Category: Events and Recreation

Stuart Kauffman will present a virtual talk hosted by the Barton School’s Institute for the Study of Economic Growth at noon Friday, March 31. The topic will be “The Inevitable Anthropocene and Our Choices Now: Prolegomenon to a Next Axial Age.”

Kauffman is a renowned theoretical biologist. Originally a medical doctor, he has spearheaded several disruptive new theories including Nobel-worthy contributions in fitness landscapes, gene regulatory networks, the theory of affordances and the theory of the adjacent possible. Also a MacArthur Fellow and a Trotter Prize winner, Kauffman has published innovative books like “Origins of Order: Self-organization and Selection in Evolution” and “At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity.”

All Wichita State faculty and staff are invited to attend, and they are encouraged to share the event information with any students, alumni or members of the community they think may benefit.

Student Health Services (SHS) is back with the annual Pee for Pizza event. It will take place noon-4 p.m. Thursday, March 23, at the Student Wellness Center in the Steve Clark YMCA. During the event, participants can get tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia by submitting a urine specimen and then receive free pizza.

Pee for Pizza is a sexual health awareness event that allows participants to test for sexually transmitted illnesses such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis C, and know their status for free.

Co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Positive Direction and Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes, Pee for Pizza occurs twice a month through the fall and spring semesters and is by reservation only. No walk-ins will be accepted. Participants must not use the restroom at least one hour before testing.

For more information or to make a reservation, contact SHS at 316-978-4792. Other testing is available upon request.

Join Erik Pierstorff, program director in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program for the National Science Foundation (NSF), will describe the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs at NSF. He will also cover the SBIR/STTR program’s goals, funding philosophy, topics, funded examples and the project pitch process.

This webinar is a special opportunity for the region to connect with a program officer and ask direct questions about the SBIR/STTR programs. It will begin at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 28.

There will be 10 minute, one-on-one meetings from 2 to 3 p.m. for additional discussion with Pierstorff. This webinar does not cost to attend, but registration is required.

Jennifer Ray, photographer, tackles the U.S.’s violent past and present. Amanda Pfister partnered with poet April Pameticky to create a work that speaks about motherhood, monotony and feminism.

Both are faculty at WSU’s School of Art, Design and Creative Industries and artists featured in Transmissions: The XXIV Faculty Biennial, on exhibit until April 22 in the Polk/Wilson Gallery. Join them at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, March 7 in the Beren Gallery at the Ulrich Museum of Art to learn about their inspiration and processes.

Join the Department of Physics for its next seminar at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 8 in 226 Jabara Hall and also on Zoom.

The speaker for the seminar is Prasanth Shyamsundar from the Fermilab Quantum Institute. The seminar will cover the topic “Enhancing Quantum Error Mitigation and Characterization with Statistics and ML.”

Pi Delta Phi, the French honor society, is holding a bake/book sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 8 on the ground floor of the Rhatigan Student Center.

Come enjoy French baked goods, sandwiches, pastries and quiches (lunch items will be available after 10 a.m.). Accepting cash only and minimum donations of $1.

Interested in a career in nursing? Join the School of Nursing for an information session about its Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs, admission requirements and ask questions directly to nursing faculty.

It will host the session at 10 a.m. Friday, March 10 in 110 Ahlberg Hall. Register at least 24 hours prior to the session.

The College of Applied Studies invites faculty and staff to a panel discussion on well-being and self-care among professionals working in K-12 and higher education settings as part of its Corbin Connect speaker series.

The event will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 10 in 155 Corbin Education Center and via Zoom. Join the conversation and learn the best ways to promote and support self-care and wellbeing in the educational field. RSVP to the College of Applied Studies by Friday, March 3.

The speakers for the event are Dr. Edil Torres Rivera, Dr. Valerie Thompson and Dr. Sara Mata. The topics covered include exploring synergy and balance, and discussing self-care and wellbeing through the lens of intersectionality.

The W. Frank Barton School of Business has announced Susan Thomas, founder and CEO of 10Fold, will serve as the college’s entrepreneur-in-residence for the spring 2023 semester. Thomas is from Newton, Kansas and began her college education at Wichita State.

She founded 10Fold in 1995, and the company is now ranked among the top 8% of independently owned communications firms exclusively focused on business-to-business technology in the United States.

As the Barton School’s entrepreneur-in-residence, Thomas will deliver a keynote presentation at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, March 22 titled “An Entrepreneur’s Journey: Finding the why to drive your success.” The keynote is open to the public and will include a networking reception with Thomas afterwards. In addition, she will participate in other presentations on innovation and marketing.

Thomas earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in business from Emporia State University. She then went on to earn a master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology from the University of Tulsa.

There are a lot of education-related topics before the legislature this year, some of which could have significant impacts, but aren’t making headlines. Come to Engage ICT at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 14 at Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E Douglas Ave, for the discussion, “Taxes and Education: Kids get what we pay for,” and find out what’s going to be up for a vote, and what’s at stake. Participants can enjoy a free appetizer buffet and get their questions answered.

The conversation will also be live streamed on the Engage ICT website and on KMUW’s Facebook page. To submit questions in advance, send an email to info@kmuw.org.