7.18.24

Engineering alum uses thesis to bridge industry and academia

Wichita State’s applied learning opportunities set students up for success post-graduation, but the benefit of industry connections extends far beyond campus. Just ask Ridge Towner, two-time alum and reliability engineer at Spirit AeroSystems.

“In an ideal world, there would be no separation between industry and academia,” Towner ‘21/23, said. “Both fields do their most sound work when they work together.”

In 2021, Towner met engineering professor Wilfredo Moscoso-Kingsley on a faculty externship to Spirit. He pitched a research project testing on-machine coordinate measuring to improve quality control in aerospace manufacturing. Moscoso-Kingsley, who received his PhD in machine tool design and experimental mechanics from Purdue, had just the academic background needed to make Towner’s research proposal a reality.

Aerospace manufacturing, Towner explained, has outpaced existing academic research. The results from his work with Moscoso-Kingsley have the potential to restructure operating procedures for aerospace measurement into a more efficient and cost-effective in-situ technology.

“There is so much value in having the niche expertise of academics so close to the industries they contribute to,” Towner said. “It was working with Dr. Moscoso-Kingsley that helped me build the confidence to start on my thesis.”

The alum sees their research as just one example of the benefits of bridging the gap between industry and academia.

Towner strongly advocates for continued education across all disciplines. He was awarded his master’s degree in 2023 and will soon begin his doctoral studies.

“Completing my thesis resulted in intellectual property for the company, a publication with Dr. Moscoso-Kingsley and further research into a topic lacking academic insight,” he said. “A continuation of one’s education is an obvious mutual benefit to all parties.”

Explore Wichita State’s graduate programs here and see how you can advance your own education: https://www.wichita.edu/academics/majors/graduate.php.