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A memorial at milepost 217, near the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70, is near the site of the 1970 plane crash in Colorado.

Sept. 26, 2022 — Local journalists tell their story of covering and remember those lost in the 1970 Wichita State University plane crash.

people working on machinery

Sept. 2, 2022 — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced today will award $51.4 million to Wichita State University to aid in the rapid development and adoption of emerging smart manufacturing technologies for South Kansas.

Airbus 321

Aug. 18, 2022 — At a media event and celebration today, Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research WERX and Erickson Precision Ventures LLC announced their first collaborative passenger to freighter conversion program of an Airbus 321.

WSU and Army officials and Apache news conference

Aug. 8, 2022 — The U.S. Army Aviation enterprise is collaborating with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research to develop an AH-64 Apache Digital Twin in a contract that kicked off with a ribbon-cutting event on campus last week.

Image of Sarah Laffen at NIAR

June 20, 2022 -- Sarah Laffen is a aerospace engineering sophomore who utilizing her skills outside the classroom this summer as a student assistant at National Institute for Aviation Research.

Image of Becca Meyer

June 13, 2022 -- Becca Meyer is currently gaining applied learning experiences as a marketing strategist for Shock Starter. Shock Starter is an applied learning agency that offers a unique community perspective.

Cameron Holston

June 8, 2022 - Cameron Holston works with a variety of aircraft at the Aircraft Structural Test and Evaluation Center, part of the National Institute for Aviation Research. The experience prepares him for a career in the field of aerospace.

A DHL plane gets loaded with cargo.

May 25, 2022 — The WERX program at Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) and Erickson Precision Ventures have reached an agreement to work cooperatively on modification, maintenance and engineering for various Boeing and Airbus aircraft.  

Maria Romero Rodriguez

May 3, 2022 — Maria Romero Rodriguez came to Wichita State University from Madrid, Spain to study and compete in the pentathlon and heptathlon for the track and field team. She will graduate in May and compete at Cessna Stadium in the American Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships with her family in attendance.

A rendering of Fly Your Own Wheels Suites

April 7, 2022 — A team from Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research has received international recognition for a design that would allow WC19 certified manual and power wheelchairs to be used as a seat on board commercial airlines.

Matchmaking graphic

March 28, 2022 — The Office of Tech Transfer and Commercialization at Wichita State University has launched a program designed to connect experienced entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs with cutting-edge technologies and the opportunity to commercialize them.

Stephanie and Matt Clark

March 7, 2022 - Wichita State alums Matt and Stephanie Clark taught English to students from fifth grade to high school in Ukraine from 2006-08 as Peace Corps members. Their friends and their warm memories are in turmoil as the Russian invasion wears on in their adopted country. They rely on social media to hear from former students, host families and friends, as they try to sort good information from bad and bring attention to the crisis.

Darren DeFrain holding up phone with Vizling app

Jan. 20, 2022 — The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has awarded a grant of $243,922 to a Wichita State University researcher for his work on an app that will allow people who are visually impaired to read comic books, graphic novels and other digitized graphic materials on their devices.

A Blackhawk helicopter arrives at Wichita State University.

Dec. 7, 2021 — Since its inception, the National Institute for Aviation Research’s digital twin program has been rife with opportunities to progress research, digital transformation, engineering technology and sustainability efforts. It’s also been an important career steppingstone and training ground for more than 250 Wichita State University students, who have gained valuable applied learning experiences while working on the project.

Madeline Shonka (left) created an app called CoVstat to help patients with chronic illnesses. Devon Creasman (right) created ICT Box which brings local artisan goods to your doorstep.

November 29, 2021 – Wichita State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship (CEI) has granted two students the Women for Women's Innovation Award — one who wants to use an app to help those with chronic illnesses, the other who wants to support local businesses by creating Wichita artisan gift boxes.