The University of Oklahoma Carceral Studies Consortium is pleased to announce that David McLeod (Social Work), Dean Hougen (Computer Science), and Constance Chapple (Sociology) have received $30,000 in funding to develop their project. According to ICAST director Shane Connelly, projects that receive this funding are “poised to inform, guide and enact research and programs that will foster community resilience in Oklahoma. From understanding and mitigating the complex ways in which poverty impacts early child development to improving social equity in climate change resilience, these projects reflect creative approaches to difficult societal challenges.”
Below is a description of the project.
The research team will develop an interactive mobile app to track how youth in Norman, Oklahoma who have been referred to the juvenile division of the Municipal court diversion program adhere to and engage with recommended services. The app aims to mitigate the adverse effects of juvenile justice contact on youth development by diverting them from formal sanctions and providing services to improve overall youth wellbeing and avoid future involvement in the criminal justice system. Along with the app, the OU School of Social Work has developed practicum placements to assist in the intake, deployment, and case management of participating youth to further support successful outcomes for participating youth.
The Carceral Studies Consortium is hosted by the Gibbs College of Architecture.
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.
Gibbs Construction Science and Architecture students recently traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to compete in the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 8 Student Competition. The team partnered with Czech Technical University and secured third place in the Design-Build category.
Gibbs College is pleased to present the exhibition Vollendorf in Oklahoma: The Architecture of Dean Bryant Vollendorf during the Spring 2026 semester. It will be on display in Gould Hall, on the OU-Norman Campus, from February 16, 2026 - March 13, 2026.
