Faculty and staff news, fall 2019
Academe is a compilation of Wichita State University's faculty and staff news, compiled quarterly. The news highlights awards, honors, presentations and publications of faculty and staff on campus.
Hear a presentation by the son of Gordon Parks
David Parks, the son of renowned photographer, film director, and author Gordon Parks, will speak from 12:30-1:45 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday, Oct. 10) in 100 Lindquist Hall. The event is free, open to the public, and refreshments will be served.
Included with the films directed by Gordon Parks are the critically acclaimed films, "Shaft" and "Superfly." His most notable works as an author include the award winning autobiography "The Learning Tree" and "A Choice of Weapons."
David is an excellent speaker who shares stories about his father, his own experiences as a soldier in Vietnam, and his life growing up the son of a celebrity. Like Gordon, David is also an accomplished film director and photographer, and has worked on the set of various major motion pictures.
Kansas NASA EPSCoR Program accepting Rapid Response Research (R3) proposals
The Kansas NASA EPSCoR Program (KNEP) is seeking proposals for a unique NASA opportunity titled the Rapid Response Research (R3) Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN). This CAN opportunity is a collaborative effort between EPSCoR and the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Planetary Science Division, Earth Science Division; HEOMD Space Biology Division, and the Commercial Space Capabilities Office (CSCO). The R3’s purpose is to provide a streamlined method to address research issues important to NASA.
NASA plans to make up to five $100,000 awards, with no cost-share requirement. Proposals must address topics identified by the involved NASA divisions (see Appendices A-F of the NASA Announcement - NNH20ZHA001C).
Kansas can only submit one NASA proposal per technical area. Therefore, KNEP will carefully review and select proposals for final NASA submission based on criteria clearly identified in the CAN announcement. The Kansas deadline for proposal submissions is Dec. 6, 2019.
To access a copy of the NASA Rapid Response Research CAN document, visit www.NASAinKansas.org.
Submit proposals in PDF-format (less than 2-MB in size) via email to the KNEP director
scott.miller@wichita.edu by Friday, Dec. 6. Feel free to email or call KNEP Director Scott Miller at scott.miller@wichita.edu or 316-978-6334, with any questions.
How to Prepare a Budget for SBIR/STTR Proposals Webinar
This webinar from 10-11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, will walk through the development of a project budget. Items covered will include what costs need to be included, how to write a budget justification, can the company afford to pursue this project, what indirect rate should be used and more. There is no cost, but registration is required.
Code switching for survival!
Come to the next Diversity Lecture Series event, “The Art of Code Switching,” at 6 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday, Oct. 10) in the CAC Theater. Admission is free.
What is code-switching? Harold Wallace III defines what code-switching is and shares the everyday struggle of switching codes for survival.
Wallace serves as director of the Wilbur N. Daniel African American Cultural Center at Austin Peay State University. He was a first-generation college student and navigated his path through undergrad with very little help. This led him to become passionate about being the person for his students that he did not have for himself.
For more information, contact the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at 978-3034 or visit wichita.edu/diversitylectureseries.
Professional studio portraits available at Strategic Communications
In conjunction with WSU’s new website profiles, Strategic Communications is now taking appointments for portraits. To learn more, and to book your 10-minute appointment, go to wichita.edu/photostudio.
2020 benefits Open Enrollment events
All benefits-eligible state employees must participate in Open Enrollment! Log in to the Member Administration Portal at https://sehp.member.hrissuite.com to make your elections.
Events occurring this week:
Wednesday, Oct. 9: The Standard Presentation on Optional Life Insurance Open Enrollment at 9 a.m. in 233 RSC. If you are interested in newly enrolling in optional life insurance or need to make changes to your elections for open enrollment this is the presentation for you!
Wednesday, Oct. 9: Open Enrollment Open Lab 2:30-4:30 p.m. in 122 Jabara Hall
Employees can drop in anytime during the open enrollment lab for assistance registering and entering enrollment elections. You can RSVP at www.wichita.edu/openenrollment. Open Enrollment Labs do not include a presentation of plans or changes.
