Introducing Brand Ambassador Katrina Olsen, covering California, USA:

Where did you study? California State University of Fresno with a BS in Surveying Engineering in 1991 (currently this degree is Geomatics Engineering).

What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? In the State of California you need 6 years experience and to pass a surveyor in training exam, Federal Exam (USA), and State Specific Exam. The six years can be all on the job experience or a 4 year degree at an accredited university with 2 additional years of experience.

How did you get into surveying? I was thinking I wanted to be an architect and my mother suggested I take a surveying class my second semester at college, and I thought, sure why not.  During my first summer I worked as an intern on a surveying crew and instantly knew this was my calling!  I finished my schooling, went to work and got licensed.  I’ve always been happy with my career decision and wouldn’t pick a different path if I could do it all over again.

How long have you been in the industry? 31 years

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? I am a member of NSPS (National Society of Professional Surveyors), CLSA (California Land Surveyors Association), and have been active and an officer of our local San Joaquin Valley Chapter of CLSA for years.  I’ve helped dozens of kids earn their Surveying Merit Badge through Boy Scouts.

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? I think it is important to expose kids (and all of society) to what we do.  I had no idea this was a career path and I don’t want others to miss  this amazing opportunity. There is diverse opportunities (office/field) and we use our brains and out brawn.   We need more surveyors to ensure quality of infrastructure and property rights around the globe. I think it is very important, in a male dominated field, to see women performing and succeeding in this profession.  I own my own business and would love to be an example for others.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry?. Knowing the history and how things relate to each other are key – this is what surveying is about. It goes way beyond just measuring.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS?  I’m hoping to do outreach at local schools and public events to showcase our amazing profession.

What are your hobbies? I enjoy working…LOL, no seriously it is so rewarding and fun (new tech and old history)..  I also enjoy hiking, skiing, genealogy and scrapbooking.

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? A female land surveyor with pig tails finding old surveying markers like they were buried treasure out in the woods.

What resource would you like to see next from GKiS? What is available is amazing.  I’ll speak up when I see a need.

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in?  This profession offers WAY more than you can imagine…  new tech (GSP, Lidar & drones), programming and computers (GIS), construction, boundary and law, small local & large global projects, private and public job opportunities, problem solving, historical records,  rural and urban… the list goes on and on.

Introducing Riegl’s Roxy the Fox, let’s learn some more about her:

1. Company Name – RIEGL

2.   Location 

We are global! RIEGL has its main Fox Den (Headquarters) in Austria, and also has offices around the globe with its North American location in Winter Garden, FL. But more importantly, our clients, (who usually become friends) are using our RIEGL scanners on every continent, and in almost every country in the whole world.  Now we just need to put one on the moon!

3.   Why is it important for your company to help Get Kids into Survey? 

We love kids! Surveying is like being an explorer with cool gadgets, discovering new things every day. It’s a fun way to learn about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). When kids get into surveying, they can help build better cities, protect nature, and create amazing maps.

It’s amazing to see what girls can do and this is why it’s important for girls to try surveying too. So, let’s inspire girls to become surveyors and show them that everyone can join this exciting adventure!

4.   What do you do? 

We make cool tools that help people like engineers, scientists, animators, and builders turn their ideas into 3D shapes. A long time ago, we started using something called LiDAR, which is a special kind of light that people (and even foxes) can’t see that creates a Digital Twin. This is like a magic copy of something, but it’s on a computer, TV, or movie screen instead of being real.

5.   How long have you been in the survey industry? 

RIEGL started in 1978. That’s 47 years of awesome adventures! Our founder, Dr. Riegl, started the company with a small team, and now we supply super cool surveying equipment to people all over the world. From jungles to glaciers, and deserts to oceans, RIEGL has been exploring and mapping the world for nearly five decades! Let’s keep the adventure going!

7.   Funny Fact – 

I once tried to use a laser scanner to find my lost snacks, but instead, I ended up creating a 3D map of the entire forest! Now, I never lose my snacks because I know exactly where everything is.

8.   Favourite piece of kit and why? 

I like LOCATE THE TECH!  I think it’s like a treasure hunt.

