Welcoming our latest Brand Ambassador Dustin Gardner from Phoenix, Arizona, USA!

If you are a surveyor: I originally studied at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and graduated in 2017 with a BA in American literature, and minors in criminal justice and mathematics. As of Spring 2023 I received an academic certificate from Idaho State University in land surveying. 

I am currently living and working in Arizona, and in order to be a professional land surveyor in this state Applicants for registration as a Land Surveyor need 72 months of education/experience and have passed the NCEES fundamentals (FS) and professional (PS) examinations and the Arizona State Specific
examination. However, to start in this field all you need is timeliness and a good attitude. Many surveyors will be delighted to teach you everything they know.

I am a fourth-generation land surveyor. My great grandfather, grandfather, dad, and uncle are all land surveyors. I originally wanted to be in law enforcement and took a job working with my dad. I soon realized I much preferred this profession and took off with it from there. Now after 6 years I’ve worked in 3 different states, I have an academic certificate in survey, and have licenses in two states.

How long have you been in the industry? I have been in the field for 6 years now.

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? I work with the Arizona Young Surveyors Network, and we are up and coming trying to recruit. We’re focusing on communication for young surveyors to network with each other and help each other grow professionally. The other organization is OCJ Kids, which helps foster children across Arizona. We’ve had them involved with us for a few events and have been showing foster children there’s a place for everyone in land surveying!

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? I believe in our profession vehemently and want to preserve it. I think if kids understood what we do more kids would want to be involved, especially with the growing technology side. I already do a lot with getting kids into survey between the foster kids, Habitat for humanity, and recruiting at colleges, and high schools. I know GKiS already has a powerful base and a large swath of resources, and I’d like to work with others trying to achieve the same goal to be more effective at recruiting.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? Not only is it one of the oldest professions, but it is, and always has been, one of the most important professions. It’s also a wildly vast brush stroke to simply reference geospatial and survey as “a” profession. There is an immeasurable number of specialties within both survey and geospatial professions. When I tell people there’s a home for everyone in “survey” (or geospatial) it isn’t an exaggeration. No matter what your specialty or interest is, there’s some specialty here that you can make a life with. However, these aren’t publicized often, and so most don’t know we exist.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? I want to set up programs to teach middle schoolers and younger that we exist, and that this can be a fun career. For Jr. High through college I want to establish learning programs that have practical value that can be translated into experience so when these kids enter the work force, they can hit the ground running and really reach the highest level they possible can in this career. So, the sooner we can teach them basics, the sooner they can develop advanced skills and really take the career to new heights.

What are your hobbies? The largest part of my “hobbies” is researching and reading. Outside of survey, I am a folklorist and historian. Meaning, I study how storytelling (myths, legends, and tales of the people) affected history. I trace stories back as far as I can, hopefully to an origin point, in order to understand our where these stories came from and why they originated. Folklore, history, and land surveying are all the search for fact. I absolutely love reading into our folklore to understand why humans do what we do. I have also been working on compiling a history of land surveying back to the ancient Egyptians. I’ve even found folklore of land surveyors including curses, ghosts, and vampires! I’ve been working on assembling an archive of land surveying texts (both historical and folklore based) to preserve the great history of our profession for future generations. 

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? If I had a GKis Character they’d probably look pretty similar to Indiana Jones with a gunters chain or other antique equipment or an older western 1800’s surveyor. My favorite part of land surveying is the history portion, and my favorite quote is “archeology is the search for fact.” Land surveying is also the truth for fact. So, it goes hand-in-hand. There’s nothing more interesting than pouring over old maps, and part of folklore is tracing the stories to (usually) a truth-based source. So, the idea of old maps and traveling the world to discover ancient historical sites and artifacts and preserving this information for future generations to enjoy was always wildly fascinating and a large base for my interests. Now, I can do this as a career.

What resource would you like to see next from GKiS? I would really like to see some kind of interactive game or app for kids. I think with the way technology and society are going I think you could have a huge following for kids to connect to and learn about the profession remotely. Maybe, small interactive comics if nothing else, but it seems like most kids are glued to their tablets anymore.

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? I would really like to hand over my (small but growing) historical archive to GKiS, so that everyone can access and add to it. I would like to have some archives set in place so that surveyors throughout time can have information about what we’ve done through time because it’s important. I also think we have a wildly fascinating history. We’ve been involved in some really neat things over the centuries and our profession was largely the same up until the dawn of GPS and laser theodolites. 

Introducing Ali Gonzalez Perez our latest Brand Ambassador from Plant City, Florida, USA:

Where did you study? I studied at the University of Florida. 

