Go Cougs!
VCEA 21-Day Walking Challenge Winners
More than 60 employees took part in this year’s event, collectively walking more than 7 million steps!
- First Place (292,444 steps) – Prashanta Dutta
- Second Place (283,968 steps) – Bridget Pilcher
- All Participants Drawing Winner – Nicole Leavitt
- Top Department – MME (2,824,968 steps)
VCEA Day Whodunit? Mystery Game Drawing
Sawsan Shatanawi – “Butch Cougar”
Guess the M&Ms Winner
Michael Myers
Feature of the Week
VCEA Day
Voiland College employees recently gathered for VCEA Day, an annual event designed to foster engagement around the college’s strategic initiatives. Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about current priorities, enjoy a collegial lunch, and participate in wellness activities. Take a look at the Instagram photo gallery.
Events
Tuesday, September 16
Tuesday, September 16 @ 3:05 PM 2025, ETRL 101
2025 Anjan Bose Lecture presented by Su Ha, George Austin Endowed Director and professor in the Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering.
Wednesday, September 17 @ 4:00 – 6:00 PM, Spark G45 & Atrium
Cougs in Space Launch – Keynote Speaker and Reception: Join us as we welcome Gary Lai, an American aerospace engineer best known as the chief architect of Blue Origin’s New Shepard space tourism vehicle and current CTO of Interlune. This evening, he will share his story and inspire WSU students on opportunities in the aerospace industry. The event will include his keynote speech and a reception for WSU students, faculty, and staff. The reception is sponsored by the Voiland College of Engineering & Architecture.
Friday, September 19 @ 2:10 PM Honors College Lounge
Fireside Chat w/Gary Steele, CEO, Shield AI: Voiland College is honored to host renowned tech executive and VCEA alum Gary Steele, CEO of Shield AI! This is a unique opportunity to hear firsthand from a leader who has shaped the future cybersecurity enterprise software, and AI-driven innovation.
Saturday, September 20 @ 130 PM
BMES & AiCHe Apple Cup Tailgate (RSVP Required)
Tuesday, September 23 @ 11:00 AM
Lanning Lecture with Special Speaker Subra Suresh: Materials scientist Subra Suresh will visit the WSU campus where he will speak on “Deep Learning from Nature and Machines.” Dr. Suresh is a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), National Academy of Science (NAS), and the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) and served as director of the National Science Foundation.
Friday, September 26 @ 11 – 2 PM
VCEA Wellness Center Grand Opening
Upcoming Events
Full listing of Voiland College events. Want to list your event on a Voiland College website, this newsletter, or our weekly student newsletter? Follow these steps!
Putting on an Event?
VCEA Communications has some event promotion tips on how to utilize college resources and get people to your event.
Event Promotion
Putting on an Event?
VCEA Communications has some event promotion tips on how to utilize college resources and get people to your event.
Share Your Event
Want to list your event on a Voiland College website, this newsletter, or our weekly student newsletter? Follow these steps!
Opportunities
Voiland College Staff Professional Development Grant – Proposals Due Sept. 24
This staff professional development grant is supported by the VCEA and is intended to foster professional development opportunities that align with the VCEA mission, values, and commitments.
Voiland College Faculty Travel Grant – Proposals Due Sept. 24
This faculty travel grant is supported by the VCEA and is intended to foster travel opportunities to support research and a scholarly culture that aligns with the VCEA mission, values, and commitments.
Postdoctoral Entrepreneurship Program – Apply by Oct. 31
Are you ready to transform your research into real-world solutions? The Office of Commercialization is excited to announce that the Postdoctoral Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) will begin accepting applications through Oct. 31. The program offers mentorship, programming, and resources tailored to helping postdoctoral researchers translate their work from the lab to commercial markets. If you are interested in entrepreneurship and translational research, we look forward to hearing from you!
PNNL-WSU Distinguished Graduate Research Program – Apply by Nov. 4
The WSU Office of Research, the WSU Graduate School, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are pleased to announce the call for applications for the tenth cohort of the Distinguished Graduate Research Program (DGRP). Incoming students are nominated jointly by a WSU faculty and a PNNL scientist.
Sept. 17: Intro to the Office of Research & Life Cycle of a Grant
Discover how the Office of Research can help you throughout the life cycle of your grant. Join Lydia Baxter-Howard on Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m.–noon for an overview of how the Office of Research can help you to develop and submit a grant proposal, ensure you have a compliant research program, and manage and license your intellectual property.
STEM Research Opportunities Fair: Faculty – Register by Oct. 6
The goal of the STEM Research Opportunities Fair, Wednesday, October 15, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM in the CUB Senior Ballroom, is to connect research groups with students interested in STEM related research projects. Let’s get students excited about wonderful experiences through your labs!
Representatives from labs/research areas will have roundtable-style discussions with students during four 13-minute rotations. Participating students have indicated they find it most informative when they get to talk to a graduate or undergraduate student representing the research area. The representatives will have the opportunity to speak with interested students and answer questions. RSVP Priority Deadline – Oct. 6.
VCEA Food Pantry – Donations Needed
Voiland College has a new food pantry! Food items are available to all VCEA students, faculty, and staff experiencing food insecurity. Open Monday through Friday, 3-5 pm in Dana 107.
Donations of non-perishable items for the pantry can be dropped off at Carpenter 5th floor reception, Sloan 110 or Dana 110, or they can be made via Amazon Wish List. Interested in volunteering afternoons at the food pantry? Please contact Gary Offerdahl.
Nominate a Colleague for the Crimson Spirit Award
Do you know a WSU employee who is exceptionally creative in problem-solving or who consistently goes above and beyond? Nominate that WSU employee for the Crimson Spirit Award today!
Be Safe Cougs
Learn to Support Cougs in Crisis
We can all help support mental health in our campus community. Learn how to identify Cougs in crisis and connect them with support by signing up for a training with WSU Health Promotion. Sessions are available for all WSU locations.
Campus Connect: This 2-hour suicide prevention training program is offered free of charge for all WSU staff and students. Participants learn: Statistics and facts about college student suicide; How to ask if someone is feeling suicidal; Appropriate referrals; Active listening, communication, and relationship building skills.
Mental Health First Aid: Participants in this training learn about symptoms, crisis response, and active listening skills to support someone who is experiencing a mental health disorder such as: Depression and anxiety; Trauma; Psychosis; Eating disorders; Substance abuse. Mental Health First Aid is free for WSU Pullman, Global, and Vancouver campus students.
Required Safety Training
All Voiland College students, faculty, and staff working within laboratories, Fab Lab, makerspaces, and the Frank Innovation Zone are required to take safety training courses.
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