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Yale Researchers to Help Lead NSF Center Studying How Robots and People Learn to Live and Work Together
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, Aug. 29 -- The Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science issued the following news:
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Yale researchers to help lead NSF Center studying how robots and people learn to live and work together
As part of a $30 million National Science Foundation grant led by the University of Texas at Austin, Yale researchers will help build a new science of "human-robot co-adaptation" - studying not only how people change as they live alongside assistive robots, but how those robots themselves must change and adapt as they spend longer and longer in use with an individual person.
The
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NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, Aug. 29 -- The Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science issued the following news:
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Yale researchers to help lead NSF Center studying how robots and people learn to live and work together
As part of a $30 million National Science Foundation grant led by the University of Texas at Austin, Yale researchers will help build a new science of "human-robot co-adaptation" - studying not only how people change as they live alongside assistive robots, but how those robots themselves must change and adapt as they spend longer and longer in use with an individual person.
Thefive-year award establishes the Center for Human and Robot Co-Adaptation, one of three new National Science Foundation Science and Technology Centers announced this week. The center brings together 39 researchers across six universities - UT Austin, Indiana University Bloomington, MIT, Tufts, the University of Utah, and Yale - along with industry partners including Amazon, Apptronik, Google DeepMind, and NVIDIA, to understand how robots and the people who live and work alongside them change each other's behavior over months and years, not just single interactions.
Yale's involvement reflects a model Brian Scassellati and his colleagues have deliberately built over the past several years: building robots and AI-based technology in close conjunction with both the engineering side, in Yale's School of Engineering & Applied Science, and the human side, in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The Yale contingent, seven faculty in all, unites computer scientists and engineers with researchers in psychology, cognitive science, sociology, and public health.
Brian Scassellati, the A. Bartlett Giamatti Professor of Computer Science, Cognitive Science, and Mechanical Engineering, is a co-principal investigator on the award and will lead the center's research into dyadic human-robot co-adaptation - how trust, values, and understanding build between an individual person and the robot they interact with over time. Marynel Vazquez, assistant professor of computer science, will contribute to the center's research on how robots navigate group settings - from balancing competing requests to reading shifting social dynamics among multiple people - and will also direct the center's education and human resource development efforts, including a national Research Experience for Undergraduates program. They are joined on the Yale team by Nicholas Christakis (Sociology), Yarrow Dunham (Psychology), Melissa Ferguson (Psychology), Julian Jara-Ettinger (Psychology), and Emma Zang (Sociology), whose work spans social networks, social development, cognitive science, and aging.
Yale will also host two of the center's real-world testing sites, part of a broader Human Environment with Robots (HERO) Facility Network spanning all six partner universities. At the Yale Peabody Museum, researchers will study how robots interact with members of the public in an open, high-traffic setting. And in private homes with older adults - including individuals living with mild cognitive impairment - Yale researchers will build on the university's own long-running work deploying robots in people's homes over extended periods.
We're especially excited about the opportunity to deploy more robots in the home," said Scassellati. "It's one of the most difficult environments to get right, and it's an area where our team has built deep experience over many years. This center lets us bring that work to bear at a much larger scale."
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Original text here: https://engineering.yale.edu/news-and-events/news/yale-researchers-help-lead-nsf-center-studying-how-robots-and-people-learn-live-and-work-together
Two Harvard Medical School Researchers Named Damon Runyon Fellows for Cancer Research
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 29 -- Harvard Medical School issued the following news:
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Two HMS Researchers Named Damon Runyon Fellows for Cancer Research
Awards support research into how cancer cells maintain malignant state, resist treatment
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Two HMS postdoctoral researchers have been named Damon Runyon Fellows by the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. The fellowship supports postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research in the laboratories of leading senior investigators.
The prestigious award encourages promising young scientists to pursue careers
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BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 29 -- Harvard Medical School issued the following news:
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Two HMS Researchers Named Damon Runyon Fellows for Cancer Research
Awards support research into how cancer cells maintain malignant state, resist treatment
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Two HMS postdoctoral researchers have been named Damon Runyon Fellows by the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. The fellowship supports postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research in the laboratories of leading senior investigators.
The prestigious award encourages promising young scientists to pursue careersin cancer research by providing them with $300,000 in funding over four years to investigate cancer causes, mechanisms, therapies, and prevention.
