Deloitte and Wichita State University join forces to launch new Smart Factory
Deloitte and Wichita State University today announced the launch of The Smart Factory @ Wichita, a groundbreaking and immersive experiential learning environment that will accelerate the future of manufacturing as innovation and new technologies continue to reshape operations and the modern enterprise.
Deloitte and Wichita State are constructing the brand-new facility on Wichita State’s Innovation Campus, which will include a full-scale production line, dedicated space for select ecosystem sponsors and experiential labs exploring smart factory capabilities. A smart factory is a highly digitized and connected production facility that uses technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and robotics to manufacture products. Working alongside humans, smart factories can self-adapt and autonomously optimize manufacturing operations. The Smart Factory @ Wichita will make digital transformations real by demonstrating how to merge existing technologies with new innovations, sparking a dialogue about how companies can accelerate their journey towards scalable and sustainable capabilities.
Know an outstanding Shocker senior? Nominate them today!
WSU Homecoming Court nominations are now open! Nominees must be a current undergraduate student with senior status and good academic standing as of Spring 2020, and must not have previously been a Homecoming candidate. Individuals are welcome to self-nominate, or may be nominated by a WSU student, faculty or staff member.
Click here to make a nomination.
Homecoming Court nominations will close Monday, Sept. 21.
Wichita State Homecoming will be held Monday, Oct. 19-26.
Lock your car doors and protect your belongings
Wichita State police report that multiple cars have had things taken where students park late at night. All of those cars had been left unlocked.
Please lock your car doors, hide your belongings, put them in the trunk, or take your belongings with you.
Don’t give a thief an opportunity to make you a victim. The WSU PD takes great pride in keeping the campus safe, but we need your help to accomplish that.
Please, if you see something, say something!
E-Launch registration now open!
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. Avoid spectacular failures in execution by learning before you launch, not after.
Learn to #BeThere for others with the free #WeSupportU Preventing Suicide Training
Learn how you can #BeThere for someone in need with the #WeSupportU Preventing Suicide Training! Anyone with a wichita.edu or shockers.wichita.edu can sign up for free at Suspenders4Hope and clicking Take the Training Today.
Are you interested in making a difference for students at Wichita State University?
Are you interested in making a difference for students at Wichita State University?
The Wichita State University Student Government Association empowers students to voice their opinions through the Student Senate and various campus committees. The Student Government is governed by students and committed to student issues and concerns.
Apply today to serve on the Student Senate at wichita.edu/sgaopenpositions.
Diversity in Politics Roundtable Discussion presented by the Shocker Vote! Coalition
The Shockers Vote! Coalition is back for its second roundtable discussion. This month we are focusing on Diversity in Politics at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17.
Our panel will discuss the critical topic of diversity in our local politics. This is an issue that we know our students care deeply about, so we want to provide students an opportunity to hear from local leaders on this topic.
The panel will be moderated by Student Body Vice President Mackenzie Haas and SGA Director of Public Relations David Garcia.
The African American Faculty Staff Association kicks of the year with a Black Town Hall
The African American Faculty & Staff Association (AAFSA) started the year off strong with a Black Town Hall. While we are navigating in different times, AAFSA understands the importance of being a visible network for the campus. Black students, faculty, and staff came together via zoom to connect, listen, and support each other during the first two weeks of school.
The meeting included updates on the AAFSA scholarship, Student Government Association's Black Student Experience Task Force, data on black students’ graduation rates, and a high point in the meeting where we discussed the upward trending GPA of black students at Wichita State.
AAFSA meetings are the second Tuesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. on Zoom. AAFSA seeks to achieve a visible commitment of inclusion and valuing of African American staff, faculty, students, and alumni at Wichita State University and community.
Learn more about AAFSA and how to become a member at wichita.edu/aafsa.
WSU police officer honored and recognized in IACLEA News Bulletin
Wichita State police officer J. Albert (left above) was awarded the Civic Achievement Award by WSU Police Chief Rodney Clark last month. Albert was recognized for helping a family with car trouble while at a local convenience store on July 1.
When the car would not start, Albert helped the family secure lodging for the night and find someone to repair the car.
His action was noted in the IACLEA (International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators) News Bulletin on Sept. 9. IACLEA is the premier professional organization for campus law enforcement, and they publish a monthly magazine to the community.