What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? In Florida, professional land surveyors must be licensed. Two paths can be taken to achieve this licensure. If the individual received a bachelor’s degree in surveying and mapping, or a similar program, such as geomatics, geomatics engineering, or land surveying, from a recognized college or university accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), then they must have a specific experience record of at least four years as a subordinate to a professional surveyor and mapper in the active practice of surveying and mapping. On the other hand, if the individual received a bachelor’s degree or higher in the course of study other than surveying and mapping, they must have at least six years of experience as a subordinate to a registered surveyor and mapper in the active practice of surveying and mapping. They must also complete at least 25 semester hours in surveying and mapping subjects or a combination of courses in civil engineering, surveying, mapping, mathematics, photogrammetry, forestry, or land law and the physical sciences since their degree is not in Geomatics.

How did you get into surveying? I graduated in 1995 as a mining engineer in Cuba, giving me a solid land surveying foundation. When I moved to the United States in 2004, I found work as a field surveyor in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. After working as a crew chief for about 14 years, I decided to further my education and enrolled in a Certificate in Geomatics program at the University of Florida (UF). I recently completed the program and passed the NCEES exams to earn my licensure. It feels great to have achieved this milestone in my career!

If you are not a surveyor, what do you do?   I am also a teacher. 

How long have you been in the industry? I spent around 14 years working in the industry and have been working on academia, research, and teaching since I joined UF in 2016. 

Are you part of any associations or organizations you would like us to mention? I am associated with the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society, the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), and the Secular Student Alliance. 

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? I’ve been noticing a serious lack of awareness among the general public regarding the crucial role that land surveyors play in our communities. It’s been taking a toll on our profession lately, and it’s time for us as educators to step up and engage more with young students to help address this issue. By getting more involved with the next generation, we can help promote greater understanding and appreciation for our work and the value it brings to society as a whole. So let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work!

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? Geomatics is a beautiful career. It includes so many branches of science and technology, and there’s room for any preference any youngster might have regarding studies. From GIS (using computers) to outdoors, including marine geomatics, drones, and GPS, there’s something for everyone. I’ve experienced that land surveying is also a very profitable career, which is great news for those considering this field. Overall, Geomatics is an exciting and varied career path to explore.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? Approach existing STEM clubs in the Tampa Bay area and talk to high schoolers about Geomatics and its exciting branches. 

What are your hobbies? When I am not working, I plant fruit trees as a hobby, 🌱🌳

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? It would be a Gator, the UF mascot. 

What resource would you like to see next from GKiS? I am not sure yet; I need to start to get more insight into this project. 

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? I will have more to say when I start, right now I am working on contacting high school teachers and STEM clubs. Wish me luck. 

Welcoming Nicole Rodriguez-Bonilla as our latest Brand Ambassador from Puerto Rico:

Where did you study? I studied in the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (UPRM). I have a Bachelors Degree in Land Surveying and Topography.

What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? To be a Surveyor in Puerto Rico you need a 4 year degree in a accredited university, have both FS and PS Exams approved, be a member of the College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico (Law 173 of August 12, 1988) and have a minimum of 2 years of experience under the supervision of a Professional Surveyor.

How did you get into surveying? I wanted to become an Arquitect because I wanted to pursue a profession were I could draw plans, but my parents wouldn’t allow me to move far from home. The closest university that offered a career with plan drawings was UPRM and that’s when I decided to study there. It wasn’t until I took a class called Geomatics I, were a Professor named Juan Rodríguez gave, I knew this was the profession I wanted to be in. Since then I’ve been passionate about Surveying.

How long have you been in the industry? I started working at 2019 while I finished my degree.

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? Yes, I’m part of National Society of Profesional Surveyors (NSPS) Young Surveyors Network (YSN) from FIG, the Association of Surveyors of Puerto Rico and I’m a collaborator in the Institute of Surveyors of Puerto Rico which is part of the College of Engineers and Surveyors.

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? I have wanted to become a Brand Ambassador for more than 4 years now, but didn’t know I could become one.  I think Kids are the most fundamental part of society. Which is why they should be our priority in all of our daily decisions, specially when it comes to the future. That’s why being a brand ambassador is very important to me. I want kids in Puerto Rico to know about our profession, its fun and adventurous side and the importance of a surveyor in society.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? It is important because we’re a profession that while growing fast in a technological aspect, there are fewer surveyors and youth studying to become one. In Puerto Rico the average professional surveyor is 63 years old and there are 360 surveyors of which 9 are women. And although in the island there are geospatial instruments and technology, we are not enough for the population demand.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? I’m going to visit elementary schools (as I’m doing as of now), I’m also helping Boys Scouts of America units earn their Merit Badges for Surveying, Compass, etc., I’ll reach out to friends and families with kids and send them information and coloring sheets through mail or in person; and although they are out of the group age scope for GKiS, I’m also visiting high schools to show kids the career opportunities they have in Surveying.