"We are committed to continuing to provide financial support for these exceptional researchers, whose much-needed breakthroughs in cancer prevention, diagnostics, and therapeutics might otherwise go unfunded," said Yung Lie, president and CEO of the foundation. "Damon Runyon Fellows are the future leaders of their fields."
Nicholas Aboreden, HMS research fellow in pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital, was awarded a fellowship with his sponsor Kimberly Stegmaier, the HMS David G. Nathan Professor of Pediatrics at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Aboreden is studying how cancer cells exploit poorly understood regions of the genome called silencers, which act as molecular switches that turn genes off. His research maps these regulatory elements in an aggressive form of pediatric leukemia marked by widespread gene repression. By identifying the silencers cancer cells rely on to maintain their malignant state, he hopes to uncover new therapeutic vulnerabilities that could lead to more targeted treatments. The findings could also have implications for other types of cancer.
Shuya Wang, HMS research fellow in pediatrics at Dana-Farber, was awarded a fellowship with her sponsor David Pellman, the HMS Margaret M. Dyson Professor of Pediatric Oncology and HMS professor of cell biology at DFCI.
Wang is studying why cancer cells within the same tumor can have different patterns of gene activity, enabling some to adapt, become more aggressive, or resist treatment. Her research focuses on how instability in the genome may drive changes in the epigenome, which regulates whether genes are turned on or off. By identifying the genes and pathways linking these processes, she hopes to uncover new ways to limit tumor evolution and treatment resistance across cancer types.
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Original text here: https://hms.harvard.edu/news/two-hms-researchers-named-damon-runyon-fellows-cancer-research
Syracuse University: CNY Entrepreneurs Inducted Into NVRC Hall of Honor
SYRACUSE, New York, Aug. 29 -- Syracuse University issued the following news:
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CNY Entrepreneurs Inducted Into NVRC Hall of Honor
Brothers Charles Vincent "Vin" Byrne '47 and William M. "Bill" Byrne '49 honored with a plaque at the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D'Aniello Building.
Charlie Poag
The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) recently unveiled a plaque honoring two of Syracuse University's military-connected alumni at the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D'Aniello Building. Brothers Charles Vincent "Vin" Byrne '47 and
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SYRACUSE, New York, Aug. 29 -- Syracuse University issued the following news:
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CNY Entrepreneurs Inducted Into NVRC Hall of Honor
Brothers Charles Vincent "Vin" Byrne '47 and William M. "Bill" Byrne '49 honored with a plaque at the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D'Aniello Building.
Charlie Poag
The Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) recently unveiled a plaque honoring two of Syracuse University's military-connected alumni at the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D'Aniello Building. Brothers Charles Vincent "Vin" Byrne '47 andWilliam M. "Bill" Byrne '49, who were the prominent leaders of the Central New York business Byrne Dairy, were inducted into the Capt. Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder Hall of Honor, where their legacy will live alongside more than a century of notable military-connected University alumni.
"As we honor Bill and Vin Byrne, we celebrate not only their individual accomplishments, but also the enduring legacy of a generation that changed Syracuse University, strengthened our nation and demonstrated what is possible when service, education and opportunity come together," says retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dwayne Murray, deputy director of the OVMA, who emceed the ceremony. "Their journey reminds us why Syracuse University's commitment to veterans remains as important today as it was 80 years ago."
The Byrne brothers' Syracuse story began in the early 1940s, when boxing was one of the University's marquee sports. In 1943, the brothers made collegiate boxing history when Vin Byrne won the Eastern Intercollegiate Flyweight Championship and Bill won the Eastern Intercollegiate Middleweight Championship, the first time brothers had claimed Eastern Intercollegiate boxing titles in the same year. Later that same year, with the country at war, both brothers left campus to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps and join the 16.1 million who served in the U.S. armed forces throughout World War II.
The Byrne Brothers Return With the G.I. Bulge
Bill and Vin's return to Syracuse charts a course through an impactful decision the University made at the closing of World War II that still defines its legacy today. Following the war, Chancellor William Pearson Tolley opened Syracuse's doors to returning veterans on the G.I. Bill, at a time when many colleges were reluctant to do so. More than 7,000 veterans enrolled at the university that fall, growing to 9,500 the following year, making up nearly half the student body. Bill and Vin Byrne were part of that wave, often referred to as the "G.I. Bulge."
