Author: Michelle Dehaven

Join the Environmental Finance Center and Wichita State to celebrate the launch of the new Heartland Environmental Justice Center. The center will serve to build the capacity of individuals, organizations and institutions who serve underserved and disadvantaged communities in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and adjoining indigenous nations to make meaningful advances towards environmental and energy equity.

The celebration event will feature President Rick Muma; Meg McCollister, EPA Region 7 administrator; and representatives from the Environmental Justice Center and partners. Join the event at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 12 in the John Bardo Center lobby or via YouTube livestream.

The Wichita State Sustainability Council is accepting abstract submissions for its the third Student Research Poster Showcase from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 22 in the Rhatigan Student Center. All students are encouraged to submit an abstract for the showcase. Intersectional research, specific projects, program evaluations and new ideas are all welcome.

Potential submissions can include the following sustainability research topics:

• Sustainable manufacturing
• Climate change
• Green infrastructure
• Waste/recycling
• Environmental justice
• Sustainability in education
• Water/wastewater
• Urban planning

The deadline to submit an abstract is Thursday, April 13.

To enhance public finance conversations, the Kansas Public Finance Center, the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs and the Environmental Finance Center are hosting a free workshop focused on building partnerships between public service practitioners and academic researchers. Join the day of activities starting at 8 a.m. Friday, March 31 in Woolsey Hall.

The conversations at the workshop will feature speakers from across the country who will speak on topics including infrastructure financing, decision-making, municipal sustainability, assessment tools and more.

And join an evening networking reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 30 at Social Tap in Braeburn Square.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been cancelled.

Join the Women of Wichita State University (WWSU) for a bingo and lunch fundraiser event at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 4 in 265 Rhatigan Student Center. Every year, WWSU provides scholarships to female-identifying students to help support academic goals.

Participants will play bingo for prizes, eat lunch, bid on silent auction items and have fun. Anyone and everyone is welcome to join the event. Participants don’t have to be a member of WWSU or Wichita State to join and support the scholarship.

Bingo entry is $15, and lunch is available for $12 from WSU catering or participants can bring their own lunch.

Bring your lunch and join us in watching a Ted Talk given by Archie Crowley, a Ph.D. candidate who researches and educates about how language evolves to include gender and sexual identities.The meeting will be at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 16 via Zoom.

As a sociolinguist, Crowley will deconstruct three common myths around language, demonstrating how it’s a fluid system that naturally evolves in the direction of inclusion. We will watch the Ted Talk, then have a discussion. Email Angie Paul at angela.paul@wichita.edu for the Zoom link.

Since 2002, the Ark River Clean-Up has collected tons of litter from the Arkansas River each spring with the help of hundreds — sometimes thousands — of volunteers. This annual event has been delayed for the past two years due to the pandemic, but we are back and ready to clean up the Ark River.

Registration is free through the link below. Be prepared to show proof of registration either via your phone or a printed ticket. Volunteer check-in will start at 8:30 a.m. in the parking lot at First Street and Waco Avenue. Then you can head directly down to the river or board a free shuttle to spread out to the north or south. Volunteers at the cleanup will receive a water bottle and a free lunch while supplies last. Gloves and trash bags will be provided.

Help keep this event healthy and safe. if you are feeling ill, please stay home.

For updates and information, follow the event and Ark River Cleanup page on Facebook.

The Wichita State community is invited to join the Women of Wichita State for their annual Scholarship Bash to raise funds for scholarships through May 7. The funds will be used to award four WSU students with a scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Anyone can participate in the fundraiser by bidding on an item or items in the online auction,  purchasing the chance to win a jackpot in the 50/50 drawing, making a one-time donation and becoming a sustaining donor with a payroll deduction.

The WSU community is invited to join the Women of Wichita State for our annual Scholarship Bash to raise funds for scholarships!  We hope to award four WSU students with a scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year. With your help, these funds can help students achieve their academic and career goals.

The kick-off to the Scholarship Bash will be from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. April 29. This come-and-go event will be during exhibitions of female artists Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Ann Resnick, and Annabel Daou at the Ulrich. Stop by and be one of the first to bid on silent auction items, pose with friends and colleagues in the photo space, meet board members, and have a great time raising money for scholarships.

If you can’t come by, faculty and staff members may contribute to the scholarship fund via payroll deduction or direct donations to WSU Foundation via the link below.

The WSU Sustainability Council, in partnership with organizations and departments across campus, invites you to celebrate Earth Day and all of the sustainable initiatives, programs and research that are happening on campus and in our community. Join us for panels of researchers, community organization exhibitors, student and faculty research, and Earthfest on today, April 22. Events will include the following:

• Special book display celebrating sustainability and Earth Day April 22-May 1 at Ablah Library
• Virtual movie screening – Register to watch “The Revolution Generation”
• Electric vehicles and other community organizations showcasing their contributions to a greener community 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Rhatigan Student Center (RSC) (first floor).
• Student poster contest showcase 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. RSC (first floor)
• K-12 sustainability poster design display 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. RSC (first floor)
• E-Waste and shredding services – Electronix Recyclers and Wichita Shredding providing e-waste disposal and shredding (sponsored by the NetApp Green Team) noon-4 p.m. at NetApp parking lot on south east side of building.
• Welcome speech by President Rick Muma 1 p.m. at Hubbard Hall (Room 208)
• Sustainable farming and ranching panel 1:10-1:55 p.m. at Hubbard Hall (Room 208)
• Keynote presentation “Latest on Energy Technology, and Updates from Sierra Club and City of Wichita Sustainability Board” 2-2:40 p.m. at Hubbard Hall (Room 208)
• Sustainability at WSU panel 2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m.
• Community Garden – The WSU Green Group will host seed giveaways and planting events at the WSU Community Garden 3 p.m.-5 p.m. behind Ahlberg Hall.
• Shocker New Venture Competition 3-6 p.m. at Koch Arena
• WuStock Earthfest-4-9:30 p.m. at RSC east lawn
• Beautify campus with Green Group 10 a.m.-noon April 23 (meet at Braeburn Square Starbucks)

There are still opportunities for students to share research. Topics of interest include sustainable manufacturing, climate change, green energy, social awareness, and urban planning.

The WSU Sustainability Council Earth Day Planning Committee invites all WSU students to submit a poster presentation for the second annual Shockers Go Green Earth Day Student Research Competition.

Research topics can focus on any element of sustainability including the following:

• Climate change
• Sustainable manufacturing and building
• Green materials
• Solid waste management
• Social awareness and education
• Urban planning

All abstracts are due by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, and video presentations are due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, April 18.