Book by Wichita State President Rick Muma details university’s transformation, bold vision for higher education | |
A new book from Wichita State University President Rick Muma, “Student Centered, Innovation Driven,” offers a behind-the-scenes look at the forward-thinking strategies and innovative vision that helped transform a regional institution into a national model of applied learning, industry collaboration and student success.
Published by the University Press of Kansas, Muma’s warts-and-all narrative traces Wichita State’s decade-long evolution, capturing the challenges and pivotal decisions that shaped the university’s trajectory to become a nationwide leader in applied learning, student success, business and industry partnerships, and research.
“Wichita State’s transformation didn’t happen overnight,” President Muma said. “It happened because we listened to students, built trust with our community and refused to let outdated systems hold us back.”
In a time of increasing skepticism about the value of higher education, “Student Centered, Innovation Driven” makes a compelling case for what’s possible when universities prioritize access and collaboration. The book is both a chronicle of Wichita State’s rise and a model for other institutions looking to reinvent themselves from the inside out.
Purchase wherever books are sold. To learn more about the book and limited time discount code, go to wichita.edu/book.
| | Wichita State joins other institutions in receiving renewed $20 million grant for generative AI R&D | |
Wichita State University is one of the recipients of a renewed $20 million grant as part of the AI Institute for Foundations of Machine Learning (IFML), of which WSU is a founding member.
The grant will be awarded to the IFML institutions over the next five years and is used to support the development of more advanced generative AI that is open-sourced, which enables broader adoption and fosters innovation across a wide range of fields.
Dr. Kaushik Sinha, associate professor of computing in WSU’s College of Engineering, is the principal investigator for Wichita State’s $1.27 million share of the grant, which will be used to continue Sinha’s research and fund graduate students and support workforce development.
“This investment highlights the significant capabilities of Wichita State University and will bolster the artificial intelligence research being conducted at WSU and support workforce development efforts in this emerging field,” said Sen. Jerry Moran. “AI is rapidly reshaping our economy and national defense, and research institutions like WSU are working to make certain the U.S. remains a leader in developing solutions to meet tomorrow’s challenges. Congratulations to WSU on this well-deserved recognition.”
| | Wichita State University named the latest partner in NSF I-Corps Hub | |
Wichita State University was recently named a partner in a $14 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to join the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Great Plains Hub.
The I-Corps program prepares scientists and engineers to extend their focus beyond the laboratory to increase the economic and societal impact of NSF-funded and other basic research projects. The first Wichita State cohort will begin Sept. 15.
“This partnership gives students, faculty, staff and the Wichita community at large the opportunity to explore their idea more practically and learn how to talk to potential customers," said Sherry (Gegen) Whitson, program director for WSU Strategic Initiatives. “I believe it will help build on our innovation ecosystem.”
| | Groover Labs grant to boost innovation opportunities for Wichita State students | |
Groover Labs, a partner of Wichita State University’s College of Engineering, has been awarded state funding through the Accelerating Concept to Commercialization in Kansas (ACCEL-KS) program. As part of its grant activities, Groover Labs is directing resources to projects that will expand applied learning and innovation opportunities for Wichita State students.
On July 15, the Kansas Department of Commerce named Groover Labs one of two recipients of the ACCEL-KS grant. Groover Labs and KU Innovation Park in Lawrence will share $800,000 to support at least 32 early-stage commercialization projects across the state.
The ACCEL-KS program aims to speed up the transformation of innovative ideas and technologies into market-ready products—fueling economic growth, workforce development, and entrepreneurial success in Kansas.
| | Wichita Biomedical Campus marks massive milestone with beam signing event | |
Representatives from Wichita State University, the University of Kansas and the State of Kansas commemorated the placement of the final steel beam on Phase 1 of the Wichita Biomedical Campus Aug. 26.
In just six months, the Wichita Biomedical Campus went from a flat slab of concrete to the towering structure visible now in downtown Wichita. You can see that rapid transformation in the latest timelapse of the construction. You can also watch a continuous livestream of the construction site online.
Phase 1 of the location is a $222 million, 350,000-square-foot joint health sciences center, in downtown Wichita. Once complete, the Wichita Biomedical Campus will combine WSU’s College of Health Professions programs, WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology’s health care program, and the Wichita campuses of KU School of Medicine and KU School of Pharmacy.
| | Hexcel expands partnership with Wichita State’s NIAR through new application center | |
Hexcel Corp., a global leader in advanced composites technology, is expanding its long-standing partnership with Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) by establishing a Hexcel Application Center inside NIAR’s Advanced Technologies Lab for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS).
The announcement was made this week at the Paris Air Show. The new center will serve as a hub for advanced composite materials development, manufacturing innovation and workforce training. Hexcel is contributing nearly $10 million in advanced manufacturing equipment and technology to support the effort.
Located on Wichita State’s Innovation Campus, the ATLAS facility will house dedicated space for Hexcel engineers to work alongside NIAR researchers and Wichita State students. The collaboration is aimed at accelerating innovation and applied learning in composite materials used in commercial aviation, defense and space.
| | Applied learning in action | | |
Electrical engineering major Karaline Scott got an early start on her career path.
The Wichita State sophomore spent her summer at Professional Engineering Consultants, where she got paid to work alongside industry professionals and experience how engineering concepts translate to real-world impact.
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James Wright’s work in the Environmental Test Lab for the National Institute for Aviation Research includes measuring salt spray fallout, welding and CAD modeling.
Through each day of his paid internship, one benefit stood out – problem solving.
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For Wichitan Janett Lerma-Reyes, a paid summer internship at Shuttlewagon has sharpened her technical skills and confirmed that she belongs in the world of manufacturing.
Getting paid during her internship allowed her the ability to feel financially stable and maintain a work-life balance.
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New Athletic Training Simulation Lab now open to enhance student clinical learning and experience | |
The Athletic Training Simulation Lab at Wichita State University is now fully operational and available for athletic training students to enhance their learning and broaden their clinical knowledge.
The AT Sim Lab is a dedicated section within the larger Athletic Training Lab, designed to replicate real-world clinical scenarios in a dynamic, hands-on environment. By combining the essential features of functional clinical spaces with interactive technology, it offers students a safe, controlled setting to practice and refine their skills.
| | 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.
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 National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry-funded engineering R&D and No. 8 overall for engineering R&D.
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.
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