Dr. Lee Fithian, Associate Professor of Architecture and Director of the OU Online MS in Sustainable Architecture at the University of Oklahoma’s Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture, recently contributed to the new book Teaching Carbon Neutral Design in North America: Twenty Award-Winning Architectural Design Studio Methodologies, edited by Robin Puttock and published by Routledge. Fithian’s chapter, titled “Introduction to Conceptual Design Performance Analysis for Carbon Neutrality,” explores strategies for integrating carbon-neutral principles into the early stages of architectural design.
Fithian’s research and teaching efforts focus on the application of biological and ecological models to architectural design. Each of her studios carries a strong focus on the technical development and integration of analytical visualizations to develop “green” architecture.
With over 17 years of commercial and governmental practice experience, Fithian previously served as the Director of Sustainable Design at Benham Companies. She has also played a pivotal role in founding the Oklahoma Sustainability Network and the State Chapter of US Green Building Council. Currently, she serves on the National AIA Building Performance Advisory Committee, further advancing her commitment to sustainable design.
With this achievement, Fithian joins a distinguished group of educators and practitioners who are shaping the future of architectural education and practice. Her chapter serves as a valuable resource for both students and professionals striving to create a built environment that is both innovative and ecologically responsible.
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.
