For WSU News and WSU Today content older than July 2018, search the WSU News Archive.

WSU News Archive   Return to WSU News Home

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.

Woman standing with tablet

Aug. 4, 2022 - Wichita State University’s Office of Innovation and New Ventures will address technology gaps in the local business ecosystem with the formation of the Small Business Digital Transformation Program. The program is funded with a $1 million grant from the American Rescue Plan Act. The Small Business Digital Transformation Program focuses on small businesses (500 or fewer employees).

P3 building

June 29, 2022 — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced today the establishment of its Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Excellence, located on Wichita State University’s Innovation Campus.

Technicians process COVID-19 tests at the MDL

June 28, 2022 — Wichita State University’s Molecular Diagnostics Lab will continue to offer free COVID-19 testing to the public through December 2022.

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.  

National Institute for Research and Digitial Transformation

May 6, 2022 — The steel columns and beams rising on the east edge of the Innovation Campus will soon provide a physical centerpiece for the ongoing work of digital transformation at Wichita State University. The National Institute for Research and Digital Transformation will occupy the building at 18th Street and Oliver by spring 2023.

777 taking off

April 26, 2022 — WERX at Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research has completed the first pre-modification baseline test flight for the Kansas Modification Center’s 777-300ERCF passenger-to-freighter conversion program.

MagicHand

April 15, 2022 - MagicHand, an anthropomorphic robotic hand designed by a Wichita State University engineering team, is participating in the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps program. The MagicHand is designed to achieve various dexterous object manipulations including object sorting, arranging and packaging.

Recovery Connect

March 24, 2022 — A new initiative by Wichita State’s Public Policy Management Center and Sedgwick County is helping connect community members to resources that could help with economic recovery efforts. Recovery Connect focuses on helping people, small businesses and non-profits find existing resources in the community.

NIAR completes ground vibration testing for Kansas Modification Center’s 777-300ERCF conversion

March 14. 2022 — Things are shaking in Wichita with the Kansas Modification Center’s 777-300ERCF conversion program at Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). The team at NIAR WERX completed ground vibration testing last month.

Wichita State's Molecular Diagnostics Lab

March 10, 2022 — Wichita State University’s Molecular Diagnostics Lab has been awarded the Jiggs Nelson Quality of Life 2022 award for its lifesaving and heroic work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Forward Together graphic

March 10, 2022 — Wichita State University President Rick Muma has launched a new podcast, called “Forward Together,” where the president speaks with guests from throughout Shocker Nation to highlight the people and priorities that guide WSU. The podcast drops monthly, with the March edition releasing March 9. Some of the guests so far include Hollywood director Dean Hargrove, WSU basketball coach Isaac Brown and WSU research vice president Coleen Pugh.

B1B in a Wichita State parking lot

On March 9, 2022, the B-1 System Program Office (SPO), Tinker AFB, OK awarded a six-year, $100 million follow-on contract to Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) to continue the B-1’s Digital Engineering (DE) transformation. The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) helped form the strategic partnership and created a flexible contract structure, which allows NIAR and the B-1 SPO to adapt requirements real-time to meet critical warfighter needs.

students in front of the RSC

March 3, 2022 — In accordance with recently updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, effective Friday, March 4, masks will no longer be required for students, employees or visitors, regardless of vaccination status, while on or in Wichita State University premises or while attending campus activities or athletic events (unless otherwise noted). This includes all indoor and outdoor campus locations.