University Research / Creative Award (URCA) proposals are due by April 3 to the Office of Research
Proposals are due to the Office of Research for University Research / Creative Award (URCA) projects no later than 5 p.m. Friday, April 3. 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. Proposers must work with a Grant Specialist in the Office of Research prior to submission and all complete applications require an endorsement from the Chair and Dean. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed or considered.
Contact proposals@wichita.edu to get started or visit our website for additional information.
Biometric Screenings appointments still available for Tuesday, Feb 18
Biometric screening appointments are still available for tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 18). All screening events are held 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Walk-ins may be available, but preference is given to those with scheduled appointments. There is no required wait period between when you had your 2019 screening and when you can schedule your 2020 screening. To avoid a long wait, employees and covered spouses are encouraged to schedule their appointments as early in the year as possible.
Attendees earn five HealthQuest points just for attending, and up to 18 additional points for blood pressure, blood glucose, and total blood cholesterol within ideal ranges, for up to 23 points and $230 HSA/HRA rewards dollars. If your metrics are outside of the ideal ranges, you can still earn the same points by participating in the CCE learning modules in the HealthQuest portal on blood pressure, blood sugar management, and/or high cholesterol, as needed.
All remaining 2020 Biometric screening dates are shown below. To schedule your appointment, register or log in to the , or call to schedule at 1-888-275-1205, option 3. All employees and spouses will need to re-register for the new 2020 HealthQuest portal.
Click here for registration instructions.
Biometric Screenings in 2020
Tuesday, Feb 18 in 265 RSC
Monday, March 9 in 266 RSC
Tuesday, Apr 14 in 266 RSC
Tuesday, May 19 in 266 RSC
Tuesday, Aug 18 in 266 RSC
Tuesday, Sep 8 in 266 RSC
Tuesday, Oct 20 in 266 RSC
Tuesday, Oct 27 in 266 RSC
Faculty nominations sought for president鈥檚 distinguished service award by Friday, Feb. 28
Consider nominating a faculty member for a presidential award who has provided outstanding service to the university community. Please consider nominating someone who exemplifies one or more of the following characteristics:
- Distinguished service to the university
- Distinguished service to the community
- Notable outreach efforts and/or forging of connections between 黑洞社区 and the community.
- Long-term commitment to 黑洞社区 through extensive committee service
Think about those around you who fit this description and consider nominating them to leeann.birdwell@wichita.edu by Friday, Feb. 28. Complete a nomination form and attach a CV that includes the nominee鈥檚 service activities. Previous recipients of this award are not eligible for nomination. The Faculty Senate Executive Committee will review the nominations and then submit their recommendations to the president.
Submit your research summary to 黑洞社区 research newsletter
Do you conduct research at Wichita State? If so, we want to know about it. The Office of Research is gathering information for its upcoming newsletter about all the exciting research being done at 黑洞社区. By filling out , we can better tell your story. It only takes about 5 minutes.
Biological Sciences seminar addresses the connection between microbes and perennial agriculture
Ben Sikes
With the increased interest in sustainability, seeking new ways to feed the world is more important than ever. Ben Sikes from the University of Kansas will present a talk on the importance of microbial interactions in the shift to perennial agriculture from 4-5 p.m. today (Monday, Feb. 17) in 218 Hubbard Hall.
The Land Institute near Salina, Kansas, has been a leader in the development of perennial crops that could reduce the negative impacts of tillage and herbicide on agriculture. Sikes will address how microbes may factor into these practices.
Office of Special Programs to celebrate National TRIO / GEAR UP Day by giving back to greater Wichita community
The 黑洞社区 Office of Special Programs (OSP), TRIO and GEARUP program staff and students will volunteer at various organizations in the Wichita community this week.
Wichita State鈥檚 OSP TRIO/GEAR UP programs provide quality services to more than 5,000 first-generation, limited income, middle, high school, and college students, persons with disabilities, students in foster care, and adults in Wichita and throughout the state of Kansas.
The 2020 National TRIO/GEAR UP Day will be celebrated through service-learning activities at various organizations within the Wichita community. The 11 TRIO / GEAR UP programs, administered by Deltha Q. Colvin, associate vice president of Special Programs, have resided on the 黑洞社区 campus for more than 45 years, and they are excited to give back to a community that has supported them during this time.