What are your hobbies? I love walking my dog to the park, helping my partner to cook, I bake sweets, watch comfort movies, travel & visit the beach.

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be?  I have a beautiful pitbul named Kiwi (like the fruit). She’s very loving and protective of us. Pitbuls have a bad reputation of being aggressive and even evil and she’s so not that. She loves to eat, sleep (a lot), play and be around us all the time. I think I would love to have a character as similar as yours Erin. Me and Kiwi. Maybe adding a little tropical features because of my island. Like a Maga flower.

What resource would you like to see next from GKiS? I’ve wanted to have information more accessible for Puerto Rican Kids. Although we know English from an early age, it’s easier for them to ask questions and for me and my colleagues to answer them in Spanish. A translation of the presentation is something we would love to have. And also, a tropical poster and characters that kids can relate to would be a dream.

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? Like I mentioned before, I think Kids are the most fundamental part of society and it must be our priority to keep them in mind when we make life changing decisions that might affect their futures. We have to leave them with a better world than what we got. And as surveyors, our job is to leave the profession standing tall, with great development and accessible opportunities to our Kids.

Welcoming our latest Brand Ambassador  Zifceac Iaroslav from Bihar, Romania:

Where did you study? University of Oradea, Romania

Welcoming Darion Mahadeo from Trinidad and Tobago:

Where did you study? I am a Graduate Geomatics Engineer (Land Surveyor) in my country Trinidad and Tobago. I am a PhD Surveying and Land Information Candidate; I also hold an MSc. Geoinformatics (Distinction), and BSc. Geomatics (Honors)- Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors Accredited. I also have 9 years of professional and academic experience.

All my degrees were obtained at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad, West Indies.

What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? To be a licensed surveyor in Trinidad, the first requirement is my accredited and recognized BSc. Geomatics Degree. And then I need a proposer who is a licensed land surveyor of Trinidad and Tobago (TTLS) who has been licensed for a minimum of 15 years. Then I need to work under him/her for a minimum of 24 months and complete the professional requirements necessary. Afterwards there will be an examination component, once passed the next stage is the trial survey, and finally once successful, the final stage is the oral defense (viva voce).

How did you get into surveying? Coming out of poverty was the main motivation of me being a surveyor. Education seemed to be the path that could deliver me out of this. However, it all started at the age of 10, seeing my dad who worked as a surveyor’s assistant struggle financially to make ends meet. Surveyor’s assistant in our country does not make as much of an income and having a family (wife and kids) was a great struggle. I wanted to be like my dad, but also be the ‘boss’ (surveyor) rather than a surveyor’s assistant – unlike my dad’s position.

The idea of being outdoors while working together for some days at the office was an attractive reward for the job also – this was the perfect mix for me considering my love for nature. I was then well-motivated, and nothing could have changed my mind, “I am going to be a surveyor”, was my motto from then. Browsing my way through academics, gaining working experience for the past 8 years helped me obtain proper insights within the field as to how they related to all things in the world.

Through my Department at UWI, which is an FIG Member, I was exposed to more in-depth sub-fields of the very broad ‘Geomatics’. Lots of theory made me very excited to pursue the upcoming practical assignments/fieldwork associated with learning new skill sets, and techniques. Having hands-on experience and the knowledge to execute made me more thrilled to learn more and more. I was starting to live my dream! I looked forward to the practical field trips such as cadastral surveys, engineering survey site visits, GPS and GNSS fieldwork, and even bathymetric surveys.

Years passed where I accumulated knowledge and skill sets in the fields of mathematics, cadastral surveying, hydrographic surveying, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Remote Sensing and then I applied them professionally. I am very skilled in conducting ground surveying techniques, developing GIS solutions, understand Remote Sensing Operations, and have a recent passion combining them with Artificial Intelligence to make smarter solutions for and informed decision making. All mentioned here are my interests in the field.

I have also taught courses of the BSc Geomatics at the UWI for some years between 2018-2021. Throughout the years, I have recognized surveying to be a well-respected and rewarding career. I tend to stay within this field and invest my youth towards contributing in whatever possible way I can. I aim to do good and make the world a better place. I aim to complete my PhD and be a Professor at a University someday as well as maintain Surveying and Geospatial practices in my work. I also aim to join professional organizations and attain professional certification to keep abreast with the technology and time.

