploratory time deformation model to provide improved forecast ability and further model development

Robert Zettle, professor, psychology, spring 2014, complete writing and co-editing Handbook of Contextual Behavioral Science

IN EMERITUS
Roger D. Lowe, vice president emeritus, administration and finance

Salvatore J. Mazzullo, professor emeritus, geology

IN MEMORIAM
Peggy J. Anderson, 67, retired associate professor emeritus, College of Education, died Feb. 24 in Wichita. Services have been held. She is survived by her brothers, Denis (Bobbi) Anderson of Springfield, Mo., and Russell (Debra Dikeman) Vornold of Pilot Mountain, N.C. Memorials may be made to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 7404 Killarney, Wichita, KS 67206.

Lois Mae Bergerhouse, 94, former WSU cafeteria employee, died Jan. 28 in Andover. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Archie and Winifred (Ferris) Troyer; her husband, Wayne; and sisters Delores Krueger and Naomi Daharsh. Survivors include children Cynthia Gillett and Phillip Bergerhouse ; grandchildren, Dwayne Wilson, Michael Wilson, Stephanie Murphy, Joshua Bergerhouse , Ian Bergerhouse and Cody Bergerhouse. Memorials may be made to Life Care Center of Andover, 621 W. 21st St., Andover, Kan.

Donald Morse Douglas, 88, associate professor emeritus, history, died Jan. 15 in Wichita. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Ada Glynn ("Lynn"); daughters, Sharon Lynn Douglas and Donna Christine Douglas; granddaughters Michelle Leigh Nielsen, Erika Lynn Douglas and Meredith Lynn Coughenour; great-grandchildren, Zak, Luke and Kate Nielsen; and brother Guy Barry Douglas and his wife, Pat. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, the American Heart Association, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice or Holocaust Commemoratives, in care of Congregation Emanu-El.

Cecilia Sanchez Epperson, 83, retired assistant librarian, died Feb. 11, 2013. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gregorio and Maria Sanchez. She is survived by her husband, Gene; children Rene Epperson, Mark Epperson and Diane Cole all of Wichita, and Alan Epperson of Ft. Worth, Texas; sisters Trini Sanchez of Wellington and Alejandra De La Torre of Los Angeles; grandchildren Jennifer, Laura, Justin, Kyle and Janel; great-grandson Taylor. Memorials may be sent to Hardin Hospice, 2622 W. Central, Wichita, KS 67203.

John C. Gries, 72, professor, geology, died Jan. 18 following a short illness. A celebration of life has been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Virginia Gries, and his brother Don. He is survived by his wife, Toni Willis-Jackman; his daughter, Lynn Gries of Tucson; his first wife and friend, Robbie Gries; sister-in-law, Neella Gries; and two nephews, Nathan and Mark. Memorials have been established at the Great Plains Transportation Museum, 700 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67202, and the Wichita State University Foundation, 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita, KS 67260.

Harry Miller, 86, former Shocker basketball coach, died Feb. 13 in Nacogdoches, Texas. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Lanora (Tillie), and sons Bob and Tom of Nacogdoches, and Gary of Tyler. He is also survived by his son's wives, Ardan, Patty and Dorota; granddaughters, Claire Miller, Isabella and Sophie Miller; step-grandchildren Ember Ashby, Will Ashby and his wife, Anna; and three great-grandchildren, Bryana and Nolan Ashby, and Emerson Carden.

James M. Murphy, 90, professor emeritis, economics, banking and finance, died Feb. 10. Survivors include his children Michael J. (Arlyn) Murphy of Lubbock, Texas, Dennis J. (Beth) Murphy of Tulsa, Okla., Susan E. (Steve) Pattison of Broken Arrow, Okla., John M. (Noreen) Murphy of Beaverton, Ore., and David K. Murphy of Austin, Texas. Private services will be held in Oklahoma at a later date. Donations may be made to the Dr. James M. Murphy Endowed Fellowship, c/o WSU Foundation, 1845 N. Fairmount, Box 2, Wichita, KS 67260-0002.

William M. Perel, 85, retired former chair, mathematics, died Jan. 20 in Stillwater, Okla. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Ada Gaskill; and daughter Cathy Perel. He is survived by his wife, Tula Perel of Stillwater; daughters Elizabeth (Dwayne) Deckard and Shirley (Tod) King, all of Wichita; stepchildren Teresa (John) Petersen of Pawnee, Okla., Lenora (Larry) Rawdon of Wellston, Okla., Dan (Pam) Ripley of Pawnee, Okla., and Susan (Paul) Hartle of Plano, Texas; four grandchildren; nine step-grandchildren; and 14 step-great grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson's Foundation of Oklahoma, 720 W. Wilshire, Suite 101H, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 or the First Baptist Church, 720 6th St., Pawnee, OK 74058.

