WSU Today: Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022

From the President

President Muma stresses importance of Suspenders4Hope training

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. To highlight the importance of this month, President Rick Muma is encouraging students, faculty and staff to engage with Wichita State’s nationally recognized Suspenders4Hope Preventing Suicide training. The training helps amplify efforts at WSU to reduce the stigma around mental health and to normalize treatment.

Watch the video to learn more about the benefits of the Suspenders4Hope training

Learn more about Founders’ Day of Giving

Wichita State University has a long history of individuals committed to making it a place where students and our entire community can learn and grow. This year, the WSU Foundation is hosting the first annual Founders’ Day of Giving to honor the legacy that was begun in September of 1895, which we continue to build today.

Read more of Learn more about Founders’ Day of Giving

COVID-19 Updates

SHS soon to provide new COVID booster shots

Student Health Service’s walk-in vaccine clinic is open and will soon begin offering the new Bivalent booster – free of charge – for WSU and WSU Tech students, employees, families and innovation partners 18 and older.

Supplies of the new booster have not yet been made available to Wichita State, but once they are, that will be communicated to the campus community. In accordance with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, no other COVID boosters are available at this time.

For information on receiving first or second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, email heather.stafford@wichita.edu.

For more information, go to the SHS website.

The Sedgwick County Health Department will continue to provide a vaccine clinic for all eligible ages, featuring the first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 14 at Charles Koch Arena.

News

Garvey International Center temporarily closing

The Garvey International Center will be closed until further notice due to a water main break. During this time, Garvey International Center staff will be working remotely to continue to assist students. Students who need assistance during this time should contact international@wichita.edu or submit the phone advising request form online at the link below.

Fill out International Student Services phone advising request form

Donate food, pay off parking fines

The September 2022 Food For Fines will take place through today, Sept. 9. Food for Fines is an initiative to support the Shocker Support Locker, while providing a cheaper alternative to pay parking citations.

Please note that donations can only be accepted during the donation period. All citations given after the end of the spring 2023 semester are eligible.

All donations for Food for Fines must be dropped off at the Student Government’s Office in RSC 219.

Learn more about Food for Fines

Open pre-k spots at Child Development Center

The Wichita State Child Development Center currently has openings for their pre-k classroom. To qualify for this classroom, students must eligible to attend kindergarten in August 2023. For more information, contact 316-978-3109 or amy.mease@wichita.edu or 316-978-3109.

Featured Stories

WSU awarded $51 million to advance smart manufacturing in South Kansas

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced today will award $51.4 million to Wichita State University to aid in the rapid development and adoption of emerging smart manufacturing technologies for South Kansas.

The funding, provided through the American Rescue Plan Build Back Better Regional Challenge, is the largest single award the university has received from the EDA.

Wichita State research team receives NIH funding to develop wearable fetal heart rate monitor

A Wichita State University research team has received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for their proposal, “Examining the feasibility of a wearable device for fetal heart rate monitoring through interdisciplinary research.”

The objective is to develop a wireless, non-invasive, wearable fetal electrocardiogram monitoring device that will use algorithms and cloud-based health monitoring to improve clinical care among pregnant women in rural communities.

Events

Join WSU’s Academic Convocation featuring author of ‘Notes from a Young Black Chef’

Students, faculty and staff are invited to the fall 2022 Academic Convocation beginning at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 8 at Wilner Auditorium. Doors will open at 9 a.m. Academic Convocation is the official academic welcome for all first-year students. This event celebrates new Shockers' entry into higher education and inducts them into a community of learners.

Preventing Suicide in Our Community: A workshop for influencers of public opinion

Wichita State University will partner with Sedgwick County, the City of Wichita and the Wichita Journalism Collaborative to host a free Suspenders4Hope Preventing Suicide Training from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Advanced Learning Library located in downtown Wichita.

This event is free and open to the public, but the training is geared toward community leaders and media influencers. Sedgwick County Commissioner Sarah Lopez, City Councilwoman Maggie Ballard and Ascension Via Christi President Robyn Chadwick will speak during the event.

