FutureGeo 2.0 Report compiled by Erin Hull

This week Get Kids into Survey were lucky enough to be a part of ‘a networking event with a difference… an opportunity to connect, talk, and change the future of GeoScience’ organised by our Brand Ambassador Tom Backhouse.

Brought to us through DigiLounge virtual platform there were 8 virtual floors each having a different theme, there was definitely lots to get involved in. GKiS were involved in getting the conversations started on Floor 6- GeoScience through Geography and STEM. Elly was one of the FutureGeo ‘champions’ and spoke to many of the attendees, all having different opinions and experiences to share on the topic.

As an attendee I (Erin Hull) had a mooch around a couple of the floors to see what different tables were talking about. There was so much going on that I will have barely touched the surface with my conversations. The discussions touched upon were based around these topics:

Diversity, difference and equality in geoscience

Communicating geoscience

Utilising emerging technology in geoscience

Water and geoscience

The energy and material transition

Inclusivity and opportunity in geoscience

Exploring the decline in University enrollment

There were a lot of fears and problems identified at the start of the event by four intro speakers; Chris Jackson, Michael Kehinde, Hannah Goodlad, Catherine Owen and George Whitehouse. We have summed up some of their key points;

The future of geoscience is very important, the community needs to keep engaged and have the opportunity to link up, share ideas, and bring everyone together because we are part of the solution to many problems. At the moment the industry does not have many opportunities to connect together.

There is limited diversity, racially and ethnically within the industry. With the spotlight currently on this barrier, now is the time to tackle this and be more inclusive.

Water availability worldwide is a massive problem. 1 billion do not have access to safe water, millions die each year because of this. When water is too much OR too little it causes livelihoods to be ruined. Geoscientists need to work with other professionals as part of the force to enhance and save our planet from destruction.

The public image of us is viewed through a narrow lens

Geology could be left out of energy transition when we need to be involved. This brings us drive and motivation to let geology find its place. Where the community will connect and grow as our purpose is clear, as geologists we are all about the EARTH, one vital part of our existence.

Younger people have limited opportunity in the industry, requiring experience and masters degrees, something needs to change which allows an opening for the younger generation to get involved. Inclusivity means everyone should be on a level playing field, not only the younger generation which has been highlighted but those with disability or from different language backgrounds too.

Through talking about fears and problems within the community, it brings things to light that might not have been thought about before. This gives us the opportunity to tackle these issues head on, by opening conversations about them, starting discussions, leading to creating methods to combat them so they are not a problem in the future.

At the next stage of the event everyone could move around the floors and tables to network amongst each other. Although I was only involved in a handful of conversations I still learnt a lot and thought I would share some of my discussion outcomes:

Many universities have begun to close their Geology courses due to lack of interest and decreasing enrolment over the last few years. Discussing the reasoning behind this it is thought there are a few reasons behind it. Firstly, there is a lack of understanding of the terminology used, maybe potential students are put off by words or phrases that they have not gained an understanding of. Students may be unaware that they are studying geology in some of their subjects as it is present in physics, chemistry, biology and geography; however, as the word geology is not used the students do not realise they are aspects of their learning journey already. The diversity of the subject needs to be more exposed and the catchment needs to be based on younger children rather than just before they apply to university.

Career advice is definitely lacking, with students being directed to being conservationists or consultants when asked about careers in geology. This lack of knowledge is believed to be a huge limiting factor in why children have not considered geosciences as their career. There should be a wider outreach which should involve the community as a whole, teachers, parents and the students. They all play a massive role in influencing future choices because if they are not aware of an opportunity then how can they be expected to share that or speak out about that career to others. The careers process definitely needs an update as people are interested, they are just misinformed. A good example of this is how civil engineering has updated their process of exposing the industry and employment options.

We should be aware of how we portray the Geosciences to show the full range of what Geoscientists do, showcase this and share what you do so others can learn. When recruiting, look beyond local networks to ensure fresh talent is applied. Linking to this, it is recognised that Geology is an expensive degree, so change needs to occur to mitigate this limiting factor. This may be by introducing more on the job training to reduce the cost/need to do an MSc similar to the engineering careers. 

