Introducing our latest Brand Ambassador, Alexandru-Dorin Paun from Tulcea, Romania:
Where did you study? I studied at the Technical University of Construction Bucharest, The Faculty of Geodesy.
What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? Well, that depends. To be authorized as a surveyor you have to obtain from The National Agency for Cadaster and Land Registration an authorization certificate, a document that proves your technical competence and your knowledge about the law in this domain. These authorizations are split in 5 different categories, A, B, C, D or E, each one allowing you to do different kind of specialized works. For example, I obtained the D category in 2017, (which includes all the others) and I am authorized to do all that a surveyor knows how to do, but in addition to the others categories I am allowed to do the execution and verification, within the internal quality control process, of category A works; design, execution and completion of reference geodetic networks; designing and execution of photogrammetry works. The requirement for the D category is to have finished a university where you have studied geodesy, cadaster, topography, cartography and to prove that you have worked as a surveyor for 7 years
How did you get into surveying? Lucky me! My parents are surveyors, too. I married also a surveyor, but her family is older in this profession than mine is. She is the third generation of surveyor in her family.
How long have you been in the industry? I have been in this industry since I was in high school, when I took my driving license. My parents didn’t have one, and I drove them where they needed to go, after that when I was at the University all my holidays, I was helping them with their work. In 2005 I started my own company, which is called TopoDeltaPAD, Topo from Topography, Delta because I was born In Tulcea, which is the town from where the Danube Delta starts, and PAD is an acronym of my name, www.topograful.ro .
Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? From 2018-2020 I was secretary for Romanian Surveyors Union, now I am just a member.
Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? I always thought that involving the young ones when they are still in school is a great way to make our profession known so they can understand from the start its value and importance.
Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? It is just my belief that the awareness of surveyor’s importance in everyday life can only come if we educate the next generation, if they grow up knowing that surveyors exist and if they have a clue of what we do.
What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? I already got involved in sharing my experience as a surveyor in my children’s school, during the “Different Week” program, when, together with my wife, we went with the 3rd and 5th graders, to The National Center of Cartography in Bucharest, to initiate them into our profession. We also made some presentations in their school about what does surveying means. The kids were very excited, they asked us to come again.
What are your hobbies? I really love nature and being in it. I am a lake and forest’s person, so when I get the chance, I am out there. That’s why I love my job, you are not stuck at a desk.
If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? My family name is Păun, which is the Romanian word for peacock. I would like to have a GKiS peacock character.
What resource would you like to see next from GKiS? It is hard for me to tell you right now, because I just discovered you and I am fascinated with what you already have. I promise I will think about it and I will let you know.