The goal of this Suspenders4Hope event is to unify messaging around solution-focused journalism, elevating the message of hope and resiliency when it comes to the topic of mental health and suicide. The training reminds participants that we all have a story to tell. It also teaches about the importance of vulnerability in inspiring others to get help and reduce the stigma of getting help.

Registration is encouraged but not required. Free pizza and Suspenders4Hope T-shirts will be available to the first 100 members registered.

Employees reaching service milestones to be honored at October service recognition

Wichita State employees who reached a service milestone between the dates of Sept. 2, 2021, and Sept. 1, 2022, will be honored at events hosted by the university in October at the Rhatigan Student Center Beggs Ballroom. The 2022 honorees can expect to receive their invitation to arrive later in September.

Learn more about WSU's Service Recognition

NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program hosting session Sept. 8

The Graduate School is hosting a session for first-year domestic graduate student or undergraduate seniors in a STEM discipline, who are (or will be) pursuing a research-based master’s or doctoral degree, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at Jardine Hall.

During the event, Dr. Coleen Pugh, who will help students craft a competitive application for the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP),

Please recommend this event to your students. The NSF-GRFP is one of the most prestigious programs to recognize and support outstanding graduate students. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support including an annual stipend for the school and a cost of education allowance for the institution.

Teaching Matters series to launch with lunch Sept. 9

The Retention Fellows are sponsoring a lunch beginning at 11: 30 a.m. Sept. 9 at 265 Rhatigan Student Center. The lunch is part of a new series called “Teaching Matters,” and the topic of the September lunch is, “Off to a Good Start.”

Faculty, students and staff are invited to attend the event. Space is limited and registration is required.

Attend luncheon Sept. 9

WSU Math Circle for middle school students resumes Sept. 11

Wichita State’s Math Circle resumes 2-3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 at 372 Jabara Hall. Math Circle is a program for middle school students. Math Circle Circle exists to keep young people interested in mathematics and let them explore and enjoy new topics. Children and grandchildren of faculty and staff grades 5-9 are invited to attend.

To attend, please, RSVP with tinka.davis@wichita.edu.

View Math Circle Schedule Learn more about Math Circle

Research

University Research/Creative Award proposals due Oct.7

University Research/Creative Award (URCA) proposals are due to the Office of Research at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7. The URCA provides funding of up to $4,500 for faculty to retool or reestablish productive research/creative projects, or as seed money to develop pilot data where external funding is available.

To qualify, proposers must work with an Office of Research grant specialist before submitting and all complete applications will require an endorsement from the chair and dean. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed or considered.

For more information, contact proposals@wichita.edu or visit the Office of Research website.

Visit Office of Research website

Multidisciplinary Research Project Awards proposals due Oct. 7

Multidisciplinary Research Project Awards (MURPA) Proposals are due to the Office of Research no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7. The MURPA opportunity provides funding of up to $7,500 for faculty projects that involve two or more investigators from different disciplines that focus on different perspectives and capabilities on complex problems that intersect established areas of study.

To qualify, proposers must work with an Office of Research grant specialist before submitting and all complete applications require an endorsement from the chair and dean. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed or considered.

For more information, contact proposals@wichita.edu or visit website for additional information.

https://www.wichita.edu/research/

Training Opportunities and Workshops

Attend free academic survey methodology workshop

All graduate students, faculty and staff who are interested in or planning to conduct a survey-based research project are encouraged to attend a free academic survey methodology workshop 1-4 p.m. Sept. 14 at 231 Woolsey Hall. The workshop will be presented by Dr. A. Lynn Matthews. It is intended for all levels; beginner to advanced.

The workshop will include an overview of the Total Survey Error framework, as well as a hands-on survey design lab. The Total Survey Error framework overview will take place 1-3 p.m., and the hands-on lab will be 3-4 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring the following:

Lunch, coffee and snacks
Projects and ideas to discuss during the hands-on portion
Laptop or device

The workshop is hosted by The Office of Planning and Analysis and the Frank W. Barton School of Business Marketing Department. For more information, contact Whitney Crager, Office of Planning and Analysis, at whitney.crager@wichita.edu.