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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.

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.

WSU's NIAR team celebrates milestone in 777 conversion project

Jan. 20, 2022 — Wichita State University and Kansas Modification Center have reached another significant milestone to advance the passenger-to-freighter aircraft conversion of the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft at WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research WERX

Wichita State performing arts

December 6, 2021 - Arts at Wichita State University benefit the city and state in ways that range from tourism to education to mental wellness. Wichita State’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research, part of the W. Frank Barton School of Business, attempted to measure those contributions in its Arts and Culture Impact Analysis for 2021. The study is part of the CEDBR’s series of studies that demonstrate how the university drives the local and state economy.

Poster for Madrigal Feaste.

Nov. 23, 2021 – After 17 years, the Madrigal Singers of Wichita State University will host an Elizabethan-themed dinner and music program at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3 at the Rhatigan Student Center Beggs Ballroom.

WSU students at Lockheed Martin

Nov. 10, 2021 -- Building on a 20-year history of collaboration, Lockheed Martin recently named Wichita State University and WSU Tech as a tier one collegiate partner institution, emphasizing collaboration with the institution as an Aeronautics Sector Emerging School to bolster the pipeline for future Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematical (STEM) careers.

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.

Today, Spirit AeroSystems Inc. held a grand opening event and ribbon cutting ceremony for its National Defense Prototype Center (NDPC), a joint project with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR).

Oct. 15, 2021 – Today, Spirit AeroSystems Inc. held a grand opening event and ribbon cutting ceremony for its National Defense Prototype Center (NDPC), a joint project with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). This new research center will significantly expand Spirit’s capabilities and production efficiencies in the defense and space market.

WSU campus

Oct. 13, 2021 — Kansas home prices will rise by 7.6% next year, according to the 2022 Kansas Housing Markets Forecast series published by the Wichita State University Center for Real Estate.

City of Wichita

Oct. 13, 2021— Wichita State University's Center for Economic Development and Business Research has released an updated Kansas, Wichita, Kansas City and Topeka Employment Forecast.

additive manufacturing image

Oct. 7, 2021 — The Federal Aviation Administration recently awarded $7.3 million to Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research for advanced materials research, providing significant funding for additive and other advanced manufacturing research programs, ranging from qualification and characterization to specialized programs that address specific technical challenges.

Festi-Ful will take place 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24 at 2020 Perimeter Road by Shocker Hall on the WSU campus.

Sept. 23, 2021 – Wichita State University will participate in Festi-Ful — one of the nation’s largest street food festivals, taking place across 300 U.S. colleges and universities — 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24 at 2020 Perimeter Road by Shocker Hall on the WSU campus.

The Boeing 777 aircraft rests at NIAR facilities.

Sept. 8, 2021 — WERX at Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) has received its first Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft. As part of its rapidly growing Maintenance Repair and Overhaul program, WSU-NIAR WERX, in conjunction with Kansas Modification Center, will convert the passenger aircraft into a freighter that will be transferred to an external client to meet the growing needs of the e-commerce and express cargo market.