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 Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Dr. Tamar Zinguer, Associate Professor of Architecture, has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2026 Summer Residency at the National Humanities Center (NHC).
Tanvin Mahtub Fariha, a first-year Master of Landscape Architecture student in the Gibbs College of Architecture and a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design, has earned recognition for her work.
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.