Join this week's ISME Colloquium for a presentation on ‘Industrial Systems Engineers as Enterprise Architects’
![placeholder John Huffman](/about/wsunews/wsu_today/2020/09-sept/_images/John_Huffman.jpg)
John Huffman
An Industrial, Systems, and Manufacturing Engineering ISME Colloquium presentation with John Huffman, Ph.D., P.E., Senior Technical Fellow with Spirit AeroSystems Inc., will be held from 11 a.m.-noon today (Friday, Sept. 11), via Zoom.
Click here for the Zoom link - Meeting ID: 988 9885 1927; Password: 638536
The practice of Enterprise Architecture (EA) has emerged as a systematic, layered approach for aligning the processes, applications, information, infrastructure and technology of an organization. Enterprise Architects possess the skills to construct, implement, and continuously refine an enterprise architecture. The skills required of Enterprise Architects can be gained through curricula usually associated with Information Technology, Industrial Engineering, and Systems Engineering programs. While the demand for this cross-functional specialization is high and increasing, it is a rare individual who is formally trained in all these disciplines. Instead, industry is increasingly turning to Industrial Systems Engineers to take on the role of Enterprise Architects.
Speaker Biography
Dr. John Huffman is Senior Technical Fellow for Data Sciences and Enterprise Architecture at Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Industrial, Systems, and Manufacturing Engineering at Wichita State University.
John hired with The Boeing Company at Wichita in July 1981, working in the Structural Engineering group. In 1986, he joined Boeing’s Military Operations Analysis team where he led military simulation modeling and artificial intelligence applications (AI) efforts. In 1990, he moved to Boeing Commercial as a Lead Engineer for Intelligent Manufacturing Systems. In this capacity, John specialized in the use of optimization, statistics, and computation intelligence methods for Agile Manufacturing. At Spirit, John serves the Enterprise-Architecture/Technology-Innovation functions in a variety of Data Sciences and System Engineering capacities and is a consultant for Digital Transformation efforts.
John has a B.S. in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Structural Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, a M.S. in Engineering Management Science (IE) with an Operations Research specialization from Wichita State University, and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering with doctoral research in Artificial Intelligence for Manufacturing Systems from Wichita State University. He also holds a certificate from the WSU Business School in Leadership and Management studies. He is an Adjunct Professor of Industrial, Systems & Manufacturing Engineering at WSU.
John is a Kansas licensed Professional Engineer, a Fellow of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), and a Senior Member of the Institute For Operations Research and Management Sciences (INFORMS). He serves as Emeritus President of the Wichita Chapter of IISE. He served as a Reviewer for the National Science Foundation. He represents Spirit on several local and national Industrial Advisory Boards, including the AIA Business Interoperability Technology Committee. He has an extensive record of technical publication and presentations.
Engineers Without Borders to meet Sept. 14
Do you enjoy helping others? Are you interested in solving problems? Do you feel a need to give back to your community and communities around the world? Engineers Without Boarders (EWB) is a place where all of those can happen.
EWB is a nonprofit humanitarian organization established to partner with developing communities worldwide to improve their quality of life. The WSU Chapter of EWB is involved in multiple projects around the Wichita area such as Clinic In A Can, where you can help turn storage containers into portable health clinics, along with projects through Habitat for Humanity and international projects as well. EWB is not just for engineers, but all Wichita State students ready to meet new people, solve problems and make a positive impact on their community and the world.
Come check out what EWB has to offer at our meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, in 123 Wallace Hall.
If you are interested in joining EWB, click here.
Shock Doc: Sadie Winter, biomedical engineering major
Biomedical Engineering major Sadie Winter had a summer internship lined up in Asia before it was canceled due the pandemic. But not one to dwell on what could have been, she quickly found a new opportunity through Wichita State’s Center for Entrepreneurship, where she joined a team developing disposable stethoscopes for Wichita-area health professionals.
The project provided her with strong interdisciplinary education as she was challenged to complete tasks with a focus on business and entrepreneurship, while still finding those aspects that satisfied the “engineering side of her brain.”
Learn more about Sadie’s story and the opportunities she had in our latest Shock Doc!
