Author: Caelin Bragg

Rob Gerlach, executive director of the Office of Tech Transfer and Commercialization; Zeeshan Khan, IDP program manager, business/innovation programs; and Dr. Jessica Provines, assistant vice president for wellness and chief psychologist sat down with Lisa Mueller for the “AUTM on the Air” podcast Nov. 20.

They discussed Wichita State’s innovative Suspenders4Hope program, including its collaborative nature with industry and how tech transfer helps push the program, and how it is making an impact.

Listen to the episode on YouTube, visit the website or listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts.

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.

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.

President Rick Muma visited Wichita State Esports during one of the team’s training sessions to recognize the team as the next recipient of Rick Rewards. President Muma recognized the accomplishments and growth of the teams over the past few years, including hosting the successful D-Air Capital Games event that saw nearly 200 people from across the Midwest visit campus; multiple top finishes from the individual teams; and helping middle school and high school students learn about esports with annual summer camps.

Rick Rewards is awarded each month by President Muma to show his appreciation for the efforts of the campus community.

Research Place will be temporarily one lane traffic as work begins on the concrete of the crosswalk, road panels and sidewalk panels. Parking lots 13 and 15 will be open, but expect delays.

The maintenance is planned to start Tuesday, Nov. 19, weather permitting, between Wichita State Connect and Parking Services. Work is expected to last for a couple of weeks.

Work has been progressing smoothly on construction of the upcoming Wichita Biomedical Campus, a $300 million, 471,000-square-foot joint health sciences center between Wichita State, WSU Tech and the University of Kansas.

Despite the rain, workers began installation of shoring around the elevator pits across the site to prevent dirt from caving in as they dig. The workers will begin forming and pouring concrete pile caps and elevator pit walls, which will continue throughout the week.

You can watch a live broadcast of the construction online at: bigview.ai/wichitabiomedicalcampusliveview.

The Department of Sport & Leadership Studies and the SMART Lab at Wichita State invite you to attend a complimentary speaker session, “Winning with Data: Leveraging Analytics in Sport” by Ed Chao at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20 in 265 Rhatigan Student Center, Lucas Room.

Chao is a co-founder and VP at Cerebro Sports, a leading data analytics company funded by Mark Cuban, as well as the GM of the Dallas Flash, a professional pickleball team on the Major League Pickleball Tour. He will share insight on how data analytics shapes and advances the decision-making process in the sport industry with practical cases. 

Reservations will be granted on a first-come, first-serve basis. RSVP by Tuesday, Nov. 19. For questions, contact Dr. Wonyoung Kim at wonyoung.kim@wichita.edu. 

Spero, a Barton School of Business startup aimed at unlocking the potential of Wichita and its citizens, hosted an event on Friday, Oct. 25 to celebrate the launch of its micro-credential programs in entrepreneurship and career readiness. The event brought together the inaugural class of Spero students, their families, Spero board members, employers, mentors and other supporters to commemorate the launch. Marquis Bradley, founder of Omnicut Fitness, delivered a rousing keynote speech that set the stage for a promising start. The keynote energized attendees and set an optimistic tone for Spero’s future impact.

“To have a celebration of Spero students with their families in attendance was special,” said Walter Berry, executive chairman, Berry Companies, board chair of Spero and a member of the Barton School’s Dean’s Advisory Board. “It really set the stage for the program and built excitement for the opportunities ahead.”

Spero, derived from the Latin word for “hope,” is dedicated to empowering individuals to achieve lasting independence by equipping them with essential skills and providing access to meaningful employment opportunities.

Dr. Scott Hill, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Philosophy of Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, recently published his article “Where Are the Generalists?” in the journal, Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective.

Dr. Hill argues in favor of the paper “Why We Should Stop Talking about Generalism and Particularism: Moving the Debate on Conspiracy Theories Forward” by Maarten Boudry and M. Giulia Napolitano, which makes the argument that the generalist/particularist distinction is not a fruitful one when used in the context of “conspiracy theories.” Dr. Hill offers counters to arguments made by M R.X Dentith and Melina Tsapos in their paper, “Why We Should Talk about Generalism and Particularism: A Reply to Boudry and Napolitano,” which offered critics of Boundy and Napolitano’s paper.

The Ulrich Museum of Art hosted Ghanaian-Moroccan multidisciplinary artist, David Alabo, to discuss his inspirations, creative process and deep connection to Afrofuturism and Afro-Surrealism.

Alabo’s work is currently on display at the Ulrich fall exhibition, “Dream Machine: Fantasy, Surreality, and Play,” through Dec. 7