9.   Favourite Survey technique and why?

I love using terrestrial laser scanners! They’re like the superheroes of surveying, and you can take them anywhere. The scanner and camera fit into one small suitcase with wheels. Just grab the suitcase and a tripod, and off we go on our next adventure!

With this cool equipment, we can explore really remote places easily. We’ll get amazing 3D maps (Digital Twins!) in no time. Ready to explore? Let’s go!

10.  Your website

11.  How did you choose the character and what does he/she/it represent? Mean to you? What’s his/her name?

Roxy the Fox is important for RIEGL because she makes learning about surveying fun and engaging for girls! By using a friendly and adventurous character like Roxy, RIEGL can connect with young audiences and spark their interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Roxy helps break down complex concepts into simple, exciting stories and activities that kids can easily understand and enjoy. Overall, Roxy the Fox plays a key role in making surveying accessible and exciting for girls, helping to build a bright future for the industry!

Welcoming latest Brand Ambassador James R Meier from Washington, USA:

How did you get into surveying? Geology major in College, then on to land surveying.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? I am looking to get the local kids interested in Land Surveying

Tell us a bit about what you do: I am an owner of a local Land Surveying office in Maple Valley, WA

If you’d like to get in contact with James, please contact hello@getkidsintosurvey.com and we will get you in contact via email.

Welcoming Schuyler van Pelt covering the North East Region of Massachusetts, USA:

How did you get into surveying? I began my career as a site civil engineer, quickly taken under the wing of a land surveyor within our firm. From that point on with a passion to learn this new less well know side of the industry it was starting from scratch at the bottom of the totem pole and climbing the learning curve to be a valued land surveyor for the firm and for the industry as a whole.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? I hope to work with the program to bring attention to the industry not just at the younger ages, but additionally promote opportunities within the engineering departments in the continuing education atmosphere. As a former engineer going through an ABET program, I believe more awareness can and should be drawn to geospatial/geomatics type work as well as look to promote survey internships, an industry we see covered by engineering internships in an indirect form that I feel may drive more competition and engagement if branded correctly

Tell us a bit about what you do: I currently work as a land surveyor on the South Shore of Massachusetts, siding in site civil design projects. Our survey department handles everything from ALTA’s and lotting plans to construction layout and as-builts. I’ve began to adopt a more hybrid role between office technician and crew chief in the field but will always look forward to a good day in nature.

Anything else you’d like to add? Having worked as a tutor in the past, I hope to bring a skillset of both effective education but also an empathetic and relatable approach to the next generation of surveyors to not just teach them material but apply it to current experiences and drive engagement through fascination.

Welcoming John Chwalibog our latest Brand Ambassador from Michigan, USA:

How did you get into surveying? Started surveying while still in school and ended up working for Carl Zeiss (survey), Trimble, FARO, Matterport and Ceinsys. We also had our own 3D Reality capture business for 7 years before selling to Ceinsys.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? Great question, but we work with a charity in Detroit and one of the big things we do is a career day. Would love to expose all those kids (4th through 12th grade) to these professions and leverage what GKIS has created to do that

Tell us a bit about what you do: We capture assets for telecom and utilities in 3D

Introducing Emily Bann our latest Brand Ambassador covering Lewiston & Clarkston areas of Idaho, USA!

How did you get into surveying? I at first went to school for engineering tech work, while doing that you have to do some survey in the mix. I loved it, I then went to Washington D.C. for the student conference and had an internship after my first year, I instantly fell in love with it, I then decided that is what I wanted to pursue! I then got offered a part-time position at my internship job, I am now full-time and still working towards my bachelor’s at ISU.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? My plans are to get kids knowledgeable about geospatial careers, growing up here I know we didn’t get talked much about these careers it was only engineering, doctor, nurse, vet, etc. I want to spread the good word about our field, and I feel we may start the love for geospatial early on. My daughter already finds my job fascinating and always asks me when we pass construction sites if I worked on it. She’s 5 and is already interested in what I do! I feel also being a woman in the field may push other girls to not feel afraid to join into it as well.

