Zhina Rashidzadeh, a Ph.D. student with the Gibbs College of Architecture Planning, Design and Construction, program was awarded the Graduate Student Senate (GSS) Research Grant this fall. This Grant is awarded by the University of Oklahoma’s Student Government Association’s Graduate Student Senate to assist OU graduate students in scholarly endeavors, including research and conferences.
Rashidzadeh joined the Gibbs College of Architecture this semester and is currently working on developing advanced hybrid facade systems under the supervision of Dr. Negar Matin. The aim of this project is to improve the visual comfort of occupants in interior spaces using advanced smart technology.
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has received national recognition for her book Model Schools in the Model City. The book has been named a finalist for the 2026 the PROSE Awards.
Gibbs College of Architecture Regional + City Planning Professor of Practice Vanessa Morrison and Associate Professor of Architecture Deborah Richards’ Open Design Collective received top honors at the inaugural BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Studio KIN Pitch Night Competition, held last month in Brooklyn, New York City.
