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Tracee Friess
Assoc. V.P. Strategic Communications & Marketing, WSU Industry and Defense Programs
tracee.friess@idp.wichita.edu
(316) 978-5597
2026
2026
- September 24: Wichita State's John Tomblin elected to AIAA associate fellow class of 2027
- September 18: NIAR to showcase advanced composite manufacturing innovation at CAMX 2026
- August 27: Composite Materials Handbook update to Volume 5 expands critical guidance and data for Ceramic Matrix Composites
- August 12: America Makes Elects NIAR's Mark Shaw to Executive Committee
- August 12: NIAR to lead development of additive manufacturing training curriculum for new defense industry supplies
- July 21: NIAR Integrates Siemens Xcelerator at HAMR to advance digital engineering and smart manufacturing
- July 21: NIAR and Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence expand access to advanced metrology training, services
- July 21: Hexcel announces NCAMP qualification of HexPly® M91 composite material system
- July 20: NIAR and Orizon Aerostructures form strategic alliance to accelerate aerospace and defense manufacturing
- July 20: WSU NIAR partnership creates nation's largest advanced air mobility test ecosystem
- July 20: JetZero to open engineering office on Wichita State’s Innovation Campus
- June 18: NIAR employees complete Wichita State's executive MBA program
- June 15: NIAR opens Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research at Wichita State
- May 28: NIAR, Hexcel break ground on applications center at Wichita State
- May 13: B-1 Bomber departs Wichita months ahead of schedule following historic 'BackBONE' surgery
- May 7: NIAR Environmental Test Lab unfurls new blowing sand chamber
- April 10: NIAR, Government and Industry Partners Achieve First-Ever Digital Engineering Development and Certification of Helicopter Troop Seat
- March 26: John Tomblin, WBJ's Most Impactful 40
- February 5: John Tomblin receives Lifetime Achievement Award for impact in additive manufacturing
- January 13: NIAR announces Environmental Test Lab leadership change
- January 12: Wichita State leads NSF rankings in engineering and aerospace research
2025
- December 23: NIAR awarded SHIELD contract from the Missile Defense Agency
- December 23: NIAR celebrates 40 years of progress and innovation at Wichita State University
- November 19: NIAR wraps up structural testing for MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft
- October 1: Qarbon Aerospace and Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Next-Generation Aerostructures
- September 25: NIAR announces advanced manufacturing program to celebrate Manufacturing Day
- September 9: B-1 Bomber Arrives in Wichita for Cutting-Edge "Backbone" Surgery
- August 27: NIAR research programs named as finalists for prestigious composites awards | Wichita State News
- August 8: Eric Hein Joins NIAR as Director of Strategy and Product Development
- August 7: Ad Astra Sky Supply to Streamline Domestic Capabilities, Production to Enable the Warfighter
- June 18: Hexcel expands partnership with Wichita State’s NIAR through new application center
- June 16: Wichita-based and Austrian Companies Partner to Advance U.S. Aerospace Manufacturing
- June 9: Shocker alum creates business pioneering recycling composites, manufacturing materials
- May 21: Wichita State, Dassault Systèmes launch innovation center to advance virtual design, automation and additive manufacturing
- May 5: NIAR ATLAS Fiber Patch Placement Research Receives SAMPE Technical Paper Award
- February 19: NIAR develops novel overmolded thermoplastic production process for EVTOL applications
2024
- December 3: NIAR announces installation of custom blade inspection system for U.S. Army
- December 2: 747-8i arrives at NIAR
- November 26: Wichita State breaks the top 10 in NSF’s engineering R&D rankings; No. 1 for aerospace R&D expenditures
- November 14: NIAR holds Industry Day for DoD program partners
- October 30: NIAR seeks motivated students for paid applied learning positions
- October 29: Wichita State’s NIAR delivers fiber metal laminate test panel to FAA
- October 29: NIAR adds expertise in advanced materials curriculum and training development
- September 12: NIAR researchers recognized for advanced materials efforts at CAMX expo
- May 20: Industry, government, academia partnership results in development of new technology for complex advanced materials structures
- May 17: NIAR staff receive Top Gun awards in esteemed CATIA competition
- May 14: NIAR receives $10 million NASA funding for high-temp advanced materials
- May 3: Chris Snyder awarded at Global InfoSec Awards RSA Conference 2024
- January 25: B-1 increases contract ceiling with NIAR to $200M; Expands partnership to include repair prototyping
- January 11: NCAMP advances collaboration with South Korean aviation/testing institutes
- January 8: Wichita State rises to No. 2 in national list for industry-funded engineering R&D
2023