The programs are as follows: Disability Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers Program; Haysville GEAR UP, Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP, McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, Student Support Services, Talent Search, Upward Bound Empowerment, Upward Bound Math/Science, Upward Bound Wichita Prep, and Veterans Upward Bound.
For more information on the Office of Special Programs at 黑洞社区 go to or contact Dr. Dsouza at 978-6153.
Honors works to expand applied learning opportunities
The Cohen Honors College is excited to announce that Mariem Berrada has joined us as our Applied Honors Graduate Assistant. Mariem will work closely with the Office of Applied and Experiential Learning to cultivate internships and cooperative education opportunities for Cohen Honors students.
Not only will Mariem help students with the internship process at the university, but she will also work one-on-one with Cohen Honors students to interface with the community to find those opportunities for them.
She will be available for appointments in both the Cohen Honors College and the John Bardo Center.
Email AppliedHonors@wichita.edu
Managers can add Co-Planners in myPerformance
What is a Co-Planner? A Co-Planner is one who has managed a portion of the employee鈥檚 work assignment during the performance evaluation period. If there is a dual reporting relationship, both leaders need to have input into the myPerformance employee evaluation. The employee鈥檚 manager can use the co-planner input when they are evaluating the employee鈥檚 performance and assigning ratings. Co-planners can also perform reviews as though they were the manager who was assigned the performance review task. These are key factors for complete performance evaluations and for employee development.
Managers can add a Co-Planner by following these INSTRUCTIONS:
- Select the employee鈥檚 evaluation in myPerformance
- On the drop-down Options Menu, select Add Co-Planners
- Enter the name of the co-planner to search for options, select the co-planner from the list, then select Save
Visit the 黑洞社区 myPerformance web page at for more information.
Teach a First-Year Seminar in spring 2021
Have a great idea for a class you wish you could teach? Want to help first-year students figure out how to do college? Consider teaching a First-Year Seminar class in spring 2021. We are holding an information meeting at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, in 256 RSC. Come and learn what you need to do to design and teach in this new and fantastic program.
More information can be found at , or contact Aaron.Rife@wichita.edu with any questions.
Savvy Scholar workshops feature 鈥楬idden Gems in the Library鈥�
Savvy Scholar workshops round-out February with a drop-in clinic from 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, "Hidden Gems in the Library," followed by "Discovering Search Engine Bias" noon-1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, all in Ablah Library.
Graduate School Professional Development 鈥楧esigning Better Things鈥� is Thursday
What is design thinking? Join the Graduate School with Kristyn Smith, Design Educator at the Institute of Innovation, for 鈥淒esigning Better Things鈥� from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, in 266 RSC, for a quick overview of how to use design thinking processes to help design for the future.
Professional Development Series
The Lecture Series in the Mathematical Sciences presents Weizhang Huang, University of Kansas
Please join us for a public lecture by Weizhang Huang from the University of Kansas, titled "Phase-field modeling of brittle fracture and its moving mesh finite element computation" at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, in 372 Jabara Hall.
Refreshments will be served before the lecture at 2:30 p.m. in 353 Jabara Hall.
Click here for an abstract and list of upcoming lectures.
Tuition Assistance applications for summer 2020 now being accepted
Tuition Assistance applications for summer 2020 are now being accepted through the new . The online application will be available through April 15, and will close at the end of this application period.
Effective for the Summer 2020 term, the fillable PDF form will no longer be accepted.
Due to the volume of applications received each semester, requests to submit late applications will be automatically denied. There will be no exceptions.
Full program details can be found at .
Questions may be directed to TuitionAssistance@wichita.edu.
It鈥檚 never too late to improve learning strategies
The earlier students establish strong study habits and learning skills, the better they will perform as they persist to graduation. Encourage students to quiz themselves or other classmates on class concepts, create questions from assigned readings to ask during class, or form a study group with other motivated students to improve academic performance. More ideas and resources can be found in person in the Shocker Learning Center or online on the Student Success study skills page.
Volunteer as a conversation leader at the Intensive English Center
If you enjoy learning about other cultures and meeting people from around the world, volunteer as a conversation leader at the Intensive English Language Center.
Conversation outings are Wednesdays from 10-11:30 a.m. or 12:30-2 p.m.
