Fellow:Wesley Alexis
Wesley F. Alexis is student at Wichita State University studying mathematics, psychology, music, bioche- basically if it's STEM-related, music composition, or vocal performance, he's studying it, have studied, or plan to study it. (Wesley is not really that sassy, he's just using humour...okay he's a little sassy...and definitely conceited)
As for what he wants to do with all of that knowledge, he has three objectives:
Wesley wants to create sustainable structures that distribute social and financial power more evenly. To do this, he's focused on empowering individuals, not bringing others down. For example, Wesley currently works with Wichita State University's Technology Transfer to give students their Intellectual Property Rights. He and his team are LITERALLY rewritting laws. Yes, they are that awesome.
Wesley wants to change the way society appreciates and approaches mental and emotional health. To do this, he's researching cognitive and neurochemical aspects of behavior. For example, people suffering with depression tend to have malfunctioning sections of their brain. One way to alleviate this might be to noninvasively stimulate the brain using video games! (He cannot tell you how many hours he's spent on Smash Bros...wait...yes he can, it's approximately 913).
Lastly, Wesley feels society has completely underestimated the ways futurism and globalism affect and will affect humanity. He wants to get people discussing this topic at a level that AT LEAST considers how socioeconomic class, gender, culture, and daily life will interact with these dynamics.
So, in review, Wesley F. Alexis is a diva, a debater, a geek, and civically minded -- basically all of the characters in the Breakfast Club...again with the humour. Hopefully it's working.
Related Links
Wichita State University Student Priorities
University Innovation Fellows
Spring 2016:
Fall 2015:
