The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to share that Frank Hicks, a graduate student in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design, has been selected for the Landscape Architecture Foundation’s (LAF) Ignite Program.
Ignite is a national, multi-year program that provides participants with a $10,000 annual scholarship, paid summer internships, and one-on-one professional mentorship. Each year, only 4–7 students from across the country are chosen to join this prestigious program. With Frank’s incoming class, the Ignite cohort will grow to a total of 15 participants.
Frank earned his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from OU in 2024 and is now pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture, expected in 2026. He is also an active member of the American Society of Landscape Architects Student Chapter (SCASLA).
Through Ignite, Frank will have the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience, connect with mentors in the field, and continue building his leadership skills as he prepares for a career in landscape architecture.
“I’m so proud of Frank. Being selected as one of just 15 Landscape Architecture students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs across the country to participate in the program is a major accomplishment,” said Dr. Sarah Little, associate professor of Landscape Architecture at OU. “In addition to his professional and personal growth, his participation in Ignite propels the MLA@OU program onto a national stage.”
Gibbs College congratulates Frank on this achievement and looks forward to celebrating his continued success. To learn more, view the LAF Ignite announcement.
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.
