Wichita State Poised For Massive Growth

[pogo]

I don't know but the Innovative campus seems to be a pretty big jump. It certainly was in the state of Kansas and I would believe a pretty big jump on a national scale compared to other Universities in the US. I know it has caught the attention of the flagship.

[pogo]

I did talk to a guy that knows a guy about all things WSU. Because the Innovation campus is pretty much finished except for 3 more building spots the attention has now shifted to the proposed medical complex in the downtown area. I told him MY main concern was that it would be called something like KU Medical Complex-Wichita and he assured me it would not.

[SubGod22]

Everything about the medical complex thus far has indicated that it will definitely be a partnership and presented as such. I don't know what the official complex will be, but every mock up I've seen seems to indicate that all three schools will have their names prominently displayed and I'm assuming the overall complex will be named to represent that.

I think everyone that matters knows how big a deal this complex is and will want it done correctly so that everyone is truly working together on it to be the best it can be.

I get the skepticism, but nothing about it from any source I've seen has seemed to indicate anything otherwise.

[pogo]

It has always been my experience that anytime ku is involved they seem to come out with the lions share. Maybe it will change since we are on a more equal footing as far as perceived stature at the BOR level. We shall see.

[Kung Wu]

It has always been my experience that anytime ku is involved they seem to come out with the lions share.

[WstateU]

I love this… she’s great!

#ShockerGrad

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ct1k5wmtJBb/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Wichita State's NIAR helps launch innovative defense aviation research program

Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research and the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences announced this week the creation of a KC-135 Stratotanker innovation testbed near McConnell Air Force Base at Air Capital Flight Line.

The program formed in partnership with the U.S. Transportation Command and the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command.

"We applaud the joint efforts of NCMS, USTRANSCOM and AMC for this innovative approach to sustainment for the KC-135 fleet," said John Tomblin, WSU senior vice president for industry and defense programs and NIAR executive director, in a news release. "The opportunity for our staff and students to support these efforts with a functional KC-135 is incomparable. We’re confident this program will demonstrate how leading technology can be used to sustain legacy aircraft and pave the way for additional aircraft sustainment programs."

Starting in July, the testbed, also known as STRATO-T, will be available for industry, government and academia to research, develop and test innovations for reducing the cost of legacy aircraft operations.

The retired KC-135 air refueling aircraft, which is around 60 years old, arrived at McConnell earlier this month.

[SubGod22]

WSU - New Wichita State partnership with WSU Tech and Butler will help critical teacher shortage

A new Wichita State University initiative is aimed at addressing the critical shortage of educators in special education and elementary classrooms.

The initiative, called Teacher Education Pathways, recently received $97,000 from the Kansas Board of Regents.

The grant funding will allow the College of Applied Studies’ Teacher Apprentice Program (TAP), elementary education and early childhood programs the ability to get Teacher Education Pathways off the ground.

The new program — which will start in fall 2023 — will provide smoother pathways for students pursuing Kansas licensure in elementary education and early childhood. WSU will collaborate closely with Butler Community College and WSU Tech to establish a new scholarship and pathway for undergraduates seeking initial teacher licensure.

A key highlight of the program is the introduction of scholarships designed to support high school students, Butler and WSU Tech students, as well as incoming WSU transfer students interested in a teaching career.

The initial scholarship will be aimed at Kansas high school students to cover the cost of the introduction to education course at Butler or WSU Tech.

The second line of scholarships will be awarded to WSU transfer students from Butler or WSU Tech, who can apply for the $1,000 Shocker Teacher Scholarship specifically for students in the TAP, elementary education or early childhood programs at Wichita State.

CAS Assistant Professor Dr. Julie Thiele, who is leading this initiative for WSU, says Wichita State is poised to make an even more significant impact on teacher education by creating these new opportunities for aspiring educators.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant to collaborate with Butler CC and WSU Tech to strengthen the pathways from student to teacher and address the critical vacancies in special education and elementary classrooms,” she says. “Our aim is to provide a quality education for all students."

Casey McGraw, lead education instructor at Butler Community College, says she’s excited for this new program and its benefits.

[SubGod22]

A new addition to Braeburn Square will open on Wednesday.

WSU - Jersey Mike's brings fresh flavor to Braeburn Square

A new Jersey Mike’s Subs is set to open Wednesday, July 12 in Wichita State University’s Braeburn Square on the Innovation Campus.