Geosciences can grow by encouraging mentoring schemes at all levels from school, through degrees and into industry. Funding research into effective initiatives to reduce the diversity gap, to allow evidence based action, proving that the industry can and will grow and be accepting of everyone. For this to occur geoscientists cannot act as gatekeepers which discourages students from taking a Geoscience degree based on our ideas of what a geologist looks like. Stereotypes are something that need to be reworked to make sure no one feels unwelcome if that is their talent. Recognising that we need to be aware of our own privileges and the benefits they bring and so act as allies and advocates for change!

Inclusivity within the community brought up some interesting stories of women in other countries being unable to step foot on site, leading us to believe that we are very lucky here in the UK, although still a way to go to make everything fair for all. Women in Mining are working on including everyone and getting more women especially, into the industry. An outcome of this conversation was that people shouldnt be afraid to put themselves forward for roles. Most associations are making an effort to be fairer, not needing to be nominated for positions any longer. Being a volunteer allows you to help on a subject that you may be passionate about, and can help to teach others about it. We need more of this and people stepping up to bring their own ideas to the table in order to continue to better the community and get more inclusivity.

Recruitment issue and what we can do about it. From Elly’s floor, she explains that we all know that there is a recruitment issue in our industry, whether that being into a direct job role or into the relevant University degrees. So the question is, how do we change this? And the answer is simple. Through primary and secondary education, to the teachers and parents. However the difficulty we all face is how to get our material into schools, used by teachers and done so where the next generation doesn’t just have access to this world, but is inspired and wants to take the next steps to get involved. “It was while we were discussing this that I had a bit of a lightbulb moment. Virtual conferences are here to stay, there’s no doubt about it. So why not do a virtual conference for students directly? I know we have conferences for teachers which is great but we need to connect industry directly to students. Subjects need to be more career aware, career focused and that’s where we need to link education and industry.

We have a lot of work to do but luckily our industry is a passionate one and I know we can make a difference if we work together. 

There are some initiatives in place that you can get involved with today;

Firstly, a movement mainly on twitter is #AskAGeo where anyone can use the hashtag and a geologist will answer any queries you have, however big or small. It was identified that social media needs to be maximised so new ideas like this are a great start.

On Instagram there is cool hashtag which shares what geologists get up to in their jobs called #FieldWorkFriday. A great way to enlighten those who are not familiar with what geoscientists do, now made available on a very popular and easily accessible platform.

ECMWF host a lot of seminars for GeoScientists and is a large European organisation.

Geopoetry event held October 1st 2020 – Patrick Corbett (The Geological Society) with Scottish Energy Forum sponsorship.

Geoscience for the Future Poster, which incorporates the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Earth Science Teachers Association (ESTA) who do an annual conference to help support earth science teaching through geology, geography, and the sciences. 

GeoBus is a free outreach programme run out of the Earth Science department of UCL, usually doing hands-on science for secondary schools. To fit with the current climate they are now hosting FREE virtual STEM workshops!

Get Kids into Survey- become a Brand Ambassador. Use the GKiS resources and share with your local school.

Get Kids into Survey resources for primary and elementary school level – targeting the wider population, making primary school children aware of the industry through exciting educational resources! With new lesson plans being released to compliment the posters, this is only the start and we can’t wait to see what else is to come. 

*If there is any more information to add please contact erin@getkidsintosurvey.com and we will add it to this document. Thanks.

Hope to see more of you at the 2021 FutureGeo GeoScience and Climate Change Event.

– Bringing Geography and Geo Survey to Life –

A group of key worker children in a primary school in Manchester spent a week exploring the world of underground survey and utility systems. Starting with the Get Kids into Survey Utilities Exploration Poster, the pupils expanded their geo survey knowledge, as well as their understanding of how the utilities that they depend on every day work, where they are located, how they are maintained, and what might happen if a strange and slippery creature found its way into the sewers…

Introducing the Project
Following their work on mining, forestry and offshore survey, the group were already adept at spotting the geo survey activity and technology in the Utilities Exploration Poster. They identified the mobile scanning systems and the various LiDAR scanners, as well as the GPR unit – which led them to the focus of the project. The group discussed the utilities work taking place around the scene, focusing on the challenges of maintaining such a complex and potentially dangerous system, most of which is buried underground. Having also spotted the clumsy alien, the GeoSquad team, the shifty government agents, and even their own teacher in the poster, the group focused in on grid reference (D,5), where they made an alarming discovery…

Creature Research
The long limb looming from the sewer pipe set the group’s imaginations racing – especially when they heard reports that one of the utilities workers had been pulled into the pipeline and had disappeared, along with any trace of the mysterious creature.

