Shocker Blast: Dec. 12, 2018

University mourns the passing of two Wichita State students

We are heart-broken to hear of the passing of two beloved Wichita State students in separate incidents, Kelsey Hanna and Hyosil Kang. Kelsey was a senior in the biomedical engineering program. Hyosil graduated in 2004 with a degree in performing arts and was currently enrolled as a graduate student in the College of Applied Studies.

We will keep everyone informed once information about services becomes available. The Counseling and Testing Center is available to help with any grieving students or staff. You can contact them at 316-978-3440 to make an appointment.


Student teams move on to next round of Koch Innovation Challenge

Koch Innovation Challenge

Five student teams were selected as first-round winners of the Koch Innovation Challenge. They are:

Hearing Aid Battery Changing Tool

Brett Herrman, Andrew Hodge, Cameron Pint, Adam Shoemaker, Colton Wasinger

A device to make changing the tiny batteries in hearing aids easier.

Twirl&Brush

Alexa Easley, Elbie Saysombath, Emanuel Mijares, Garrett Delmar

A convenient travel toothbrush with toothpaste included.

Uplift Pillow

Nickolas House, Sadiya Jaba, Edward Jones, Kyra Hernandez, Bailey Seltmann

An inclined pillow to help knee surgery patients heal at the right angle with an embedded cooling system.

3D Engineers

Jennifer Alfaro, Kenny Do, Phillip Espinosa, Zachary Keitel, Matthew Minter, Alexandro Morales

A device to capture electricity from industrial water usage.

Water Level Sensor Pals

Cierra O'Neill, Edie Reese, Jedidiah Borchard, Tyler Thompson

A mechanical device to detect the water level for the blind or visually impaired.

Each of the five winners will be provided up to $1,200 in investment capital to pursue their big idea ventures during their second semester. Additionally, students on the five winning teams will be awarded a $1,000 Koch Innovation Challenge scholarship for their second semester. Further, each winning team will be paired with a faculty innovation mentor as they pursue their big idea ventures.

At the end of the second semester, a final competition will take place during the annual Engineering Open House on May 3, 2019, to identify the Grand Champion Team. The members of the Grand Champion Team will be awarded a travel grant to attend the national Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (CEO) Conference during their third semester. At the National CEO Conference, they will compete in the National Elevator Pitch Competition.


Six 黑洞社区 students named new University Innovation Fellows

Student Innovation Fellows Dec. 2018

Six Wichita State students have been named University Innovation Fellows by Stanford University's Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. Out of 1,800 fellows worldwide, there have been 30 fellows at Wichita State, with 13 still active on campus. The new cohort's students are:

  • Maggie Brown, sophomore, Aerospace Engineering
  • Noah Foster, sophomore, Computer Science
  • Christian Ammerman, sophomore, Secondary English Education
  • RJ Clark, graduate, Biomedical Engineering
  • Sierra Bonn, junior, Biomedical Engineering
  • Mikah Betterton, sophomore, Mechanical Engineering

This prestigious national program seeks to empower student leaders to increase campus engagement with innovation, entrepreneurship and design thinking.

Read complete story


FirePoint at 黑洞社区 has job opening for web development

FirePoint

黑洞社区 has a Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) with the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) to support a multi-year effort focused on fostering new research and development collaborations to advance military technology and move it more quickly into the hands of Army users.

This PIA initiative is managed through the FirePoint Innovations Center located on Wichita State's Innovation Campus (P2 Building). FirePoint works closely with AMRDEC scientists and engineers to expand engagement and collaboration in future vertical lift technologies with industry, universities and other Department of Defense (DoD) researchers.

These new collaborations will assist AMRDEC to address technology gaps and enhance its ability to develop and deliver new capabilities that will continue to provide a competitive advantage to the nation's warfighters.

Position:  Student Assistant 鈥 FirePoint Website 2.0 Development

This position is to assist the FirePoint Team with the further development and expansion of its website to Version 2.0. This position requires demonstrated experience in website design and development. Current website 鈥

  • Any undergraduate major is acceptable. Majors in engineering or business preferred.
  • Experience with tools such as Wordpress or SquareSpace is required
  • Must be able to show a portfolio of designs or websites developed to date
  • Proof of U.S. citizenship will be required. (Provide with application and resume)
  • Qualified applicants should send a resume to Lauren Beastall at lbeastall@gofirepoint.org
  • Veterans and active U.S. military are encouraged to apply

Hayley Fields wins Shocker Speakout competition

Hayley Fields and Rick Armstrong

The 40th annual Shocker Speakout competition took place Friday, Dec. 7, in Hubbard Hall. This competition takes place at the end of every semester for Communications 111 students. The participants are voted in by their classmates and the finalists receive cash prizes.

This semester's winner was sophomore Hayley Fields, a fine arts major. Her instructor was Rick Armstrong.


Keep Calm & Breathe On today (Wednesday, Dec. 12)

Keep Calm & Breathe On

Join the Counseling and Testing Center for Keep Calm & Breathe On. Drop in to build structured relaxation time into your life and learn techniques to do relaxation on your own. You will be led in meditation, mindfulness and relaxation practices. The meetings are from 12:15-12:45 p.m. every Wednesday in 257 RSC. Drop in or contact the Counseling and Testing Center for more information at 978-3440.

The last session of the semester will be Wednesday, Dec. 19.