How long have you been in the industry? I have been in the industry academically and professionally for 9 years.

Are you part of any associations or organizations you would like us to mention? At the moment I am just being responsible for my University (The University of the West Indies).

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? To share knowledge and ideas with kids. To educate the younger generation (youths) about surveying and geospatial sciences. GKiS posters and incentives are well-designed and equipped for delivering these goals.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? So that they can have a fair idea of the field early in life and make more informed decisions as to what career they would like to choose. As well as to be more informed about surveyors (measurement scientists) and how important our roles are to the world.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? I aim to follow the GKiS initiatives:

-> to spread the word of the ‘Get Kids into Survey’ Initiative in local area

-> to attend careers fairs, school classrooms & conferences

-> to present surveying as a career to young students

-> to encourage others to join as Brand Ambassadors and help spread the word

-> to educate potential Brand Sponsors about our initiative

-> to feedback to ‘Get Kids into Survey’, with what school/fair/event has been attended etc.

What are your hobbies? Football (soccer), Agriculture, playing with my puppies, spending time with animals and nature, and teaching children, young people and adults.

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? I would like to be a mini version of myself – a little lad who has the world as his oyster (and chose surveying as a start).

What resource would you like to see next from GKiS? Animation and audio -> video of the characters (maybe Ambassadors do voice overs) 🙂

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? Share widely with the GKiS organization and spread the word!

Introducing our latest Brand Ambassador from Arizona, USA – Robert Lopez!

Here’s a bit about him:

“I am a registered surveyor in Arizona.

Introducing our latest Brand Ambassador from Florida, USA it’s Tanya Hopper:

If you are not a surveyor, what do you do? Associate Director of Talent Acquisition at Atwell. I am a dedicated resource for our Survey and Mapping group. I am also chair of our survey scholarship program, and I’m launching a Young Surveyor program internally this year. I also plan to become a CST proctor in the next few months.

How long have you been in the industry? 2+ years in survey, 5.5 in civil engineering

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? I believe in the mission! I think survey is a wonderful profession, and I take pride in helping it grow by introducing newbies to the industry.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? Only 14% of licensed surveyors are under 34, and the average age of a PLS is between 58-60. If we don’t put in the work NOW, we will have an even smaller pool of candidates down the road – with major infrastructure project underway. We are already in a major surveyor shortage. It’s a great profession and it basically sells itself – we just have to give it a little introduction so youngsters can enroll in geomatics programs.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? Visit middle and high schools, teacher conferences, be an advocate at survey conferences, persuade other surveyors to get on board, and attempt to work with boy/girl scouts and 4H clubs.

What are your hobbies? Camping, hiking, fishing, crabbing, gardening, mountain biking, cooking

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? Human

What resource would you like to see next from GKiS? Do you remember quizzes in magazines when you were a kid? Each answer had an arrow that pointed you to a different new question. I think it would be cool to have one with survey related professions and have questions such as “do you like being outside,” “are you good with math,” “do you like working with computers,” etc. and have some of the responses lead to Crew Chief, Drafter, GIS, etc.

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? Seek and find- “find the monument”

Introducing Jon aka The River Surveyor from Storm Geomatics! To have a go at their Wild Water and Risky Rivers Homework Project please click here.

Company Name – Storm Geomatics

Location – Warwickshire & Bristol England

Why is it important for your company to help Get Kids into Survey? There is an international shortage of qualified land surveyors. We have joined forces with The Survey Association in the UK to ensure “every young person knows about survey as a career.”

What do you do? I am a river surveyor! Using the latest technology I measure rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. These measurements are used by our clients who are engineers to create flood defence solutions. 

How long have you been in the survey profession? Since 2007 when I became a trainee land surveyor. I am now senior surveyor for Storm Geomatics and lead the most complex projects.  

How did you end up getting into the geospatial industry?  The opportunity came to follow a career that involved 50% of my time being on site all over the UK and 50% of my time processing the data I collect in the office.

State a funny fact about you… We once discovered a forty-foot barge at the bottom of a river during a survey.

Favourite piece of kit and why? Any kind of multibeam scanner. I spend many hours skippering our compact survey vessel Storm Geoswath I. I also play a key role in creating specialist survey techniques to gather even more data for our clients. That way they know when they use Storm Geomatics, they get the best value for money. 

Favourite Survey technique and why? Interferometric sonar because I know when I survey into the depths lakes or rivers this is the unknown and what we discover has not been found before.

Your website

How did you choose the character and what does he/she/it represent? Mean to you? What’s his/her name? This character is based on Storm’s most experienced and knowledgeable river surveyor who has been with the company since it was founded in 2007.