We would like to congratulate Ahmad Abu Sharea for his recent patent disclosure! Ahmad is a 2021 Construction Science alumnus whose patent application is currently under review. The design is a new shape of steel section that will be embedded in concrete to form a concrete-steel composite column. The steel section is a lighter weight than the conventional steel I section that is generally used in the United States. According to Ahmad’s theoretical analysis, his proposed steel section has a similar or higher compressive strength compared to the steel I section.
“I’m excited to see where my patent will lead the research community and whether it’ll be sustainable and economical for designers and contractors in the construction industry,” said Ahmad Abu Sharea.
Currently, Ahmad is preparing for his PE exam to become a licensed engineer and is looking for PhD opportunities to continue his research. He hopes to conduct experiments in his PhD studies to find out if his theoretical results align with his experimental results.
Featured Image: Ahmad Abu Sharea (center) with his colleagues.
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.
