Gibbs College welcomes new assistant professors Terry Clinefelter in the Haskell & Irene Lemon Construction Science Division and Dr. Wei Liu in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design.
Terry Clinefelter brings more than 15 years of leadership and teaching experience in construction education, along with a strong professional background in residential and light commercial construction. He previously served as Department Head of the Construction Technology program at Oklahoma State University–Oklahoma City, where he spearheaded curriculum development, expanded industry partnerships, and championed hands-on learning initiatives for students.
At OU, Clinefelter will contribute to both teaching and research. His teaching experience spans blueprint reading, estimating, construction management, energy-efficient construction, MEP systems, and sustainable construction. His research focuses on experiential learning in construction education, with particular emphasis on the role and cost of hands-on laboratory instruction in four-year construction science programs.
An award-winning scholar, urban designer, and AICP-certified planner, Dr. Wei Liu brings a strong record of research, teaching, and community engagement. His work focuses on strategies that help communities thrive by enhancing public spaces, encouraging collaboration, and supporting practical design solutions that make a lasting difference.
In his role as Assistant Professor, Dr. Liu will contribute in two key areas. He will teach core courses in the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design program, preparing students for careers that shape the built and natural environments. Additionally, he will work with communities across Oklahoma on applied planning and design projects through the OU Institute for Quality Communities (IQC).
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.
