SCAUG regional Awards

2023 Award Winners

Founders Award

Colin Brooks, OK Corporation Commission 

 There are two things all outstanding GIS people have in common is 1) a powerful drive to solve problems and 2) the creativity to take existing data and technology and make something new that make people’s jobs and lives easier.  

Colin takes those two qualities and cranks them up to 11, while blending them with tenacity in the face of logistical hurdles and an expansive knowledge base not just in GIS, but in many related areas. Because of him, the Ok Corporation Commission (OCC) finally has a fully-functioning ArcGIS Enterprise account. Since launching Enterprise, Colin has created many tools that benefit the employees of the OCC and the public as a whole. He created the OCC Well Data Finder, which ties together our well database as well as the well document imaging system. It's has 10's of 1000's of hits already and it's only been live less than a year. He also created the new Aerial Photo Viewer, which is the final step of the Oklahoma Historical Aerial Photo Digitization Project--the piece de resistance. And, when he learned that the Department of Interior was requiring a ranking criteria based on environmental justice issues for grantees to manage well plugging projects with their $25 million grants (which includes the OCC), he was able to create exactly what our staff needed to meet the grant requirements. The tools he’s made for the OCC Oil and Gas Division are game-changers in the way we display our data, do our jobs, and interact with stakeholders.     

State Employees are all public servants. They aren’t in it for the money. They are in it for the private satisfaction of knowing they did a good thing. But sometimes, we get a chance to recognize them in front of our colleagues for going above and beyond.  Colin has made GIS work for the OCC in ways I did not think possible. His drive, knowledge, and imagination I believe make him a very strong contender for this award. 

Thumbs Up Awards

Leah Nash, Candace Johnston-Perry, Daniela Spade, OU Center for Spatial Analysis 

The OU Center for Spatial Analysis (CSA) has been a friend and partner of SCAUG's for the past 10+ years.  CSA has co sponsored events, helped in coordination efforts, supplied give away items, promoted activites and helped us in any way necessary.  Leah's can do attitude is always refreshing when SCAUG needs assistance and she has an amazing abilty to jump through hoops to get tasks done quickly and efficiently.  Candace and Daniela have attended multiple Regional and OKSCAUG events and are always willing to present or do a poster on a moments notice. I always know if there is any way possible they will be on site to help out and partcipate in any way possible.  As the home of the OU Data Warehouse, CSA plays a critical role in serving out data to the State of Oklahoma and their staff makes sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. OU CSA and their staff are very deserving of the SCAUG Thumbs Up Award.