Wichita State Poised For Massive Growth

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Deloitte smart rovers assembled at WSU make their way to STEM schools

Deloitte has announced new collaborations to continue to bring the company's Smart Factory Believers STEM education program to underserved middle and high school students.

Deloitte's Smart Factory @ Wichita, located on Wichita State University's Innovation Campus, is teaming with Amazon Web Services, Ballmer Group, Elenco Electronics, National Math and Science Initiative, Siemens and WSU.

The program provides curriculum, teacher training, and a state-of-the-art smart rover robotics kit that introduces students to hands-on STEM education. Wichita Public Schools are included in the more than 75 school districts nationwide that have received the smart rover kits and comprehensive curriculum.

The robotics kits are manufactured at Smart Factory @ Wichita, which is housed in a 60,000 square-foot building at WSU.

“One of the core principles of The Smart Factory is to make a positive impact in our local community – and as such, we collaborated with local Wichita schools to roll out the Believers program in 2022 as well as collaborated with Wichita State University students to continuously improve our Believers STEM kit," said Michael Gretczko, Smart Factory Believers program executive sponsor and principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP.

WSU continues making an impact on the future.

The program began last year and has reached over 10K students across the country with over 2K of these kits.

[SubGod22]

Here's some news connected to WSU and apparently of great future importance to the region as a whole.

WSU - Wichita State chosen as site for Kansas' first Internet Exchange Point

The first Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in Kansas is slated to be located at Wichita State University, improving internet performance, affordability and reliability for WSU, Innovation Campus and Shocker Neighborhood users and for users across much of Kansas.

The announcement was made Nov. 29 by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, whose administration has awarded a $5 million grant to fund the construction of the facility. It will be owned and operated by Connected Nation Internet Exchange Points (CNIXP) LLC, a joint venture between Kentucky-based nonprofit Connected Nation and carrier hotel pioneer Hunter Newby.

If the site is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR), the IXP will be located on a vacant lot owned by WSU at the northwest corner of East 21st Street North and Fountain Avenue, directly across from WSU’s Eck Stadium.

CNIXP will provide space and services for Wichita State to establish a network interconnection presence in the facility at no cost for 40 years.

Having an IXP in Wichita will be a game changer, making local and regional internet connectivity faster and more secure.

"A connected community is a stronger community," said WSU President Rick Muma. "A carrier-neutral IXP located in the heart of Kansas at Wichita State will build bridges of connectivity and access to meet the ever-evolving demands of education and commerce to all Kansans.”

“WSU's dedication to digital transformation is further amplified through this broadband infrastructure, offering meaningful applied learning prospects for our students and accessible and affordable connectivity to our region," said Tonya Witherspoon, WSU's associate vice president for industry engagement and applied learning.

Economic development

IXPs, which are common in many large metropolitan areas, are internet hubs where all types of networks exchange data traffic. Developing an IXP in Wichita is an economic development win for the area.

“The IXP will not only support the Wichita State community and its Innovation Campus partners,” said Tom Ferree, chairman and CEO of Connected Nation, “it will also support economic development by improving the entire regional broadband landscape — preparing Wichita, and Kansas more broadly, for the future evolution of the Internet and all that it will enable. The facility will also put Kansas ‘on the map’ for new long-haul fiber optic cable builds and will directly support the state’s new open-access fiber optic conduit system that is being built under a separate $42.5 million federal grant that was awarded to the Kansas Department of Commerce back in June. We couldn’t be more thrilled about this opportunity.”

Robin Huber is vice president of Core Software and Data Management and the Wichita site manager for NetApp, which is located on WSU’s Innovation Campus. Huber says he’s excited about the opportunities a local IXP can bring to the region.

“For many companies, low latency and high bandwidth at reasonable cost are not only important to their operations, but in many instances can also provide a competitive advantage,” says Huber. “From that standpoint, this has great potential to bring more companies and therefore economic growth to the state and our local region and the fact that the IXP is carrier neutral is of great importance in that regard. As a partner on the WSU Innovation Campus, NetApp is looking forward to having an IXP this close and seeing what benefits we can derive, not only locally but also nationally.”

Rob Dickson, chief information officer of Wichita Public Schools, says this represents more than simply a technological advancement.

