$2 Million In Federal Funds To Advance Kansas Manufacturing

Tue, January 10, 2012

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KMUW / Carla Eckels

On the heels of Boeing’s announcement last week that the aircraft company is leaving Wichita, Bombardier Learjet is expected to announce expansion plans in the city and a kick-off event will be held at Wichita State Tuesday to highlight a $2 million federally funded project that targets advance manufacturing, including aviation. KMUW’s Carla Eckels reports.

The event will highlight WSU’s recent win of what’s called the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, which aims to boost the growth of advanced manufacturing in Kansas.

Debra Franklin, operations director for WSU’s Center for Innovation and Enterprise Engagement says to remain competitive South Central Kansas has to advance innovations and technologies that are not currently in the market.

“If we have innovators who are working on new technologies or product processes who need funding or technical assistance to move their ideas to commercialization or toward the marketplace, we will align resources, as well as provide some funding to move their innovation toward commercialization,” says Franklin.

Discussion will include how the project will proceed and how it will support economic development in Kansas. Speakers include US Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez, Gov. Sam Brownback, Kansas Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary of Workforce Services Caleb Asher and WSU President Don Beggs.

The event will be held at Wichita State’s Marcus Welcome Center Tuesday morning at 11.