Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast (National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS))

Today’s episode of “Future Focus” is our first face-to-face group podcast because the important topic. Our guests today are from the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association (IPLSA) and have organized a task force focusing on workforce development, and more specifically, an apprenticeship program for technicians. We sat down during the recent IPLSA Annual conference to talk about the program after a well-received panel discussion earlier in the program. Thanks for listening to the latest “Future Focus” episode on this edition of “Surveyor Says!”

This is the second part of our “Future Focus” discussion with Dr. Michael Dennis, a geodesist and State Plane Coordinate System 2022 Project Manager for NGS. He joins us to talk about the proposed State Plane Coordinate System of 2022 and what exactly is changing from NAD83 to the new system. He gets into the weeds with the potential of new zone configurations and the zone layer concept.

Today's episode of "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" finds us talking with one of the legends in social media for surveyors, Justin Farrow, Founder of Land Surveyors United. Justin, along with collaborator Christopher Lucas and Texas RPLS Deward Bowles, joined Tim Burch to discuss the radical overhaul of the famous website. They spoke of providing educational resources and tools for every facet of surveying, so join us for a great conversation about how the future of sharing surveying knowledge is evolving.

For more information about the website: https://landsurveyorsunited.com/rebirth

Surveying is alive and thriving in the Big Apple!

This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast finds your host, Tim Burch, fulfilling an invitation to interact with students enrolled in surveying classes at the New York City College of Technology's Construction Management & Civil Engineering Technology program at the Brooklyn campus. Lem Morrison, Adjunct Assistant Professor and Business Development Lead for GdB Geospatial, provided Tim with an overview of the program and hosted a Q&A session during a break in his lecture. While many of the students are working towards a career in civil engineering, the surveying classes are inspiring them to seek out more opportunities in the surveying and geospatial pathways.  This is a great conversation about balancing life in the big city and gathering important education towards a very bright career path.   For more information about this program, visit: https://www.citytech.cuny.edu/construction-engineering for details.

Part 2 of Episode 154 of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast with Southeast Technical College, a two-year surveying program located in Sioux Falls, continues with more great conversation. Your host, Tim Burch, sits down with Rod Breitling and Beth Kassing, the main faculty for the program, and Marie Hofer, a student in both the land surveying and civil engineering programs at STC. Check out their conversation and hear how the program is geared to prepare the students for the "future of surveying" first hand through the curriculum AND internships.   For more information about this program, visit https://www.southeasttech.edu/programs/engineering/land-surveying-science-technology/index.php

and

https://www.southeasttech.edu/news/2022/surveying-success-at-southeast-tech.php

Hello and welcome to Surveyor Says! The podcast from the National Society of Professional Surveyors. NSPS Executive Director Curt Sumner is joined by John “JB” Byrd, the NSPS Federal lobbyist and John Palatiello, our legislative consultant and will focus on the three (3) talking points for the upcoming NSPS Lobby Day efforts. Thanks for listening to our latest episode in our “Point of Order” series.

Wrapping up our series in highlighting "Women in Surveying" during the March celebration of "Women's History Month," this episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast finds us talking parcel mapping and land title rights. Your host, Executive Director Tim Burch, connected with Paula Dijkstra from the Netherlands, where she is the Director of Kadaster International. Paula shared her story about growing up "below sea level" in the Netherlands and becoming fascinated with geography in school. Her core interest became cultural geography, and led to more studies in GIS and parcel/land title rights. Tim and Paula also talked about how technology is changing the ability to manage land title rights so more under-developed countries can utilize the power of GIS and surveying to establish permanent ownership for its residence. Paula also shared the importance of mentoring from all viewpoints to engage and encourage everyone within the team.

March is Women’s History Month, so NSPS kicks off the next few weeks highlighting “Women in Surveying.” This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast is the conversation between Executive Director Tim Burch and the current NSPS President Amanda Allred talking her year leading our organization. She shares experiences from her travels, meeting lots of surveyors worldwide, and how women are becoming more respected within the profession. Amanda and Tim talk about their trip to Warsaw, Poland for the 2022 FIG Congress as US delegates and being among peers from around the world.