“We're heralding a new era of connectivity and digital empowerment,” Dickson says. “This state-of-the-art IXP represents a monumental leap towards enhancing the digital infrastructure of our state. It promises to revolutionize the way our schools — from urban to rural areas —access and utilize the internet. This is more than an infrastructure development; it's a commitment to ensuring that every student and educator in Kansas has the tools for success in an increasingly interconnected world. By significantly lowering the cost of internet access and improving its quality, we are setting the stage for our young learners to thrive in the digital age, preparing them for the challenges of tomorrow.”

Dickson's vision for a digitally empowered Kansas resonates with industry leaders like Gary DePreta, vice president of U.S. State, Local Governments and Education at Cisco.

“In today’s hyperconnected world, turning great ideas into new products and services that improve people’s lives and drive economic development requires resilient and cost-effective networks. Cisco looks forward to deepening our existing partnership with Wichita State University’s Innovation Campus leveraging our industrial Internet of Things portfolio and skills training programs to enable students, partners, and communities in Wichita and across Kansas to make the most of the opportunities that the new IXP will bring,” he said. “WSU’s Innovation Campus and the new IXP will further drive network resilience and performance, unlocking innovation and economic opportunity.”

Next steps

Subject to KBOR approvals, construction is expected to begin in early 2024 and will take approximately 18 months. iM Data Centers of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will act as general contractor on the project and will utilize local labor for site preparation work. DE-CIX, the world’s premier Internet Exchange ecosystem, will serve as the IX platform operator within the facility.

The modular facility, which will be hardened to withstand 200 mph winds, will have redundant electrical and mechanical systems so that it can remain fully operational even during extended power outages. The building and land development will be designed to complement the campus and surrounding neighborhood. The facility will also be capable of expanding on a modular basis with zero down-time as network operator needs grow in the coming years.

“Additionally, the synergies with everything happening on the Innovation Campus are nearly limitless,” said Hunter Newby, founder and CEO of Newby Ventures. “This collaboration will truly be a model for other universities around the country to follow — and once again, WSU is leading the pack.”

For more information about the project, or to pre-order space in the facility, interested parties may contact ixp@connectednation.org.

[WstateU]

Here's some news connected to WSU and apparently of great future importance to the region as a whole.

WSU - Wichita State chosen as site for Kansas' first Internet Exchange Point

Wow, impressive!

[WstateU]

Here's some news connected to WSU and apparently of great future importance to the region as a whole.

WSU - Wichita State chosen as site for Kansas' first Internet Exchange Point

[Power Outlet]

Great news. Interesting : first Innovation Campus project to go north of 21st.

[Veritas]

Great news. Interesting : first Innovation Campus project to go north of 21st.

Interesting. Is Innovation campus now full?

[ShockBand]

Interesting. Is Innovation campus now full?

The IC is pretty full, but not completely I don't believe. It may just be the fact that this unused piece of ground is well suited for this particular usage. Now we need to get some bashers on the baseball team to try and hit the building in a few years!

[ShockBand]

Even though most of the article is paywalled, there is enough open to see how many IXPs are planned in the future. Looks like part of helping close the broadband gap between urban areas and small town/rural areas.

https://www.interglobixmagazine.com/closing-the-digital-divide-through-internet-exchange-points/

[SubGod22]

Interesting. Is Innovation campus now full?

It appears that, including more retail, there are 8 more future projects on campus

One of those projects could be multiple buildings as I believe they have plans for more retail eventually on the other side of the pond (corner of 21st and Oliver).

But according to the above map, projects/buildings 3, 11, 12, 14, 15, 20, 29, and 30 are still open. Project 3 is what I believe is the future retail expansion area. They may have plans for some more apartments over there too, but I'm not 100 on that.

[SubGod22]

All things considered, I think this belongs here.

WBJ - Wayne Woolsey, whose financial gift helped spur Wichita State's new business school home, dies at 92

Wayne Woolsey, one of the namesakes of Wichita State University's new business school building, has died at the age of 92.

Woolsey, founder of Woolsey Companies, an oil and natural gas exploration and production company, died in his home on Nov. 27, according to an obituary.

In 2018, Woolsey and his wife, Kay, gave $12 million to Wichita State — with $10 million going to construction of a new facility for the Barton School of Business. It was the single-largest individual gift in WSU history.

The $60-million Wayne and Kay Woolsey Hall opened its doors in August 2022.

Wayne Woolsey — who went by his middle name and not his first name, Isaac — and Kay donated another $1.3 million to create the Kay Woolsey Gardens and Woolsey Hall Technology Fund. Kay Woolsey died in 2019.

