Category: Presentations and Talks

Join the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry for its first seminar of the fall 2026 semester which will take place at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26 in 224 McKinley Hall. The department is honored to host Professor Lejla Zubcevic from the University of Kansas Medical Center who will deliver a talk titled “New Insights into an Old Problem: A Study of a Human Drug/Metabolite Transporter.”

Join the Department of Mathematics and Statistics for a public lecture by Dr. Prachi Sahjwani from Cardiff University at 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28 in 372 Jabara Hall. The lecture, titled “When Does a Shape Know It’s Almost a Sphere?”

Refreshments will be available at 2:30 p.m. in 371 Jabara Hall.

The Department of Biological Sciences’ fall 2026 seminar series begins Monday, Aug. 24 with Barrett Houchen of Montrose Environmental Group. He will give a public lecture, “Unraveling the Ecology of Macrophomina phaseolina in Native Grassland Soils,” from 4 to 5 p.m. in 231 Hubbard Hall.

Seminars are open to the public and undergraduates are encouraged to attend. For more information, visit wichita.edu/biology.

Every great idea starts somewhere but bringing it to life takes vision, resilience and the right support. Hear from leaders who have transformed bold ideas into lasting impact and discover what it takes to move from concept to execution from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27 at Social Tap in Braeburn Square.

First 25 students get in free. First drink and appetizers included.

At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 20 in the Dr. Sam and Jacque Kouri Collection Student Center in the Ulrich Museum of Arts, internationally recognized artist Marie Bukowski, dean, College of Fine Arts, will share an intimate look into her studio practice, highlighting how drawing, printmaking and painting intersect within her evolving body of work.

The artist will discuss the conceptual threads that connect her series, including memory, place and the emotional resonance of atmosphere and color. Refreshments will be served at 10 a.m. in the Ulrich Museum lobby. Everyone is welcome at this free event.

Zariah Perilla-Best, MFA student, will give a lecture on Afro-Latino literature and a reading of her poetry at 1 p.m. Friday, May 8 in 266 Rhatigan Student Center, Pike Room.

To learn more about the certificate in Latin American and Latino Studies, contact Dr. Rocio del Aguila at spanish@wichita.edu.

Mark your calendars now: At 9:30 a.m. Thursday, May 7 in 110 Woolsey Hall, Frank A. Boettger Auditorium, Lauren Dunford — co-founder and CEO of Guidewheel and the Barton School of Business’s Centennial Entrepreneur-in-Residence — will deliver a keynote presentation, “The New Wave of Innovation: AI, Robotics, Manufacturing, and the Future of Energy.” Doors open at 9 a.m.

Dunford leads Guidewheel, an AI-powered platform transforming physical operations across more than 400 manufacturers worldwide, including Johnson & Johnson, Hershey and Cargill. A World Economic Forum technology pioneer, TED speaker and Stanford scholar, she is a leading voice in “physical AI,” applying intelligence to the machines that power the global economy.

During this forward-looking keynote, Dunford will share how artificial intelligence is reshaping manufacturing, unlocking new levels of efficiency, sustainability and resilience. She will explore the convergence of AI, robotics and energy systems — and what it means for the future of industry and innovation.

Stick around after the keynote to connect with fellow students, faculty, entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping Wichita’s innovation ecosystem. The event is free and open to the public. Share with your students, colleagues and networks.

Students will present trifolds on topics such as Christian antisemitism, religious rationales for colonization and genocides, anti-Black racism and its political manifestations in U.S. history, roots and expressions of white supremacy, biblical rationales for the equality of races. Displays will be up in the library from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday, May 4. Meet the students from 2 to 3:15 p.m.

This is the second of two sessions of brief, PechaKucha-style talks by the Department of Art, Design and Creative Industries faculty artists featured in the exhibition, “Symbols of Greatness: Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” These creatives will share their research and artwork in a 20×20 format — presenting 20 images with information for 20 seconds each.

This session includes talks by Ted Adler, Robert Bubp, Marco Hernandez, Meghan Miller, Jennifer Ray, Lori Santos and Tim Stone. The program, scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, April 30 in the Polk/Wilson Gallery at the Ulrich Museum of Art followed by a reception at 7 p.m. in the gallery lobby. Everyone is welcome at this free event.

In this talk at noon Thursday, April 30 in 266 Rhatigan Student Center, Pike Room or via Microsoft Teams, the keynote speaker, Miguel Chavez, traces the history of the lucha libre mask and its evolving role in popular culture. He explores how masks draw on religious and cultural iconography to craft characters, tell stories and forge connections with audiences across both local and global contexts.

Lucha libre is often recognized for its high-flying acrobatics, elaborate costumes and colorful masks. But while masks are commonly understood as tools for concealing one’s identity, for many luchadores and luchadoras, the mask enables the performance of identities that cannot easily exist in everyday life.

Chavez is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology and a Mellon Cluster Fellow in Gender and Sexuality Studies at Northwestern University. He is currently conducting fieldwork in Mexico City, where he trains alongside professional wrestlers in the lucha libre scene.

Join for a brown bag lunch, and if you want to join virtually, contact Sara Mata at sara.mata@wichita.edu or Rocío Del Águila at rocio.delaguila@wichita.edu.