An additional shoutout to Terrane for assisting Amanda with being available to use her position of NSPS President to promote "Women in Surveying" along with the overall profession.  terrane.net

We have a winner! This week’s episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast finds us in Morgantown, WV at the offices of Triad Engineering as hosts for the presentation of the 2022 Trig-Star National Competition to Lauren Shen, a student at Morgantown High School. Kevin Brockett, PLS, who serves as Triad’s Surveying Manager, sponsored Lauren, and her classmates in this year’s competition. Tim Burch attended the presentation and sat down with Lauren, Kevin, and Lauren’s teacher, Brian Jackson to discuss the Trig-Star test process and what lead to her success with the competition. Lauren also shared her thoughts on maintaining focus on school, personal time, and making sure to take care of her mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lots of great life lessons in this episode from a sixteen-year-old who truly sees the big picture. Congrats again on your achievement with the Trig-Star competition!

Thanks for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

One of the biggest values of being an NSPS member is advocacy, so this week’s episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast is a great way to hear all about our legislative efforts. John Palatiello, Partner at Miller/Wenhold, is the NSPS Legislative Consultant, longtime advocate for geospatial professions, and leads the overall efforts of our Joint Government Affairs Committee (JGAC). He recently celebrated his 40th anniversary of legislative representation and recently talked with Tim Burch about his career, our current political climate, and the items our NSPS directors will be discussing during the upcoming Lobby Day activities. John shared his opinions on surveyors being recognized as professionals and the importance of working with legislators to separate professional licensing from occupational licensing. He also talked about the importance of lobbying and getting our elected officials to consider the professional surveyor’s view when supporting legislation.

We appreciate John, John “JB” Byrd, and JGAC Chair Pat Smith for their ongoing efforts to represent our great profession at the federal legislative level. Thank for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

Today’s installment of “Future Focus” features NSPS Executive Director Curt Sumner and his guest, current NSPS President Lisa Van Horn. Curt and Lisa recently sat down to chat about what has been happening within NSPS and how the profession and organization are changing with the times. Thanks for listening to “Surveyor Says!”

This episode of “Surveyor Says!” unveils our latest series, “Future Focus” and our guest today is Kory Allred, a PLS, Ph.D. and Program Director of the Surveying Program at Parkland College in Champaign, IL.

Kory shares his story on how he entered the profession, what led him to pursue and obtain his doctorate, and what he thinks about what our next generation of surveyors will need to know to succeed.

NCEES Director of Exam Services Tim Miller talks with host Curt Sumner about the purpose of the organization, his role there, the variety of services provided by NCEES related to licensure, and the evolution of the exam process.

Please take the time to listen to this episode! Learn more about the future leaders of the NSPS Young Surveyor's Network (YSN). Join the YSN Officers as they interview the three candidates for President-Elect.

Please take the time to listen to this episode! Learn more about the future leaders of our organization. Join host Tim Burch as he interviews the two candidates for Young Surveyors Network (YSN) Vice President.  Nolan and Cam have been nominated to run for the NSPS Young Surveyors Network position of Vice President. Please take a few minutes to listen to each candidate and hear why our profession is heading in a positive direction!

This episode contains highlights from several significant conversations from the past year.

EP154B - Southeast Technical College

EP160 - Jamie Reed, Montana Surveyor

EP170 - NYC College of Technology

EP173 - John Vrablec, CST III

We begin a series of episodes featuring conversations with Young Surveyors from around the world as captured at the recent FIG Working Week 2024 in Accra, Ghana. Firas Fahoum is a second generation surveyor from Nazareth, Israel with an incredible passion for our beloved profession. He joined Tim Burch for a chat to discuss his experiences, included working in one of the most historic regions in the world. A great listen, as they discussed the merging of old sacred environments now being measured using the latest in technology. 

Curt Sumner and Tim Burch discuss how surveying remains an essential service during the pandemic of COVID-19, the importance of maintaining a national voice and advocacy for the profession, and efforts nationwide for surveying to embrace diversity in our future workforce. Tim shares how the association transformed the successful “NSPS Radio Hour” into “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” and how its popularity has exceeded expectations.

"Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast is your source for the captured presentation and conversations from the Lobby Day Town Hall (February 23rd @ 2PM EST) as your host, NSPS Executive Director Tim Burch and the Government Affairs Team of Chair Mark Sargent, John Palatiello (Legislative Consultant), and John "JB" Byrd (NSPS Federal Lobbyist), discuss the three talking points for the March 29th Capitol Hill visit with our legislators. To participate in the upcoming in-person Lobby Day activities, please visit the NSPS website (nsps.us.com) and register under the Advocacy/Day on the Hill.

As we wind down Women’s History Month for 2021, it is fitting that our final guest for this special month is exceptional in her own right. NSPS appreciates our longstanding partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), so it is our pleasure to have Dominica VanKoten, Chief Cadastral Surveyor for the BLM. Prior to her current position, she led the Eastern States Office for BLM from 2008 to 2019. Dominica recently connected with Tim Burch to discuss how being interested in drafting and math in high school introduced her to surveying, her career path with the BLM, and current duties as Chief Cadastral Surveyor. She shared insights on many of the Bureau’s responsibilities and how important the Public Land Survey System is to the public.

NSPS and “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast would like to tip our cap to all women in the surveying and geomatics industry for a job well done. We appreciate your efforts and look forward to growing the profession with you. Thanks for listening!

Continuing in our series of episodes featuring chats with Young Surveyors from the recent FIG Working Week 2024 in Accra, Ghana is Farrah Etcheverry from Arizona and Marcus Schmitt from Illinois. They joined Tim Burch to share their highlights of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the African continent and interaction with surveying contemporaries from around the world. Farrah and Marcus did a great job representing the USA and NSPS, so check out the conversation.

As we begin our year-end run into the holidays, we are proud to introduce our new newsletter, “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Bulletin” to our members and all those interested in the latest news and happenings within our association orbit. This premiere issue introduces the reader to the content and goals of the newsletter as well as sharing the up-to-date happenings within our association business.

• Candidate Bios and Town Hall Schedules for the upcoming Officer Elections
• FIG Working Week 2023 conference information
• ·2023 Student Competition – Outline of Activities

NSPS will be publishing the Bulletin on a quarterly basis (January, April, July, and October) as a direct mailing to all our members. (Check your SPAM and Junk folders for future correspondence.) Please share this newsletter and link to anyone who has an interest in the surveying and geospatial professions as it is (and will remain) free to readers everywhere.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This episode of “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” features executive Director Curt Sumner chatting with Joey Wilson, PE, PLS from Franklin, Tennessee. He is the President of Wilson and Associates, a second-generation engineering, surveying, and environmental firm.

This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast is the second part of our visit to New York City, specifically Brooklyn and the New York City College of Technology's Construction Management and & Civil Engineering Technology program. Your host, Tim Burch, sat down and talked the role of surveying in renewable energy with Lem Morrison, Business Development Lead for GdB Geospatial as well as Adjunct Assistant Professor for the surveying program at the college.

Lem and Tim chatted about surveying in many arenas, including our deteriorating infrastructure, housing shortfalls, and why surveyors should pay attention to opportunities in the development, construction, and implementation of renewable energy. An eye-opening conversation about our profession's involvement in the short-and long-term improvements throughout our country. This episode will make one see how important the surveying profession is to the future of our country.

Please take the time to listen to this episode! Learn more about the future leaders of our organization. Join host Tim Burch as he interviews the three candidates for President-Elect.

This week’s episode features our panel discussion from the recent “Survey & GIS Summit” hosted virtually by NSPS and URISA. Our panelists are Linda Foster, PLS, GISP from Ferber Engineering, Tripp Corbin, MCP, GISP from Davey Resource Group and Brent Jones, PE, PLS from Esri. Surveyors and GIS professionals share tools, markets, clients, and a lot more. There are many commonalities with services that surveyors and GIS professionals offer, but there are many differences as well. Questions were presented for this expert panel of both professional land surveyors and practicing GIS professionals.

This episode covers our recent conversation with Denver Winchester, PLS, our current NSPS Young Surveyor President. Denver sat down with Tim Burch, NSPS President-Elect, and they talked about how Denver was introduced to surveying, the varying types of projects in Oklahoma and surrounding areas, and what he is focused on during his presidency of the Young Surveyors and beyond. They also discussed surveying in a pandemic and how to make the profession more accessible to those who may be interested in a fascinating career. Thanks for listening to the viewpoint of the future of the profession here on “Surveyor Says! the NSPS Podcast.”

