WSU News - All Stories

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 — The Shocker Store is being recognized as a Mental Health Advocate for its support of the Suspenders4Hope program by offering the Suspenders4Hope T-shirts for sale, with proceeds directly benefiting HOPE Services, and by serving as a hub for resources for Shockers on campus.

May 27, 2025 — High schoolers don’t often get to see what real science is being done every day by researchers. Worst case scenario is that they are dealing with abstract numbers that don’t have any real-world parallels. But with the help of Dr. Thomas Luhring, assistant professor of biological sciences at Wichita State University, students will not only get to work with active data acquired by a real scientist, but the data also will have implications in their neighborhoods.

May 15, 2025 - Wichita State University students who work behind-the-scenes in the School of Performing Arts now earn money for their time and expertise, thanks to State of Kansas Applied Learning Funds. Twenty-three students work at jobs such as social media, costumes, fund-raising, lighting and scenes.

May 5, 2025 — Hannah Copeland found her calling through years of involvement in WSU’s orchestra programs and youth music clinics. Her most rewarding experience has been student teaching in Wichita Public Schools, and she’s thrilled to continue that journey as the new orchestra teacher at Curtis Middle School.

April 30, 2025 — Colby Hutson came to Wichita State for engineering but found his true calling in music performance, thanks to small class sizes and supportive relationships with professors. After graduation, he’s headed to Colorado State University to pursue a master’s degree in French horn performance.

April 30, 2025 — Luke Parrett, a filmmaking major from Oklahoma, chose Wichita State for its proximity to home and the hands-on learning offered at Shocker Studios. His time at WSU has been shaped by applied learning in nearly every class, preparing him to pursue gig work across the Midwest and build a career in the film industry.

April 30, 2025 — Abigail Smith, a music education and trumpet performance major, transferred from Coffeyville Community College to Wichita State, where she found a supportive community and hands-on experience in local classrooms. After graduation, she’ll attend the Aspen Music Festival and School before beginning her career as an elementary music teacher in the Wichita area.

April 28, 2025 — Wichita State University has appointed Dr. Sarah Beth Estes as the new dean of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Estes brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to student and faculty success.

April 28, 2025 — When the email notification popped up, Dr. Mary Liz Jameson, professor of biological sciences, thought there must have been a mistake. It must have been for someone else at the university or perhaps another Mary Liz at a different university. Once the shock wore away, Jameson realized it was true: She had been elected to the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Sciences Fellows, class of 2024, for her integrated work on entomology.

April 23, 2025 — John Mark Koontz is graduating with a Bachelor of Music in double bass performance. He credits Wichita State’s faculty and ensembles for shaping his growth. His advice: stay consistent—progress takes time, but it adds up.

April 14, 2025 — The CARE Team and Student Outreach and Support (SOS) are being recognized as a Suspenders4Hope Mental Health Advocate for their proactive support for the campus community. Their work ensures students, staff and faculty alike all have the tools necessary to work and learn at their full potential. Hear from Katie Davidson, director of SOS, on how the teams are supporting mental health.

April 10, 2025 — Wichita State students spent summer 2024 excavating the Boxed Springs archaeological site in East Texas, uncovering 6,000 years of Caddo history through hands-on research, artifact analysis and academic publishing.

April 7, 2025 — Wichita State senior Lille Nightingale studied wildebeest migration and transformed their movements into a choreographed dance. Her research blends art and science, offering a creative look at the natural world.

Feb. 25, 2025 — The National Endowment for the Humanities recently awarded a Wichita State University faculty member $150,000 to further develop a smartphone application that allows visually impaired people to read materials rich in visual content.