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News Release

Wichita State to unveil 2026 Kansas Economic Forecast

Sept. 30, 2025
By WSU Strategic Communications

Media availability: Bekah Selby-Leach will be available for interviews Oct. 1 and 2.
To schedule an interview or for media credentials and more information, please contact the CEDBR marketing and communications manager, Andrea Wilson, at andrea.wilson@wichita.edu or 316-978-3225.

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High-resolution images available for media use.

The Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR) at Wichita State University invites media to attend the Kansas Economic Outlook Conference from 7:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 2 at the Century II Convention Center.

The conference will feature the release of the 2026 Kansas Economic Forecast and explore the theme "What will Kansas Look Like in 2075?" CEDBR Director Bekah Selby-Leach will present "Kansas Economic Forecast: Kansas on the Verge," offering critical insights into the state's economic trajectory.

Distinguished speakers will examine key sectors driving Kansas’ economic development over the next 50 years:

  • Mark Esposito, keynote speaker, Center for International Development, Harvard Kennedy School; professor and chief economist, micro1
  • Ed O'Malley, "The Economic Argument for Health," president and CEO, Kansas Health Foundation
  • Richard Aboulafia, "Coping with Chaos: The Aircraft Industry in Strange Days," managing director, AeroDynamic Advisory
  • Miles Basset, "Strategic AI Adoption for Sustainable Economic Growth," founder and CEO, Prairie Code AI
  • Warren Martin, "Energy: Power of Production," executive director, Kansas Strong

The conference is presented by Evergy. See additional sponsor information.

About Wichita State University

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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