Due to the high volume of work during the open enrollment period, the HR Total Rewards Team will not be available for walk-in traffic or to make individual appointments regarding open enrollment. Please take advantage of the scheduled presentations, on-demand webinar and open lab sessions. For a full listing of Open Enrollment events visit the Open Enrollment Website. Any questions should be directed to TotalRewards@wichita.edu.
Fall 2019 Chemistry Colloquium Series today (Wednesday, Oct. 9)
Mary Anderson, associate professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Texas Woman's University, will present “Glutathione: Antioxidant Properties, Biosynthesis and Allostery,” at 3:30 p.m. today (Wednesday, Oct. 9) in 224 McKinley Hall. Cookies and coffee provided.
Fall 2019 Chemistry Colloquium Series
Tour WSU's world-class sculpture collection at the Ulrich Museum of Art's Sculpture Glow event
The Ulrich Museum of Art invites you to join us at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Wednesday, Oct. 9) on an after-hours exploration of the world-class Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection as the glow of the evening light shifts from sunset to darkness. Flashlights and glow sticks fill the path of selected artwork by some of the world's most celebrated artists for an adventurous evening engaging with the most beloved sculptures on campus. Hot apple cider and donuts cap off the evening! Free and open to the public.
Learn about historical news articles and the treasures of Special Collections this week
University Libraries will hold two Savvy Researcher workshops this week.
The first workshop, “Discovering Historical Newspaper Articles," will be from 4-5 p.m. today (Wednesday, Oct. 9) in 217 Ablah Library. Take a deep dive into the past through newspapers. The WSU Libraries provide access to many newspapers not available freely online. Newspapers keep you up-to-date on today’s happenings, and also help open up the past for research papers and for discovering family and local history. This workshop will give you the tools to find newspaper content that fits your research needs.
The second workshop, “Treasures of Special Collections and University Archives," will be from noon-1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, in Special Collections on the lower level of Ablah Library. Examine artifacts and other treasures housed in Special Collections and University Archives with the curator.
For more information, call Angie Paul at 978-5084.
Faculty and staff regalia for commencement
The Shocker Store is taking regalia rental orders from faculty and staff members who are planning on attending the fall 2019 commencement. The deadline to place your order is 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15.
Please email Julie at shockerstore@wichita.edu or call 978-7021. Payment is due when you place your order. If you would like to purchase custom academic regalia, the deadline is Friday, Oct. 11.
WSU Weekly Briefing to feature the C3 Challenge
The WSU Weekly Briefing will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, in the Marcus Welcome Center. The featured speaker will be Steve Cyrus, manager, technology Collaboration with FirePoint, talking about the C3 Challenge.
Andy McFayden, executive director, Strategic Communications, WSU Tech, will give the overall university update.
The briefing will be livestreamed and available later that day at WSU Weekly Briefing. There will be time for questions following the briefing.
Teaching Conversations to be led by Jennifer Stone
Jennifer Stone
Jennifer Stone, associate professor in the School of Education, College of Applied Studies, will lead two workshops on inclusive teaching.
Inclusive teaching: Accommodating for learning disabilities will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, in 326 Clinton Hall. Light refreshments will be provided.
Inclusive teaching: Deconstructing barriers to learning will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 1, in 326 Clinton Hall. Light refreshments will be provided.
You're invited to the 2019 Adobe Digital Literacy Day at Kansas State University
The second Adobe Digital Literacy Day in Kansas will take place on Friday, Oct. 18,
at Kansas State University as part of Science Communication Week.
Come see how educators across the state of Kansas — and the country — are using Adobe
software as a visual communication tool and for an engaging multimodal learning experience
in class. Student digital assets will be showcased along with some app workshops.
While registration is free, attendees will need to register to ensure adequate space
and meals — lunch will be provided by Adobe. To register, please go to http://bit.ly/KBORDigtialDay2019.
An Adobe XD (Experience Design) Creative Jam also is scheduled on Friday, Oct. 25,
at the University of Kansas. Come learn how to design and create a prototype user
experience for mobile and desktop apps. XD requires no software coding knowledge and
has a relatively flat learning curve. Come see why this app will enhance your classroom
experience and enrich student resumes.
