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An unprecedented coalition of Oklahoma’s academic institutions, Tribal Nations, industry leaders, nonprofits, and government agencies has officially submitted a full proposal to the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Engines Program. Titled WxFORGE — Forging New Frontiers in Extreme Weather Resilience and Innovation, the effort aims to position Oklahoma as a national leader in resilient infrastructure technologies, workforce development, and weather-adaptive innovations.
The proposal was submitted as part of a highly competitive national selection process and is now under active review by the NSF. It represents Oklahoma’s official entry into a transformative federal initiative that offers up to $160 million in funding over 10 years to support regional innovation ecosystems. WxFORGE’s advancement to this final stage of consideration reflects the strength, scale, and shared vision of the coalition.
Launched by the NSF, the Regional Innovation Engines Program is designed to drive economic growth and societal impact through place-based, collaborative research and technology development. Each Engine brings together partners across academia, industry, government, and community sectors to translate innovation into real-world solutions. In 2024, NSF received nearly 300 letters of intent, followed by a rigorous review of preliminary proposals. Only 71 projects — including WxFORGE — were invited to submit full proposals, underscoring the competitiveness of this opportunity and the promise of Oklahoma’s leadership.
WxFORGE partners gathered on January 31, 2025.
WxFORGE seeks to build a dynamic, interdisciplinary innovation ecosystem focused on developing and deploying affordable, resilient technologies for homes, businesses, and infrastructure vulnerable to extreme weather. From tornadoes and hail to heat waves and wildfires, Oklahoma is on the frontlines of these impacts—and uniquely positioned to lead. In addition to technology development, through regional engagement the initiative seeks to foster venture creation, guide forward-looking public policy, and build a skilled workforce to drive long-term regional prosperity.
Hans E. Butzer, FAIA, Dean of the University of Oklahoma’s Gibbs College of Architecture, serves as Principal Investigator. He is joined by a leadership team including Hank Jenkins-Smith and Nina Carlson (OU), along with co-Principal Investigators Todd Enlow (Cherokee Nation), Angela Person (OU), David Pounds (Alberici-Flintco), and Jeff Seymour (Oklahoma City Innovation District). Interdisciplinary workgroup leads include Joyce Burch, David Ebert, Scott Harvey, John Harris, Brittany Hott, Michael Long, Matt Newman, and Ken Petersen.
The WxFORGE proposal reflects months of deep collaboration, with over 100 individuals representing more than 60 organizations contributing ideas, insights, and expertise. From November 2024 to January 2025, the coalition held 42 cross-sector working sessions to co-design strategies that integrate research, economic development, and community resilience.
WxFORGE’s guiding vision is bold: By 2036, Oklahoma will lead the country in preparing communities to withstand and thrive in the face of extreme weather—while building a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient regional economy.
“Regardless of the final outcome, it’s clear that WxFORGE has already laid the groundwork for a strong, future-facing coalition dedicated to extreme weather resilience,” said Butzer. “This is just the beginning—and I’m genuinely excited about the impact we’re building together.”
Looking ahead, the team will continue to share updates as the NSF review process progresses in the coming months. Should WxFORGE be named a finalist, an in-person site visit is expected later this year, with funded projects anticipated to officially launch in 2026.
Lead Organization (Alphabetical): University of Oklahoma (Kofi Asare, Ben Bigelow, Joyce Burch, Hans Butzer, Susan Bynum, Nina Carlson, Steven Crossley, David Ebert, Lee Fithian, Tana Fitzpatrick, Somik Ghosh, Laura Harjo, John Harris, Philip Harvey, Negar Heidari-Matin, Brittany Hott, Elizabeth Hurst, Hank Jenkins-Smith, Petra Klein, Tamera McCuen, Ladan Mozaffarian, Angela Person, Kenneth Petersen, Andrew Pollock, Teri Reed, Joseph Ripberger, Shideh Shadravan, Carol Silva, Brandt Smith, Jeffrey Volz, Mike Wimberly, Kent Teague)
Core Partners (Alphabetical): Cherokee Nation (Shella Bowlin, Todd Enlow, Stephen Highers, Anna Knight, Shay Stanfill), Flintco (David Pounds), Oklahoma City Innovation District (Jeff Seymour), Oklahoma State University (Amanda Aker, Norbert Delatte, Amy Hagerman, Tao Hu, Jamey Jacob, Maha Kenawy, Michael Long, John Nickel, Jai Rajendran, Rachel Schmitz, Daniel Will)
Other Key Partners (Alphabetical): FortySix Venture Capital (Tracy Poole), Gradient (Devon Laney), Greater Oklahoma City Chamber (Lee Copeland, Christy Gillenwater, Derek Sparks), Home Creations (Ali Farzaneh), Oklahoma Insurance Department (Glen Mulready, Ashley Scott), Prime Craftsman Homes (Amanda Thompson)
Additional Collaborators (Alphabetical): Associated Builders and Contractors (John Smaligo), Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (David Frick, Eric Pollard), Atento Capital (Chelsea Showalter), Boyd Street Ventures (James Spann), City of Oklahoma City (T.O. Bowman, Sarah Terry-Cobo), Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP Oklahoma) (Jennifer Scotto-Sanford), Cortado Ventures (Nathaniel Harding, Mansi Patel, Matt Waraich), Eastern Oklahoma Technology Center (Julie Farmer), Endeavor Heartland (Daniel Briggs), GAF Roofing (Hari Reddy), Insurica (Tim Martin, Mike Ross, Colton Zajac), MetroTech (Casey Rainbolt, Elena Troya), Muscogee Nation (Carson Ball, Grayson Brown, Dylan Harding, Zechariah Harjo, Trenton Kissee), New Era Advisors (Matt Newman), Oklahoma CareerTech (Patrick Clanin), Oklahoma Climatological Survey (Rachel Riley), Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (Keli Cain), Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (Lloyd Kirk), Oklahoma Gas and Electric (Chris Marts), Oklahoma Home Builders Association (Mike Means), Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance (Sharon Harrison, Dave Rowland, Sullivan Staires), Oklahoma Mesonet (Chris Fiebrich), Public Service Company of Oklahoma (Kerry Rowland), Rausch Coleman Homes (Amy Walton), Superior Edge Homes (Jake Thompson), The Sustainability Alliance (Corey Williams), Tulsa Innovation Labs (Jennifer Hankins, John McDonald, Alejandra Palomo), Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce (Brien Thorstenberg), University of Central Oklahoma (J. David Chapman)
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.
Dr. Ladan Mozaffarian, Assistant Professor of Regional and City Planning, has been selected to serve as Co-Chair of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Planners of Color Interest Group (POCIG) for the 2025–2027 term.
The Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Tahsin Tabassum, a recent graduate of the college’s Master of Regional and City Planning program and current doctoral student at the University of California, Irvine, for receiving the prestigious 2024–2025 American Planning Association (APA) Outstanding Student Award.
