Gaithersburg, MD – The National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) held its 11th Annual Student Competition in conjunction with the Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon (PLSO) conference in Portland, Oregon on March 13, 2012. Eight schools with baccalaureate degree programs in surveying, surveying engineering technology and/or surveying engineering participated.
Each competing team had four months to develop a project in the area of “Surveying Applications in Geographic Information Systems”; write a 30pp. paper; prepare a map; and give a 25 minute presentation at the conference. Judges for the competition were Curt Sumner, Executive Director of NSPS. ; Patrick Beehler, Past President of NSPS; Janet Wilkins, Bureau of Land Management, and Gary Anderson of West Lake Consultants.
Results:
First Place: Troy University, Troy Alabama
Second Place: New Jersey Institute of Technology; Newark, New Jersey
Third Place: University of Puerto Rico- Mayaguez; Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
Honorable Mentions (In alphabetical order)
Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan
Michigan Technological Institute; Houghton, Michigan
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico
Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, Oregon
Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta, Georgia
At the conclusion of the competition each team received a crystal bowl or statue and each individual on the team received a participation ribbon and medallion in recognition of their efforts.
This year’s competition was coordinated by A. Richard Vannozzi, Assistant Professor of Civil Technology/Surveying and Mapping, Thompson School of Applied Science at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH and further questions can be addressed to him via email at: a.r.vannozzi@unh.edu. Schools wishing to receive information regarding the 2013 competition should contact Mr. Vannozzi at the above email, as well.
About NSPS
NSPS is the national organization representing the Land Surveying profession in the United States and has among its aims and objectives: Advancing the sciences and disciplines with in the profession; supporting new practical methods of surveying; promoting public faith and confidence in the profession; encouraging high standards of ethical and professional behavior; and seeking improvements in higher education curricula for surveyors.
For more information about NSPS please contact Executive Director Curt Sumner, 6 Montgomery Village Avenue, Suite 403, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, (240) 632-9716, ext. 106, or via email: curtis.sumner@acsm.net
Note: Photo of the winning team by A. Richard Vannozzi, MS, PLS