Both of these events are open to faculty, staff and students at Kansas Board of Regents
schools.
Registration for Ability Ally Training is still available for Oct. 17
Ability Allies are a network of faculty, staff and students who take a visible role in promoting disability awareness, supporting persons with disabilities, and maintaining resources for working and interacting with people with disabilities.
This Diversity in Action interactive training, at 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, in the RSC, is designed to shape your perspective on ability versus disability, and providing an open forum for questions and concerns for those interacting with individuals with disabilities. Click here for more information about the Diversity in Action Program.
This training is free and available to all WSU employees (faculty and staff). Log in to myWSU, and register through myTraining. For questions, contact myTraining@wichita.edu.
Join Counseling and Prevention Services for National Depression Screening Day
Help keep on top of your mental health by attending National Depression Screening Day from Counseling and Prevention Services from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, on the first floor, RSC. Screens only take a couple of minutes, and can help you with a mental health check-up.
Register to attend the Business Continuity table top exercise
A Business Continuity table top exercise is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 11, at the Marcus Welcome Center, Armstrong Room. The trainer will lead us in a simulated “event” to test the business continuity plan for each area. If your department is involved in continuity planning, someone from your department is required to participate in the simulation. You will not need to bring a printed copy of your plan as was previously announced.
Check in starts at 1 p.m., and the exercise will start promptly at 1:30 p.m. We will serve refreshments and hope to conclude the exercise by 5 p.m. Do not bring your laptops to this exercise, but you may want to bring paper and a pencil to take notes.
To register for the exercise, log in to myWSU. On the Faculty/Staff tab, select myTraining.
- Select the All Training Calendar from the home page or the Events calendar from the myTraining Options tab.
- Advance to October and click Business Continuity Planning Tabletop Exercise on the 11th.
- After selecting the Request button, you will receive an automatic email to add the session to your Outlook calendar.
If you need assistance, email myTraining@wichita.edu or call 978-5800.
Refresher training will be held from 8 a.m.-noon Friday, Oct. 11, 124 Jabara Hall 124. This is an open lab and registration is not necessary, you may come-and-go as your schedule allows. A trainer from Bold Planning will be there to assist you with any challenges you may have in getting your plan ready.
If you have questions regarding your plan or the exercise, contact Ellen Abbey at 978-5864 or ellen.abbey@wichita.edu.
Save the date for the 2020 URCAF
Save the date! The 20th annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Forum (URCAF) will be held on Friday, April 10, 2020, in the Rhatigan Student Center. The forum provides an excellent opportunity for undergraduate students at Wichita State to present their scholarly and creative activity to a faculty, student, and community audience, while competing for cash awards.
KSU’s Scott Thompson will present ‘Additive Manufacturing of Metals for Nuclear Applications’
The next ME Graduate Seminar will be held from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, in 128 Jabara Hall. The speaker will be Scott Thompson, associate professor, Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering at Kansas State University.
Additive manufacturing (AM) has demonstrated to be a unique means for rapidly and remotely building customized, complex metallic parts for a variety of engineering applications within the energy, aerospace, biomedical and automotive industries. For the energy sector, there is an emerging interest in using AM to fabricate customized components for enhancing the efficiency and overall manufacturability of modular (very small) nuclear power plants.
This talk will focus on describing the opportunities and challenges associated with metals AM for critical applications such as nuclear power cycles. An ongoing Kansas State University study that focuses on determining how to best use laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) AM methods for generating radiation resistant channel / pore-embedded structures from Inconel (alloy 625 or 718) nickel-based superalloys for very small modular reactor heat exchangers (HeXs) will be presented.
The study aims to better understand how neutron irradiation effects the microstructure and properties of additively-manufactured nickel-based superalloys, in order to accelerate their safe, reliable use in the modular reactor industry.
