Wichita State University’s commitment to fostering innovation is transforming high-potential student research into real-world impact. A compelling example is Shocker Composites, a startup founded by Vamsidhar (Vamsi) Patlolla, a former Ph.D. student at Wichita State. The company is pioneering recycling of composites and manufacturing parts with 100% sustainable materials that are lasting longer in the field thanks to innovation born in the lab and powered by university support.

While conducting his masters’ and doctoral research on self-healing composites at Wichita State, Patlolla’s work involved manufacturing, testing and finite element analysis (FEA) of composites. During this process, he realized the amount of carbon fiber waste that was generated through his own work. Knowing the carbon fiber is still valuable and land filling is not a viable option, he began researching possible recycling solutions. A detailed literature review showed that existing technologies were not providing cost-effective solutions. This led Patlolla to begin his journey to find a sustainable method of recycling carbon fiber composites. After years of research, he developed a novel method to recycle carbon epoxy rolls and cut-offs, materials typically discarded during the manufacturing process.

What began as a sustainable materials solution for research applications quickly showed potential for broader industrial use.

Seeing the promise in this circular approach to composite reuse, Patlolla launched Shocker Composites in Wichita to commercialize the process.

“What started as a lab curiosity turned into a mission. We’re not just recycling carbon fiber, we’re reimagining how advanced materials can serve industry without sacrificing the planet,” Patlolla said. 

The company is currently diverting hundreds of thousands of pounds of carbon fiber material from landfills and providing high-performance material solutions to various industries where stronger and longer-lasting plastic parts are a requirement

Starting early in the development of his recycled composite technology, Patlolla worked closely with the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State. NIAR’s Advanced Materials Lab, led by Royal Lovingfoss, provided critical support in material characterization, mechanical testing and validation of the recycled composites. This foundational testing played a key role in confirming the performance of Shocker Composites’ recycled materials and helped build early credibility with industry stakeholders.

“Our mission is to help innovators like Vamsi turn new material ideas into validated, usable products,” said Lovingfoss, NIAR director of Advanced Materials and Processes. “It’s been rewarding to see how his research has evolved into a real-world solution with commercial potential. We’re proud to be a part of that journey.”

The data and insight gathered through NIAR’s testing infrastructure gave Shocker Composites the confidence to move forward with scale-up efforts and industry outreach.

Recently, NIAR’s Advanced Technologies Lab for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS), a cutting-edge facility focused on advanced manufacturing, automation and composite technologies, provided Shocker Composites with expanded access to excess thermoset material. This has been a game-changing move that allows the startup to scale up its testing and manufacturing without high material costs.

“Supporting companies like Shocker Composites is a reason why ATLAS exists,” said Dr. Waruna Seneviratne, director of NIAR ATLAS. “We want to empower innovators and entrepreneurs by giving them access to the same high-end tools and materials used by industry leaders.”

“Shocker Composites is proof that when innovative research meets a supportive infrastructure, startups can thrive. And with partners like NIAR and the Office of Tech Transfer and Commercialization, Wichita State is showing how universities can be powerful engines of regional innovation and sustainability,” said Rob Gerlach, associate vice president of Tech Commercialization and Industry Engagement at Wichita State.

Shocker Composites embodies the Wichita State Innovation Campus vision: applied research paired with entrepreneurial action. The startup represents how Wichita State is enabling students and researchers to move beyond academic discovery into commercialization and job creation with infrastructure, expertise and partnership from entities like NIAR and the Office of Tech Transfer and Commercialization.

“Shocker Composites is a great example showing how our Innovation Campus and NIAR labs support emerging ventures,” Gerlach said. “This is how we turn research into regional growth.”

Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and the WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech), including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student-centered and innovation-driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students. The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry-funded engineering R&D and No. 8 overall for engineering R&D.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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