Recently, Dr. Bryce Lowery from the Division of Regional and City Planning collaborated with a team from the University of Oklahoma’s College of Allied Health at the OU Health and Sciences Center to publish a series of three papers that explore the relationship between Early Care and Education settings in Oklahoma and access to park space and grocery stores.
The first article, published in June in Current Developments in Nutrition, found that child care settings might provide a protective nutritional micro-environment for small children even in areas designated as food deserts.
The second article, published in the July issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, found that grocery store availability influences classroom nutritional practices in family care settings – more so than in Head Starts or community-based child care settings.
The third article, published in June in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, explored relationships between early child care centers and access to parks and playgrounds. The team of researchers found that family child care settings were more sensitive to a lack of nearby green space, but overall, child care centers provide a protective activity environment for small children.
Dr. Bethany Williams of Washington State University led the research team that included: Dr. Bryce Lowery of the Gibbs College of Architecture Division of Regional and City Planning; Dr. Susan Sission of College of Allied Health OU Health Sciences Center; Dr. Dipti Dev of the College of Education and Human Sciences University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Dr. Diane Horm of the Early Childhood Education Institute University of Oklahoma-Tulsa; and others from the OU College of Allied Health and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates Dr. Tammy McCuen, Robert E. Busch Professor of Construction Science, on beginning her term as president of the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC), an international organization dedicated to advancing construction education through teaching, research and service.
Following years of contributions to the College’s research and strategic initiatives, Gibbs College shares that Associate Dean for Research and External Engagement Angela M. Person, PhD, will step down from her position at Gibbs College as she moves to Tucson with her family, effective June 30, 2026.
On April 24, 2026, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture hosted its annual Graduate Student Showcase, a celebration of research, design innovation, and creative exploration across all graduate programs within the College.
