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

WSU News Archive   Return to WSU News Home

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.

Debra Pile

Oct. 14, 2021 – The College of Health Professions (CHP) at Wichita State University is pleased to announce Dr. Debra Pile as the chair for the School of Nursing and associate dean for Nursing Practice.

audiology student examines simulation manikin

Oct. 4, 2021 – The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has received a gift to create the Audiology Simulation Lab at Wichita State University. The lab contains five state-of-the-art Canadian Audiology simulator for Research and Learning (CARL) manikins and auxiliary equipment.

Shocker Nation graphic

Sept. 30, 2021 -- Enrollment for fall 2021 at Wichita State University and WSU Tech is showing strong growth despite a decline in 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of thousands of local jobs.

A physician assistant student practices on a simulation mannequin.

Sept. 20, 2021 -- The College of Health Professions has reorganized its general health science courses into the Scientific Foundations Division. The restructuring is intended to expand student exposure to clinical expertise of the college’s faculty, as well as the unique facilities within the college. The new divisional structure will build on the college’s nationally recognized educational experience for students in the health professions. 

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.

The ATLAS lab at NIAR

Aug. 18, 2021 — The Department of Defense (DoD) has designated South Kansas as a Defense Manufacturing Community (DCM), making the region eligible for $5 million through the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation’s Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program. The initiative is led by Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR).

Aliphine Tuliamuk

Aug. 5, 2021 - Aliphine Tuliamuk is Wichita State’s greatest female track and field athlete and the owner of 13 NCAA All-American honors in track and cross country. She is also an Olympian, a new mother (daughter Zoe was born Jan. 13) and an athlete willing to speak out on important issues. Recently, she is lending her voice and example to advocate for female athletes who compete as mothers.

F16

June 30, 2021 -- The U.S. Air Force is launching a new program with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) to make a digital replica of the F-16 Fighting Falcon in an effort to improve the sustainment and modernization of F-16s operating around the world.

Rafael Leite and Felipe Lima de Oliveira

June 22, 2021 — When the Make48 invention and maker challenge comes to Wichita State University on June 24, two of the eight Wichita teams are comprised entirely of Wichita State University students.

Cybersecurity applied learning

June 22, 2021 - Joe Jabara doesn’t call his class Hacking 101, but his students do learn how to develop effective attacks on computer systems. The course is actually called Applied Computing Intermediate Design Project, and this past spring its students carried out phishing attempts against a targeted group of Wichita State University faculty, staff and students.

B-1B arrives at Wichita State

June 7, 2021 — The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center B-1 Division is sponsoring a research project with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research to study the effects of flight operations on aircraft structures.

Micah and Ken White

May 13 2021 - On Friday morning, Ken White will receive his diploma from Wichita State University at Charles Koch Arena. Walking nearby will be Micah White, his son, who will receive the degree he completed last fall in the ceremony delayed by COVID-19 restrictions. They will be the first on their side of the family to earn a college degree. Ken White, founder and chief financial officer of Howerton+White marketing agency, earned his Bachelor of Applied Arts in media arts, majoring in audio production. Micah White earned his degree from the School of Music in jazz performance with a guitar emphasis.

Lydia Melles and Lucy Hoang, Wichita State University computer science major students, work on an autonomous robot that uses ultraviolet C-lights (UVC) to fight COVID-19 at the McConnell Air Force Base Innovation Lab.  The two senior students partnered with the McConnell Innovation Lab as part of their is part of their senior design class.

May 12, 2021 — Two Wichita State University seniors have partnered with the McConnell Air Force Base Innovation Lab to help fight COVID-19 – by using robotics. Computer science majors Lucy Hoang and Lydia Melles are creating an autonomous robot that uses ultraviolet C-lights (UVC) to clean grocery stores.

Tara Nolen

May 5, 2021 - Tara Nolen, a 2012 health services management and community development graduate of Wichita State, is community health manager at Hunter Health, which has three locations in Wichita. She oversees outreach programs and coordinates COVID-19 vaccines. “This is what we do in public health - when there’s a crisis we try to work to stop it,” she said.