- November 6: Wichita State partners with Rocket City to aid military readiness
- October 18: NIAR engages federal grants to accelerate growth of advanced materials and manufacturing
- October 13: Wichita State grads win local NASA Space Apps challenge
- October 3: NIAR adds industry veteran to its advanced materials team
- September 13: Registration opens for local NASA Space Apps hackathon
- September 6: NIAR seeks industry experts for new study of digital twins for advanced manufacturing
- August 2: NIAR develops new RTCA security courses to Address Security Framework Guidance, Security Event Management and ATM ANS Ground Systems
- August 2: NIAR secures $100 million contract for digital transformation and technologies to support USAF operational readiness
- June 26: NIAR and NCMS pioneer revolutionary KC-135 sustainment program
- June 2: NIAR expands military fleet sustainment capabilities
- May 30: NIAR WERX and KMC receive FAA acceptance for 777 conversion certification plan
- May 18: Technical Session schedule released for Aerospace Structural Dynamics International Conference
- May 16: NIAR gains defense industrial base modernization expertise
- May 12: NIAR partnership with Army results in successful development of additive manufactured metal replacement part
- May 3: Technical experts from NIAR and Novacoast Federal visit Army’s Mississippi aviation repair depot
- March 28: NIAR’s ATLAS and Advanced Machining laboratories receive AS9100 and ISO 9001 certification
- March 20: WSU-NIAR among recipients of $50 million NASA award for sustainable aviation composite technology
- March 9: Army awards Wichita State $100 million contract for ground system digital transformation
- March 2: National Institute for Aviation Research adds Siemens Xcelerator Portfolio to support digital engineering transformation
- February 7: NIAR's In-Process AFP Manufacturing System nominated for JEC Composites Innovation Award
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February 7: Wichita State’s NCAMP approves new Victrex thermoplastic material system for inclusion in materials database
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January 25: NSF director praises 'amazing' applied learning at Wichita State
- January 9: WSU ranks No. 20 in US for engineering R&D funding
2022
- December 7: NIAR conducts 50-ft eVTOL battery drop test per 14 CFR § 27.952
- October 11: Dr. John Tomblin named 2023 WIchita Aero Club Trophy Recipient
- October 6: Wichita Space Apps Hackathon announces winners of NASA challenge
- October 5: NIAR unveils new ATLAS facility with Solvay Manufacturing Innovation Center
- September 2: WSU awarded $51 million to advance smart manufacturing in South Kansas
- August 26: WSU's NIAR ATLAS announces NASA Space Apps hackathon in Wichita
- August 18: NIAR and Erickson Precision Ventures unveil inaugural aircraft conversion program
- August 9: WSU collaboration will move Army Aviation into the future with Apache modernization
- July 13: NIAR receives $3 million grant for metal additive manufacturing technology
- July 8: Axiom partners with NIAR ATLAS for oxide-oxide CMC research
- June 21: WSU FirePoint awarded $4.6M from DEVCOM AvMC for Future Vertical Lift materials researchWSU FirePoint awarded $4.6M from DEVCOM AvMC for Future Vertical Lift materials research
- June 9: NIAR adds USAF’s Thomas Fischer as senior advisor
- June 9: NIAR team demonstrates field repair and VR training systems at Army’s EDGE 22
- May 25: NIAR WERX announces MRO program expansion with Precision Aircraft Solutions
- April 26: Kansas Modification Center announces inaugural 777-300ERCF orders for 777 P2F conversion
- April 25: 777 Freighter conversion program completes first flight tests at NIAR WERX
- April 21: FAA Deputy Administrator Mims visits NIAR WERX for insight on technical training
- April 7: WSU design to modify planes for wheelchair access gets international recognition
- March 28: Matchmaking Program gives entrepreneurs a chance at commercializing WSU technologies
- March 15: Air Force Academy hosts WSU-NIAR to roll out summer internship opportunity for cadets
- March 14: NIAR completes ground vibration testing for Kansas Modification Center’s 777-300ERCF conversion
- March 10: Solvay and National Institute for Aviation Research Announce Partnership; Partnership will advance the future of flight, create innovative solutions
- March 9: Air Force awards $100 million to continue WSU NIAR’s B-1 Digital Engineering program
- March 4: Wichita State President Launches 'Forward Together' podcast
- March 1: NIAR hosts USAF Logistics and Product Support Directorate and Digital Transformation Offices for Digital Twin discussions
- February 2, 2022: NIAR and Victrex Begin NCAMP Qualification of Automated Fiber Placed VICTREX AE™ 250 Thermoplastic Material System
- January 27: FAA ASSURE A53 Advanced Materials Investigation: Composite Materials Analysis for UAS and AAM/UAM
- January 25: Register now for Composite Maintenance Technology (CMT) and Composite Structural Engineering Technology online courses
