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VISION machine

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.

Vamsidhar Patlolla

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.

Ashlyn Riggs works with students at the Child Development Center

April 29, 2025 Ashlyn Riggs came to Wichita State University thanks to its proximity to home and she already had a connection to campus through her mother, who is an active employee. While at WSU, she had the opportunity to work at the Child Development Center as a lead sub teacher all while getting her degree in education.

child with prosthetic bionic arm

Nov. 20, 2024 – Wichita State University has launched the Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine and Assistive Technology (IRMAT), an innovative collaboration focused on addressing disease and disability through applied research and technology. IRMAT will serve as a hub for cutting-edge, patient-driven research and development of transformative technologies to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.

Wichita State's National Institute for Aviation Research has been awarded $10 million from NASA to study advanced materials for hypersonic applications.

May 14, 2024 — Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research will receive more than $10 million from NASA for research related to the development and implementation of advanced materials for hypersonic applications.

Wichita State University engineering students

Jan. 8, 2024 - Wichita State University moved to No. 2 on the national list of industry-funded engineering and research and development, according to the latest data compiled by the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey.

Wichita State's Molecular Diagnostics Lab

Dec. 12, 2022 — Just in time for the surge of respiratory illnesses flooding the state, Wichita State University’s Molecular Diagnostics Lab has announced it will extend free RSV, influenza and COVID (RIC) testing through March 31, 2023.

Group of individuals standing

Feb. 9, 2022 — A bequest from the estate of Richard "Dick" Smith will provide about $5.5 million each to Wichita State University and the University of Kansas to endow full-ride scholarships for students at those schools.

Valeria Paunetto is standing in front of the brick laid Morrison Hall and there is a tree in the background. The sun is shining. Paunetto is wearing her shocker gear with some yellow earrings and she is smiling.

Jan. 24, 2022 — Valeria Paunetto, originally from Puerto Rico, won the Adelante Scholarship in 2021, which has helped her pursue a degree in social work at Wichita State.

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.

Campus aerial

Jan. 18, 2022 — Wichita State’s Molecular Diagnostics Lab (MDL) is open and continues to process thousands of COVID tests with 24-hour results. However, the lab has indefinitely suspended its COVID test collection service.

Matt Ferguson

Aug. 24, 2021 -- We've lived through a pandemic since March 2020, but knowing about Zoom Etiquette is still important.

Shock the World

Dec. 9, 2020 — The WSU Foundation's seven-year Shock the World campaign raised more than $300 million to fund scholarships and campus improvements at Wichita State University.

Sigma Lambda Beta

Dec. 2, 2020 — Wichita State has been successful in minimizing the spread of COVID-19 because college students are following social distancing guidelines. Wichita State’s Rho Beta Chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta and the Zeta Beta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta have had no cases of COVID-19.

Martha Backman

Nov. 18, 2020 — There were two Shocker milestones in 1964: Wichita University became Wichita State University, and a 17-year-old Martha Backman walked onto the Wichita State campus and began her college education. It took 56 years, but the 73-year-old is finally graduating with her degree in aging studies.