The pupils were set a challenge: use their geo survey knowledge to prepare and mount a rescue mission. They would have to find a way to navigate and check the utilities systems, then devise a means by which they could extract the creature and the worker safely. To do this, they’d first have to figure out exactly what they were dealing with.

The group selected three species of animal that they thought might be the possible owner of the alarming appendage from the poster. In order to know how to best deal with any possibility, they found out the maximum size of the biggest variety of each species, as well as its preferred habitat and diet. They also compiled a bank of other useful information, which they would use to inform their rescue tactics later in the project.

Sound it Out
Having completed their creature research, the group turned their attention to a different set of interesting animals: those that use echolocation.

After identifying the GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) device being used to scan beneath the ground around the utilities dig site in the exploration poster, the group were tasked to find three different animals that used sound to help them find their way, and often find their prey! Through this, they widened their understanding of how echolocation works in animals, and how humans integrated the same concept into machines that make it possible to ‘see’ using sound – particularly useful when you need to check underground pipes without having to tear up all the roads! As a result of this exercise, the group realised that GPR technology would be extremely useful in their mission to locate the missing worker and the slippery creature.

Stay Colour Coordinated
While exploring the utilities poster, the group also noticed something about the pipes: the various colours used for the criss-crossing conduits seemed significant. And they were right, of course – the colours of the underground pipes related directly to what they contained. The group was challenged to find out which colour linked to which contents, and to use this knowledge to prepare a safety guide for their dig team, including the potential hazards that would be caused by a breach of each utility line.

The group decided to include a guide to appropriate safety gear for their rescue team too!

Bait Your Trap
At this point in the project, the group received some good news, and some not-so-good news! The good news was that – thanks to their safety guide and sonar work – their rescue team had managed to locate the creature and the missing worker at a specific utility intersection. The not-so-good news came in the form of a phone call from the local aquarium, informing them that their resident giant Pacific octopus had escaped. From their early research, the group knew that this was the largest species of octopus in the world! Thankfully, they also knew all about its preferred habitat, diet and physiology, so when it came to designing a trap to catch this slippery cephalopod, they were already well prepared.

They began by creating rough sketches of their own individual solution to baiting a trap and catching the octopus:

One by one, the group gave an oral presentation on the design and function of their trap plan. Ideas included telescopic legs to lower and raise the trap to fit perfectly onto the sewer pipe, a water tank on top containing water that best suited the giant Pacific octopus, stretchy bands that would entangle the animal to prevent its escape, and video monitors to allow the team to keep an eye on the slippery escapee during transit. The group discussed which aspects of each offering they thought would be most effective, then combined them into a final group design using perspective drawing and 3D computer modelling:

Having used the knowledge garnered across the project to create the ideal solution to the initial problem, the group dramatised the trip back to the aquarium with ‘Long-Arm Larry’ the giant Pacific octopus in tow – made slightly more problematic by a final spanner in the works: a blackout caused by a utility worker mishap!

The group found this project engaging and exciting from the outset, particularly since it gave them a greater awareness and appreciation of things that they had understandably taken for granted: the gas that fuels their cooker, the electricity powering their TVs, and even the waste water that leaves their toilets and sinks! Once again, the Get Kids into Survey learning resources succeeded in bringing practical geography to life.

Report compiled by Mathew Sullivan, FRSA Teacher, Author and Educational Consultant

Direct Links:

A Predator in the Pipes Lesson Plan and Worksheets

Utilities Poster

Introducing the amazing Surveying and Mapping Society of Georgia (SAMSOG): 

Company Name –  Surveying and Mapping Society of Georgia (SAMSOG)

Location – The state of Georgia, USA.  We serve the surveyors throughout the state by providing networking, continuing education, and representation on governmental issues affecting land surveying and land surveyors.  We support College and Universities that offer surveying classes and provide scholarships to students studying to be land surveyors.