- January 20: Boeing 777-300ER Freighter Conversion Program Achieves Significant FAA Milestone
2021
- December 3, 2021: WSU-NIAR diversifies digital twin program with ground vehicle
- November 16, 2021: GE Additive and Wichita State’s NIAR team up to accelerate metal additive technology for rapid DoD implementation
- November 10, 2021: WSU and Lockheed Martin partner to bolster STEM workforce of the future
- November 4, 2021: NIAR conducts first full-scale fuselage drop test in new facility at Wichita State
- November 4, 2021: Grant will help NIAR purchase tools, add jobs at WERX
- October 15, 2021: Spirit AeroSystems, Wichita State announce National Defense Prototype Center
- October 7, 2021: FAA awards $7.3 million to NIAR for additive manufacturing, advanced materials research
- October 1, 2021: MRO funding will give WSU, WSU Tech students more applied learning opportunities
- September 8, 2021: WSU-NIAR WERX receives 777 aircraft for Kansas Modification Center passenger-to-freighter conversion
- September 2, 2021: WSU-NIAR, Army leadership and technical experts visit Letterkenny to discuss research efforts
- August 18, 2021: NIAR AVET Lab at Wichita State offers small unmanned aircraft testing for new FAA certification requirement
- August 18, 2021: NIAR helps South Kansas earn Defense Manufacturing Community designation
- August 18, 2021: WSU NIAR and Army leadership visit Corpus Christ, discuss research efforts
- July 8, 2021: U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2.1 Million for NIAR Flight Test and MRO facilities at Wichita State University
- June 30, 2021: Air Force to develop F-16 ‘digital twin’ with help from Wichita State NIAR
- June 22, 2021: Renowned FAA airworthiness assurance center transfers to WSU’s NIAR
- June 9, 2021: WSU-NIAR applauds efforts of organizations involved in second B1-B transport
- June 7, 2021: Air Force partners with WSU-NIAR to tear down and inspect a high time B-1B fuselage
- May 27, 2021: Wichita State’s WERX Lab at NIAR receives Part 145 certificate for aircraft repair, modification
- March 26, 2021: NIAR’s ATLAS announces addition of automated thermoplastic welding and tape-slitting capabilities
- March 10, 2021: NIAR begins work on Boeing 737 special-mission modifications
- January 22, 2021: FAA announces funding for university UAS research including $600K for Wichita State
2020
- November 12: NIAR receives $13.7 million from Air Force for advanced composites research
- October 29: NIAR partners with CEL; Seeks power and propulsion facility input
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October 28: Army awards WSU-NIAR additional $13.5 million for high-speed missile materials research
- October 26: NIAR teams take home gold and bronze awards in Air Force’s inaugural Advanced Manufacturing Olympics
- October 2: USAF adds WSU-NIAR to elite list of Skyborg program vendors
- September 30: NIAR announces new partnerships for Boeing 777 conversion program
- September 14: Wichita State lab to be renamed for Sen. Moran's commitment to WSU mission and vision
- May 19: WSU technology breathes new life into aging Army helicopter fleet
- May 4: One thousand mile B-1 Bomber delivery arrives safely in Wichita thanks to integral partners
- May 4: Retired B1-B arrives at NIAR for Air Force research project
- April 15: Student’s NIAR Job Leads to Lockheed Martin
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February 26: NCAMP announces release of first thermoplastic material: Toray Cetex® TC1225
- February 26: Wichita State licenses wind turbine protection technology to Lightning Diversion Systems
2019
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December 4: WSU, government, industry research team receives coveted defense award
- September 18: WSU-NIAR applauds federal support of university-DoD partnerships
- September 17: New crash lab will be a smashing hit for WSU aviation research
- July 8: Army awards WSU-NIAR $33 million contract for high-speed missile applications
- July 2: New aerospace research will identify, prevent manufacturing defects
- June 10: Air Force awards WSU-NIAR $23.5 million contract for fleet sustainment
- May 24: An Additive Manufacturing Standard for Plastics
- May 24: WSU receives advanced manufacturing project funding from ARM, America Makes
- April 2: SAE International and NCAMP Announce Agreement to Develop Global Aerospace Material and Process Standards
- March 22: $2 million grant will fund advanced composites technology at WSU
2018
- NIAR establishes new lab and gains automated composite panel manufacturing capability
- Wichita State receives $2.5 million grant to continue advanced manufacturing programs
- NIAR signs on as a partner to international 3D printing initiative
- WSU-NIAR recognized by Hexagon for Shaping Smart Change
- WSU-NIAR assists SAE International Aerospace Committee developing new standards for polymer additive manufacturing
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