Dr. Xiaobo Quan, the Violeta Autumn Teaching Fellow in the Gibbs Architecture program, recently attended at the 2022 Healthcare Design Conference + Expo hosted by the Center for Health Design and the Academy of Architecture for Health of the American Institute of Architects (AIA/AAH). The international conference, held in San Antonio, Texas, highlighted the latest research, innovations, and strategies in healthcare design. It was attended by designers, researchers, health professionals, over two hundred exhibitors, and more.
Dr. Quan’s presentation focused on his mixed-method research project around the impact of perioperative environmental design on ambulatory surgery patients’ experiences. The project included a qualitative study and quasi-experimental study in order to identify key design considerations at various stages of the patient journey as well as compare three types of surgery suite design.
The results of surveys, interviews, and sound level measurements were triangulated to increase the validity and generalizability of findings. Those who attended Dr. Quan’s session received a first look at the project as well as learned about his recommendations for further design optimization and future research.
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.
