The University of Oklahoma Carceral Studies Consortium is pleased to announce the 2022 Student Work Prize recipients. The prize recognizes excellence in scholarly or creative work from any discipline which engages carceral studies, broadly construed, during the 2021-2022 academic year. Congratulations, all!
“Reconstructing Incarceration”
Paper/Project Abstract: This fifth-year architecture studio class, offered in Fall 2021, was exceptionally different from past studios. Our tasks included a presentation to the Department of State in Washington, D.C., along with the development of an exhibition to exemplify the group’s work throughout the semester. We worked on the conceptual redesign of the Oklahoma County Jail, to be used as a flagship location to reimagine the incarceration system as a whole.
Tour the online exhibition by clicking the link below.
“COVID-19 and the Penal System: Effects of Race on Federal Sentencing Departures During the Pandemic”
Paper/Project Abstract: The United States Sentencing Commission publishes yearly reports of all federal rime sentences. This paper examines the differences in the likelihood of receiving a COVID-19 related sentence variance.
“COVID-19 and the Penal System: Effects of Race on Federal Sentencing Departures During the Pandemic”
Paper/Project Abstract: This paper is the written version of a speech delivered in an English class as part of a final assignment. The speech focuses on reasons to care about the failures of the United States Penal System. It details the arguments for and against prison reform and possible reforms that could be made in the near future to better the rehabilitative ability of prisons in the United States. The final part of this speech asks the listener/reader to speak with their local lawmakers about this issue and become part of a change.
The Carceral Studies Consortium is hosted by the Gibbs College of Architecture.
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.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has elevated Gary Armbruster, FAIA, ALEP to its prestigious College of Fellows—AIA’s highest membership honor—for his exceptional work and sustained contributions to architecture and society. Fellowship recognizes architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant impact at a national level. Members elevated to this distinction carry the FAIA designation after their name.
Students from the Spring 2026 Graduate 4 Architecture Design Studio, led by Professor Amy Leveno, exhibited their work at the School of Visual Arts. The exhibition, titled Reimagining the OU School of Visual Arts, featured drawings, models, and animations developed throughout the semester's studio project. The show was hosted in The Spotlight, a creative gallery space located on the first floor of the Fred Jones Art Center, and ran from January 20–30, 2026.