Compact, conformal and durable HeXs that are tolerant of extreme environments are in demand and needed for realizing technically mature and certifiable portable compact reactors. AM is an enabler for realizing this new wave of HeXs – providing a means to make customizable hot and cold stream architectures with novel flow path geometries (e.g. tortuous channels with asymmetric cross-sections) and reduced layer-to-layer contact resistance. AM further enables as efficient means for fabricating portable reactors by reducing the number of suppliers required for HeX assembly and allowing for on-site fabrication.
Women of WSU Membership Drive
The Women of Wichita State University Membership Drive is only $12 for a year.
This organization includes all female staff and administrators, female faculty, and faculty wives. We are a social group, and we raise funds for scholarships.
You can find our membership form on our website along with the events scheduled for this year. Payment of dues is online at wichita.edu/wwsu.
Women of Wichita State University
WSU Madrigal Singers & Women's Glee Club w/Goddard High School
Enjoy a concert by the WSU Madrigal Singers and Women’s Glee Club with Goddard High School at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday, Oct. 10) in Wiedemann Hall. Directed by Tom Wine, Wichita State’s Madrigal Singers is comprised of 16-20 mixed voices. This ensemble specializes in choral works for the smaller ensemble. Under the direction of Ryan Beeken; the Women's Glee Club consists of current WSU students, regardless of major. Joining the WSU choir ensembles will be the Goddard High School Concert Choir.
Admission is free for students with a current WSU ID. Click here for ticket information.
Spring tuition assistance now open
Tuition Assistance applications for spring 2020 are now being accepted.
The spring course catalog is not yet available, so employees will be able to submit their application for employee tuition assistance once the required course CRNs are available. Spouse and dependent applications do not require CRNs, and can be submitted right away.
A fillable PDF application can be found online here. For additional program information, visit www.wichita.edu/TuitionAssistance.
Applications for the spring 2020 semester are due no later than Dec. 2.
Applications with incorrect or incomplete information, including missing signatures, will be returned to the applicant for completion, and will be considered submitted as of the date of submission of the fully completed form. Applications returned for completion will be denied if they are not submitted with all complete and accurate information prior to the deadline. Due to the volume of applications received each semester, late applications will be automatically denied. There will be no exceptions.
Questions may be directed to TuitionAssistance@wichita.edu.
Volunteers needed for Fall Commencement
The 2019 Fall Commencement ceremony will be held Sunday, Dec. 15. The Commencement Office is looking for individuals who are available to work from approximately noon to 5:30 p.m. that day. If you are interested in assisting, please visit the commencement website and sign up. If you have questions about assisting with commencement please contact the commencement office at commencement@wichita.edu.
WSU volleyball to show appreciation for teachers with $5 admission
Come support your Shocker volleyball team at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, in Charles Koch Arena, as they take on Tulane. Shocker volleyball will be showing their appreciation for our teachers by offering a $5 ticket to all teachers in attendance with a valid school ID.
Shocker Volleyball Teacher Appreciation
Fall World Series, Alumni Weekend details announced
The annual Wichita State Baseball Fall World Series will begin on Saturday, Oct. 12,
at Eck Stadium, Home of Tyler Field. The series is slated to last until Saturday,
Oct. 19.
The Shocker roster will be divided into two teams, the Black and Yellow.
Admission to each game of the Fall World Series is a can of food for the Kansas Food Bank.
Soup is back at the Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes!
Soup is back at the Shocker Sports Grill & Lanes just in time for the cooler weather! A different soup will be featured each week, Monday-Friday. Grab a cup for $2.99 or a bowl for $3.99. For October 7-11, the Soup of the Week is Broccoli Cheese.
Receive an extra discount on clearance merchandise at the Shocker Store
This week in the Shocker Store, take an extra 10% off already-marked-down clearance items! Sale is in RSC store only.
Register today for Big Pink Volleyball
Get your team together for a national fundraiser for Breast Cancer Research and win points for Shocktoberfest! This event is a blast and it funds a great cause.
This fun one-day event tournament begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, in the Heskett Center gymnasium, so grab your friends, create some costumes (not required), and play volleyball with our four-foot pink volleyballs. All the money raised goes to breast cancer research.
Register today at bit.ly/bigpinkwsu.