The University of Oklahoma (OU) Carceral Studies Consortium is pleased to announce that Dr. Constance Chapple has accepted the role of faculty director of the Carceral Studies Consortium following an internal search. Dr. Chapple will serve as incoming director during the spring semester, and officially assume the position on July 1, 2022.
Dr. Chapple is an associate professor of sociology with research specialties in the causes and consequences of crime and criminal justice involvement. Dr. Chapple has published over 28 articles, chapters, and edited books on the topics of gender and crime, family and crime, peers and crime, the social and financial consequences of incarceration and arrest and the long-term negative effects that early life-course maltreatment and adversity have on children, youths, and adults. She is a principal investigator, along with Dr. Sherri Castle, of an OU VPRP Big Idea Challenge Grant and leads a transdisciplinary team of faculty who are conducting research on “Child Wellbeing and Opportunities across the Lifespan.”
The OU Carceral Studies Consortium brings together faculty, staff and students from across the University of Oklahoma and beyond to cultivate and support rigorous research, pedagogy, and community engagement toward social transformation. Carceral Studies takes as its primary subject of inquiry the contemporary problem of states and societies organized by punishment and incarceration.
The Consortium is very appreciative of its sponsor deans for their support of this crucial area of research and community engagement, including Dean David Wrobel, Dodge Family College of Arts & Sciences; Dean Ed Kelley, Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication; Dean Stacy Reeder, Rainbolt College of Education; and Dean Hans Butzer, Gibbs College of Architecture. In addition, the Consortium extends its thanks to Dr. Shane Connelly, director of the OU Institute for Community and Society Transformation, for its support of the Consortium.
Listen to a recent interview with Dr. Chapple about her work below.
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.
