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.
The Gibbs Design in Action Awards (GDAA) program, led by Dr. Wanda Liebermann, has announced its 2026–2027 funded student projects. The initiative supports design and research work that addresses social, cultural, and economic issues in the built environment through collaboration with faculty and community partners.
The OU Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) 2024 collaboration with the Historic Threatt Filling Station has been recognized in the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's newly released Byways Report: The Scenic Route to Rural Prosperity – a story-driven publication exploring how road trip culture and place-based tourism can fuel economic growth in rural communities.
The Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Camille Germany, Chief of Staff, has been named the 2026 recipient of the university-wide Jennifer L. Wise Good Stewardship Award.
