Dr. Stephanie Z. Pilat, Edith Kinney Gaylord Presidential Professor at the University of Oklahoma, will become the next dean of the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning at the University of Cincinnati (UC) beginning July 1, pending approval by UC’s Board of Trustees.
Dr. Pilat joined the University of Oklahoma in 2010 and has served as a transformative leader, scholar, and educator for nearly 15 years. From 2016 to 2024, she led the Division of Architecture, where she directed a period of dynamic growth and renewed creative vision. Under her leadership, the Division doubled in size—both in student enrollment and faculty—strengthened its research infrastructure and successfully achieved reaccreditation.
“Stephanie was the right leader at the right time to advance a renewed vision for the OU Division of Architecture. She brought an intentional focus to how learning works, enriching our commitment to student-centered teaching,” says dean of Gibbs College Hans E. Butzer, FAIA.
Her impact has extended beyond administration. Dr. Pilat is nationally recognized for her scholarship on mid-20th-century architecture and the American School, a uniquely experimental architectural movement rooted in Oklahoma. Since 2017, she has co-led the American School Project, a major initiative that produced notable publications and exhibitions, including Renegades: Bruce Goff and the American School of Architecture and Outré West: The American School of Architecture from Oklahoma to California. The project has helped cement OU’s legacy of innovative architectural pedagogy.
“Drawing from the legacy of the American School, she skillfully connected the program’s historical impact with the demands of contemporary practice. Her work leaves a lasting imprint on our students and the communities they will serve. We’re excited for her next leadership chapter—one that also brings her closer to family,” says Dean Butzer.
In 2015, Dr. Pilat was named one of the “30 Most Admired Educators” by DesignIntelligence, recognizing her as a leader in architectural education. Her work at OU reflected a commitment to collaborative scholarship, design excellence, and student-centered pedagogy.
“I will always be grateful to the University of Oklahoma for the tremendous support I’ve received here,” says Dr. Pilat. “As director of the Division of Architecture for eight years, I’m most proud of having recruited and hired so many brilliant and kind people who make the Division a wonderful and enriching place to work and teach. I will miss them all dearly.”
The Gibbs College community expresses its gratitude for Dr. Pilat’s visionary leadership and tireless service. We wish her the very best in this next chapter of her professional journey.
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition Vollendorf in Oklahoma: The Architecture of Dean Bryant Vollendorf during the Spring 2025 semester. It will be on display in Gould Hall, on the OU-Norman Campus, from February 16, 2026 - March 13, 2026.
On November 21, 2025, the Mainsite Contemporary Art gallery was transformed into a showcase of innovation and craftsmanship for the University of Oklahoma’s furniture design build studio exhibition, “Purpose in Form.”
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.
