Planning, Design + Construction Ph.D. student Salma Akter Surma and Interior Design faculty Dr. Suchismita Bhattacharjee were recently awarded funding as a part of Gibb’s College of Architecture’s Program for Research Enhancement. This merit-based program grants Gibb’s faculty members funds to increase their research and creative activities.
Akter and Bhattacharjee received this grant to pursue research on refugee children’s well-being in a public library context. The research will broadly explore how libraries can improve their facilities by offering human and socio-economic resources that encourage acculturation and thinking beyond the book.
Public libraries are a primary source of human capital, knowledge-sharing programs, and many other important resources that are vital for literacy enhancement. However, most of these resources are not catered to the needs of refugees and immigrant groups, resulting in socio-economic isolation. According to Akter and Bhattacharjee, public libraries need to scale up their services to meet the growing needs of these minority groups.
Akter and Bhattacharjee will investigate current library environments and their impact on children’s spatial, physical, cultural, and skill development. The goal of this research is to develop a design framework that focuses on safe play and culture-respective learning spaces that encourage, empower and advance refugee children’s learning habits and enthusiasm.
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.
Gibbs Construction Science and Architecture students recently traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 8 Student Competition. The team partnered with Czech Technical University and secured third place in the Design-Build category.
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition Vollendorf in Oklahoma: The Architecture of Dean Bryant Vollendorf during the Spring 2026 semester. It will be on display in Gould Hall, on the OU-Norman Campus, from February 16, 2026 - March 13, 2026.