Hidden in ‘Plains’ sight
The undergraduate and graduate programs in Great Plains Studies combine classes that explain and explore the interplay between the cultural and natural aspects of the Great Plains. From weather to wheat, the vast sea of grass is a lot more complicated than many realize. Yes, there are grasses, bison, and farms … but is also at the forefront of technological change. Its peoples and cultures are vast and diverse, speaking everything from Lakota to Hmong. Life here is very much like the climate: dramatic, volatile, and even turbulent at times, and that’s what makes it so fascinating. Come join the journey!
Kappa Delta Chi's Rush Week is Sept 14-19
Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Inc. is a Latina-founded national sorority who aims to achieve professional development, academic excellence and graduation of all its members; an organization dedicated to community service to their local university communities with an emphasis on the Hispanic / Latino population. Come meet your favorite penguins on campus; we hope to see you there! For questions, contact alphaalpha.expansion@kappadeltachi.org.
See the graphic above for specific dates and times. Follow us on our social media accounts for live updates @kdchiwichita on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
First-Generation student & imposter syndrome
![placeholder First-gen survey](/about/wsunews/shocker_blast/2020/09-sept/_images/Firstgensurveysept20.png)
Faculty member Dr. Jason Herron and his research associates are conducting a study to examine and explore frameworks, theories, and theorists that first-generation students who experience imposter syndrome in their education, as well as understand the relationship between their dispositions toward equity and their academic success.
Participation in this study is not mandatory. If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to complete short electronic surveys, which should take you about 20 minutes. At the beginning of the survey, you will be provided more information about the study and be asked to provide your consent.
Join Clash of the Colleges Virtual Games
It's on! This event is a competition between academic colleges to determine who rules the school. This year we are also hosting Virtual Games! Minute-to-win-it home games, talent showcase, e-gaming, scavenger hunts, virtual escape rooms and more.
Want to earn points for your college? Participate in these games from now to Monday, Sept. 14 in the comfort of your own home and make your college proud! Visit https://wichita.edu/clash for more information and to register.
If you have any questions, email tahrima.musa@wichita.edu.
Virtual Clash of the Colleges Games
Join us for Shockers After Dark!
Join WSU students, faculty, staff, and friends at the Rhatigan Student Center and Shocker Hall for two hours of FANTASTIC FREE fun from 6-8 p.m. today (Friday, Sept. 11).
Activities include tie dye masks, twilight exercise, bingo, karaoke, trivia, yard games and a photo booth.
One hundred fifty students will receive a free glow-in-the-dark shirt.
Participants will be expected to wear a mask and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
For more information, contact Student Affairs at 316-978-3021 or visit wichita.edu/studentaffairs.
Shocker Volleyball set to take action in Black & Yellow Scrimmage free and open to the public
Shocker Volleyball will be back in action at Charles Koch Arena for the first time in 2020! An intrasquad scrimmage is scheduled at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 in Charles Koch Arena, and is open to the public. Admission is FREE for those that wish to attend.
Fans will be required to wear masks at all times in Charles Koch Arena and adhere to additional safety procedures in place. Come on out to support your Shockers!
Wichita State University Opera Theater concert this Sunday
The WSU Opera Theater concert will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, in the amphitheater behind Duerksen Fine Arts Center. Admission is free. The concert, open to the community, invites attendees to bring lawn chairs or blankets and be comfortably socially distanced on a beautiful Kansas evening.
The concert will feature highlights from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's masterpiece, "Cosi fan Tutte," as well as other great opera arias.
WSU Opera Theater is under the direction of College of Fine Arts Professor Alan Held. The pianist for the evening will be WSU alumna and accompanist Bridget Hille.
Game Night: Escape Room
Love to play games and want to get to know other Shockers on campus? Join SAC on the third Friday of every month for a virtual game night! Cards Against Humanity, Pictionary, Scattegories, and more: we’ll pick a new game every month!
At 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, we will feature a Virtual Escape Room: You’ll live chat with your fellow group, scour a virtual world, and examine the internet for clues, while racing against the clock. This is a high-stakes, all-or-nothing maximum speed adventure to save your partner and make the bad guys pay. Can you put the clues of this escape room together and finish before the time runs out? Buckle up, it’s going to be a fast ride! Space is limited, register early at wichita.edu/sac.