Tell us a bit about what you do? I do anything to fieldwork to computer stuff. When we are first starting a project one of my tasks is to do the research to get deeds, records of survey, plats, and CP&F’s then in CADD cogo in the parcels and place search points for the field crews. For fieldwork we do topo, boundary, construction, storm drainage/basin verifications, and FEMS elevation certs. I work on civil 3D to create existing conditions maps, control maps, stake sheets, and figure out boundaries, I also work in Trimble business center to move our data to the OPUS solution. Even though I don’t get to do it at my current place of work I love to work in ArcGIS, it’s so much fun having to do mapping!
Besides working and school I have a daughter I get the joy of raising.

Welcoming Frédéric Baril our latest Brand Ambassador from Quebec, Canada! Let’s learn some more about him:

How did you get into surveying? I love technology, science, and math, which is why I became a land surveyor! 📏

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? I’m passionate about education and committed to promoting my profession. In addition to my work as a land surveyor, I dedicate myself to raising awareness of this profession among young people at various events. 🎓

I’m also part of the Innovators of the Technoscience Network, a network I absolutely love! 💡 I’m also a mentor for Academos. 🧑‍🏫

Currently, I offer a conference on the profession of land surveying and the field of geomatics, specifically designed for high school students. It’s called La Géomatique. La Géomaquoi? 🎥 I am now a registered Canada Lands Surveyor (C.L.S)!

As an ambassador for Get Kids Into Survey, even though I mainly speak and present in French, I want to introduce young people to the world of Get Kids Into Survey by incorporating various digital resources and tons of information on the geospatial field into my conference. 🌍 I want to show them that, yes, there is a lot of information in English, but it’s incredibly relevant and exciting for them! 🌟

Tell us a bit about what you do? My life at work…

Fieldwork

The first step in my job is to give instructions to a team of technicians about the special details of a project. If I don’t go to the field myself, I need to do something called immediate monitoring. This means I check what’s been done while I was away, either by looking at photos or notes taken by the technicians.

In the field, we use very advanced and precise instruments to collect all the information we need for my later analysis. 📋👨‍💼🔍

Research

The second step is research. This involves a lot of things. I need to look for information about the history of the land, read old maps and legal documents from the 1800s, newer plans, and documents about rules for buildings, landslide zones, and flood zones. In short, I check a bunch of sources to find very specific information that will help me in the next steps. 📚🔍📜

Analysis and Opinion

The third step is analysis. This is when I put everything together: what was measured in the field in step one and what I found during research in step two. This is when the math, science, and problem-solving come into play. The first task in this step is to give my opinion about property boundaries. What does that mean? It means I have to figure out exactly where a piece of land is, using math and science based on all the documents I have.

Once I give my opinion about the boundaries, I need to apply all the rules and laws I found during my research. Is there a flood zone? Yes, I’ll show it on the map! Is the house too close to the road? Yes, unfortunately. I’ll mention it in my report! 🏡📐📝

Documents and Advice

This step is the heart of my work, and that’s why I’m part of a professional order. The documents I create, like the property certificate I mentioned earlier, are special documents only professionals like me can make.

This is also when the advice part of my job comes in. I advise my clients on what steps to take to solve their problems, complete their projects, or explain my findings in the documents and why I made certain decisions. 💼📄🔍

Anything else you’d like to add? What exactly is a land surveyor in Quebec?

You’re kind of like a detective for land. When someone wants to buy a piece of land, you do research to check if there are any problems with it.

You use special tools to take measurements, check if the land’s dimensions are correct, and make sure people aren’t taking up more land than they should.

This is super important because, for many people, buying land or a house is the biggest purchase of their life. They need to know if everything is good to go. You also check if, for example, the house is placed correctly on the land, if it’s not too close to the road, or if the pool isn’t too close to the neighbor. All these things are governed by rules and laws. 📜🔍🏡

Now, what’s the name of the key document that covers all of this? It’s called the “certificat de localisation” (certificate of location)! What’s it for? It’s a very important document used when selling land or a house. It’s kind of like when you go to the doctor for an annual check-up. 📝

The certificat de localisation is the health report of a piece of land. In this document, you show the land, the buildings, natural features, and more. The certificat de localisation also includes a report where you talk about different points you need to check.

It’s a document that protects people, especially during a land or house sale. 🛡️

So, that’s one of the things you can do in your job. 🌟