This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast is a conversation between Executive Director Tim Burch and Vince Boyd, PS, Regional Land Surveyor for the National Park Service. Tim recently caught up with Vince to talk about his start in surveying, help along the way by several mentors, and transition to public service with NPS. He shared his working conditions in his current role and retracing boundaries of parcels that haven’t been walked in decades. Tim and Vince also chatted about the upcoming NSPS Student Competition and how NPS is helping to coordinate the field exercises under the shadow of the Washington Monument.

Thanks for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

This edition of “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” proudly brings a new series named “What is Surveying?” and will feature guests from all corners of the globe explaining what defines today’s surveying profession. The inaugural episode brings a titan of the GIS community, Mr. Brent Jones, URISA President-Elect. He currently oversees Esri’s worldwide strategic planning, business development, and marketing activities for land records, cadastre, surveying, and land administration. Brent recently joined our own President-Elect, Tim Burch, to discuss how technology has led to widespread geospatial data usage, advancements in the cadastral layer, and how a licensed surveyor measures up with a geographic information system professional (GISP).

This latest offering from the NSPS headquarters starts strong with Brent but look for more great guests very soon. Thanks for listening and how your own definition of surveying compares to other industry stalwarts. We hope to help answer the question of “What is Surveying” right here on the latest episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast.

Our latest edition of “Future Focus” episode of the NSPS “Surveyor Says!” podcast is a discussion with Chris Jepson, Vice President of the Land Surveyors Association of Washington (LSAW). Curt and Chris got together recently to talk about growing up a son of a surveyor, working his way through the ranks and what he sees for the future of surveying associations. (Spoiler: it will include more technology, social media and lots of mentoring!) Thanks for listening!

Following up from the recent NSPS Student Competition, our latest episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast features Joe Fenicle, Program Director/Assistant Professor - Surveying & Mapping Program at the University of Akron. NSPS Executive Director Tim Burch recently caught up with Joe to talk about his role as an advisor to the Akron students, his start in surveying, and making the transition to full-time teaching. Tim and Joe also chatted his recent article in American Surveyor where he described his near-tragic event with a colony of bees. A great conversation, so give it a listen and subscribe today wherever you listen to your podcasts!

This week’s episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast stays local with a short trip to the “District.” Our guest is Ramon Labrador, PLS, who was recently named as Deputy Surveyor for the District of Columbia. Tim Burch sat down with Ramon to trace his roots back to his native Puerto Rico, taking a chance on surveying when the engineering program was full, and his path to licensure in Maryland and D.C. He shared his thoughts on the importance of the four-year degree, mentoring, and being open to all aspects of surveying (inside and out!). Ramon also shared his viewpoint on the value of society involvement to enhance one’s knowledge and networking within the surveying profession. 

Come with us on a journey from the streets of Puerto Rico to the District of Columbia’s Surveying Office to hear Ramon’s impressive journey. Another great guest here on the “Surveyor Says!” podcast, so subscribe wherever you listen to your episodes. 

Royalty in the house! During a recent trip to the Oregon to the PLSO Conference in Salem, we were able to sit down with their 2022 Surveyor of the Year, Pat Gaylord, PLS for this episode of “Surveyor Says!” Pat sat down for an in-person conversation with Tim Burch to discuss his new role of NSPS Director for Oregon, workforce development efforts with PLSO, and what the future holds for the surveying profession. He shared growing up with a surveying household with father and uncle, going to college to become a forester yet coming back around a full career in the surveying profession.

We were also lucky enough to have a special guest appearance of PLSO Executive Director Aimee McAuliffe singing Pat’s praises but cannot confirm there was not a bribe for all her compliments. (Maybe a future podcast guest?) “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast thanks you for the listen!

Today’s show is the next episode in the “Point of Order” series. This podcast topic is devoted to the functionality and issues that are dealt with by our Joint Government Affairs Committee.

The focus of today’s episode is centered on the work leading up to the NSPS Lobby Day activities that take place on Capitol Hill in conjunction with our Spring Business Meeting during the first week of April.