Why did you get involved in Get Kids into Survey? We are committed to bring young people into the ranks of surveying.  We want them to know what a fun profession it is.  You can work in the office, the field, or both.  You can work as a technician with no formal surveying education or study and become a Professional  Licensed Land Surveyor.  We were first introduced through NSPS. The posters really caught our attention and are a great way to introduce Land Surveying to kids of all ages.  We distribute the posters to career counselors at their annual conference to post in their offices and classrooms to remind them to tell kids about Land Surveying as a career option.

What do you do? I fly around and spreading the word to everyone I see about what a great profession land surveying is!  With my robotic thrusters, I can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. I might begin my day in the on the shore and end it high in the mountains. All types of terrain need land surveys including lakes, rivers, streams and the ocean! I love to see my professional land surveyor friends working. They tell me fascinating stories about their adventures and all the different types of jobs they do. And they get to use robots, not exactly like me, and drones that fly…but  not as good as me!

How long have you been in the Survey Industry?  SAMSOG was organized in 1947 and incorporated in 1949 and has been serving the industry since then.

How did you get into the Industry? While flying around I saw people looking through these camera looking boxes on 3 legs and other people holding sticks.  I wondered what they were doing and asked! They told me they were measuring land lots and other things. Now I see them trying not to hit me with their flying cameras called drones!  I see them in the woods, in the cities, on construction sites, at mines and landfills, looking for utilities, and sometimes even on the water in boats. Surveyors work on all kinds of interesting projects.

Funny Fact about the you:  I am not just any bird, I am Brown Thrasher, the state bird of Georgia and I am a robot!  I have a GPS receiver on my back so I always know where I am!

Favourite piece of kit and why? I love the posters and the stickers.  As stated above, we pass the posters to the counselors.  When we attend career days at schools we pass the stickers to the students. 

Favourite Survey technique and why?  I like all survey techniques because I help all of the surveyors in the state who do all different types of work!

Your website: www.samsog.org

How did you choose the character and what does he/she/it represent? GKIS staff helped A LOT! The Brown Thrasher is the Georgia, USA state bird. It represents Georgia and SAMSOG in the State Land Surveying Society. He is a robot which symbolizes Land Surveying Technology, Mean to you? Birds often travel in flocks or groups and that is what SAMSOG is…a flock or group of land surveyors.

What’s his/her name?  Sammy (SAMSOG)?

Introducing our new Brand Ambassador ‘Carolyn Robins’ from the UK!

What do you do and what company do you work for? So I am the Strategic Partners Manager at Built Intelligence (sounds fancy but it’s not!) The company is a cross between a training company and a software company, providing training, learning, and contract software solutions to the construction industry.

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? Built Intelligence is an accredited training provider for CITB and works with about half the top 200 construction companies around the world providing support and bespoke learning. As a small agile company we can offer tailor made solutions, written and presented by construction experts. One of our greatest assets I think, is ReachBack, our free Q&A help desk covering all construction related topics – is such a great support tool, used by over 250,000 construction professionals for quick and easy answers and advice.

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? Personally, having 2 daughters I have always felt it was difficult for kids to make informed choices about options and careers when there is limited careers support and they don’t know what the choices are out there! I got involved in setting up a regular careers slot at my local school and dragged along a surveyor to talk about his career and it escalated from there really. I also signed up to volunteer through a local organisation and go into local schools to take part in assemblies and have done a couple of ‘What’s my Line’ where kids ask questions to a panel to guess asking what our jobs are!

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? The surveying world is massive and so diverse! A lot of children (and adults!) think of a residential house survey and that’s it! They have no idea of the depth and range surveying has – and the geospatial industry is like being an astronaut it’s so exciting! If we can share this with kids, get them excited, it opens up opportunities around the whole world!

What are you going to be doing as an ambassador for GKiS? I’m working on a cunning plan! I hope that the team at Built Intelligence and I can get involved on lots of levels! Starting with sharing information on social media and promoting GKiS, on to setting up a news page on our communities and other ways to promote digitally.

