Nathan Thomas of Utah County Honored with Utah Excellence in GIS Award at UGIC Conference
Kanab, UT — 5/6/2026 — The Utah Geographic Information Council (UGIC) is proud to announce Nathan Thomas of Utah County as a recipient of the 2026 Utah Excellence in GIS Award, recognizing his innovative use of artificial intelligence to transform public health operations and property assessment processes.
As a GIS Programmer with Utah County, Thomas has led the development of two groundbreaking AI-driven initiatives that demonstrate the power of geospatial technology to solve complex, real-world challenges.
One of these projects, an AI-powered storm drain detection system, addresses a critical public health need: identifying mosquito breeding sites to help prevent the spread of West Nile Virus. By applying advanced object detection models to high-resolution aerial imagery, the system automatically identifies thousands of storm drains across Utah County—eliminating the need for time-consuming manual surveys. The solution processes countywide imagery in approximately 25 hours and achieves strong detection accuracy, enabling field teams to efficiently locate and treat high-risk areas.
This innovation has significantly improved operational efficiency for mosquito abatement efforts, allowing technicians to focus on treatment rather than locating infrastructure. It also provides valuable data for broader applications such as urban planning, emergency preparedness, and long-term public health strategy.
In addition, Thomas developed an AI-powered building change detection system that is transforming how Utah County conducts property assessments. By comparing AI-generated building outlines with existing assessor records, the system assigns match scores that help prioritize which properties require in-person inspection. When applied to nearly 57,000 properties approaching reassessment, the model ruled out 86% as not requiring further review—dramatically reducing workload and improving efficiency.
This system has eliminated approximately $160,000 in annual outsourcing costs while enabling appraisers to focus on properties most likely to require updates. The result is a more accurate, efficient, and cost-effective assessment process that benefits both the county and its taxpayers.
“Nathan’s work showcases how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can be thoughtfully applied within GIS to create meaningful, measurable impact,” said Darin Sleight, Utah County GIS Manager. “His solutions are not only innovative but also highly practical, improving both government operations and public service delivery.”
Thomas has served as a GIS Programmer at Utah County for six years, consistently advancing the use of modern geospatial technologies to support data-driven decision-making.
The Utah Excellence in GIS Award celebrates individuals whose work exemplifies innovation, impact, and leadership in the GIS field across the state. Nathan Thomas’s work stands as a model for how artificial intelligence and GIS can come together to deliver smarter, more efficient government services.
About UGIC
The Utah Geographic Information Council (UGIC) is a statewide organization that promotes GIS education, collaboration, and best practices. The annual UGIC Conference is Utah’s premier GIS event, bringing together professionals from government, academia, and private industry to celebrate excellence and share knowledge in geospatial technology.
For more information, visit ugic.org.