RESEARCH & INNOVATION NEWS
| |
NSF awards almost $1 million to WSU biologist | |
|
In an alternate universe, Tom Luhring’s interest in biology might have led him to a career in medicine, where he would be working indoors at a medical office or hospital.
“I am a first-gen student, so I thought if you liked biology, you have to be a medical doctor,” Luhring said. “It wasn't until I started to take some classes that I saw that there were other career paths. When I took herpetology, I realized that I could work with frogs, salamanders, snakes and turtles — and actually do that for a living. That was the moment for me when I was finally passionate about doing something as opposed to just feeling like I have to make a living.”
That passion helped Luhring, assistant professor of biology at Wichita State University, secure nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation to study the effects of drying and warming on aquatic systems, such as lakes, rivers and streams, and how these changes impact the waterbodies themselves and the organisms that dwell within them.
| |
Wichita State is now home to a nanosatellite, taking research on NASA project to a new level | |
|
The arrival of a nanosatellite – referred to as a CubeSat – on campus signals significant progress in Wichita State University’s NASA project to design a solar probe to investigate neutrinos.
“This is the first major spacecraft to be at Wichita State,” said Dr. Nickolas Solomey, a professor of mathematics, statistics and physics. “That’s a great step.”
A team of researchers, led by Solomey, has worked on the development of a CubeSat, a kind of nanosatellite, since 2021. The CubeSat, built by NanoAvionics of Lithuania, will carry and test a WSU-designed prototype neutrino detector in low Earth orbit to prove the detector can operate in space and measure the rate of cosmic and gamma rays.
| |
Wichita Biomedical Campus construction underway, watch the progress live | |
|
Construction is underway on Phase 1 of the Wichita Biomedical Campus, a $300 million, 471,000-square-foot joint health sciences center, located at the southeast corner of Broadway and William.
Work on foundations and underground utilities will continue throughout 2024 on the eight-story building in the heart of downtown. A live view of its construction can be found online.
The Wichita Biomedical Campus is a joint project between Wichita State and the University of Kansas. Once complete, the campus will combine WSU’s College of Health Professions programs, including the Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, WSU Tech’s health care program and the Wichita campuses of KU School of Medicine and KU School of Pharmacy.
| |
WSU included in initiative to boost behavioral health workforce | |
|
Wichita State University is part of a collaborative effort to address the behavioral health care worker shortage across Kansas. With new funding, mental health care agencies in south-central Kansas will be better equipped to tackle this critical need.
In a recent report, Kansas was positioned among the states with the poorest access and availability of mental health treatment, largely due to a shortage of professionals to care for mental health patients. However, a committed cohort of mental and behavioral health professionals has successfully secured funding to address this deficiency by implementing educational initiatives aimed at bolstering the talent pool of behavioral health professionals within our state.
Backed by $5.7 million in funding from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), the newly established Kansas Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (KSBHCoE) is focusing on key areas to enhance opportunities and expand the mental health workforce. This effort involves strategic collaboration with several local agencies and institutions, including Wichita State.
| |
Innovation Campus grows as new construction begins | |
|
Wichita State's Innovation Campus has broken ground on two new state-of-the-art research facilities and is close to done on a new building.
-
NIAR Hub for Advanced Manufacturing Research: Construction began in May, with an expected completion date by the end of 2025. The 170,000-square-foot building is partly funded by an EDA grant and will house advanced manufacturing research labs and associated offices. The building will be located on Innovation Boulevard between the Partnership Building 1 and The Suites. The first floor will be primarily labs with offices on the second floor.
-
Partnership Building 3B: P3B, located between Partnership Building 3 and The Smart Factory @ Wichita, is under construction. It will house the Forensic Crime Gun Intelligence Laboratory for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
-
Partnership Building 11: Construction is wrapping up on P11, which will feature WSU Innovation Campus signage. The new Innovation Campus Building’s third floor is home to WSU’s Office of Tech Transfer and Commercialization, the Midwest Criminal Justice Institute and Club 95. Club 95 will serve as a front door to the university for community and industry guests to accelerate economic development activity and is named to commemorate the year of the university’s founding in 1895. With a scenic view of the university’s rapidly evolving Innovation Campus, Club 95 includes well-appointed spaces for receptions, working meetings and business-tailored events hosted by university administrators, faculty and staff for current and future partners. Additional university partners will occupy the first and second floor spaces in the coming months.
| |
NIAR offers industry-focused training courses | |
|
The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) offers industry-focused training courses every year.
See below for some of the courses offered during the fall 2024 semester:
-
Composite Structural Engineering Technology (CSET) online courses
-
CSET-A training: Sept. 16-Oct. 27
-
CSET-B training: Oct. 28-Dec. 8
-
Hands-on lab: Oct. 1-2 (in-person)
-
Expert-Level Additive Manufacturing (AM) Certificate Program: Oct. 16-18
-
Geometric Product Specification Concepts and Application: Sept. 16-19
-
ATLAS Composites and Innovation Summit (ACIS): Oct. 1-3
- Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing
-
Concepts and Application: Oct. 7-10
-
Analysis: Oct. 19-22
-
Digital Applications ASME Y14.41-3DE: Oct. 21-24
All training courses are hosted in Wichita with the exception of the CSET-A/B trainings.
Learn more about these trainings and NIAR at wichita.edu/niar.
| |
WSU Center for Entrepreneurship reintegrates with Barton School of Business | |
|
Wichita State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship, after five years with the College of Innovation and Design (CID), is reintegrating with the Barton School of Business. This move aims to enhance alignment with Wichita State’s initiatives in bolstering entrepreneurship programs, providing immersive student experiences, engaging with the entrepreneurial community, and meeting the needs of aspiring and current entrepreneurs.
"The Center for Entrepreneurship transitioning to the Barton School of Business is a strategic move that aligns with our shared vision of fostering a culture of entrepreneurship across Wichita State University. As CID focuses on deepening its strength in managing and developing emerging technologies, we look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts with the Barton School to empower the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders," said Dr. Jeremy Patterson, dean of the College of Innovation and Design.
| |
Wichita State featured in case study from the Brookings Institution | |
Wichita State plays a pivotal role in advancing aerospace research and economic resiliency in southern Kansas, which was highlighted in a case study from the Brookings Institution. From spearheading workforce development initiatives to driving technology adoption among small and midsized manufacturers, WSU’s collaborative efforts, including those through WSU Tech and NIAR, are shaping the future of the region. | |
Research at Wichita State | | |
|
|
With yearly funding topping $400 million, research at Wichita State ranges from bioscience, chemistry and engineering to mathematics, physics and ancient civilization.
In the first month of FY25, WSU researchers under Academic Affairs have received $1,894,681 in awards. Awards for the Division of Industry and Defense equal $18,686,778, $17,340,971 of which belongs to NIAR.
Learn more at wichita.edu/research.
| |
Innovation at Wichita State | | |
|
|
Innovation is more than just talk at WSU. It permeates everything we do, all we aspire to become and reaches far beyond our campus boundaries.
Learn more at wichita.edu/innovation.
| |
STUDENT CENTERED. INNOVATION DRIVEN. | |
|
About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the United States and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing more than 120 acres, and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
| | | | |