How did you get into surveying? I’ve been involved in the property environment one way or another since leaving school! First job in a commercial agency in Devon (and helped sell my parents hotel!) and more recently spent 7 years at RICS which gave me a great insight into surveying and surveyors and the breadth of expertise and opportunities is staggering!

What are your hobbies? During lockdown I realised that my main hobbies are socialising (either with family or friends) so I also took up crocheting (currently working on a wine carrier…)

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? Probably a techie hero with Harry Potter glasses, a cape, a phone in one hand and a tripod in the other! (Think I just described the boss!) Characters name? Digital Dave or Techno Tom!

What poster or resource would you like to see next from GKiS? Always thinking ahead, a Christmas theme would be good – helping Santa navigate his way with travel restrictions and social distancing – oh and building an extension to his warehouse for all the extra presents the kids should be getting to make up for lockdown (think the parents should be getting some medals too!)

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? I think with both GKiS and Built Intelligence, the focus must be on supporting, sharing, caring, and working in an ethical, energised and transparent way.  Sharing stories, news, information and adventures through articles, blogs and social media – for training or just for fun!

For more information about Built Intelligence and training for the construction industry click here and for ReachBack free helpdesk click here.

In today’s Character Spotlight, we discover a little more about one of GKiS’s sponsors “Skanska” in our latest interview with their Head of Engineering Surveying & GIS, Mr Mark Lawton

Company Name – Skanska

Location – UK

Why did you get involved in Get Kids into Survey? To share the exciting career I have had.

What do you do? I am a Engineering Surveyor, I build roads, bridges, railways, power stations etc. The things you use every day.

How long have you been in the Survey Industry? 24 years

How did you get into the Industry? I was arguing over measurements with an Engineer and thought this is an interesting problem to solve. 

Funny Fact about you? Our cat is called Tripod….it has three legs.

Favourite piece of kit and why? 3D Machine Control, safer faster and better quality 

Favourite Survey technique and why? RTK GPS/GNSS brings the power of coordinates on a national scale to all.

Your website: https://www.skanska.co.uk/

How did you choose the character and what does he/she/it represent? Mean to you? What’s his/her name? The wizard; making data appear or taking measurements remotely then viewing it in augmented reality for construction is not magic “its engineering surveying”. We are all wizards. But some do not have a pointy hat.

In today’s Character Spotlight, we discover a little more about one of GKiS’s sponsors “Measutronics Corporation” in our latest interview with their President, Lou Nash.

Company Name – Measutronics Corporation

Location – We have offices in Lakeland, FL and Vancouver, WA

Why did you get involved in Get Kids into Survey? I got involved with GKiS because kids are our future and their education defines their future. I truly do love what I do for a living and credit the education I have received for creating the opportunities that lead to my eventual career.

What do you do? Our company provides marine positioning, guidance and underwater imaging solutions to the marine construction and hydrographic survey industries.

How long have you been in the Survey Industry? I began working in the survey industry in 1992 and founded Measutronics Corporation in 1997.

How did you get into the Industry? I went to college on a scholarship from the US Navy. After graduation, I served as a naval officer onboard a number of surface combatant ships.  My last assignment in the Navy was as Navigation Officer onboard a destroyer.  In that role, I was exposed to a number of navigation techniques: celestial, radar, LORAN, DECCA, OMEGA and eventually a brand new technology, the Global Positioning System (GPS). I developed a keen interest in positioning and charting and decided to build on that interest, as well as my experience at sea, when I left the Navy for another career.

Funny Fact about you?  I grew up in Kentucky and joined the US Navy without ever having seen an ocean.

Favourite piece of kit and why? My favorite piece of equipment is a multimeter. I’d built an analog multimeter from a kit as a kid and became fairly proficient in trouble shooting electronics as my high school years were spent in vocational school studying radio and television repair. The basics stayed with me through college and into the Navy. While in graduate school, one of my professors liked to say that, “the most important tool in a survey truck is a shovel”. I was working with quite a bit of electronics at the time and liked to counter that a multimeter is the most important tool when working afloat. A mulitmeter, understanding of basic electrical and electronics theory, and a good system user’s manual will prove invaluable where electronics and saltwater have to coexist.

