The OU Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce the Leadership in Built Environment Research (L-BER) seed funding program. This pilot program is designed to equip faculty with mentorship, strategic collaboration opportunities, and resources to secure major external funding and lead interdisciplinary research initiatives. Funding for this project is from the University of Oklahoma Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships.
The inaugural pilot project was selected following a blind peer review process. Led by Dr. Ladan Mozaffarian, an assistant professor of Regional and City Planning in the Gibbs College of Architecture, the project is titled “Data-Driven Approaches for Addressing Rural Transportation Challenges and Enhancing Community Health and Wellbeing.”
Dr. Mozaffarian’s project examines transportation challenges in rural areas, focusing on infrastructure, safety, and climate issues that limit access to essential services. Using Oklahoma as a case study, it combines machine learning analysis and local insights to identify solutions. The goal is to provide recommendations to improve transportation infrastructure, safety, and emergency response, promoting more accessible and sustainable rural mobility.
Congratulations to Dr. Mozaffarian!
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.
