Associate professor of architecture Dr. Lee Fithian was awarded a PhD in Engineering in December 2019.
The title of the dissertation is “Active Building Facades to Mitigate Urban Street Pollution.” This multidisciplinary research utilized current thinking in planning, engineering, science and architecture, and proposes an interdisciplinary solution (an active Double Skin Facade) for addressing urban air pollution related to increasing urbanization.
It advances the premise that buildings are interconnected with urban infrastructure, with buildings serving as a resource and not just as a load, and the use of an active building facade to remediate environmental air pollutants beyond the building’s perimeter, representing a fundamental paradigm shift as to the nature of buildings in the urban environment.
The abstract and dissertation can be found at https://shareok.org/handle/11244/323255.
During the Spring 2026 semester, students in Interior Design Studio IV and Graduate Studio IV gained hands-on experience in educational facility design through a semester-long partnership with MA+ Architecture.
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.