Wichita State Poised For Massive Growth

[ShockBand]

Shouldn't his PhD advisor and dissertation committee noticed this during the time of the writing and reviews? And with the reporter being unwilling to state his allegations to Muma, it comes across as a hit piece.

[Kung Wu]

Shouldn't his PhD advisor and dissertation committee noticed this during the time of the writing and reviews? And with the reporter being unwilling to state his allegations to Muma, it comes across as a hit piece.

[Kung Wu]

Clearly a hit piece. Muma is raising too much money and having record enrollments which is making the other state universities look bad?

Let me guess, the author is a KU grad out of Kansas City or Lawrence?

[Kel Varnsen]

I personally think this author is spot-on. If you look at the Kansas Reflector website, you'll find a completely unbiased and down the middle approach to journalism. /s

[RoyalShock]

I guess the latest trend is micro-analyzing the papers and dissertations of university presidents? Muma by far isn't the first in recent years. Wasn't it the UPenn pres recently? While it doesn't really affect my opinion of Muma or his job leading WSU, it's not a good look.

How could a doctoral student, who has presumably written a number of papers by the time they do their dissertation, be so clumsy as to "forget" quotations in 5% of their paper? Not that I've been in grad school, let alone done a dissertation, but I'm pretty sure it's the most significant piece of academic work anyone will have done up to that point. I just don't buy the excuse they just forgot the quotes. That's something you learn in high school, if not earlier.

EDIT: In seeing the photo in the linked article of his first paragraph, it's not as if he was trying to pass those passages off as his own. The attribution is clearly there, just not punctuated properly. Still not a great look for a department chair - like he was at the time - to not know how to do that properly, let alone the academic review board that saw it.

[Kung Wu]

I guess the latest trend is micro-analyzing the papers and dissertations of university presidents? Muma by far isn't the first in recent years. Wasn't it the UPenn pres recently? While it doesn't really affect my opinion of Muma or his job leading WSU, it's not a good look.

How could a doctoral student, who has presumably written a number of papers by the time they do their dissertation, be so clumsy as to "forget" quotations in 5% of their paper? Not that I've been in grad school, let alone done a dissertation, but I'm pretty sure it's the most significant piece of academic work anyone will have done up to that point. I just don't buy the excuse they just forgot the quotes. That's something you learn in high school, if not earlier.

They were requotations, meaning the original work was properly cited and quoted when he first quoted it and then he didn't quote/cite the passages when he reused them.

The 5% doesn't mean 5% of his paper was unquoted quotes. It means the unquoted text only shows up in a single chapter that makes up 5% of his paper. There may literally only be a few unquoted passages, we don't know, but we know it's small and has been independently reviewed as a nothing burger.

Edit: Unless I misinterpreted something from what I read. :)

[ShockerDropOut]

Nothing burger to a guy like me.

[SubGod22]

WSU - Grant will help WSU audiology students with equipment, labs at Biomedical Campus

The Wichita Biomedical Campus is using a $1 million grant to purchase audiology equipment for assessment, teaching, and research, supporting workforce training for in-demand jobs.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration recently announced the grant, which will be matched by $1 million in local funds.

“Wichita State University is equipping students with the skills they need to excel in their careers,” Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran said. “This investment from the Economic Development Administration will deliver state-of-the-art technology to WSU to provide students with top-notch training.”

The equipment will serve the Doctor of Audiology and Master of Arts (speech-language pathology) education programs and support clients of the Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at Wichita State University, preparing students for careers in the audiology and speech-language pathology fields. The funds will be used to purchase equipment that will include test booths, electrophysiology devices, vestibular balance systems, simulation tools and ultrasound imaging technology.

Through this funding, the Wichita Biomedical Campus will establish educational and clinical audiology and speech-language pathology laboratories. The clinic will deliver services to clientele of all ages who have communication difficulties, including speaking, hearing, swallowing, and spoken and written language impairments.

“This EDA investment will support workforce training in the audiology medical field, helping create a skilled workforce and increasing quality jobs in the region,” said Gina Raimondo, secretary of commerce.

The Wichita Biomedical Campus is a joint project between Wichita State University and the University of Kansas. Once complete, the campus will combine WSU’s College of Health Professions programs, including its Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, WSU Tech’s health care program and the Wichita campuses of KU School of Medicine and KU School of Pharmacy — all into one location.

The campus is an approximately 471,000-square-foot, $300 million health sciences facility under construction in the heart of downtown Wichita. Construction is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2026.

The Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic is a WSU-affiliated practice that has provided comprehensive speech, language, and audiology services for families in the greater Wichita area for more than 60 years. Over the last 5 years, the clinic has served 1,307 clients across its Audiology and SLP services. The clinic also serves as a clinical training and research laboratory for graduate students, who work under the direct supervision of faculty with decades of experience in numerous specialties.

