Salma Akter Surma, a Ph.D. student advised by Dr. Suchi Bhattacharjee in Gibbs College’s Planning, Design and Construction program, has been awarded the Nancy L. Mergler Dissertation Completion Fellowship for the 2025–2026 academic year. This competitive fellowship, awarded by the OU Graduate College, supports outstanding doctoral candidates in the final stages of their dissertation research.
Her dissertation, titled “Trauma-Informed Built Environment: Exploring the Housing and Neighborhoods’ Impact on Refugee Children’s Well-Being in Resettlement Context,” investigates how housing environments can promote healing and stability for refugee children in the United States. Focusing on the experiences of Zomi refugee children in Tulsa, Oklahoma, her research explores how neighborhood design, housing conditions, and access to child-friendly amenities influence children’s safety, mental health, and overall well-being post-resettlement context.
The research is grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and guided by the trauma-informed principles established by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Through participatory design workshops, photo-elicitation, interviews with refugee mothers, and environmental assessments, the creative design workshop with refugee children amplifies their voices and uncovers critical insights into how built environments can support their long-term well-being.
Findings highlight the negative impacts of overcrowded living conditions, lack of natural light, and limited access to parks and culturally familiar spaces—issues that contribute to stress and hinder successful integration. Her work advocates for child-centered, trauma-informed housing models that prioritize safety, cultural identity, emotional resilience, and belonging.
Salma extends her heartfelt gratitude to her Chair, Dr. Suchismita Bhattacharjee, Co-Chair Dr. Tamera McCuen, and committee members Dr. Bisel Ryan, Dr. Bryce C. Lowery, and Dr. Krista Schroeder for their invaluable guidance, encouragement, and support throughout this journey.
A special thanks to Professor Elizabeth Pober, Associate Dean Angela Person, Dean Hans E. Butzer, and the Gibbs College of Architecture for cultivating an interdisciplinary environment that empowers students to explore the planning, design, and construction of the built environment.
Salma proudly acknowledges the Dean of the Graduate College Randall S. Hewes, and Senior Associate Dean Liz Karr and Associate Dean Ioana Cionea, and the anonymous reviewers of Nancy L. Mergler Fellowship’s for recognizing her research’s depth, rigor, and significance in supporting justice and advancing knowledge for marginalized communities. Thanks to Mr. Will O’Donnell, Associate Director of Awards and Programming, for maintaining transparent and rapid communication with students.
Congratulations to Salma Akter Surma on receiving this prestigious fellowship and for her important contributions!
The University of Oklahoma College of Architecture is proud to announce that Model Schools in the Model City, authored by Director of the Institute for Quality Communities, Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., has been named one of ten finalists for the 2026 ASALH Book Prize for Best New Book in African American History and Culture.
This semester, students in the LA 5535 Studio: Ecological Planning and Design, led by Prof. Afsana Sharmin, took on an ambitious hypothetical project to redesign key parts of the OU campus. Their mission: to tackle the critical real-world challenge of stormwater management through innovative green design.
Petya Stefanoff, Chair of the Educational Committee with the American Planning Association, Oklahoma Chapter (APA-OK) and Gibbs College PhD candidate, has developed a new training program for local government officials. The program, focused on land use, zoning principles, and land development, recently certified its first graduates with Certified Citizen Planner status.
