The finalists in the sixth New Zealand Spatial Excellence Awards (NZSEA) were announced in early September. The 2019 Awards received 34 entries from a diverse range of organisations and individuals from around New Zealand. Each entry highlights the different ways spatial technology is being used by business and iwi in areas including road safety, sustainable farming, workplace safety, earthquake recovery, recreation, education and pest control.
Catherine O’Shaugnessy, head of the NZSEA Judging Panel, says this year’s entries continue to prove how valuable spatial technology is to our economy, and showcase new ways it can be used.
“The awards are a fantastic way to show the diverse ways spatial technology is being used by business, iwi, and government to plan for the future. This year’s entrants highlight the depth of expertise and creativity in using spatial technology to develop vital tools people and businesses are using every day to make decisions for work and play,” says Catherine.
“Through the sector’s expertise New Zealand businesses, communities, and local and central government can access world-class technologies to learn more about our changing environments. From this we can all make better decisions today, to ensure so our country is more productive and prepared for tomorrow.”
The winners for each category will be announced at an awards ceremony on Thursday 17 October 2019 at Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington.
The 2019 New Zealand Spatial Excellence Awards Finalists are:
Award for Environment and Sustainability
- Balance Agri-Nutrients: MitAgator
- Boffa Miskell: 3D Mapping for Wilding Pine Control at Mid Dome
- Land Information New Zealand / Marlborough District Council: Marine Magic – Mapping of Queen Charlotte Sound / Tōtaranui
Award for Innovation and Commercialisation
- Springload: Quake Nation: Te Papa Earthquake Interactive
- Ballance Agri-Nutrients: MitAgator
Award for People and Community
- New Zealand Walking Access Commission: Find my Adventure
- Land Information New Zealand: Indigenous Mapping Waananga
- New Zealand Geographic Information Systems for Emergency Management (NZGIS4EM) Committee: NZGIS4EM – The Beginning
Award for Spatial Enablement
- Safe Roads Alliance / Beca Limited: Exploiting technology to boost road safety across New Zealand
- Abley: Safer Journeys Risk Assessment Tool (Mega Maps)
- Seeka / Critchlow: Seeka Maps
Award for Technical Excellence
- Abley: Safer Journeys Risk Assessment Tool (Mega Maps)
- Fox and Associates Ltd: Aerial Mapping for disease in potato crops
- Elliot Sinclair: Dipping the Ocean – Kaikoura – New Zealand
Professional of the Year Award
- Mark Nichols: Trimble Inc.
- Duane Wilkins: Land Information New Zealand
Young Professional of the Year Award
- Melissa Harrington: Trimble
- Hayley Hume-Merry: Boffa Miskell
- Sam Keast: Ministry of Social Development
Education and Professional Development Award
- Duane Wilkins: Land Information New Zealand
- Claire Thurlow: Eagle Technology
Student Award (Undergraduate & Postgraduate)
- Todd Redpath: University of Otago
- Tingting Xu: The University of Auckland
- Rosey Harris: Victoria University of Wellington
Supreme Excellence Award
The 2019 NZSEA Supreme Excellence Award will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Thursday 17 October. The winner be chosen from one of the organisational category winners to represent the peak of achievement in the spatial industry.
The New Zealand Spatial Excellence Awards are a joint initiative by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), Survey and Spatial New Zealand (S+S NZ), and Spatial Industries Business Association (SIBA). Each partner contributes its resources and expertise to make sure the awards reach the highest standards of excellence and independence.
The awards seek out and give recognition to the best, the high achievers, and the contributors who set the benchmarks that others will follow, becoming the role models for the next generation of the spatial profession.
NZSEA provides a stepping stone for organisations and individuals to be nominated in the Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards (APSEA) – the only awards for the Asia Pacific region that recognise the excellent achievements of both individuals and organisations engaged in the spatial information industry.
Source: NZSEA
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