This week’s episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast catches up with the NSPS Trig-Star Program Committee as they complete their summer meeting. This session finds Tim Burch sitting down with the group during a break of test grading and strategic planning for the upcoming school year. Joining Tim is the Trig-Star Chair Jerry Juarez, Aaron Leach, John Chagnon, Mike Given, and Sherry Toutges to talk about the value of the Trig-Star program as a recruiting tool and outreach program to help students identify STEM-related careers. They also discuss scholarship opportunities and how the program gives our existing surveying practitioners an opportunity to connect with our future geospatialists.

The Trig-Star program has been in place for almost 40 years and continues to grow. Check out more information about the program at Trig-Star.Com. Thanks for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

This episode of “Table A Talk” covers the current schedule of the process of review and updating of the latest ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Minimum Standards. NSPS Executive Director Curt Sumner and Gary Kent, the chair of the ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Committee, also discuss recent conversations regarding Item 19, Offsite Easements, and how these types of easements are intended to be addressed. If you have any questions for Gary, leave your comments here and we will do our best to address them.

Next up in our series of episodes featuring conversations with Young Surveyors from the recent FIG Working Week 2024 in Accra, Ghana is Shirley Chapunza from Zimbabwe. She joined Tim Burch for an insight into her introduction as a surveyor, what led her to getting involved with the YSN at the local and international level, and how important mentoring is to surveyors new to the profession. Another great conversation, so check it out today!

Today’s episode will be a combination of two of our series, “The Young Surveyor’s Network Edition” and “Future Focus.” The guest for this conversation is Ben and Cameron Lowe, identical twins from the great state of Texas and second-generation surveyors. Sit back and enjoy the raw energy and passion of these young surveyors and hear their story. Thanks for listening!

This episode of "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" asks the question: what does a county surveyor do? It turns out to be much more than we anticipated! Patrick Veraguth, County Surveyor for Douglas and Grant County (MN), and current president of the National Association of County Surveyors (NACS), joined Tim Burch to discuss the role and much more. Pat shared the day-to-day responsibilities of the country surveyor as well as their role in informing AND protecting the public. An informative conversation, so check it out today!

https://www.countysurveyors.org/

https://surveyorsays.podbean.com/

This episode of “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” highlights the Trig-Star program with a conversation with Jerry Juarez, Chair of the Trig-Star Committee. He recently sat down with Tim Burch to talk about the history of the program, how it works with local surveyors and schools, and the latest advancement in online testing for the competitions. Jerry shared his “sales pitch” to educators and administrators of the how the program shows the students real world applications of higher-level math. He also talks about the prize money for local, state, and national winners. Jerry also discusses scholarship opportunities for students who continue into surveying-based curriculum at colleges and universities.

If you are interested in giving back to students through surveying, then Trig-Star is your answer! For more information, go to trig-star.com for more information. And stay tuned for more great episodes of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast.

March is Women’s History Month, so NSPS is continuing to highlight “Women in Surveying” with another great conversation! This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast is Tim Burch's recent chat with Jennifer Reap, PLS, Principal of Badey & Watson (badey-watson.com), a surveying and engineering firm in Cold Spring, NY.

A second generation surveyor, Jen shared her story of trying not to follow in her father's footsteps, but how this wonderful profession brought her back to her true calling as a licensed surveyor. They talked about how the evolution of women in surveying has come a long way and how the profession can do a better job going forward. Jen noted that having a passion for the profession and good work ethic can lead to a fulfilling career that will last a lifetime.

This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast is the next installment of “From the Director’s Desk” and shares many of the recent events happening within the organization. Your host, NSPS Executive Director Tim Burch, shares recent happenings on conferences, presentations, and upcoming events and promotions. Lots of exciting developments with new affiliates, experiences, and plans for the future, so check it out for the latest news in the surveying and geospatial front.

For more information about these events, visit nsps.us.com for details. Thank for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

After a much-needed break for the holidays, we are back and with big changes to announce for the new year. This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast features our two hosts, Curt Sumner and Tim Burch, but in different roles for the organization. After a 23-year run as Executive Director, Curt is transitioning to an Emeritus role and has handed the reins to Tim as the new Executive Director. Curt and Tim sat down after a hectic first week to reflect on the change at the top of NSPS yet retaining the continuity of the organization with its wonderful staff. We learn about Curt’s career to date and how this next chapter takes him back to his roots and near his immediate family.

