Following an internal search, the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture has appointed Suchismita (Suchi) Bhattacharjee as associate dean for academics and college administration, effective July 1, 2023.
The appointment was announced by Hans E. Butzer, dean of Gibbs College. “The search committee’s recommendation followed a transparent and deliberate process involving exceptional and qualified candidates,” Butzer said. “I am confident Dr. Bhattacharjee’s skills, high level of engagement, and spirited attitude will benefit and elevate all of the college’s students, staff, faculty and programs.”
Bhattacharjee, who is an associate professor of Interior Design, is an award-winning educator and interdisciplinary researcher with a focus on indoor environmental quality and design pedagogy. She also has a proven track record of service, including serving as the Gibbs College PhD Program Coordinator and Graduate Liaison for the Division of Interior Design, as well as chairing the campus-wide Provost’s Advisory Committee on Women’s Issues.
The ADACA supports Gibbs College in coordinating a variety of efforts relating to administration, assessment, academics and other key efforts. For example, the ADACA will support the faculty evaluation process, assist with policy review and updating, and support the graduate programs and their students.
Bhattacharjee said, “I am humbled and honored to be able to serve as an associate dean of GCA.” She continued, “Together, we will elevate the college’s mission, fostering individual talents and aspirations, leaving a lasting impact on our collective journey of knowledge and growth.”
Gibbs College is grateful to Keith Gåddie, who served as interim associate dean from 2021-2023. Gåddie has been named the inaugural holder of the Al and Dawn Hoffman Chair of the American Ideal, a newly endowed position at Texas Christian University. Gåddie will assume the chair in fall 2023.
Please join us in congratulating Suchi Bhattacharjee.
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.
