It’s fitting that Wichita, Kansas is nearly dead center of the country (though the geographic center is actually nearby Lebanon, Kansas), because this Midwestern city is also at the center of some cutting-edge advanced manufacturing. Wichita State University (WSU) leads the South Kansas Manufacturing Community (PDF), which was named as an Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) designated community during the first round of IMCP competition. WSU also seeks to lead the country in advanced manufacturing and experiential engineering through its EDA-supported Innovation Campus.

Image: Robots at the WSU Robotics and Automation Lab