Favourite Survey technique and why? Side scan sonar has been a favorite technique of mine because my first use of the technology was at the end of the predominantly analog systems. As a new user, I quickly transitioned to the newer, fully digital systems. The differences between analog and digital systems really highlighted the benefits of ever evolving technology.

Your website: www.measutronics.com

How did you choose the character and what does he/she/it represent? Mean to you? What’s his/her name? Our company’s first survey vessel is named as a tribute to my father-in-law who passed away while the vessel was being built.  He had a saying, “…a nickel more and you go first class”. He was a first class kind of guy so I named the vessel, A Nickel More as a tribute to him. Our second vessel was named along the same theme, Put Another Nickel In. Our GKiS character had to follow the same theme – Nick for “nickel” and Beamer for the sonar beams aspect.  Nick Beamer!

In today’s Ambassador Spotlight, we discover a little more about our Brand Ambassador Phil Fedor from Arizona, USA.

How long have you been in the industry and why do you want to be involved in GKiS?

I am a registered/ licensed surveyor in the State of Arizona, USA. I earned my license in 2014. I am currently employed as a Survey Project Manager with Bowman Consulting Group in Tempe, AZ.

I earned an Associates of Applied Science degree (2 year degree) from the SUNY ESF Ranger School (official name, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, New York State Ranger School) in Wanakena, NY.

In Arizona, all that is required to gain licensure, is to gain experience and pass three exams. One needs to gain 4 years of verified experience (verified by a licensed professional in good standing), then pass a national Fundamentals of Surveying exam. Then, gain two more years of verified experience, pass a national Principles of Surveying exam, then pass the state specific exam.

I got into surveying after college. I went in to learn how to be a forester, more specifically a lumberjack. In school, they taught us elementary survey techniques.  After school, there weren’t many forestry jobs available, so I applied for surveying positions. I’ve been surveying since July, 1991, the rest is history. Years later, my surveying professor became the school director and implemented a survey degree program. Now, students get an AAS in Forest Technology, or Land Surveying Technology.

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

I am currently a member of the United Surveyors of Arizona, Arizona Professional Land Surveyors, and the National Society of Professional Surveyors.

What are you going to do as an Ambassador for GKiS?

I want to remain a GKIS ambassador because I am passionate about the profession.  I love to share the history of surveying and how it relates to American history. I love to evangelize about all the opportunities that exist within the profession to recruit new surveyors, no matter how young they are.

Kids need to know about the profession because it is not going away. It’s still necessary. As long as people try to establish and re-establish boundaries, the land surveyor will always be necessary.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies include hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, camping, woodworking, and home improvement projects.

What poster or resource would you like to see next from GKiS?

I’d like to see a YouTube channel or similar dedicated to the cartoon ambassadors interacting to solve various problems, something along the lines of a Scooby-Doo episode.

Written by Erin Hull

There is no denying that COVID-19 took us all by surprise, entering us into a world of the unknown. Suddenly stuck at home, unable to travel, unable to see people outside of your household, having to work from home, unable to network.

In came the internet to save the day! Isn’t it amazing what technology is capable of? Connecting us all for team meetings via ‘Zoom’ to being able to run global conferences with hundreds of people virtually attending. Not only that but social media has been brought to the forefront, surveyors and others in the industry being encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and pick up their mobile for a quick work selfie! Not only does this stop people being as isolated but it encourages more connections to be made with others in the industry, as well as being able to share ideas with them (yes sharing is caring!!).

Shows have been the best way to network and get exposure for years, being able to chat in a like minded environment is a fantastic opportunity. This is why there are large associations dedicated to promoting connections within the industry such as Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES), the Association for Geographic Information (AGI), the Survey Association (TSA), Surveying Task Force, the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), as well as all of the other state and country specific associations.

Instagram live videos

Another way to portray information about what we are up to is the use of Instagram Live, better known as IGTV which also gets published onto our Instagram page so they can be seen for longer than 24 hours. Our first IGTV was an informal chat between Elly and Elaine. Mainly to introduce ourselves to those who are not familiar, including how GKiS was started, who we are, what we do, where we are at the moment and what our plans for the rest of 2020 involve.