Student Advocate is here to help

Student Advocate

Don't forget that the Student Advocate is able to help with grade appeals, parking citations, and more! Fill out the submission form to request help from the .

The Student Advocate will hold office hours until Thursday, Dec. 20, and return Monday, Jan. 14. For more information about the Student Advocate, go to .


Participate in Kansas Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol

Undergrad research day

Undergraduate researchers from all disciplines are encouraged to submit their application for the annual Kansas Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol poster symposium on Wednesday, Feb. 20, in Topeka. Researchers must:

  • be undergraduates during the 2018-2019 academic year;
  • have completed research under the guidance of a Kansas 4-year public institution faculty mentor;
  • follow the methodology of the appropriate academic discipline;
  • be of sufficient quality to be presented at a professional academic meeting;
  • have the skills, resources, and capacity to produce a professional academic poster;
  • agree to undergo presentation training and rehearse their presentations prior to the Capitol event.

Go to for a submission form. More questions?
Email undergraduateresearch@wichita.edu.


New technology protecting wind turbines from lightning underway through 黑洞社区, Westar partnership

黑洞社区 / Westar partnership

Wichita State's Billy Martin has created a technology that protects wind turbine blades from lightning. Now a partnership between 黑洞社区 and Westar Energy is moving his technology forward.


ODI Computer Lab temporarily closing starting Dec. 14

ODI Computer Lab

Starting Friday, Dec. 14, the computer lab in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in 208 Rhatigan Student Center, will be temporarily unavailable for the remainder of the semester because of construction. The computer lab will reopen in Spring 2019. We apologize for the inconvenience caused.


Textbook buyback and rental return

All rented textbooks are due back to the Shocker Store by Tuesday, Dec. 18. 

Textbook buyback in the RSC Store will conclude on Saturday, Dec. 15.


Diploma frames 15 percent off

Diploma frames

 

Now through Saturday, Dec. 15, all diploma frames at the Shocker Store in the RSC are 15 percent off. Congratulations graduates!


Game Day specials all day today (Wednesday, Dec. 12)

Game Day Specials

The Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes is your Shocker Basketball headquarters! For each men's basketball game, they will have a different game day special, honored all day long.

Join them today (Wednesday, Dec. 12) for $1 off all burger combos, and again on Saturday, Dec. 15, for 15 percent off all starter menu items! 


Game Day Sale at the Shocker Store

Game Dale Sale at Shocker Store in Braeburn

On Wednesday, Dec. 12 and Saturday, Dec. 15, head to the Shocker Store at Braeburn Square to take advantage of their Game Day Sale! The day of every men's home basketball game you can take 20 percent off your entire purchase! (Braeburn Square Store only, some exclusions may apply)


RH: Shovels on deck at Eck Stadium

Eck Stadium construction project

It is time for Eck Stadium to change again to help keep pace with college baseball's building boom.
 
Construction on a multi-sport strength and conditioning facility is expected to begin in January or February, associate athletic director  said. The project will also include moving Wichita State's dugout, locker room, offices and operations to third-base side of the stadium, all connecting with the Bombardier Learjet Indoor Practice Facility.
 
"It will give us much more space," coach  said. "Our players live here, and to see this phase happen is a big deal to our players and program."
 
Pittman said SJCF Architecture's drawings are in the hands of the state of Kansas for review. If approved, he foresees putting the project out to bid for a contractor by mid-January. He wants to break ground before the baseball season starts in mid-February. Pittman's goal is to finish the $3.5 million project by the fall of 2019.


Town Hall on value of liberal arts and sciences to be shown on KPTS

Campus and community members who missed the Nov. 1 town hall "What is the value of a liberal arts and sciences education?" will be able to view it on local PBS affiliate KPTS this week.

The town hall will be broadcast on KPTS and KPTS HDTV at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, and on KPTS and KPTS HDTV at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15.

Moderated by Robert Litan, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a panel of Wichita State faculty members and Fairmount College alumni answered questions regarding the relevance and value of the liberal arts and sciences and the numerous skills it helps students develop.

Faculty and staff of the Elliott School of Communication videoed, edited and produced the program, titled 鈥淭he heart of the university鈥 for KPTS.


Save the date and call for submissions for 3rd Annual DiverseCity

DiverseCity April 2019

On behalf of the President's Diversity Council, we are proud to announce our 3rd annual diversity showcase, DiverseCity. This week-long event gives Shocker Nation a glance of the successes from individuals, departments and organizations in the campus community that were made possible through diversity. The week takes place from Monday-Friday, April 15-19, 2019. Throughout the week, we encourage you to stop by and support the various events being hosted! This is a great way to get involved at Wichita State University and celebrate the various kinds of diversity we have to offer. A list of events will be available during DiverseCity.

DiverseCity Showcase Kickoff

President Bardo and Marche Fleming-Randle, vice president for Diversity and Community Engagement, will provide remarks to kick off the start of DiverseCity. We encourage you to stop by and view all of the work from the submissions that highlight successes related to diversity. The showcase kickoff takes from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, April 15,  in 233 Rhatigan Student Center.

Call for submissions

All students, faculty, staff, student organizations and departments are invited to submit entries that are examples of diversity or highlight successes related to diversity. We are looking for all kinds of diversity entries from individual / group projects, workshops, events, mixed media, photography or artwork. The deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Friday, March 15, 2019.

For more information and to submit your entry, go to .