Lots of great episodes and guest are on tap for 2022 so make sure you are subscribed to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast to catch more of these great interviews. Thank you for joining us!

Is Lyme the only disease ticks carry? The answer is a big “No”, but Lyme does deserve a lot of PR for many reasons. The CDC claims that there are about 400,000 new cases each year in the United States. To put that in perspective, that is 1.5 times the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and 6 times the number of people diagnosed with AIDS each year. During the last 25 years the New England area has seen a 300% increase in Lyme cases, and some of the upper mid-west Great Lakes states have seen a 250% increase during the same period of time.

The most important thing to remember is that if by chance someone is bitten by a tick and experiences a bad reaction to the bite, such as achy joints, flu-like symptoms, maybe a bulls-eye rash, etc. do not put off seeing a doctor!!! Early detection and treatment is absolutely critical. Proper treatment is normally with antibiotics which usually fixes it in the early stages. Remember, though, these diseases never go away on their own, they only get worse.

www.TheTickTerminator.com or 906-271-0063

Welcome to “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” as we welcome our distinguished affiliate, the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors. Today’s conversation is with DJ Kyle, the TSPS Executive Director and Heather Sides, the TSPS President-Elect (but only for another month!). These ladies recently caught up with Tim Burch to talk about their backgrounds, how they became involved with TSPS, and how association advocacy is an important part of the profession. Heather shared her experiences with the Texas Young Surveyors, promoting the Certified Survey Technician (CST) program, and her strategic plan for taking TSPS further forward in recruiting our future generations of surveyors. DJ spoke of the promotional work, media involvement, and conference planning that she has coordinated for TSPS to help keep surveying front and center for students and young adults. Together, these ladies, along with the chapters of TSPS, are making a difference for the profession in Texas and beyond.

This episode was a refreshingly positive conversation on the future of surveying. TSPS has taken a hands-on approach to promoting the profession and the proof is in the results. Join us for an inspiring discussion of this episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast.

NSPS Government Affairs Consultant John Palatiello and NSPS Lobbyist JB Byrd join host Curt Sumner to review the successes NSPS has enjoyed during its 2020 legislative and federal agency outreach.

NSPS wraps up a tumultuous 2020 with our “Year in Review” with Curt Sumner & Tim Burch looking back at the highs and lows of the surveying profession. While COVID-19 has dominated the headlines and testing our professional standing with being an “essential service,” lots of other topics passed through News & Views and various social media channels. From the retirement of a 102-year-old Indiana surveyor to new chapters in the fight against Ligado (formerly Lightsquared), they cover everything newsworthy from the surveying profession. So, sit back and join us putting 2020 in the rearview mirror on this edition of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast.

This episode of “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” catches up with Nolan Mark, a professional surveyor licensed in Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan. He currently leads the ISPLS Young Surveyor Network and coordinates their monthly “Roundtable Tuesdays” featuring guest speakers and happy-hour networking. He recently put up his own shingle, On the Mark Surveying, based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, all while he and his wife are busy raising two young boys. Nolan recently chatted with Tim Burch to discuss how an opportunity to job shadow led to his interest in surveying, how mentoring has played an important role in his career development, and his plan on carrying the survey torch by paying it forward. He shares his thoughts on the crucial role surveyors fill in today’s business world and how geospatial data is embedded in everything surveying.

Thank you for listening to this great conversation with Nolan as we appreciate your time for listening to this episode of “Surveyor Says!”

Ever wonder what it takes to be a CFedS? Do you want to know what makes a CFedS? This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast dives into the deep end of the Certified Federal Surveyor program with the program manager and actual CFedS, Mr. Glen Thurow, PS, CFedS. Glen is part of the team working with the Bureau of Land Management to upgrade the existing program and provide new materials for study and continuing education. He recently sat down with Tim Burch to discuss the history of the program, the inspiration behind the creation of CFedS, and why this program fills an important role in surveying of federal and native lands across the nation. Glen shared his vision for planned improvements to the content and website access so the program value can be shared not just with prospective surveyors, but with the public entities that will benefit from this surveying knowledge.

