Huston Gibson

As an instructor, Huston Gibson assumes the role of a diplomatic guide in the learning process, and he focuses on helping students understand and connect course readings, assignments, lectures, and discussions to the world around them. He always strives to give a non‐biased comprehensive look at the subject material. He will tell all sides of a story. He blends a variety of instructional media along with a variety of teaching methods to keep class fresh and exciting from day to day.

Gibson attempts to generate energy, excitement, and stimulating discourse about the material. He makes a conscious effort to ensure his classroom ambiance is inviting towards participation by keeping the environment fair, respectful, and open‐minded so that every student feels welcome. He concentrates on creating a flexible, yet structured, atmosphere. He makes himself approachable by setting a light, friendly mood and by attempting to use easy-to-understand, familiar examples of relevant anecdotes.

Gibson is a regional and community planner. He strives to promote professional identity, fair planning, and collective decision‐making. He is a “generalist” planner. He strives to understand the vast comprehensive dynamics that make up the well-being of our communities and regions and the people who live, work, and play in them. His approach to scholarship is to address topics that will promote planning and “sustainable community infrastructure.” He greatly values working in multidisciplinary teams so as to help himself see a project from alternative facets, but he also benefits from individual inquiry and self‐reflection on a subject.

On a job interview, Gibson once told the supervisor he wanted to transfer into the public sector from the private sector to better understand how “it” works. The supervisor laughed loudly. Gibson got the job. Gibson later moved back into academe, and now through his scholarship, Gibson is still seeking answers (and perhaps better understands the supervisor’s laughter).

In 2018, Gibson was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association. 

Ph.D. in Planning, Florida State University, 2009
M.S. in Planning, University of Tennessee, 2002
B.A. in Psychology (major), Sociology (minor), University of Mississippi, 1997