Ambassador Spotlight ‘Michael Detwiler’

Introducing our latest Brand Ambassador Michael Detwiler from Nevada, USA:

If you are a surveyor- Where did you study? University of Arizona, B.S. – Geography and University of Florida, M.S. – Geomatics

What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area?

4-year degree + 4 years of work experience under responsible charge of a surveyor

Pass National Land Surveyor-in-Training exam

Pass National Land Surveying exam

Pass State exam

How did you get into surveying? Coming out of college I had a bachelor’s degree in Geography, which included some courses in remote sensing, GIS, and land planning. But I had no idea what land surveying was. I found a job opening for a field surveyor working on a crew. I loved the outdoors, so it sounded great to me, despite not knowing what I’d really be doing. Other than trying out land planning for less than a year early in my career, I have been surveying ever since!

How long have you been in the industry? 20 years

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention?

Member of the Nevada Association of Land Surveyors

Serve as a director on the NALS state board

Serve as President of the Lahontan Chapter of NALS

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? Surveyors have not done a good job at promoting the profession over the years. I would like to help change that and make surveying just as well-known as engineering.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? It really is a great profession that provides a wide variety of things to do. If you enjoy sitting in front of a computer drafting maps, you can do that. If you enjoy being outside and working in the field, you can do that. If you are into working with high tech instruments, you can do that. Or you can do all of those things combined!

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? All about spreading the word to the younger grade school kids. Need to plant the seed of an idea early. In Nevada there a re lot of rural towns where there’s not a lot of options for younger kids. Surveying would be a great option and we need to bring these opportunities to them.

 What are your hobbies? I enjoy skiing and mountain biking. I also play slow pitch softball on league nights and weekend tournaments. I have an old camper van and my family and I love to disappear off-grid into the remote parts of Nevada to enjoy the adventures and solitude.

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? Maybe me on a mountain bike?

 What resource would you like to see next from GKiS? You provide a lot of good stuff already!