Be sure to visit the NSPS website for more information about the upcoming National Surveyors Week and Global Surveyors Day. Thank for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

This episode of “Table A Talk” covers some of the ramification with the upcoming changes in the definition of the “foot” as propose by NGS. NSPS Executive Director Curt Sumner and Gary Kent, the chair of the ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Committee, explain the general difference with the US Survey foot and the new “foot” as previously defined by the international community. They also discuss the standard in relationship to the ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey requirements.

This week's episode of "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" begins the preparation for the surveying profession to make the move to a new dynamic datum that will replace NAD83 and NAVD 88. Our conversation with David Doyle, NGS Chief Geodetic Surveyor (Ret.) provides an introduction into why this significant step in making this datum "leap" is paramount to how surveyors will establish georeferenced data for generations to follow. A great opener into a series of talks about the new datums, so take a listen today!

For more information about the new datums and timeframes, visit the NGS website here:

https://geodesy.noaa.gov/datums/newdatums/index.shtml

Continuing our series in highlighting "Women in Surveying" during the March celebration of "Women's History Month," this episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast is no exception. Your host, Executive Director Tim Burch, recently chatted with Jamie Reed, PLS, with Sands Surveying, Inc. in Kalispell, MT where she is also a partner in the firm. She shared her story about getting exposed to surveying through Trig-Star in high school, attending Flathead Valley Community College, then obtaining her license to survey in the beautiful Rocky Mts. in northwest Montana. A passionate advocate for the profession, Jamie talked about her volunteering opportunities, including presenting to students in high school and various scouting troops about surveying. She also discussed the importance of professional associations being involved with ongoing legislation that directly affects surveyors and the public they serve.

She is truly a role model for all surveyors by how she is spreading our message about the profession.

The Corps is in the house! We are back in the studio for this episode of "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" with a special guest, Natalie Martinez-Vega, Surveyor/Training Specialist from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Army Geospatial Center. Natalie recently stopped at the NSPS headquarters to sit down with Tim Burch to share her "life in surveying" story. She also shared her introduction to surveying at the University of Puerto Rico, opportunities within the USACE, and how training and mentoring is key to helping practitioners become successful surveyors. A truly inspiring conversation, and and features our first ever "words of wisdom" message in Spanish!

For more information about a career in surveying with the USACE, visit USAjobs.gov.

The Certified Survey Technician (CST) Board is in the house!

While on a break during their quarterly business and grading meeting, the members of the CST Board joined “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and your host, Tim Burch, to talk about what is going on with the program. The board shares their experiences in their professional careers that lead them to devoting a significant amount of time in their volunteer efforts of board duties. We hear about the origin of the program and ongoing efforts to modernize the content, format, and delivery of this important certification exam.

The Certified Survey Technician (CST) testing program has been a staple in technician exams and career-path guidance for more than four decades. For more information about the CST program,, how to apply for the exam OR to volunteer as a proctor, please visit the website at CSTNSPS.COM.

Get ready to fill your NSPS Young Surveyors Network (YSN) ballot for new officers! How? Listen to this episode of "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" for a terrific conversation with the two candidates for Secretary, Stacy Pollock (Michigan) and Adam Thayer (Idaho). Lots of great insights on the collaboration within this exciting group, so check it out today! YSN members are eligible to vote, so make sure you are signed up today. Elections close on December 31st!

This episode of "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" finds your host, Tim Burch, providing news and other updates for his episode of "From the Director's Desk." He recaps the last few episodes and shares the latest updates on happenings from the world of NSPS and surveying. Tim provides updates on the 2025 Student Competition and "NGS Day" being held In Silver Spring, MD next March. He also acknowledges the generous sponsors who help provide support for the activities and advocacy within the profession:

Assurance Risk Managers Esri Trimble GeoLearn NCEES SAM Juliano & Associates Land Surveyors United Get Kids into Survey Control Point Associates Dioptra IPLSA Topcon Solution Store QK4 Diamondback Land Surveying

Today’s “Future Focus” interview is with Emily Pierce, Business Development Director for Berntsen International, an industry leader in survey markers and a sustaining member of NSPS. Emily shares her experiences and challenges as a professional land surveyor in the public and private sectors, and offers advice to newcomers to surveying on what to expect in this great profession. She also shares information on new products from Berntsen, including RFID markers designed to work with GIS. Thanks for listening to “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast.”

