Regional and City Planning Alum Chris Bodzioch and his colleagues at the Oklahoma County Assessor’s Office recently won the 2022 Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award. The team received this award for their dedication to creating a transparent and accessible source of information for the public.
The team was honored by Jack Dangermond, founder of Esri, for “Transparency in Local Government.” Esri is the leading global market supplier of GIS, a geographic information system software. The company strives to build a sustainable world through geographic science and geospatial analytics.
Through the office of Larry Stein, the team worked diligently to complete county map updates so that it represents the deed transfers in property ownership and any physical changes in the environment. The team also developed a system that allows multiple people to work on a project at the same time without interruption, using a GIS software called “ArcPro.”
RCPL Alum Chris Bodzioch
These processes transformed the office’s system into a workable format that allows for a more organized and easily accessible database. With the help of a company called Pro-West, a business partner of Esri, the office is now upgrading into an advanced assessment system utilizing the change detection theory and process.
Learn more about Esri and the SAG Awards.
Featured Image: Left to right: Bryan Hutchens, Kareem Burch, Mike Morrison, Jack Dangermond, Tim Conner, Chris Bodzioch, Jacob Blind.
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.
