The U.S. Department of Transportation has selected the University of Oklahoma (OU) led Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC) as the 2023-2027 USDOT Region 6 Regional University Transportation Center.
Under the umbrella of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), this center brings federal funding of $3 million per year to OU along with $3 million per year in matching funds. With a focus on improving durability and extending the life of infrastructure and safety, the SPTC will leverage the strengths of OU, and its partner institutions, in transportation engineering, materials, construction, climate, and weather to develop implementable solutions to create climate resilient infrastructure in Region 6. It will also catalyze transportation education and workforce development for the Region.
Dr. Tammy McCuen, Professor of Construction Science, is part of the OU multidisciplinary research team representing engineering, construction, and geography and environmental sustainability. She will play a key role in Workforce Development focused on people with disabilities and non-violent incarcerated people. She will also explore the use of building information modeling (BIM) for the location and documentation of existing utilities and assets on infrastructure projects.
A project designed by Gibbs College of Architecture faculty member Austin Lightle has been selected for BuildFest 2026, a national art and architecture festival held at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in New York, on the historic grounds of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival.
Two Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture alumni are helping shape recommendations that could influence affordable housing design and construction across Oklahoma.
The University of Oklahoma Libraries recently welcomed Carl Siegel as an Architecture Librarian and Archivist and Assistant Professor. In his role, Siegel supports students, faculty and staff across the Gibbs College of Architecture while also serving as archivist for the American School of Architecture Archives.