[SubGod22]

WSU - WSU's Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory works to fill gaps in rural health care

Wichita State University’s Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory (MDL), a vital resource during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, is now leveraging its expertise to explore new frontiers. By addressing critical gaps in the health care system, the lab is also offering invaluable hands-on training for students, shaping the future of health care.

Building on its pandemic-era success, MDL is now expanding its reach in three significant areas:

• Microbiology services – Collaborating with small, rural hospitals to process their microbiology specimens, ensuring these communities have access to essential and timely diagnostic services.
• Technical consulting and professional services – Offering technical consultancy and professional services to help small hospitals and clinics maintain and achieve certification, empowering them to establish and operate their own laboratories.
• Pathology partnership – MDL secured a contract with Southcentral Pathology, bringing its technical work under Wichita State’s purview.

These initiatives underscore the lab’s commitment to enhancing health care access and quality in underserved areas. Through these efforts, MDL will be emphasizing its work with small, rural hospitals, an initiative that stems from MDL Director Sarah Nickel’s past work experience where she frequently worked with smaller institutions in the microbiology department.

“It was disheartening to see significant cases like septic infections being sent from small hospitals only to find them already positive by the time they reached us,” said Nickel, who is also an associate professor of Medical Laboratory Sciences at Wichita State. Filling a critical gap


On average, microorganisms take 12-18 hours to grow. Smaller hospital labs in rural areas often send samples to large reference laboratories, which can result in even longer turnaround times.

“We’re hopeful that, similar to the way we innovated processes during the COVID crisis, we can find solutions to minimize these delays,” Nickel said. “We aim to provide a more personal and immediate experience compared to large reference laboratories. Our goal is to offer a more intimate relationship with clients, providing direct assistance and support.”

The MDL is a critical component of Wichita State's dedication to the health and wellness of the broader community. While the lab itself will not be housed within the upcoming Wichita Biomedical Campus, both represent the university's ongoing efforts to strengthen health care infrastructure.

“Wichita State's commitment to improving the health and wellness of our community is at the heart of everything we do. The work being done at the MDL is a direct result of that focus, ensuring that underserved and rural areas have access to critical diagnostic services while also providing students with hands-on experiences that prepare them for tomorrow's health care challenges,” said Wichita State President Rick Muma.

The Biomedical Campus, with its focus on education, research and partnerships, will further enhance the region’s health care landscape, complementing the MDL’s role in providing essential diagnostic services and hands-on learning opportunities for students. Together, they reflect Wichita State’s commitment to advancing community health and well-being. Sharing expertise


Additionally, MDL’s medical laboratory professionals will serve as technical consultants for laboratories, assisting with certification, validations and procedure writing.

MDL is CLIA-certified as a high-complexity laboratory by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) is part of a federal regulatory program established in 1988 to ensure the accuracy and reliability of laboratory testing performed on humans. The process for CLIA certification involves a rigorous application and review, and that’s where Wichita State can help smaller labs achieve and maintain this essential certification, ensuring they meet the highest standards of testing accuracy and reliability.

So far, MDL has multiple clients signed up to receive professional consulting and services.

“We’ve completed our first equipment checks, ensuring that instruments are functioning correctly for those laboratories,” Nickel said. “Basically, if we perform a service at MDL, we are also offering to help perform these services in other laboratories.” Pathology partnership


In addition to their new professional and consulting services, MDL recently entered a partnership with Southcentral Pathology, a comprehensive anatomic pathology laboratory in Wichita, where MDL will perform their technical laboratory work. Students working at MDL will have the opportunity to learn about pathology and shadow the various laboratory professionals working in the pathology laboratory.

Exposing students to these real-world opportunities opens previously unknown career avenues and helps build the talent pipeline in the health care field.

“Students may not even realize what opportunities are out there unless they're presented in front of them,” Nickel said. “Our hope is that we’re driving the student experience, growing students’ networks, and helping them build valuable relationships so that they might eventually want to work in health care.” Preparing students for the future of health care


When MDL is at full capacity (estimated April 2025), Nickel said — there will be enough work and space for many students to prepare cultures, conduct low-level testing, and assist in processing specimens.

“They won’t perform the high-complexity work, but they’ll be working with laboratory professionals,” Nickel said. “As students advance, they’ll gain more experience and understanding of our laboratory processes.”

Working with Southcentral Pathology is of particular interest to Alex Reida, a junior in biological sciences from Wichita. Alex has been working at MDL for two years and has his sights set on going to medical school to become a forensic pathologist.

“The staff at MDL have been more than welcoming and are consistently willing to share their knowledge,” Reida said. “This job has provided me the opportunity to ask questions of various processes as they arise and has bolstered my ability to work in a laboratory environment.”

Sawyer Kirkland, a junior on a pre-med track within biological sciences, appreciates the practical learning experience she gets by working at MDL.