"Wayne and his wife, Kay, have left an indelible mark that has permanently transformed our school," said Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School, in a school announcement Monday. "The memory of Wayne's exceptional kindness, unwavering support and impactful legacy in advancing education will forever be cherished, serving as an enduring source of inspiration for generations to come."

The man never attended school here, but he made Wichita his home for decades and he and his wife hoped that their gift could help spur entrepreneurship and business leaders of the future for the area.

[shocker_torero]

It appears that, including more retail, there are 8 more future projects on campus

One of those projects could be multiple buildings as I believe they have plans for more retail eventually on the other side of the pond (corner of 21st and Oliver).

But according to the above map, projects/buildings 3, 11, 12, 14, 15, 20, 29, and 30 are still open. Project 3 is what I believe is the future retail expansion area. They may have plans for some more apartments over there too, but I'm not 100 on that.

Buildings 20 and 29 are already earmarked too for NIAR and ATF. Construction should start on both in 2024. Building 28 I think is a spec build, like others that came before it. I would suspect WSU already is pursuing tenants as yet unnamed.

Beyond the apartments and retail in buildings 3, 11, and 12, that leaves three unbuilt, unearmarked buildings (14, 15, 30) for business use. If development continues at its historic pace, I’d suspect with its strategic importance to WSU and the region that either 1) density increases by removing parking lots for garage/building combos in the original footprint, or 2) a campus extension is created elsewhere.

[SubGod22]

They could always remove trees and put another building over with 14, 15, 20.

I also can't believe I never scrolled down to see what may have been earmarked or not.

Can WSU really expand anywhere? I thought everything around it was pretty much developed in some way and expansion would require buying up and destroying houses, but I could be mistaken.

[shocker_torero]

They could always remove trees and put another building over with 14, 15, 20.

I also can't believe I never scrolled down to see what may have been earmarked or not.

Can WSU really expand anywhere? I thought everything around it was pretty much developed in some way and expansion would require buying up and destroying houses, but I could be mistaken.

If I were king for a day, which I am certainly not, I’d focus on density first within the current bounds of the innovation campus. Then, consider options for moving outside those bounds. In my mind there are easy and hard options for that expansion, both with positives and negatives. The easy option would be to start an innovation campus II next to the WSU Tech building and Jabara. There is land next to those assets the city has been actively planning for future development. It’d be a no brainer with the connection WSU has to WSU tech, but there are drawbacks on making the campus more dispersed. The hard option is moving the campus south incrementally into the Fairmount neighborhood, and possibly repurposing MacDonald golf course as a combination of innovation campus and public park. The bike path could connect as a transit corridor between WSU North and WSU South in that scenario - keeping things more colocated. There are already private and WSU efforts south of 17th that are increasing density.

[ABC]

non medical research fy22.png

This probably deserves a separate thread. WSU is top in the AAC in non-medical research and tops KU and K-State.

Here is the source: NCSES | NSF

KU does ~$150 million in medical research. Their cancer center, neo-natal, burn center and epilepsy research is impressive.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - New Wichita State hub will 'tear down barriers' for business, U.S. defense innovations

Wichita has been selected as one of five Department of Defense innovation site hubs.

The U.S. Defense Department selected the FirePoint Innovations Center on Wichita State University's campus as a connecting hub between the government and small businesses, the organization announced Thursday. The hub will connect small- to medium-sized businesses and academia in Kansas and other Plains states with the Defense Department.

FirePoint's Rob Carpenter will serve as the managing director of the new Defense Innovation OnRamp Hub under the umbrella of the Great Plains Mission Acceleration Center, or MAC, which will be housed in FirePoint's offices. The Great Plains MAC will obtain requests for innovative ideas or products needed. The MAC will connect with small manufacturers in their home state to see if they can find a solution to the issue the government asks about. If a business is able to help, the MAC will serve as the go-between.

"It'll be driven by what the mission partners are asking for," Carpenter said. "We're going to be running some things called challenges. The first challenge will be in support of McConnell (Air Force Base)."

The other four sites chosen for hubs are in Arizona, Hawaii, Ohio and Washington, although the one in Wichita is the only hub connected with a university.

The MACs will deliver programming to the National Security Network. The model may also work with venture capital investors to accelerate tech innovation and manufacturing.

"All of the locations are going to be similar to us in that we are a small group of people who are working to connect the larger ecosystem of companies and entrepreneurs, academics that are developing technologies," Carpenter said.