William H. "Bill" Smith, 73, retired 30-year administrator, Rhatigan Student Center, died Feb. 20 in Wichita. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, William A. and Mary Olive Smith; and brother Garel Smith. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Smith; sons Michael (Stephanie) of Maple Grove, Minn., Stephen (Michelle) of Derby and Jeffrey (Melissa) Smith of Derby; 11 grandchildren; sister Betty Jo McWhorter of Atlanta, Ga.; several nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to Shocker Bowling Fund in care of the WSU Foundation, 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002.

Regis Lenora Welch, 82, former instructor, English/linguistics, died Jan. 13 in Sherman, Texas. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Francis and Cecilia Ellen Flynn Downey; her husband, John William; brother Paul; and sister Margaret Ernestine Archer. She is survived by son Matthew Welch of San Francisco, Calif.; brother-in-law Charles T. Welch of Huntsville, Ala.; nieces Sheila Archer Carter and Laura Welch Gilley; nephew Thomas Welch; and great friends and caretakers Kyle and Mary Payne. Donations can be made to St. Elizabeth Scholarship Fund, St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, 916 Maple St., Bonham, TX 75418.

Milan Zivanovic, 99, instructor, broadcasting and film, died Jan. 23, at home in Kansas City. He was preceded in death by his brother Dragan; mother, Olga, and father, Dusan. He is survived by his wife, Judith; brothers-in-law Tom (Vicki) Goergen and Lee Goergen; sister-in-law Pam Stucke; five nephews; and several grand-nieces and nephews.

WSU research helps hospitals with energy improvement

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:18:00 CST

As health care professions and patient needs grow nationally, hospitals are looking for ways to be more efficient. Wichita State University industrial and manufacturing engineering professors Michael Overcash and Janet Twomey led a research team that discovered new methods for medical centers to lower energy and material consumption.

Their research focused on how patient care can be maintained at a high level, but with a lower carbon footprint.

The team worked with the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, Wesley Medical Center and Cypress Women's Imaging in Wichita to help their radiology departments understand how energy is used for CT scans, MRIs, X-rays and ultrasounds.

"It's the first time patient-care decisions can be looked at for improving energy," said Overcash.

The project was funded by the Sam Bloomfield Chair in Sustainable Engineered Systems—a part of WSU's Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation.

Research findings

Overcash and Twomey, with the help of about 15 undergraduates, graduates and post-doctoral candidates, conducted research at partnering medical centers from 2008-2012. During the four-year span, they made several key discoveries.

In advanced studies using life cycle assessment, or LCA, the team found that reducing the materials used during imaging tests led to direct energy improvement.

LCA is a technique used to measure the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product, process or service. It is a way for researchers to compile information about energy input and release, evaluate, and interpret the results.

Twomey said that for some patient conditions, the same diagnosis can be made with interchangeable, lower-energy tests, such as a CT scan instead of an MRI, which reduces hospital energy use.

Also, when reusable materials such as surgical gowns and drapes were used instead of disposable items, there was a 200 percent to 700 percent improvement in energy use.

The Bloomfield team is conducting further research in about 15 other services at partnering medical centers including operating rooms, emergency rooms and testing labs.

WSU plans next community town hall meeting

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:50:00 CST

The Wichita State University Strategic Planning steering committee invites interested people in the greater Wichita area to take part in the community town hall meeting "WSU: Our Mission and Core Values for the Future" from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, in the Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 5015 E. 29th St. N. in Wichita.

The meeting is one of the ongoing opportunities to be part of Wichita State's Strategic Planning process.

At this meeting, attendees will be asked for their big, bold, exciting visions for WSU. Additionally, participants will be asked to discuss and react to presented mission concepts and core values.

Community engagement is needed to make this process successful.

Anyone who has a stake in the future of WSU is welcome.

Prasad named interim dean of WSU College of Engineering

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 07:00:00 CST

Vish Prasad

Vishwanath (Vish) Prasad will assume the position of interim dean of the College of Engineering at Wichita State University, effective Monday, Jan. 28.

Former dean of the college, Zulma Toro-Ramos, stepped down recently to become provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Prasad comes to WSU from the University of North Texas where he served as vice president for research and economic development.

Prior to his time at North Texas, Prasad was dean of the College of Engineering at Florida International University.

According to Interim Provost Keith Pickus, Prasad was chosen to lead the college during this transitional period because of his extensive administrative experience and knowledge of engineering education and research.

Prasad will serve until a permanent dean is hired, following a national search for the position. The search will be led by Ron Matson, interim dean of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the process will get under way in the coming weeks.