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).
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture professor and Institute for Quality Communities Director Dr. Amber N. Wiley’s book, Model Schools in the Model City: Race, Planning, and Education in the Nation’s Capital, has received two major honors from the Urban History Association.
Research initiated by Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture alumna Naila Hasan during her master’s studies at the University of Oklahoma has continued through faculty collaboration and resulted in a peer-reviewed publication in HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce Esther Thorp, Tyler Boydstun and Chukwuma Nwokoye as the winners of the 2026 Construction Innovation Translation Hub (CIThub) Student Ideas Competition.