For more information about SAC-sponsored events, go to wichita.edu/SAC or contact us at SAC@wichita.edu.
Shocker Paint Night coming Sept. 26
Whether you are the next Picasso or if you have never touched a paint brush in your life, anyone can paint a masterpiece. (Van) Gogh have a wonderful time creating Shocker-themed pieces of art with Student Activities Council during this virtual, step-by-step tutorial at 4 p.m. or 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26.
Register online by 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, to receive a supply kit for the class for $10 to WSU students with Shocker ID, and $20 for families and the general public. For more information about SAC-sponsored events, go to wichita.edu/SAC or contact us at SAC@wichita.edu.
Sponsored by the Student Activities Council.
Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences students are invited to complete this questionnaire!
The answers to this questionnaire will be used throughout the Fairmount College's social media accounts to help other students succeed, while adapting to changes on campus.
Questionnaire for liberal arts and sciences students
Calling curious nerds!
Are you a nerd? Are you an individual who equates sharing knowledge to giving a gift? Are you excited about learning? Does the world you have found yourself in fascinate you every day? Is your curiosity - in an array of subjects and topics - unmatched with those around you? Are you worried about the future of humanity as a whole more than what lies before you specifically? Are you interested in living and working on projects with individuals who match the descriptions above?
Fill out the application to see if you can join a group who will partake in projects of learning, exercising ideas, and innovation.
Child Development Center has Pre-K openings
The WSU Child Development Center has current Pre-K openings! This would be for children who will be entering Kindergarten in Fall 2021 only.
Please call 316-978-3109 for more information.
Sept. 15 Tuesday Talks to discuss available resources through the Office of Disability Services
Next up in Student Health's Tuesday Talks: Mini Wellness Version is the Office of Disability Services! At 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, join SHS on Facebook Live to discuss what resources are available to WSU students through ODS.
Don't forget to subscribe to Student Health's YouTube channel! When we reach 100 subscribers, you'll be entered to win a prize!
Lacrosse inaugural information meeting
A new Lacrosse Club inaugural informational meeting is planned for 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, in the Heskett Center lobby. No experience needed. Drinks and snacks will be provided.
For more information, contact John Lee at john.lee@wichita.edu or 316-978-5290.
Participate in Shocker Strong Resiliency Program for a chance to win a book scholarship
Do you have a class called "Shocker Strong Resiliency Program" in your Blackboard? If yes, then you're in luck!
Program participants who complete eight or more weeks of this 11-week program will be entered into a drawing to win one of five prizes, including two chances to win a book scholarship worth up to $500!
Learn more at wichita.edu/SSdrawing and find the program by logging in to blackboard.wichita.edu.
Build-A-Friend
SAC’s annual Build-A-Friend event is going DIY! Register today for a make-at-home kit complete with your choice of an unBEARably adorable friend, stuffing, and a tiny SAC T-shirt. Then, pick up your kit on Wednesday, Sept. 16, build your friend, and show off your totally PAWsome pal on social media. Be sure to tag SAC when you post!
Register at wichita.edu/SAC, while supplies last. One kit per person with WSU ID, WSU students only. For more information about SAC-sponsored events, go to wichita.edu/SAC or contact us at SAC@wichita.edu.
volunteerICT
Have you ever thought about volunteering? volunteerICT provides Wichita State students, staff and faculty with volunteer opportunities throughout Wichita both virtually and in-person. Log in today to Wichita.edu/VolunteerICT to find out more!
For questions email volunteerICT@wichita.edu.
Volunteers needed for neighborhood cleanup
Opportunities to volunteer with the city of Wichita are available from 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Sept. 12 and 19.
The Saturday, Sept. 12 meeting location is the intersection of Northwest Parkway and Glendale (just north of 13th & Oliver).
The Saturday, Sept. 19 meeting location is at Atwater Center, 2755 E 19th St. (19th & Volutsia).
Contact Kameelah Alexander, Community Services Representative - District 1 - city of Wichita at kalexander@wichita.gov or call 316-303-8018 to sign up. Individuals and groups are welcome.
Volunteer opportunity with Meals on Wheels
Join the Community Service Board delivering meals with Meals on Wheels. Learn more at Wichita.edu/CSB.