The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) presented The University of Akron’s Surveying and Mapping Program with a $10,000 award to recognize its excellence and to further develop the program on Oct. 21.
“We are ecstatic to be honored and recognized with this award,” says Gary Schuller, professor and director of the program. “Our students and faculty are exceptional and this award is a reflection of their hard work and our current development of the program.”
On hand for the presentation were, from left, Farzan Ahmed and Dean Ringle of the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors; Gary Schuller, professor and director of UA’s program; Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, interim dean of the College of Applied Science and Technology; David Lautenschleger, assistant professor, surveying and mapping; and Larry Shubat, professor and program director of Geographic and Land Information Systems Program..
There is a high demand for graduates in the surveying and mapping field because of the anticipated high number of surveyors retiring in the upcoming years. The University of Akron is the only higher education institution in Ohio with an accredited surveying and mapping program.
Wide range of career options
RELATED
A UA graduate can become a surveyor or a surveying technician. A surveyor is the geospatial data and mapping authority, the high-tech measurement and positioning expert, and the land boundary detective. Surveying and mapping technicians collect data in the field, make calculations and do computer-aided drafting. Graduates of the program work for engineering and surveying companies, utility companies, large construction firms and government agencies. UA’s surveying and mapping program is a part of the Department of Engineering and Science Technology in the College of Applied Science and Technology.
The University of Akron was chosen for the award because 75 percent or more of surveying and mapping graduates pursue the professional surveyor license, the program enjoys successful collaborations with licensed professional surveyors and a majority of the UA faculty hold the highly regarded licensure. This award will assist in marketing efforts for the surveying program, the offering of student scholarships and purchasing of new equipment.
Additionally, UA surveying and mapping students do well at National Society of Professional Surveyors student competitions. This year, they won first place in the competition, and finished in second place in 2015.
Story by Courtney Bosetti
Media contact: Dan Minnich, 330-972-6476 or dminnich@uakron.edu.