Interior Design assistant professor, Dr. Yeji Yi, has been granted funding through OU’s Faculty Investment Program (FIP). This funding supports her project “Development of Interactive Virtual Reality Multi-Sensory Environments: Participatory Research.”
The project seeks to integrate Virtual Reality (VR) technology to analyze stakeholders’ needs and develop interactive VR Multi-Sensory Environments (VR MSEs). These environments are specifically designed to be usable for neurodivergent individuals. The project aims to enhance the sensory processing outcomes for these individuals, helping them manage non-preferred behaviors and ultimately improve their quality of life.
The Research Council and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships at OU reviewed Yi’s proposal and awarded her a $15,000 grant to support the research. This funding is part of the university’s ongoing efforts to support faculty in developing their research programs and encouraging further studies that could lead to external funding opportunities.
Yi’s project will conduct a detailed stakeholder needs analysis through a participatory design approach, ensuring that the developed VR MSEs are tailored to the specific requirements and challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals. This approach not only aims at immediate application but also at long-term benefits by enhancing the quality of life through tailored environmental designs.
The Gibbs Design in Action Awards (GDAA) program, led by Dr. Wanda Liebermann, has announced its 2026–2027 funded student projects. The initiative supports design and research work that addresses social, cultural, and economic issues in the built environment through collaboration with faculty and community partners.
The OU Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) 2024 collaboration with the Historic Threatt Filling Station has been recognized in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's newly released Byways Report: The Scenic Route to Rural Prosperity – a story-driven publication exploring how road trip culture and place-based tourism can fuel economic growth in rural communities.
The Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Camille Germany, Chief of Staff, has been named the 2026 recipient of the university-wide Jennifer L. Wise Good Stewardship Award.
