The Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design at the University of Oklahoma’s Gibbs College is pleased to announce the appointment of incoming Assistant Professor, Dr. Wei Liu, beginning in Fall 2025.
An award-winning scholar, urban designer, and AICP-certified planner, Dr. Liu brings a strong record of research, teaching, and community engagement. His work focuses on strategies that help communities thrive by enhancing public spaces, encouraging collaboration, and supporting practical design solutions that make a lasting difference.
In his role as Assistant Professor, Dr. Liu will contribute in two key areas. He will teach core courses in the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design program, preparing students for careers that shape the built and natural environments. Additionally, he will work with communities across Oklahoma on applied planning and design projects through the OU Institute for Quality Communities (IQC).
Dr. Amber Wiley, Director of the IQC, shared, “It is an absolute pleasure to welcome Wei to the team! His enthusiasm, expertise, and knowledge have already proven to be assets for the projects we will take on this academic year. I know he will make a strong impact here in the state of Oklahoma.”
Please join us in welcoming Assistant Professor Dr. Wei Liu to the Gibbs College community!
The University of Oklahoma College of Architecture is proud to announce that Model Schools in the Model City, authored by Director of the Institute for Quality Communities, Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., has been named one of ten finalists for the 2026 ASALH Book Prize for Best New Book in African American History and Culture.
This semester, students in the LA 5535 Studio: Ecological Planning and Design, led by Prof. Afsana Sharmin, took on an ambitious hypothetical project to redesign key parts of the OU campus. Their mission: to tackle the critical real-world challenge of stormwater management through innovative green design.
Petya Stefanoff, Chair of the Educational Committee with the American Planning Association, Oklahoma Chapter (APA-OK) and Gibbs College PhD candidate, has developed a new training program for local government officials. The program, focused on land use, zoning principles, and land development, recently certified its first graduates with Certified Citizen Planner status.