The discipline they built at Syracuse, in the ring and in their military service, followed them into business. Their father, Matthew Byrne, founded Byrne Dairy in Syracuse in 1933, bottling milk and delivering it by horse-drawn wagon. Bill and Vin took over as the family's second generation of leadership and ran the business the way they'd trained for military service: prepared, disciplined and unwilling to cut corners.
That foundation has carried the Byrne family through multiple generations since. Three of those five generations returned to campus to see the plaque unveiled, from Bill and Vin's own children to great-grandchildren just starting their careers.
That through line, from campus to combat to career, was the catalyst to bring the Byrne brothers' story to the Hall of Honor.
"Some of us spent decades in close relationships with Vin and Bill, and others of us were born decades after their passing. That makes it hard, and it means that those of us who knew them well have a responsibility to the younger generations to tell the stories of their lives to their great- grandchildren and their great-great grandchildren," says Bill Byrne, past president of Byrne Dairy and a member of the family's third generation. "Bill and Vin have left an amazing legacy that deserves to be passed down to their family, and this display will tell some of their story to the community."
To mark the occasion, the Byrne family and the OVMA announced the William M. Byrne '47 and Charles "Vinnie" Byrne '49 Endowed Scholarship for military-connected students, made possible through Byrne Dairy. The gift also supports the football head coach's fund and the Veterans Legacy Fund.
Bill Byrne unveiled the commemorative plaque on behalf of the family and Byrne Dairy, on what he noted, by coincidence, would have been William M. Byrne's 104th birthday.
For more information about Syracuse University's notable military-connected alumni, and to find out about the programs and services available to military-connected students, visit the OVMA website (https://veterans.syracuse.edu/?_gl=1*1bq1hbc*_gcl_au*MTkzMDY2MzIzMS4xNzg2NTM0NjM2*_ga*MTUxMTAwNC4xNzcwNTU4MDcy*_ga_QT13NN6N9S*czE3ODgwMDI1NDMkbzEyNCRnMSR0MTc4ODAwMjYwOSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_SRVN5YVLB5*czE3ODgwMDI1NDQkbzEyNCRnMSR0MTc4ODAwMjU2OSRqMzUkbDAkaDA.*_ga_65S0N1FWNY*czE3ODgwMDI1NDQkbzEyNCRnMSR0MTc4ODAwMjU2OSRqMzUkbDAkaDA.*_ga_S5CXSPXYHM*czE3ODgwMDI1NDMkbzEyNCRnMSR0MTc4ODAwMjU2OSRqMzQkbDAkaDA.).
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Original text here: https://news.syr.edu/2026/08/27/from-boxing-champions-to-cny-entrepreneurs/
Pitt State Offers New Hands-on Workshops in Emerging Technologies for a Range of Learners
PITTSBURG, Kansas, Aug. 29 -- Pittsburg State University issued the following news:
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Pitt State offers new hands-on workshops in emerging technologies for a range of learners
Individuals interested in building skills for high-growth careers in advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies will have a new opportunity through hands-on workshops offered by the National Institute for Materials Advancement (NIMA) at Pittsburg State University.
NIMA, located at the east edge of campus in the Research Park, is a global leader in bio-based materials and energy-related research. It acts as
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PITTSBURG, Kansas, Aug. 29 -- Pittsburg State University issued the following news:
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Pitt State offers new hands-on workshops in emerging technologies for a range of learners
Individuals interested in building skills for high-growth careers in advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies will have a new opportunity through hands-on workshops offered by the National Institute for Materials Advancement (NIMA) at Pittsburg State University.
NIMA, located at the east edge of campus in the Research Park, is a global leader in bio-based materials and energy-related research. It acts asa lighthouse for recruiting high potential students and award-winning researchers and is focused on developing a highly sought-after technology-based workforce in the field of plastics, polymers, and electroactive materials.
The workshops are part of a new initiative called The Workforce Academy, designed to help participants from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds gain practical experience, industry-relevant knowledge, and exposure to advanced technologies that are shaping the future workforce.
