Wichita State University Police Chief Guy Schroeder spoke to graduates, family, friends and co-workers at the 294th Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) class graduation June 10. Schroeder was the first WSU police chief to speak at a graduation for KLETC.

Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Passage 2 Success, Registration is closed, Contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion has reached maximum capacity for its Passage 2 Success program. Details provided by participants will be released soon.

For more information, contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at 316.978-3034 if you have questions.

Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) is proud to announce the addition of Thomas Fischer as senior advisor to the executive director.

Fischer, a 35-year U.S. Air Force employee and member of the Senior Executive Service, recently retired from his position as director of engineering and technical management and chief engineer for the Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

In this position, he led a 15,000-person national engineering organization and was responsible for the USAF’s transformation to digital engineering.

“Tom’s knowledge of the value of digital transformation for various units of the Air Force and other DoD branches will be critical for the development of new programs at Wichita State,” said John Tomblin, WSU senior vice president for Industry and Defense Programs and NIAR executive director. “These programs are focused on aviation and manufacturing innovation while ensuring the safety of the warfighter and extending the life of the military fleet,”

Fischer’s academic accolades include a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Valparaiso University, a master’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton; an MBA from Wright State University; and a master’s in national resource strategy from the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy.

Due to a break in the chilled water line on the southeast side of the Duerksen Fine Arts Center, there will be a multi-day air conditioning outage at the following buildings:

  • Morrison Hall
  • Jardine Hall
  • Wiedemann Hall
  • Duerksen Fine Arts Center
  • McKinley Hall
  • McKnight Art Center/Ulrich Museum of Art

Hot temperatures are expected during the next few days at these buildings until the system is restored. The chilled water lines are expected to be operational Monday, but it may take time for the buildings to cool off once the systems are running.

For more information, contact emily.patterson@wichita.edu, or Eason.Bryer@wichita.edu.

Enrique Navarro, Fairmont College of Liberal Arts and Sciences associate professor of Spanish, has been named the new associate dean of the Graduate School, effective June 13.

Navarro holds a doctorate in Hispanic Literature, a master’s in Spanish, and has a law degree from Spain. He has served as the Latin American and Latinx Studies certificate coordinator for the LAS of Modern and Classical Languages and Literature. He has been with WSU since 2013.

The grand opening of Deloitte’s Smart Factory @ Wichita — right here on WSU’s Innovation Campus — got underway Tuesday, June 7, with a press conference and media tour of the facility.

The Smart Factory @ Wichita aims to advance the future of manufacturing and spur innovation through digital transformation.

Key takeaways about the experience center include:

  • The Smart Factory @ Wichita assembles a first-of-its-kind ecosystem of more than 20 world-renowned solution providers, technology innovators and futurists to help solve the toughest challenges in manufacturing.
  • Features a fully functioning manufacturing production line that combines cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, cloud and edge applications, robotics, vision solutions and more.
  • Supports STEM education: Plans to manufacture and donate Smart Rover STEM education kits that aim to impact 800,000 students over four years, with initial donations in Wichita, Metro Detroit and Philadelphia in 2022.
  • Completely sustainable, The Smart Factory is powered by renewable resources and is net-zero impact.
  • Is anticipated to draw more than 5,000 visitors to the local area over the next 12 months, including leaders from world-renowned companies.

Professor Dinorah Azpuru published an analysis article in the Washington Post about the Summit of the Americas and the opinion of citizens of the Western Hemisphere about the United States.

Speech-Language Pathologist works with a child and an Audiologist performs a hearing exam on a client.

The Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at Wichita State is open all summer. The clinic provides services to people across the lifespan who have communication difficulties, including speaking, hearing, swallowing, and spoken and written language impairments.

The clinical staff includes highly trained faculty in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. The clinic is open to the public. Call 316-978-3289 to schedule an appointment. The Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic is located in the Hughes Metropolitan Complex at the intersection of 29th Street and Oliver. 

President Rick Muma’s “Forward Together” podcast is on hiatus for the summer, but that gives listeners an opportunity to catch up on previous episodes.

  • Episode one: Digital transformation — In this inaugural Forward Together podcast, we focus on digital transformation in the arts. We’re joined by Shocker alum Dean Hargrove — writer, director and producer, whose credits include “Columbo” and “Matlock — and Wichita State’s dean of the College of Fine Arts, Dr. Rodney Miller.
  • Episode two: University annual report — On this episode of the Forward Together podcast, WSU President Dr. Rick Muma and his guests reflect on and celebrate all that Wichita State University has accomplished in 2021. Special guests include James Chung, founder of Reach Advisors and author of the Chung Report; and Dr. Kaye Monk-Morgan, vice president of engagement and planning at Wichita State University.
  • Episode three: Providing access to higher education — On this episode of the Forward Together podcast, WSU President Dr. Rick Muma and his guests discuss WSU’s priority of making higher education accessible and how it helps build a stronger community and a stronger Kansas. Special guests include John Rolfe, president and CEO of the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Isaac Brown, WSU men’s basketball head coach.
  • Episode four: Research at Wichita State — Learn about some of the cutting-edge research being done at Wichita State University in our March Forward Together podcast. To celebrate Women’s History Month, President Rick Muma speaks with Dr. Melinda Laubach-Hock, director of sustainment at WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research; and Dr. Coleen Pugh, vice provost for research and dean of Wichita State’s Graduate School.
  • Episode five: Innovation at Wichita State — In this month’s episode of the Forward Together podcast, we talk about all things innovation. Hear about the accessible comic book app WSU’s Dr. Darren DeFrain developed, and learn more about next-generation networking technology with Shocker alum Khalid Raza.
  • Episode six: LatinX Food, Culture and Community in Wichita — Celebrate the food and culture of the LatinX community with WSU President Rick Muma in the latest episode of the “Forward Together” podcast. Dr. Muma speaks with WSU faculty members and LatinX cultural researchers Dr. Enrique Navarro and Dr. Rocío Del Águila.

Parking Lot 15, outside Grace Wilkie and the Heskett Center, will close beginning June 2. During this time, Facility Services will work on the parking lot lights in this area. The closure should be completed by June 3.

For more information, contact wsuparking@wichita.edu.