Professors of Interior Design Mia Kile and Dawn Loraas recently received seed funding grants from the OU Institute for Community and Society Transformation. ICAST awarded seed funding grants to seven interdisciplinary teams to aid in the development of their projects related to community and societal transformation.
Loraas and her team members Cian Brown and Megan Jester were granted $25,000 for their project, “The Impact of the Built Environment on Elementary Students’ Social and Emotional Learning.” This project addresses social and structural disparities experienced by elementary students, and assesses the built-environment and social-emotional learning curriculum of an elementary school.
Kile and her team also were granted $25,000 for their project, “Studying the Effects of Playing in the ‘OU Free Play Lab’ on 1st-5th Graders’ Overall Well-being.” This project will pilot test and quantify developmental, behavioral, neural and child well-being outcomes of introducing the OU Free Play Lab into a public school setting where children can engage in free play on a weekly basis.
Learn more about the projects and see the full list of grant recipients.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates Dr. Tammy McCuen, Robert E. Busch Professor of Construction Science, on beginning her term as president of the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC), an international organization dedicated to advancing construction education through teaching, research and service.
Following years of contributions to the College’s research and strategic initiatives, Gibbs College shares that Associate Dean for Research and External Engagement Angela M. Person, PhD, will step down from her position at Gibbs College as she moves to Tucson with her family, effective June 30, 2026.
On April 24, 2026, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture hosted its annual Graduate Student Showcase, a celebration of research, design innovation, and creative exploration across all graduate programs within the College.