Closely followed by a catch up with Mat Sullivan about how he teaches kids about Surveying- Making Surveying simple! During lockdown Mat (primary school teacher and writer) taught kids 7-11 years old. He is the talented writer of our GEO Squad comic book who also compiles lesson plans and other resources for GKiS. One very important man in our team, so it was lovely to get him out from behind the scenes.

Elaine (GKiS Founder) started a weekly show called ‘GeoJabber’ over on her channel @geospatialmarketer which has proved very popular. Each week a different geospatial professional is featured, with questions bounced back and forth, these informal chats are very beneficial and valuable.

“During May I decided to take full advantage of Instagram TV (IGTV), a tool within the Instagram platform.  This tool is another way for me to continue to build a connected Global Geospatial Community.  So as usual I dived in head first!

IGTV provides a friendly, easy to use way for Surveyors and Geospatial Professionals to share stories.  From ‘a life as a surveyor’ to ‘what types of marketing work for you!’.

It has proved to be popular!  We launched a competition to ‘name’ the show, now known as GEO Jabber.  People don’t just want me to preach on how they should market their Survey or Geospatial Tech business, they want to hear what real life surveyor owners are doing… so GEO Jabber was born!  Anyone can request a chat with me, so feel free to reach out! 

REELS on the other hand is the rival tool/ platform (I’m still working it out which it is) to China’s TikTok.  This nifty little tool is hidden within your home page.  It’s literally a 15sec video for you to ‘fill ya boots’, go crazy!  Excite! Inspire!  Instagram has been strategic in planning this tool, not only to compete with TikTok but they have worked the ‘reach’ algorithm to take your account further! Meaning who sees it!  It literally triples your ‘who has seen me’ status!  Thus boosting your Instagram account. Sly Instagram!  

I challenged my fellow surveyors with producing REELS and between several of them, they have seen a huge boost in followers as well as reach (visibility of their account).  @slugsy_100 and @ipingsurveygroup both have reached thousands compared to their trusted IGTV tools.   

With anything you use for social media, have a plan and map out a story in order to attract.  Your ultimate goal is to turn followers into clients!”  

Podcasts that GKiS have been involved in this summer:

2nd Aug Geoholics Episode 046– “If you know Elaine and Elly Ball, you know they are a couple of cheeky monkeys. We had a bloody good old chinwag with the ladies that you’re not going to want to miss. Elaine and Elly talked about coming from a family of over-achievers, how they juggle all their passions, the challenges land surveyors face in the UK (same as everywhere else!), how Get Kids in Survey got started and how the GKIS “community” has changed the landscape of the surveying world. We also find out that the Sunday Roast is the only meal one needs to survive in the UK and Bob’s your uncle”. 

19th August The Curiosity Key Podcast– Listen to how an innovative campaign to get kids into surveying turned into a business and lit up the world of geospatial marketing! From taking an idea and marketing campaign to solve a key industry challenge, to inspiring technology companies to think a little bit more creatively about their own marketing. Have a listen to the fun chat which includes overcoming the challenges of marketing technical solutions and getting the non-marketing members of your team excited about marketing, lots of useful information for companies that’s for sure.

22nd Aug Vision 2020 Focus on the Future Conference– The APLS-CLSA-NALS Tri State Conference went virtual for the first time! The best bit? We went live on the saturday (diamondback sponsored session) which was also recorded if you attended and wanted to watch it back. For those who didn’t attend the presentation was by Elly & Elaine Ball about the Get Kids into Survey program. Following on from the presentation there was a discussion into outreach ideas and opportunities.

Future events:

Future Geo 2.0- 29th September 09:30am – 12pm BST

Tom Backhouse explains “this is a free and completely virtual networking event, brought to you in association with Digital Leaders, bringing together the geo-community into a common space where all involved can present, share and understand differing perspectives, ideas and goals, helping shape the Future of GeoScience”.

Free tickets are available here.

Intergeo Conference– 13th-15th October

Over 200 exhibitors and around 150 lectures & keynotes from the fields of geoinformation, GIS, 3D, BIM, surveying, smart city, BIM and drones are ready for this year’s DIGITAL conference! This year, all essential elements of the live trade fair will be translated into digital form – conference, exhibitor stands with various interaction options, stages, personal exchange, areas for networking and getting to know each other.