Date
The University of Oklahoma Gallogly College of Engineering is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Dean Emeritus Thomas Landers, who served OU for 21 years, including 14 years as dean of the college, until his retirement in 2019.
Under his leadership, OU Engineering experienced a period of remarkable growth and transformation. Dean Landers oversaw the opening of the ExxonMobil Lawrence G. Rawl Engineering Practice Facility, Devon Energy Hall, and Gallogly Hall, as well as the establishment of the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering. These achievements helped expand opportunities for students and faculty while positioning the college for continued success.
“Dean Landers’ vision and leadership shaped the future of engineering at OU in profound ways,” said John Klier, current dean of the Gallogly College of Engineering. “Beyond the facilities and programs he helped bring to life, his greatest legacy is the community he fostered—his care for students, faculty, staff, and alumni continues to inspire us today.”
Dean Landers will be remembered not only for his accomplishments, but also for the meaningful relationships he built across the OU community.
Those wishing to honor his legacy may do so with a gift to the Tom L. Landers Memorial Scholarship, which supports future generations of OU Engineering students.
View obituary: https://www.schaudtfuneralservice.com/obituaries/thomas-landers
Three University of Oklahoma graduate students have been named winners of the 2025 Three Minute Thesis competition, which challenges participants to explain their research in three minutes to a non-specialist audience.
Sarah Sharif, a researcher with the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to create innovative light detectors that pick up mid-wave and long-wave infrared signals at higher temperatures than previously considered achievable.
A team from OU and WVU recently earned a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how concept cigarillos influence the potential for addiction. The results will be used to inform the FDA’s impending flavor ban on cigar products and could have wider-reaching implications for other tobacco products that come in flavors, such as e-cigarettes and tobacco-free nicotine pouches.