The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships will be closed from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21. For urgent questions, contact 316-978-3430.

A child uses a robotic prosthetic arm to wave to the camera

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.

Students presenting their research at the annual Engineering Research Symposium

On Friday, Nov. 15, graduate ambassadors from the College of Engineering hosted the annual Engineering Research Symposium in the Digital Research and Transformation Hub on the Innovation Campus. The symposium was from 2 to 5 p.m. and consisted of a poster competition that enabled students to showcase their research projects, develop their presentation skills and compete for certificates with cash prizes. Following the symposium, there was a presentation of awards and dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. The winners were selected within three categories and are listed below.

Proficient
The Proficient category was for doctoral students with three or more years of advanced study and research experience, with first place earning a $1,000 prize, second place earning a $500 prize and third place earning a $250 prize.

  • First place: Ali Asgari, “Physics-Informed Artificial Intelligence For Failure Prediction of Spacecraft”
  • Second place: Adrian Arustei, “Spacecraft trajectory optimization using adjoint sensitivities”
  • Third place: Sangar Shanthanam, “A Multi Criteria Load Prioritization Framework To Minimize Social, Technical and Economic Losses during Major Power Outages”

Emerging
The Emerging category was for master’s degree students and doctoral students with one and a half to three years of study, with first place earning a $750 prize, second place earning a $400 prize and third place earning a $200 prize.

  • First place: Md Raihan Uddin, “Enhancing Scalability of Heterogeneous Systems using Tiny Transformer and Attention Based Multi Agent Proximal Policy Optimization”
  • Second place: Adelyn Heuer, “Modeling Electric-Vehicle Infrastructure Impact Using an Agent based Simulation Approach”
  • Third place: Reilly Jensen, “Detecting and Classifying Cerebral Hemorrhage Growth Using Radio Frequency Resonance and Deep Learning”

Novice
The Novice category was for bachelor’s degree students and doctoral students in the first year and a half of study, with first place earning a $500 prize, second place earning a $250 prize and third place earning a $150 prize.

  • First place: Sachinth Viththarachchige, “Social Equity Based Optimal Power Flow Framework to Hedge Against Price Events”
  • Second place: Elmira Salari, “Towards Generalizable ECG Classification with Large Language Models and Domain Adaptation”
  • Third place: Mark Angelo Ronaldo Anacin, “Enhancing Noise Robustness in Anti-Spoofing Systems using Speech Enhancement and Multitasking Models”

In addition to the above, there were two Scholarly Presence Awards presented to College of Engineering departments. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering won an award for the highest student representation in the competition, and the Department of Industrial, Systems and Manufacturing Engineering won an award for the highest faculty representation at the competition.

Get Vaccinated at Student Health: Get your flu vaccine today! WALK-INS Welcome:9A.M-4PM, Mon.-Fri. 25 + administration fee - Insurance may cover, Bring card. SHS contact phone number: 316-978-4792.

Get your flu vaccine today at Student Health. Bring your insurance card or pay privately ($25 plus administration fee); insurance may cover expenses.

Healthy Equity Fund may assist with out-of-pocket expenses. Walk-ins are welcome 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday or make an appointment by calling 316-978-4792. Students can make an appointment through the myShockerHealth portal

Refill your Student Health medications! If you get medications from Student Health, plan ahead to get them refilled by 11/27! Decorative images of healthcare and medications. SHS contact info - phone number is 316-978-4792.

Student Health is closed starting Nov. 28 and reopens Dec. 2. If you get medications from Student Health, plan ahead to get them refilled by Nov. 27 before offices are closed for Thanksgiving break.

If you have questions about your prescription or need to make an appointment, contact Student Health via the myShockerhealth portal or by calling 316-978-4792.

Dr. Lyndsey Brown — assistant clinical professor and school counseling program coordinator in the Department of Intervention Services & Leadership in Education — was interviewed by U.S. News and World Report for a story on supporting a child’s learning experience.

Dr. Brown provided insight as an expert in the field and offered advice on the importance of giving written affirmation when kids are learning.

The image contains the title of a symphonic work, "Symphony Chaco: A Journey of the Spirit."  The word "Symphony" is written in small, white, uppercase letters centered at the top. Below "Symphony," the word "Chaco" appears in large, stylized letters with a gradient of orange, white, and black colors that resemble a sunset or natural landscape. The letter "C" at the beginning of "Chaco" is shaped like a crescent, and the letter "O" at the end includes a spiral design, evoking a sense of movement or connection to nature. Below "Chaco," the subtitle reads "A Journey of the Spirit" in smaller white, uppercase letters. The background is entirely black, making the text and designs stand out prominently. This design suggests a theme of spirituality, nature, and exploration, aligning with the artistic and cultural elements likely conveyed in the symphony.

Join an evening with the WSU Symphony Orchestra as it performs “Symphony Chaco,” featuring renowned Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai, soprano Christina Martos and composer Gary Gackstatter as narrator. This special concert, part of the College of Fine Arts Connoisseur Series, will occur at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21 in Miller Concert Hall at Duerksen Fine Arts Center. Tickets are available through the Fine Arts Box Office.

“Symphony Chaco” is the result of a years-long collaboration between Gackstatter and Nakai, whose music and philosophy inspired this powerful work exploring nature, culture and connection. Gackstatter reflects, “It was not just a dream come true; it was far beyond that.”

Funding for this Connoisseur Series performance is generously provided by the Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation and Shoko Kato Sevart.

Researchers are conducting a study to see how Eustachian tube massage works. You will be asked to perform a few maneuvers and have the movement of your eardrum measured. The study will take less than 15 minutes. There is no compensation for volunteering.

Participation requirements: 18-50 years old; fluent English speaker; no history of ear surgery.

If you are interested, contact Dr. Katharine Fitzharris at katharine.fitzharris@wichita.edu.

The Shocker Career Accelerator will be closed from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20 for a staff retreat. The office appreciates your understanding and looks forward to assisting you when it reopens in the afternoon.

Forbes approached Usha Haley, W. Frank Barton Distinguished Chair in International Business, on the costs to business of a policy of forced deportation of illegal immigrants. Her response and the article can be accessed online.