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NASA's Tim Fisher

June 23, 2021 - In 1977, a Wichitan watched Star Wars at the Mall theater on East Harry. He returned again and again that summer to watch the lightsaber battles, Jedi Knights and X-wing starfighters. “I’m an original Star Wars guy,” Tim Fisher said. “I was just mesmerized. It sparked that ‘What is possible? What can we do?’” Decades later, Fisher is one of the people helping answer those questions for the United States and the entire world in space. He is chief engineer for NASA’s Gateway program, part of the agency’s quest to return to the Moon and explore Mars.

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.

Wichita State University engineering students present Ford Hall with a bicycle they modified to meet his needs.

June 7, 2021 — Five-year-old Ford Hall has had to overcome more in his short life than most do in a lifetime. That’s because immediately after he was born, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The doctors informed his mother he would probably never be able to walk. “It was that conversation with that doctor that really lit a fire in us,” said Cori Hall, Ford’s mother.

Students standing in front of a decorated porch

May 13, 2021 – Students enrolled in Integrated Marketing Communication Campaigns with Dr. Lisa Parcell have been working with Alce Su Voz, Riverfest and the Kansas Nonprofit Chamber to develop full marketing communication campaigns.

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.

Tammie Huynh wants to work in the fashion or music industry. She currently works as a marketing intern with Strategic Communications.

May 6, 2021 — Tammie Huynh wants to work in the fashion or music industry. She currently works as a marketing intern with Strategic Communications.

Sierra Gladman came to Wichita State to learn graphic design in a beneficial and local environment.

May 4, 2021 — Sierra Gladman came to Wichita State to learn graphic design in a beneficial and local environment. She wants to help a company grow using her graphic design skills.

Andrea Grisanti wants to pursue a career in graphic design.

May 4, 2021 — Andrea Grisanti is graduating with a bachelors of Fine Arts in graphic design

Tom Gentile

May 3, 2021 - The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University has launched its Executive-in-Residence program. This program will provide Barton School students, faculty and the Wichita community with vital perspectives and knowledge from industry leaders. Tom Gentile, president and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems, will serve as the program’s first resident for the Fall 2021 semester.

W. Frank Barton School of Business Institute for the Study of Economic Growth Adam Thierer Technology Policy: A Case for Optimism and Freedom to Innovate Benjamin J. and Bettie M. Gibson Breeding Lectureship 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 14

April 8, 2021 — As part of the Benjamin J. and Bettie M. Gibson Breeding Lectureship, Institute for the Study of Economic Growth at the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University will present Adam Thierer at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 14.

Wichita State computing

April 7, 2021 - In February, Novacoast announced plans to open a 24/7 security operations center in the Epic Center in downtown Wichita. Novacoast, according to media reports, will hire around 60 employees immediately for positions such as sales, analysts and cybersecurity engineers.“Having a robust computer science department and applied computing department is a good source of interns and future employees to Novacoast,” said Joe Jabara, director of Wichita State’s Hub for Cybersecurity Education and Awareness. “The university’s emphasis on cybersecurity really helped lure them to Wichita.”

Make48 logo

March 17, 2021 -- With the help of Koch Industries, Make48 is bringing its 48-hour collaborative inventor and maker challenge to Wichita. Wichita State University’s GoCreate, A Koch Collaborative will host the event scheduled for June 24-26.

In 2014, John A. See donated $1 million to provide prizes to Wichita State faculty and students conducting outstanding research.

March 16, 2021 — Wichita State University faculty and student researchers have been awarded the 2021 John A. See Innovation Award.

Pile of shoes

March 10, 2021 – A class project in Kara McCluskey’s environmental and engineering technology class this semester set out to tackle an immense issue: The fact that each year in America, 300 million pairs of shoes are thrown away, taking an average of 30 to 40 years for just one pair to decompose.

Boeing 737

March 10, 2021 — Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research has received delivery of two Boeing 737 aircraft for modification. The aircraft are part of a year-long project with Virginia-based Dynamic Aviation to modify three 737 aircraft for a special-mission program.