Salma Akter Surma, a Ph.D. candidate at Gibbs College has co-authored a study published in the Journal of Urban Management. The research investigates the experiences of women in urban informal settlements of Khulna, Bangladesh, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on how housing infrastructure influenced caregiving responsibilities.
The study draws on interviews with 24 women community leaders to explore the impact of shared Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, constrained living spaces, and financial challenges on women’s caregiving roles. It details the adaptations these women made, such as reorganizing household spaces for isolation and utilizing community networks to manage caregiving and resource distribution during the pandemic. The findings highlight the role of inadequate housing in exacerbating caregiving challenges and underscore the importance of flexible and resilient infrastructure planning in resource-limited settings.
Additionally, the research examines the unique contributions of women as community leaders, who facilitated resource sharing, managed public health interventions, and addressed vulnerabilities during the crisis. Their efforts were central to navigating pandemic-induced hardships in the settlements.
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.
