Dr. Laura Harjo, associate professor of Native American Studies and an affiliate faculty member of Regional and City Planning, was recently elected as President of the Faculty Women’s Interest Group within the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP).
The ACSP Faculty Women’s Interest Group (FWIG) is an interest group within ACSP, a consortium of university-based programs offering degrees and credentials in Urban and Regional Planning. ACSP promotes planning education, research, service and outreach in North America and throughout the world.
FWIG works to encourage and support women faculty and graduate students in the planning academy and throughout their career. FWIG also welcomes those conducting research and outreach on planning issues critical to women. The group has a new focus on Intersectional Feminist/Anti-Racist/De-Colonial Planning and is working to encourage planners to include ending violence against all women and girls as an important part of their planning work.
Dr. Harjo’s interest and expertise in topics such as Indigenous planning and development, Indigenous feminisms, and community participatory methodologies will help her excel at this leadership role.
Congratulations to Dr. Harjo!
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.