The workshops
Participants may select either or both of the workshop tracks. Each are being offered on two dates:
* Workshop 1: Introduction to Semiconductor and Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, Oct. 30 or Nov. 7
* Workshop 2: Battery Manufacturing and Energy Storage Technologies, Feb. 5 or Feb. 20
Both workshops will provide participants with hands-on learning experiences, an industry-relevant certificate upon completion, and a stipend ($150 for students; $250 for instructors and adult learners) to support participation.
No previous research or lab experience is required.
Through demonstrations, lab activities, equipment exposure, and applied learning experiences, participants will gain practical insight into technologies driving innovation across the semiconductor, materials, energy, and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Workshop attendees also will have access to NIMA's advanced facilities, learning in an environment supported by state-of-the-art instrumentation, laboratories, and prototype development capabilities.
"The program is designed to make advanced technology training accessible to anyone interested in expanding their technical skills, whether they are students, educators, workforce professionals, or adult learners," said Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation Ram Gupta, who directs NIMA.
The Workforce Academy
The Workforce Academy is designed for:
* Community college and university students exploring high-demand STEM careers
* STEM, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and technical educators
* CTE instructors seeking professional development and curriculum insights
* Technicians and workforce professionals
* Adult learners and career changers looking to up-skill or re-enter the workforce
* Individuals preparing for careers in advanced manufacturing and related industries
* Professionals seeking to expand their technical skill sets
To register
Space is limited and early registration is encouraged.
For more information or to register, visit nima-psu.org/workforce-academy/ or email NIMA@pittstate.edu
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Original text here: https://www.pittstate.edu/gorillaconnection/2026/08/pitt-state-offers-new-workforce-academy-and-hands-on-workshops-in-emerging-technologies-for-a-range-of-learners.html
Eastern Mennonite University: Seminary to Partner With Local Congregations
HARRISONBURG, Virginia, Aug. 29 -- Eastern Mennonite University issued the following news:
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Seminary to partner with local congregations
By Ryan Cornell
A new program launching at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in October will form collaborative, co-learning relationships with five local congregations each year.
The program, A Seminary for Every Congregation, will bring theological education and resources to the congregations at no cost. It will run through December 2030 with support from the Lilly Endowment's Seminary Extended grant. Ethan King, project coordinator for the grant, said the
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HARRISONBURG, Virginia, Aug. 29 -- Eastern Mennonite University issued the following news:
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Seminary to partner with local congregations
By Ryan Cornell
A new program launching at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in October will form collaborative, co-learning relationships with five local congregations each year.
The program, A Seminary for Every Congregation, will bring theological education and resources to the congregations at no cost. It will run through December 2030 with support from the Lilly Endowment's Seminary Extended grant. Ethan King, project coordinator for the grant, said theseminary will partner with each congregation around "a central holding question."
"That could be anything from 'We're looking to start a renovation of our grounds and we're trying to think about the theological dimensions of placemaking' to 'We've had an influx of children at our church and want to think about reformatting around being an intergenerational church,'" King said.
"The seminary would come alongside a church, its pastor, and some of its layleaders for a year and help them explore their question, connect them with resources, and bring them a baseline education around community organizing, trauma-informed care, and leadership through tension and conflict resolution," he added.
King said the partnership will offer research opportunities for seminary students and internships for students pursuing a master of divinity degree. "It will also help our seminary learn from people who are on the ground doing day-to-day ministry to inform our coursework," he said.
"We're looking to build a network of collaboration and relationships," King said. "Hopefully it will cut down on some of the pastoral isolation and burnout we've seen in our research."
For more information about the program, including for pastors interested in getting involved, contact King at ethan.king@emu.edu.
New DMin program
Funded through Lilly Endowment Inc.'s Pathways for Tomorrow initiative, Seminary Extended: Strengthening Pastoral Leadership supports a collaborative partnership between Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
The grant also supports a new Doctor of Ministry in adaptive leadership program, expected to launch at all three seminaries in 2027. Students in the joint degree program will have access to shared resources, coursework, and projects across the three schools.
Additionally, the grant funds three new shared faculty members to teach students from all three schools.
King joins seminary staff
King began his new role as project coordinator in June. The Harrisonburg native holds a master's degree in theological studies from Candler School of Theology at Emory University and bachelor's degrees in religion and philosophy, political science, and economics from Emory & Henry University.
