Surveying and Mapping Program receives grand prize for national award

Our Surveying and Mapping Program won the $25,000 grand prize for the 2018 Surveying Education Award from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES).

The award recognizes surveying and geomatics programs that reflect the NCEES’ mission “to advance licensure for surveyors in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.”

“We are thrilled to have won this grand prize and to again be honored by the NCEES,” said Professor Gary Schuller, director of the program. “This recognition underscores the hard work put forth by the students and faculty in the program that have helped to make it grow.”

The award money will be used to support scholarships, equipment upgrades, and marketing the program and the surveying profession.

The program received a $10,000 award from the NCEES in 2017 and 2016. 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. 

A UA graduate can become a surveyor or a surveying technician. Professional surveyors solve modern land boundary, location and mapping problems by applying knowledge and skills in mathematics, law, local land history, map design, and business, and through the use of advanced technology. 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. The program has experienced 100 percent job placement for the last three years.

The award will be presented to UA in August in Scottsdale, Ariz. The CAST Survey and Mapping Program competed against 12 other programs in higher education institutions across the U.S. Three schools received $15,000 awards, and three other schools received $10,000 awards.

Media contact: Alex Knisely, 330-972-6477 or aknisely@uakron.edu .