Wentz was one of the founding directors of the Wichita State University National Institutes for Aviation Research Laboratory in 1985, and has sponsored significant aviation safety research. The laboratory specializes in wind and water tunnels, flight simulation, crash testing, and computer integrated manufacturing tests. As an educator, Wentz engaged his students in the research process to help them gain insight into complex physics problems. He testified to the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Science, Space and Technology in 1988, and again in 1994. He was a member of the NASA Aeronautical Research and Technology Subcommittee.