Spring 2020 conversation dates are Feb. 19, 26, March 4, April 8, 15, 22, 29, and May 6.
For more information, contact volunteer coordinator Aimee Leisy at aimee.leisy@wichita.edu, leave a message at the Intensive English Language Center front desk at 978-6040, or stop by the Intensive English Center at 1741 N. Hillside.
Ins and outs of grant administration: open workshops for faculty, staff
The Office of Research will host multiple workshops for faculty and staff who need help with or have questions about grant administration. Research staff can help with all of your questions, including those involving topics such as post-award, expenses, reports, funds, budget, cost-share and effort. Labs will be held throughout February. No need to RSVP or register, just show up with your questions. All labs will be held in 409E Jardine Hall. Contact Amy Delgado at amy.delgado@wichita.edu or call 978-5377 for more information.
Remaining open workshop times are:
4-5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17
4-5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21
Women's Summit at 黑洞社区
The Center for Women's Studies, in sponsorship with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, League of Women Voters of Wichita and Centennial Celebration of the 19th Amendment, convenes the annual Diverse Women鈥檚 Summit (DWS) March 10-11 in the Shirley Beggs Ballroom, Rhatigan Student Center. It is a meeting of individuals and groups from different backgrounds on local, regional and global diversity issues. The theme will be 鈥淓xpanding Equality.鈥�
The purpose of the event is to celebrate women鈥檚 right to vote, its implications for different women, and increasing opportunities for the future of women and gender with challenges posed by class / poverty, race / ethnicity, sexuality, disability, religion, and other pyramids of power.
- Students Show Case (presentations - papers, art, posters and other projects by students) from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, March 10.
- International Women鈥檚 Day Keynote Speech, 鈥淐itizenship before the Women's Suffrage Amendment: African American and Native American, Rights and Resistance,鈥� will be delivered by Professor Kim Warren of Kansas University at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10.
- Creative Concourse: (poetry, skits, stories and other presentations by community members including students) will be held from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11.
All events are free and open to the public.
Increase your influence with your key stakeholders
Increasing Influence for Project Managers will be presented by Gerald Graham, Ph.D., from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, and Wednesday, March 4.
Coordinating a project can encompass a multitude of stakeholders, all with a different agenda. The task of keeping the project team, the boss, the customer and your department colleagues focused and working in the right direction seems almost impossible. Graham will lay groundwork that gives you a plan for success.
- Trust-based relationships
- Essential elements of a communication plan
- Using negotiations as a project manager
The cost is $899, with a 20% discount for 黑洞社区 faculty, staff and students. Some restrictions apply.
For more information, go to or register at 316-978-3118.
Best President of 黑洞社区 Debate
Come nominate your choice for the 黑洞社区 President (who served at least 30 years ago) who made the biggest positive impact on students, Wichita, and the world, or just listen to the debate. Anyone can attend, and there will a vote at the end.
The debate will be held from 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, in 200 Ahlberg Hall, and is sponsored by the Department of Political Science.
Contact Neal Allen, chair of Political Science, with any questions at neal.allen@wichita.edu or 978-7133.
Tilford Symposium welcomes Robert Babcock from OneGas as one of its keynote speakers
The Tilford Symposium is excited to have Robert Babcock from OneGas as one of its keynote speakers. Babcock is scheduled for a presentation from 12:45-1:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb 27, in the Shirley Beggs Ballroom, RSC.
Babcock has a passion for inclusion. 鈥淓veryone has a place at life鈥檚 table,鈥� and he works hard to make sure each person鈥檚 contribution is valued, respected and purposeful.
鈥淚n this diverse world of ours, it is important to recognize and value our differences and maintain balance. Then we can create a world of synergy which fuels our greatest potential through inclusion,鈥� he said.
Babcock is Director of Community Relations for ONE Gas, a natural gas distribution company headquartered in Tulsa. ONE Gas is the parent company of Kansas Gas Service, which has been in operation since 1906 serving families and businesses.
Before assuming this role, he was in the Human Resources Department at ONE Gas and was responsible for leading Inclusion and Diversity initiatives. Prior to that he created and implemented the 鈥淟ive Smart鈥� health and wellness initiative at ONEOK.
A graduate of the University of Arkansas with a BA. in Geography, he spends time training for marathons.
Babcock is scheduled for a presentation from 12:45-1:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb 27 in the Shirley Beggs Ballroom, RSC, and Delia Garcia will give a presentation from 2-2:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, in the Shirley Beggs Ballroom.
Register for the .
Institute of Innovation to host professional workshop
The Institute of Innovation is hosting a professional workshop April 16-17 that consists of two days of interactive and hands-on Design Thinking training. You will learn to how discover insights that can lead to new product or service opportunities, align teams around user鈥檚 needs, and ideate to solve defined problems. Plus, you will learn how to bring this process direct to your department or team.
The cost of admission is $550. Early-bird pricing ends Thursday, Feb. 27.
Find more information about this workshop, go to .
ADA testing accommodation has been moved to Testing Services
The Office of Disability Services (ODS) would like to give a friendly reminder to 黑洞社区 professors of the changes in ADA testing accommodations. All ADA accommodated tests are proctored at Testing Services located in 320 Grace Wilkie Hall. The office hours of Testing Services are Mondays from 8 a.m.-5 pm, Tuesdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesdays from 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Thursdays from 8 a.m.-5pm, and Fridays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
The ADA accommodated test will have to start and finish during the hours when Testing Services is open. The professor and/or the department will have to proctor the test/exam and provide the appropriate accommodations (i.e. extended time and quiet testing environment) if the test is not set during Testing Services hours.
The student must schedule their ADA accommodated test by registering through . The professor needs to complete the test form that was attached to the accommodation letter from ODS and send the test form to Testing Services at testingcenter@wichita.edu. The phone number for Testing Services is 978-TEST (8378).
There will be no cost to ODS students for the ADA accommodated/proctored tests at Testing Services. Call Isabel Medina Keiser, director of Disability Services at 978-3309 or email ODS at disability.services@wichita.edu if you have any questions about the changes.
Resume Workshop - Feb. 18
In this resume workshop hosted by the Career Development Center, students are invited to find out from how to organize experiences, talents and skills together 鈥� and most importantly 鈥� what employers are looking for in a resume. You never have a second chance to make a first impression.
Let us help you make sure you are putting your best foot forward from 4-5 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 18) in 100 Lindquist Hall.
Ulrich's 鈥楽olving for X' provides unique platform for 黑洞社区 political scientist's anti-gerrymandering work
Prof. Brian Amos will deliver two talks at the Ulrich in the coming weeks:
10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, Senior Wednesday
5:30 P.M., Tuesday, March 3, League of Women Voters event
Both events are free and open to the public
Brian Amos laughs when asked if he ever imagined his work would be on display in an art museum.
鈥淣o, that鈥檚 not something I ever thought would happen,鈥� said Amos, an assistant professor of Political Science at 黑洞社区.
Yet, that鈥檚 precisely where his research is currently showcased, thanks to the Solving for X exhibition series at 黑洞社区鈥檚 Ulrich Museum of Art. The series is organized by the Ulrich in collaboration with university scholars in all disciplines across campus. The objective is to work with them to create visualizations of their research, and to explore the ways the Museum can help make that fascinating and important research more accessible to the public.
In Amos鈥檚 case, that meant visualizing his research on preventing 鈥済errymandering鈥濃�攖he practice of redrawing political districts for the benefit of the people drawing the maps. Amos鈥檚 work seeks to improve the computer algorithms used to redraw the maps by identifying bias in existing approaches that might skew measurements, and by incorporating Voting Rights Act protections into those algorithms to ensure racial and ethnic minority groups are represented properly.
For the exhibition, titled Solving for X=Representation: Slaying the Gerrymander, district maps were blown up to wall-sized proportions, so you can clearly see the shapes and patterns within them, almost like a Rorschach Test. Video clips of news coverage and political satire on the topic, and a video interview with Amos himself were also added to create a multimedia experience.
The result is an exhibition that encourages viewers think about gerrymandering beyond just lines on a map. As part of the programming for his exhibition, Amos will deliver two talks at the Ulrich in the coming weeks. He will present at the Senior Wednesday program at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 19, and he will also speak at a League of Women Voters event at the Museum at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3. Both events are free and open to the public.
Ulrich Director Leslie Brothers said the timeliness and importance of Amos鈥檚 research made him a perfect fit for the exhibition series.