“Being in the laboratory, I have a better understanding of some of the core applications of my classes and I have opportunities to ask questions, which is priceless,” said Kirkland, who came to Wichita State from Bartlesville, Oklahoma. “Additionally, I am learning life skills about processes that ensure quality care that I hope to use with my own patients one day.” The future of MDL


Since its rapid inception in the fall of 2020, Wichita State’s MDL has served as a valuable asset to the state of Kansas and continues to grow and evolve to meet the employment and health care needs of our region.

“We’re excited about where we’re headed, though there’s still much to do,” Nickel said.

[SubGod22]

WSU - Wichita State launches Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine and Assistive Technology

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.

The groundbreaking collaboration brings together Wichita State’s College of Health Professions, College of Engineering, and Industry and Defense Programs, along with inaugural clinical partners Ascension Via Christi’s Rehabilitation Hospital, Heartspring’s Outpatient Services and the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, to accelerate scientific advancements and develop assistive technologies.

The institute will also conduct clinical trials of new devices and interventions, ensuring that Kansans gain quicker access to revolutionary health care solutions. This pioneering collaboration represents a significant advancement in WSU’s commitment to addressing disease and disability through applied research and technology. Key features of IRMAT:

• State-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technology: Advanced laboratories and clinical spaces designed to facilitate groundbreaking research.
• Clinical relationships: Collaboration among experts in various fields — including therapeutic medicine, engineering and technology development — to foster innovative solutions and comprehensive care strategies.
• Research opportunities: Offering specialized knowledge, skills and abilities leading researchers to advance discovery in rehabilitation and assistive technology.
• Statewide impact: Partnering with health systems across Kansas to ensure that research and development meets real-world needs and enhances patient outcomes, improving health care across the state.

“Wichita State has a unique combination of clinicians, scientists and engineers complimented by the internationally recognized development and fabrication programs on our Innovation Campus,” said Dr. Gregory Hand, dean of the College of Health Professions. “In collaboration with our inaugural clinical partners, our goal is to use science and technology to improve the lives of individuals across the state.”

Laurie Labarca, president for Ascension Via Christi St. Teresa and Ascension Via Christi Rehabilitation Hospital, said they look forward to the contributions and collaborations that will emerge from this new venture.

“This partnership exemplifies how collaboration with industry leaders can drive innovation and enhance patient care. We are thrilled to be part of this effort, ultimately transforming the way we address complex medical challenges.” Science that changes lives


With the aging population and increasing importance of accessibility, the assistive technology market is expected to grow to over $30 billion by 2030. IRMAT will play a vital role in developing innovative assistive devices that can be licensed and manufactured in Wichita. New reimbursement policies through the health care industry will allow the institute to establish clinical trials of new devices, increasing access for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities across Kansas.

“The institute has the potential to impact the wellbeing of countless individuals in our community and state,” said Pierre Harter, WSU associate vice president for Research and Industry Engagement. “This unique partnership allows us to integrate the collective expertise of biomedical engineering and health professions faculty, the National Institute for Aviation Research, the National Institute for Research and Digital Transformation research engineers, and our partners’ patient bases to develop and build transformative, technology-based, applied health care solutions.”

Currently located on the WSU campus, IRMAT will move to the new Wichita Biomedical Campus in downtown Wichita in 2027. The modern clinical and laboratory spaces in the new facility, along with the Institute’s adjacent clinical partners, will offer individuals participating in clinical trials access to the latest technologies and treatments.

The Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine and Assistive Technology is where health care and science intersect to improve the lives of Kansans. With the growth of the assistive technology market, IRMAT is positioned to be a leader in advancing care and improving accessibility across Kansas.

For more information, visit wichita.edu/IRMAT

[SubGod22]

Aerospace Manufacturing and Design - Wichita State's NIAR delivers fiber metal laminate test panel to FAA

The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University recently completed fabrication and delivery of a full-scale fuselage structural test panel to the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In partnership with Arconic, Embraer, and NIAR, the FAA is assessing emerging metallic structures technologies (EMST) through test and analysis using the FAA’s Full-Scale Aircraft Structural Test Evaluation and Research and Structures and Materials Lab. Several technologies will be considered including advanced aluminum–lithium alloys and hybrid construction. Altogether, five fuselage panels with various EMST will be designed, fabricated, and tested in this multi-year effort.

This panel is the fourth panel evaluating the fatigue and damage tolerance capabilities of fuselage structure using hybrid Fiber Metal Laminate (FML) as reinforcement between skin and substructures. The upcoming fifth panel will be an optimized version of panel 4 considering weight saving and reducing manufacturing cost.

NIAR engineers collaborated with industry partners to design and fabricate the test panel – with analytical support from Embraer and advanced aluminum sheets and extrusions provided by Arconic. The program also included various test coupon configurations to characterize materials and key design features.