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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.

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.

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.

Researchers at Wichita State University's Molecular Diagnostics Lab test a specimen.

March 1, 2022 — Wichita State’s Molecular Diagnostics Lab (MDL) is re-opening COVID test collections to the public starting today (March 1).

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.

PIcture of seven members of HarveStars.

Feb. 21, 2022 — A proposal submitted by an interdisciplinary Wichita State University team of seven members was selected for the top 10 in the 2021-22 NASA Space Suit Interface Technologies for Students (SUITS) Design Challenge.

Troy Tabor

Feb. 15, 2022 — The Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University has hired Troy Tabor as its new director, effective Jan. 23.

Three winners of Wichita State's Gore scholarship, Caden Carlson, Brynna Mays, and Audrey Muma stand with Dr. Rick Muma, president of WSU..

Jan. 28, 2022 —Wichita State University has selected the 2022 recipients of the Harry Gore Memorial Scholarships. Each student will receive a $64,000 scholarship to attend WSU in fall 2022.

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

Campus aerial

Jan. 7, 2022 -- The Wichita Entrepreneurial Coalition has received a nationally competitive Build to Scale Venture Challenge award from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The grant, one of only 50 awarded across the country, is designed to fuel a national movement promoting high-growth enterprises and unique startups.

Build Back Better Challenge EDA finalist logo

Dec. 15, 2021 — The U.S. Economic Development Association recently awarded Wichita State University and South Kansas $500,000 to Build Back Better with the potential opportunity for a Phase 2 award of $25-75 million.

A student studies in the human organism lab.

Dec. 8, 2021 — Wichita State University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan (DEI) includes efforts to promote student success, increase sponsored research funding for diversity and inclusive excellence, and empower the campus community to create a culture and experience that meets its ever-changing needs.

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.