Wichita’s newest Jersey Mike’s franchise location is one of seven dining establishments in the lakeside retail plaza, including Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Sesame Mediterranean Kitchen, Social Tap, Sungrano Pizza, Wheatly’s Burgers and Two Hands Corn Dogs (opening later this summer).

The sub shop offers a variety of hot and cold sandwiches, kids’ meals and catering services. The Wichita State franchise location is owned by Annette Hennes and will feature a patio and garage door — a design Hennes says aims to create a comfortable and welcoming space for patrons.

“Jersey Mike’s said to us, ‘Go find the perfect location,’ and we were really attracted to Braeburn Square,” she said. “There’s so much potential. We love being associated with the university, sports, students and the Innovation Campus.”

[WstateU]

A new addition to Braeburn Square will open on Wednesday.

WSU - Jersey Mike's brings fresh flavor to Braeburn Square

[WstateU]

Keeping the young and brightest home...

[SubGod22]

WSU - Wichita State class helps students work with customers on assistive technologies

The Accessible Design course concerned Wichita State University junior Reagan Kelley at first. She wasn’t an engineering major and wasn’t sure what she could contribute.

Conversations with Samantha Corcoran, associate engineering coordinator in the College of Engineering, answered her questions. The payoff at the end of the project made it worthwhile. Kelley, an exercise science major, and three other students modified an all-terrain wheelchair for Sutton, a 9-year-old boy who outgrew the chair’s previous dimensions.

“She was right – I had nothing to worry about,” Kelley said. “After all the hard work, we got to see the project delivered. To see the look on Sutton’s face and the look on his family’s faces … they were all so excited.”

Accessible Design (Engineering 302) is a multidisciplinary three-hour course in which students learn to design and create assistive technologies for people. The class concludes with a project for a specific person.

“It’s very meaningful to students,” Corcoran said. “It’s just not another problem in a book. They have a real-life customer who is depending on them.”

This spring, the class delivered projects to three children and an adult.

One student team worked with a school speech-language pathologist to design a push-button communication device for a child. Another team modified a mobility scooter into a wheelchair that can handle gravel trails for a child.

For the adult, the team worked with physical therapists to design an adaptive tricycle with special pedals, hand grips and brakes to help the woman exercise and improve her gait and balance.

“We teach them to be good product designers,” Corcoran said. “Understand your customers. Interview them. Develop empathy.”

Sarah Woelk is a 2022 Wichita State graduate. She worked with the class both as a student and as a professional. As a student, she worked on a bicycle for a patient with cerebral palsy. They designed a bicycle that was easier to pedal and a gear system that helps the patient practice their walking motion.

“The class helps get tools for people so they can better access their environment and do some of the things that they want to do that wouldn’t be available,” she said. “It helps you think about what people need. It helps you find resources for people.”

Kelley’s team included Alexander De Jesus (aerospace engineering), Isaac Lee (mechanical engineering) and Hunter Spoon (computer science). Sutton takes part in 5K races with his mother and required adjustments to his wheelchair. The team worked with his Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation occupational therapist for measurements and designed seat extensions for his legs.

Sutton was able to participate in his school’s field day and sent pictures to Corcoran so she could see.

“It became this amazing thing where Sutton got to experience all the things a kid should get to experience,” Kelley said. “This project really helped me empathize with (him). It broadened my view a lot of what some people are dealing with. For my future, it will definitely help me empathize with my clients and where they’re coming from and help me understand them better.”

[SubGod22]

WSU - WSU's College of Engineering updates program in response to industry and alumni feedback

Wichita State University’s College of Engineering has updated one of its programs to create a more strategic career pathway for its graduates and meet the needs of business and industry. Effective fall 2023, the new applied engineering program — formerly engineering technology — has been adapted based on feedback from employers and alumni.

Applied engineering will be classified by the accreditation authority, ABET, in the general engineering category and move to the new 14.0103 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code, making graduates eligible to pursue their Professional Engineer (PE) licenses in Kansas and elsewhere.

“Feedback provided by both our Industrial Advisory Board and alumni was that our graduates would be more employable and have more career pathway options if they were able to earn their PE licenses,” said Dr. Gary Brooking, department chair. “This is particularly the case for graduates pursuing careers with companies that have traditionally structured engineering policies, such as consulting companies, or going into sustainability and environmental engineering.”

To be eligible for accreditation through ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission, the department had to ensure each academic track met the program requirements for math, science and technical courses, as well as replace “technology” with “engineering” in the program name. The department took this opportunity to also assess the entire program curriculum and make further adjustments to better align with industry demands.