For the past four years, he worked in outreach and communications for the Church of the Nazarene in Harrisonburg. He said the experience gave him a unique perspective on ministerial work and the rigors that pastors face on a daily basis.
"When this grant opportunity came along, focused on connecting pastors with resources and training and education that is practically and contextually significant to their ministry, I thought it sounded like a great program and wanted to get involved," King said.
"We are delighted to have Ethan coordinating our collaborative initiatives to foster theological formation in local faith communities," said the Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, dean of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. "He brings a keen understanding of the realities facing pastors and congregations, along with a hope-filled passion for equipping them to impact their communities in concrete ways. We are eager to see how God's Spirit will move among us all."
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Original text here: https://emu.edu/now/news/2026/seminary-to-partner-with-local-congregations/
Eastern Mennonite University: Power and Equity Inspired, Connected, and Ready
HARRISONBURG, Virginia, Aug. 29 -- Eastern Mennonite University issued the following news:
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Power and equity inspired, connected, and ready
Faculty and staff energize for the year ahead at Fall 2026 conference
By Ryan Cornell
Faculty and staff members gathered for the Fall 2026 Faculty and Staff Conference from Aug. 18-19. Many returned to campus after a restful and restorative summer, while others joined the EMU community for the first time.
Hosted by the offices of the president and the provost, the conference cultivates community at the start and close of each academic year and provides
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HARRISONBURG, Virginia, Aug. 29 -- Eastern Mennonite University issued the following news:
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Power and equity inspired, connected, and ready
Faculty and staff energize for the year ahead at Fall 2026 conference
By Ryan Cornell
Faculty and staff members gathered for the Fall 2026 Faculty and Staff Conference from Aug. 18-19. Many returned to campus after a restful and restorative summer, while others joined the EMU community for the first time.
Hosted by the offices of the president and the provost, the conference cultivates community at the start and close of each academic year and providesspace for faculty and staff to reconnect, welcome new colleagues, engage with thought-provoking ideas, and share in conversation and fellowship.
"I hope this conference leaves us not only informed, but inspired, connected, and ready to do the work ahead together," said Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
The conference kicked off with an address from the Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus, who officially became EMU's 10th president on July 1. She called on those gathered at Martin Chapel to find the courage to "build a university our mission calls us to become."
"This means...we become more aligned across a shared purpose, less defined by our individual areas, and more connected by the students and communities we are here to serve," she said.
Dycus shared encouraging enrollment news, announcing historically high numbers of applications and admitted students to EMU. The incoming first-year class is projected to be between 10-15% larger than last year's class. Of those students, 43% are student-athletes, 52% identify as students of color, 55% identify as first-generation college students, and 78% are from Virginia.
"This tells us something important: students and families are seeing value in what EMU offers and they are choosing us," she said.
As EMU moves into the third year of its five-year Forward Together Campaign, it has secured $33.5 million of its $40 million goal. Alumni participation, which has been declining nationally and at EMU, has taken an upward turn, Dycus said, citing a number of new estate commitments and corporate unrestricted giving.
"Let's make this year one that we get serious about retention, clear-eyed about our finances, and build a bold future that we can together be proud of and continue supporting," she said.
The conference theme, "Power & Equity: Power is a Verb," built on this year's university theme and offered an honest look at how power moves through a university and what it means to hold it responsibly.
Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz '81 led a plenary session on "Faith, Power & Belonging." She serves as denominational minister for peace and justice for Mennonite Church USA, where she resources conference ministers, conferences, and pastors and coordinates peacebuilding initiatives throughout the denomination. Prior to joining MC USA, she spent more than 25 years coordinating Mennonite Central Committee's Restorative Justice program. She has a BSW from EMU and an MSW from Marywood University (Scranton, Pennsylvania).
She led participants to reflect on their own social identities, power, and privilege and where they fall within each dimension.
"As leaders and educators, I think one of our highest responsibilities is ensuring that every student who arrives here in a state of uncertainty finds the same power to reshape their story," she said.
The second day of the conference began with a coffee break and welcome ceremony recognizing the faculty and staff members who have joined EMU in the past year.
"We are so glad you are here," Dycus told them. "You bring gifts, experiences, perspectives, questions, and possibilities that we need."
Faculty and staff members participated in a variety of learning sessions throughout the day, with topics ranging from AI and campus safety to student mental health and employee satisfaction.
