Petya Stefanoff, a Ph.D. student in OU’s Planning, Design and Construction degree program, has been honored with the Annual Outstanding Plan Award by the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Planning Association, alongside her teammates. The plan features revitalization efforts in the Twin Lake area, aiming to activate the space with compact improvements that support multiple outdoor activities. The project is expected to boost the economic vitality and tourism, bringing the surroundings to a desired destination for residents and visitors. A standout aspect of the plan is its strong community engagement; the team actively applied the core principles of “inform, engage, empower,” hosting numerous public meetings and charettes that brought stakeholders together to collaboratively shape the vision.
Stefanoff and teammates accepting the Annual Outstanding Plan Award.
Stefanoff’s doctoral research explores how place attachment fosters cohesion in communities, and this project exemplifies how a built environment can unite and empower a community. Stefanoff’s doctoral adviser is Dr. Charlie Warnken.
The Outstanding Plan Award highlights the significance of her and her team’s project ability to advance the art and science of planning as a whole.
Stefanoff began her journey at the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Geodesy in Bulgaria. Witnessing the fall of the Iron Curtain during her college years, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and later earned an additional bachelor’s in architecture and urban planning. After moving to the U.S., she graduated with a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Kansas. Working in the field of engineering and architecture for a number of years, she was given a task at one time to create a training program for employees. As part of this effort, Stefanoff enrolled at OU and graduated with a Master of Adult Education. Her dedication to building and sustaining strong communities inspired her to enter the doctoral program in Planning, Design, and Construction within the OU School of Architecture.
Associate Professors Lee Fithian, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Pober have published a chapter in the recently released New Perspectives in Indoor Air Quality, published by Elsevier. Their contribution, titled “Chapter 16 – Architecture and the Challenges of Indoor Air Quality,” examines the relationship between architecture and indoor air quality.
Dr. Ladan Mozaffarian, Assistant Professor of Regional and City Planning, has been selected to serve as Co-Chair of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Planners of Color Interest Group (POCIG) for the 2025–2027 term.
The Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Tahsin Tabassum, a recent graduate of the college’s Master of Regional and City Planning program and current doctoral student at the University of California, Irvine, for receiving the prestigious 2024–2025 American Planning Association (APA) Outstanding Student Award.