For some academic tracks, two additional courses have been added. For other academic tracks, there are a few more course changes. The names of the academic focus areas have also been updated. The civil engineering focus has been recast to sustainability and environmental engineering; the mechatronics focus has been updated to process automation; and the engineering technology management focus has been reconfigured to engineering management.

“Despite some changes, the overall emphasis of hands-on learning has not changed,” Brooking said. “In fact, our IAB and alumni were adamant that the practical nature of the program should not change, which is what helped us choose the new program name.”

The college selected the applied engineering program name since students gain hands-on experience coupled with theory in fundamental engineering concepts, while more traditional engineering programs place greater emphasis on the mathematical analysis of ideal systems.

“Engineering is hands-on, and the program name change emphasizes that the applied engineering program contains more practice than the six other engineering programs,” said Anthony Muscat, the dean of the college. “We look forward to our students continuing to get that valuable hands-on experience while also being able to pursue their PE licenses.”

Students currently enrolled in the engineering technology tracks can choose to remain in their original degree program or they can opt to move to the new applied engineering program prior to their graduation, ensuring they meet any additional requirements.

[SubGod22]

WSU - Wichita State University earns finalist honor for APLU Innovation & Economic Prosperity University Awards

As Wichita State University’s Innovation Campus approaches its 10th anniversary, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities is recognizing the Innovation Campus’ role in cultivating research and innovation.

The APLU today named Wichita State University as one of five finalists for its 11th annual Innovation & Economic Prosperity (IEP) University Awards.

“On behalf of Shocker Nation, we are honored that the APLU has chosen Wichita State University as a finalist for the Innovation & Economic Prosperity University Awards,” said Dr. Rick Muma, president of Wichita State. “Our Innovation Campus is expanding, adding internships and hands-on learning opportunities for our students, creating jobs for our community, diversifying the Kansas economy, and helping us achieve our vision to be a premier urban public research university.”

The winners will be announced during the association’s annual meeting in November. The finalists – the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Wichita State University – are competing for different awards that recognize exemplary and innovative case studies of economic engagement impact:

• The IEP Talent Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives in education and workforce development.
• The IEP Place Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives resulting in social, cultural, or community development.
• The IEP Innovation Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives spurring innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology-based economic development.

“Wichita State is pleased to be considered for this award alongside our fellow IEP-designated universities,” said Tonya Witherspoon, associate vice president for industry, engagement and applied learning at Wichita State. “We received the IEP designation from APLU in November 2022, and are proud to be associated with the 80 other universities across the country who hold this designation.  To be recognized for our work in economic engagement impact is an honor that we are very appreciative of.”

Wichita State University’s Innovation Campus provides a host of resources supporting applied learning, digital transformation, innovation, manufacturing, and entrepreneurship. The Innovation Campus provides access to research facilities, makerspaces, labs and top-flight centers and institutes targeted to the needs of the region and state and available to the university community and industry partners across the globe.

All universities are finalists for the IEP Economic Engagement Connections Award, which is the top-prize in the awards competition, recognizing overall excellence and leveraging across all three award categories.

“Congratulations to our 2023 IEP Awards finalists on their outstanding efforts to spurring innovation, prepare the next-generation workforce, and foster community development,” said APLU President Mark Becker.

More information on Wichita State’s economic engagement initiatives:

A steady stream of partners continues to engage with the university and Innovation Campus since its opening in 2014.

Currently, there are approximately 50 businesses with locations on the Innovation Campus including Airbus, Hexagon, Dassault Systémes, Spirit AeroSystems, Textron Aviation, NetApp, and The Smart Factory at Wichita. Thanks to a grant from the federal Economic Development Administration awarded to WSU in 2022, the university will construct a new Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research on the Innovation Campus to aid in the rapid development and adoption of emerging smart manufacturing technologies for South Kansas industry partners.

Beyond engineering, Wichita State’s Innovation Campus is home to WSU’s Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory; the Law Enforcement Training Center; Midwest Criminal Justice Institute; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Gun Crime Intelligence Center of Excellence and National Ballistic Information Network Correlation and Training Center II.

About the APLU

APLU is a research, policy, and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. With a membership of more than 250 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems, and affiliated organizations, APLU's agenda is built on the three pillars of increasing degree completion and academic success, advancing scientific research, and expanding engagement. Annually, member campuses enroll 5.0 million undergraduates and 1.3 million graduate students, award 1.3 million degrees, employ 1.3 million faculty and staff, and conduct $49.5 billion in university-based research.

[Kung Wu]

I don't understand any of that, but it sounds great!