Lee Fithian, Ph.D., AIA, an associate professor of architecture at Gibbs College, has been appointed to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Building Performance Committee.
The National Building Performance Committee (NBPC) is part of the AIA’s Knowledge Community, which focuses on improving occupant comfort and health, along with the function, durability, sustainability, and resilience of buildings. Fithian, the first member of the advisory group to represent higher education, will also work to foster collaboration between the NBPC and the AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) to align shared goals and outcomes.
“This appointment comes at a unique juncture as the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) rolls out its new Competency Standard for Architects,” Fithian said. “I look forward to serving as a liaison and share the knowledge I have gained in practice, research, and teaching to advance both the profession and our college.”
“Lee’s appointment to this AIA Knowledge Community was inevitable, given her steady national ascendance as an acclaimed expert in sustainability, resilience, and collaboration. Few professionals possess her practical and educational experience and intellectual acumen”, stated Hans E. Butzer FAIA and dean of the University of Oklahoma Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture. “Her expertise that has helped make our architecture program a recognized leader in sustainability and resilience will assuredly further elevate the impact of the NBPC’s work.”
In addition to her teaching and research, Fithian serves as the director of the University of Oklahoma’s Online Master of Science in Sustainable Architecture program, where she helps prepare students to address contemporary challenges in sustainability and resilience.
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.