At a faculty learning session held in Suter Science Center 106, Dr. Paul Dean, professor of sociology and department chair at Ohio Wesleyan University, led a presentation on "Understanding Class Cultures: A Two-Pronged Approach to Supporting Working-Class, First-Gen Students." Dean is an award-winning instructor and author of several books whose work focuses on class inequality and the experiences of first-generation students.
At another session, Braydon Hoover '11, MAOL '21, vice president of enrollment and marketing, presented on "Enrollment Literacy: How Every Faculty and Staff Member Can Help Grow EMU's Future." He provided an overview of the higher education environment, including some of the threats that small, private colleges and universities face.
"Students expect personalization and immediacy, and that's where small schools like EMU can shine," he said. "Unlike our big public counterparts, we engage directly with students and their parents."
Visiting campus is among the strongest predictors of enrollment. EMU offers a $1,000 Visit Grant, renewable for up to four years, for students who visit campus before Jan. 1 and enroll in fall 2027. Eligible students can receive up to $4,000 over four years.
One student who visited EMU this year had the opportunity to meet Cyndi Gusler, professor of art, who guided her through a one-hour watercolor session.
"That made the difference for her," Hoover said. "She was applying to 10 schools all around Virginia, and because Cyndi took the time to sit with her, talk about her goals, and do something engaging, that student made the choice to come to EMU."
The conference wrapped up with a couple of hours of activity time. Faculty and staff members could enjoy frozen treats from Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard and play basketball, pickleball or disc golf, walk on the EMU track, or knit and crochet.
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Original text here: https://emu.edu/now/news/2026/power-and-equity-inspired-connected-and-ready/
Award-winning Law Enforcement Professional to Lead K-State Police, Public Safety
MANHATTAN, Kansas, Aug. 29 -- Kansas State University issued the following news:
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Award-winning law enforcement professional to lead K-State Police, public safety
Kacey Wiltz will bring more than 20 years of policing experience and excellence to the role
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Dr. Kacey Wiltz has been selected as director of public safety and chief of police for Kansas State University following a national search. Wiltz will begin serving in this role on Sept. 14.
Wiltz has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, and she currently serves as the chief of police at Kansas City Kansas Community College.
... Show Full Article
MANHATTAN, Kansas, Aug. 29 -- Kansas State University issued the following news:
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Award-winning law enforcement professional to lead K-State Police, public safety
Kacey Wiltz will bring more than 20 years of policing experience and excellence to the role
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Dr. Kacey Wiltz has been selected as director of public safety and chief of police for Kansas State University following a national search. Wiltz will begin serving in this role on Sept. 14.
Wiltz has more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, and she currently serves as the chief of police at Kansas City Kansas Community College.She is passionate about building a culture of safety and trust within the department and with students, faculty, staff and the greater K-State community.
"Dr. Wiltz brings a depth of experience in community policing with a wide range of experiences in municipal departments, school-based policing and major event participation," said Brandon Chance, associate vice president and chief risk and safety officer. "As a leader within the Division of Risk and Safety, we look forward to Chief Wiltz ushering in the next chapter in the storied K-State Police Department."
Wiltz began her law enforcement career with the Topeka Police Department in 2003 and later served as a corporal with the Lawrence Police Department, where she worked as a school resource officer, or SRO, at Lawrence Free State High School and supervised the Lawrence Police Department SRO unit. Her work with students earned her the Hometown Hero Award, and in 2023, the Kansas Juvenile Officers Association named her Kansas School Resource Officer of the Year. That same year, the National Association of School Resource Officers recognized the Lawrence Police Department's student resource officer unit with a Model Agency Award.
Throughout her career, Wiltz has also served as a crisis response team negotiator, field training officer and training coordinator. She holds a doctorate in criminal justice leadership and bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice.
"I am truly honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the next chief of police at Kansas State University," Wiltz said. "I recognize the legacy and strong foundation of those who have served before me, and I am committed to building on that tradition. By keeping our students at the heart of everything we do, I am confident we can continue to strengthen the K-State Police Department and uphold its tradition of excellence for years to come."
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Original text here: https://www.k-state.edu/news/articles/2026/08/kstate-names-wiltz-chief-of-police-director-of-public-safety.html
