Recently, Dr. Bryce Lowery from the Division of Regional and City Planning collaborated with a team from the University of Oklahoma’s College of Allied Health at the OU Health and Sciences Center to publish a series of three papers that explore the relationship between Early Care and Education settings in Oklahoma and access to park space and grocery stores.
The first article, published in June in Current Developments in Nutrition, found that child care settings might provide a protective nutritional micro-environment for small children even in areas designated as food deserts.
The second article, published in the July issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, found that grocery store availability influences classroom nutritional practices in family care settings – more so than in Head Starts or community-based child care settings.
The third article, published in June in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, explored relationships between early child care centers and access to parks and playgrounds. The team of researchers found that family child care settings were more sensitive to a lack of nearby green space, but overall, child care centers provide a protective activity environment for small children.
Dr. Bethany Williams of Washington State University led the research team that included: Dr. Bryce Lowery of the Gibbs College of Architecture Division of Regional and City Planning; Dr. Susan Sission of College of Allied Health OU Health Sciences Center; Dr. Dipti Dev of the College of Education and Human Sciences University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Dr. Diane Horm of the Early Childhood Education Institute University of Oklahoma-Tulsa; and others from the OU College of Allied Health and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
A team of Construction Science and Architecture students from the Gibbs College of Architecture made their mark on the national stage this week, earning third place out of 37 universities competing at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Student Competition, held during the International Builders' Show in Orlando, February 16-18, 2026.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has elevated Gary Armbruster, FAIA, ALEP to its prestigious College of Fellows—AIA’s highest membership honor—for his exceptional work and sustained contributions to architecture and society. Fellowship recognizes architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant impact at a national level. Members elevated to this distinction carry the FAIA designation after their name.
Students from the Spring 2026 Graduate 4 Architecture Design Studio, led by Professor Amy Leveno, exhibited their work at the School of Visual Arts. The exhibition, titled Reimagining the OU School of Visual Arts, featured drawings, models, and animations developed throughout the semester's studio project. The show was hosted in The Spotlight, a creative gallery space located on the first floor of the Fred Jones Art Center, and ran from January 20–30, 2026.
