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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.

Graphic image of Harris and Oelze

April 7, 2022 — Two Wichita-area teachers who graduated from Wichita State University’s School of Education were recently recognized for their outstanding work in the classroom by the White House with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Vivian and Jian stand in front of the crystal X-ray diffractometer to visualize the atoms.

April 1, 2022 — What do you picture when you think of lasers? Laser pointers? Perhaps laser eye surgery or barcode scanners? Turns out there’s more to lasers than most people realize, and a Wichita State University chemistry team recently discovered a new series of laser material with potential commercial use.

Engineering student working on machinery

March 29, 2022 — In the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings of universities offering a Ph.D. in engineering, the College of Engineering at Wichita State University once again was ranked in the top 100 engineering graduate programs in the country and the only institution in Kansas to make it in the top 100.

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.

A heat map from the study shows where the participants’ eyes tend to look with the red indicating more gazing in that area and the blue indicating less gazing.

March 8, 2022 — Ever wonder what other people are looking at during Zoom or WebEx meetings? Dr. Akmal Mirsadikov, who specializes in deception detection and eye tracking at Wichita State University’s W. Frank Barton School of Business, recently ran an exploratory study about how people interact on Zoom.

Volunteers collect litter at a Wichita park.

Feb. 22, 2022 — The Wichita Litter Study was borne from community concern about the number of single-use plastic bags floating throughout the city. The study focused on 12 small sites within Wichita municipal parks — two parks within each city council district; and the data, while concerning, was not altogether a surprise for the research team.

2022 Klose Scholars: Joel Reyes and Kelsey Mosiman

Feb. 18, 2022 — Kelsey Mosiman of Leavenworth and Joel Reyes of Wichita have been named the 2022 Doris and Ralph Klose Scholarship worth approximately $19,000. The two high school seniors competed in a scholarship competition at Corbin Education Center in November 2021, and they will begin their Wichita State education in fall 2022.

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.

Kennedy Stamm sits in from of WSU sign at the entrance with the two columns by it. She is in her grad cap and stole. There is some nice shrubbery in the background. She is smiling and sitting on a brick chair/

Dec. 8, 2021— Kennedy Stamm was led to Wichita State because she liked the Wichita School District. Now, she will start her teaching job in August after receiving a degree in elementary education. Stamm is one of more than 1,100 students eligible for fall 2021 graduation.

Valeria Esparza sits in front of the Wichita State University sign. She is wearing a grey sweater and black turtleneck and is sitting on a brick ledge. There is some shrubbery below the sign.

Dec. 8, 2021— Valeria Esparza’s dream was to attend college as a first-generation student. She is now guaranteed a position to teach elementary education as her future job following graduation. Esparza is one of more than 1,100 students eligible for fall 2021 graduation.

Merry Kirkpatrick stands in a field of yellow flowers with her 3 kids. One is a little baby girl in her arms. The other two are little boys. Her husband stands behind her. They are all wearing yellow themed clothes to match the flowers. There are some trees that line the blue sky.

Dec. 8, 2021— Merry Kirkpatrick learned how to balance family life and school while earning a degree in the early childhood unified program. She plans to continue working at WSU’s Childhood Development Center following graduation. Kirkpatrick is one of more than 1,100 students eligible for fall 2021 graduation.

Caitlin Nolen, 23, plans to obtain a Masters in higher education student affairs at WSU.

December 6, 2021 — Caitlin Nolen, a first-generation student from Edmond, OK, found that getting connected on campus makes being a new student a lot less intimidating. Nolen is one of more than 1,100 students eligible for fall 2021 graduation.

Picture of Dr. Nickolas Solomey.

Nov. 4, 2021 – Reaching for the stars and beyond, a CubeSat Mission Patch contest sponsored by Wichita State University and the Ad Astra Foundation aims to highlight WSU’s science and research programs to prospective students.