Dr. Cookson is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Urology at the University of Oklahoma.  He holds the Donald Albers Endowed Chair in Urology. He is the Chief Surgical Officer at OU Health's Stephenson Cancer Center. He is Past President of the Society of Urologic Oncology and of the South-Central Section of the AUA. A graduate of the OU’s College of Medicine, he completed his urology residency at the U.T San Antonio. He did a Fellowship in Urologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He received a Master’s in Health Care Management from Vanderbilt. Focusing on urologic oncology and education, he has led efforts in integration of evidenced based medicine in clinical pathways, enhanced guidelines, and improved education as a member of the AUA/ABU Exam Committee and former Chair of the SUO’s OKAT. He has served as Chair of the AUA’s CRPC Guidelines Panel. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the AUA’s Advanced Prostate Cancer Guideline Panel. He is currently on the Editorial Board of the AUA Update Series. He is a member of the AAGUS, the SPS and numerous professional societies. He has been recognized internationally for his contributions to the field of urologic oncology and has lectured extensively. An accomplished researcher, teacher and lecturer, he is the authored or co-authored over 250 peer-reviewed journal publications and more than 30 chapters of various textbooks in urologic oncology and urologic surgery.  He has been recognized nationally and internationally for his outstanding contributions to field of urologic oncology.