May 28, 2026 — Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), in collaboration with Hexcel Corporation, celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Hexcel Applications Center.
May 20, 2026 — Dr. Moriah Beck, Talaty Endowed Research Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Wichita State University, has been elected a 2025 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of the world’s largest and most prestigious scientific societies.
March 3, 2026 — Wichita State University student Lauren Hughes has been nominated for the 2026 Barry Goldwater Scholarship, one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for undergraduates pursuing research careers in science, engineering, mathematics and computer science.
Feb. 5, 2026 — At this week’s 10th annual Military Additive Manufacturing Summit & Technology Showcase (MILAM) in Tampa, Florida, John Tomblin was honored with the MILAM Lifetime Achievement Award. Tomblin is Wichita State University’s executive vice president for Research and Industry and Defense Programs and executive director of the WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research.
Oct. 6, 2025 — Wichita State University physical therapy students donned a homemade aging-simulation suit to experience impaired vision, hearing and mobility challenges, helping them better understand the daily struggles of older adults.
Aug. 27, 2025 — Several groundbreaking manufacturing research programs from Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) have been named finalists for the industry’s top honors by the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) and the American Composites Manufacturers Association’s (ACMA) Awards for Composites Excellence (ACE).
July 31, 2025 — Wichita State University is one of the recipients of a renewed $20 million grant as part of the AI Institute for Foundations of Machine Learning (IFML), of which WSU is a founding member.
July 14, 2025 — Wichita State University has been named a partner in the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps Great Plains Hub — a $14 million initiative that equips researchers, students and entrepreneurs with the tools to move ideas from the lab to the marketplace. The first WSU-led cohort begins Sept. 15 and will further strengthen the university’s innovation ecosystem.
June 18, 2025 — Hexcel Corp., a global leader in advanced composites technology, is expanding its long-standing partnership with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research by establishing a Hexcel Application Center inside NIAR’s Advanced Technologies Lab for Aerospace Systems.
June 12, 2025 — Wichita State’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) has received a patent for VISION, an AI-powered composite inspection robot designed to detect and repair damage on aircraft parts autonomously. Developed at NIAR’s Automation Research Center and recently installed at a U.S. Army facility, the system uses machine learning to analyze inspection images and speed up aircraft maintenance.
June 9, 2025 — Shocker Composites, founded by Wichita State alum Vamsidhar Patlolla, transforms carbon fiber waste into high-performance, sustainable materials using a recycling method he developed during his graduate research. With support from Wichita State’s NIAR and Innovation Campus, the company is scaling up its impact and demonstrating how university-backed startups can drive real-world innovation and sustainability.
May 21, 2025 — Wichita State University and Dassault Systèmes have opened the Manufacturing Innovation Center, a cutting-edge research and design facility on WSU’s Innovation Campus. Developed in partnership with WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), the center is now available to industry collaborators seeking to explore virtual twin technology, 3D design solutions and advanced automation in real-world environments.
May 8, 2025 — Yumi Kikuchi first came to Wichita State University as part of an exchange program and decided she wanted to pursue her graduate studies at the College of Innovation and Design. Her advice to other students? “Take chances. Life is an experiment, and college is the perfect time to explore, get involved and discover what truly excites you.”
May 8, 2025 – WSU professor Michael Birzer blends law enforcement experience with research and mentorship, empowering students through hands-on learning and community-focused scholarship.
May 7, 2025 — Braden Webb, a Gore Scholar, capitalized on Wichita State’s strong engineering program and his passion for transportation issues. He worked at NIAR WERX, studied in London and interned for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) in Washington, D.C.
