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.
POCIG’s mission centers on fostering visibility, support, and opportunities for scholars and communities whose experiences have historically been overlooked within planning academia and the profession. In her new leadership role, Dr. Mozaffarian will help guide national conversations that broaden participation, elevate diverse perspectives, and strengthen pathways for students and faculty across the country.
This appointment highlights Dr. Mozaffarian’s long-standing commitment to ensuring that planning research and education reflect the full range of voices shaping our communities. It also positions the University of Oklahoma as an active contributor to shaping the direction and values of the planning field at the national level.
Logo for the Planners of Color Interest Group (POCIG).
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has received national recognition for her book Model Schools in the Model City. The book has been named a finalist for the 2026 the PROSE Awards.
Gibbs College of Architecture Regional + City Planning Professor of Practice Vanessa Morrison and Associate Professor of Architecture Deborah Richards’ Open Design Collective received top honors at the inaugural BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Studio KIN Pitch Night Competition, held last month in Brooklyn, New York City.