鈥淪olving for X seeks to showcase 黑洞社区鈥檚 most innovative research,鈥� Brothers said. 鈥淏rian鈥檚 work is right up there. As this election cycle heats up, it will be even more important for people to understand the challenges we face preventing gerrymandering. This is exhibition gives Brian a platform to make that vital information accessible to the public.鈥�
Amos, meanwhile, said he was grateful for the opportunity to reach new audiences through the Museum.
鈥淎 lot of us love to talk about what we research鈥攁nd we get to do that at academic conferences with our peers,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut this is an entirely different audience; you have to take a step back and think of how to explain what it is you do.鈥�
Once the 2020 Census data is collected and analyzed, political districts across the nation will once again be redrawn to reflect the shifts in populations, and Amos鈥檚 work will likely be in high demand to ensure those lines are redrawn fairly. In the meantime, the Solving for X exhibition gives him a chance to introduce his work to the 黑洞社区 and Wichita communities鈥攁nd it has encouraged him to think of the many different ways he can reach the public.
鈥淚 would definitely recommend that other 黑洞社区 researchers try to participate in the Solving for X series,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t made me really think about the fundamentals of what I do.鈥�
Solving for X=Representation: Slaying the Gerrymander will be on display at the Ulrich until June 28. 黑洞社区 researchers interested in having their work considered for future exhibitions should email Ulrich Director Leslie Brothers at Leslie.brothers@wichita.edu.
Higher Education / Student Affairs assistantships at 黑洞社区
Interested in graduate assistantships in higher education? Grad Weekend at Wichita State University on March 13-14, is a weekend-long chance to find your perfect assistantship match. Those who attend will have the opportunity to explore 黑洞社区鈥檚 beautiful campus, meet and interview with Student Affairs staff (and potential employers), ask current graduate assistants about their experiences, and learn more about the graduate assistantships that will be available for the 2020-21 academic year.
Registration is due by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 8.
For more information, go to .
Register for E-Launch Spring 2020 now
E-Launch fosters entrepreneurial activity, leading to the commercialization of ideas. Through an interactive process, participants will learn to clearly conceptualize how the product or service can provide real value to customers. Participants will be shown how to validate their value proposition with customers and other stakeholders
Volunteers needed for research study
Study name: Effects of Lower Extremity Blood Flow Restriction Exercise on Strength Generation and Interleukin 6 Levels in the Elderly
Research Topic/Purpose of the study: To determine whether Blood Flow Restriction therapy during moderate exercise by people 55 years of age or older results in improved functional activity and health outcomes. Such findings may provide a new approach to promoting health through moderate exercise.
Procedures: Participants will pedal an exercise bike with or without Blood Flow Restriction therapy for approximately 30-minutes, three times per week over a 12-week period. At the beginning of the study and every two weeks, blood samples will be collected and tested for proteins related to exercise and a 30-second sit-to-stand activity will be performed to assess exercise functional outcomes.
Time: Participation is expected to last about 45 minutes. Inclusion / Exclusion Criteria:
- Participants must be age 55 or older
- No known muscular disorders
- No known neurological disorders
- No known cardiopulmonary disorders
- No use of nicotine products
- Not have diabetes
- Not be in an active exercise program
Location: 黑洞社区 Heskett Center Cycling Studio
Contact: If you are interested in participating in this study, contact: Dr. Nils Hakansson at nils.hakansson@wichita.edu or call 316-978-5909, Chris Deck, PT, at cdeck@providence.org, or Dr. Heidi Bell at Heidi.bell@wichita.edu.
黑洞社区 LaunchPrep program helps entrepreneur open winery
While Wichita has plenty of local breweries, one amenity lacking has been a local winery. For Wichitan Jennifer Dawn, her passion for growing grapes and creating wine inspired a new business that customers are now flocking to. And, she says, it鈥檚 all thanks to what she learned through LaunchPrep, a partnership between Wichita State University鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurship and the e2e Accelerator.
Read complete story on entrepreneur.
Campus Credit Union's 68th Annual Meeting
Campus Credit Union members are invited to its 68th Annual Meeting to be hosted in at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, at Shocker Sports Grill and Lanes in Rhatigan Student Center. Members are encouraged to stop in and buy their tickets now for $5, as prices will be $8 at the door. The night will include dinner (American food), bowling, and raffled door prizes. We look forward to hosting our membership; please join us!