On Thursday, October 27th, 2022, the Brooks Act will celebrate its “golden” anniversary, recognizing 50 years of legislative oversight for professional services procurement. John Palatiello, Partner at Miller/Wenhold Capitol Strategies, is the NSPS Legislative Consultant, longtime advocate for geospatial professions, and leads the overall efforts of our Government Affairs Committee (GAC). He recently talked with Tim Burch about the origins of the Brooks Act and how quality-based selection (QBS) and services procurement relies heavily on this legislation. John shared his opinions on surveyors being recognized as professionals and the importance of focusing on QBS instead of low-bid alternatives as part of the surveyor’s responsibility in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

We appreciate John, John “JB” Byrd, and GAC Chair Mark Sargent for their ongoing efforts to represent our great profession at the federal legislative level. Thank for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

Today's installment of “Future Focus” features our current NSPS Vice President, Amanda Allred. Amanda shares with Curt about how she found surveying, working in several different states in a male dominated profession, and getting involved with the New Mexico Professional Surveyor society and NSPS.  

Thanks for joining us for another “Future Focus” here on this episode of “Surveyor Says!”

In the past, NSPS has brought you conversations with our Government Affairs about the issues, but what about the people behind the work? “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” brings a behind-the-scenes talk with the NSPS Federal Lobbyist, John “JB” Byrd. He recently joined Curt Sumner and Tim Burch for an in-person interview after our first non-virtual NSPS Executive Committee meeting in 18 months. JB shares his background into his political career to becoming a federal lobbyist; from growing up on a farm and orchard to working as a staffer on Capitol Hill, he allows a peek into his philosophy of how business, politics, and our lives in the US interact to get things done. He explains the role of lobbyist and how developing long-lasting relationships with legislators AND staffers is key to the success of our political endeavors.

Besides being able to record in a face-to-face environment, it was a pleasure to hear JB provide great insight into the sometimes-aggravating world of US politics. Thank you for tuning into this great sit-down with JB, Curt & Tim on this episode of “Surveyor Says!”

This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast is the next installment of “From the Director’s Desk” and shares many of the recent events happening within the organization. Your host, NSPS Executive Director Tim Burch, brings the latest news from the national surveying fronts on conferences, presentations, and upcoming events and promotions. He also shares information on what the mission and charge of NSPS, and how to engage with the organization for your events.

This week’s episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast is the next installment of our “What is Surveying?” series and focusing on the complementary geospatial service of aerial photography and LiDAR data collection. Tim Burch recently sat down with Bill Johnson, VP, and Stephanie Beckham, Director of Business Development for DAS Geospatial, providers of aerial photogrammetry and LiDAR services with offices in Texas and New Mexico, to talk about the importance of large format survey data collection in the age of UAVs. The firm’s roots began with Bill’s father in 1977, so he has experiences from the manual photography and drafting days to current technology that includes computer automation. They also spoke of the importance of business development and Stephanie’s role of building relationships with clients as an extension of simply delivering data.

Thanks to Bill and Stephanie for making time to talk about how important airplane- and helicopter-based data collection remains to the surveying profession AND how much they rely on surveyors to help put all the geospatial pieces together. Stay tuned to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast for more great topics and guests to come!

It is often said that surveyors don’t know how to retire and that they go on to do bigger and better things. This week’s episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast proves exactly that as we catch up with Steve Martin, a recently retired surveyor formerly with the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). He is a long serving CLSA member (2011 Member of the Year recipient) and dedicated steward to the “GPS on Benchmarks” initiative through NGS (for more information, listen to Episode 111 w/ Galen Scott). Steve recent chatted with Tim Burch about his efforts to recover and submit data for the initiative, thoughts on mentoring, and the future of the profession. Check out Steve’s efforts through his posts on LinkedIn and let him know that his work is appreciated! Thanks for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

For more information about “GPS on Benchmarks,” visit the NGS website at:

https://geodesy.noaa.gov/web/science_edu/webinar_series/gpsonbm-nsrs-campaign-continues.shtml

https://geodesy.noaa.gov/GPSonBM/

Matt Morris, NSPS Director representing the Montana Association of Registered Land Surveyors (MARLS), joins host Curt Sumner for a conversation about his career as a licensee and business owner in Choteau, Montana.

Mark Husik, Executive Director for the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors, talks with Curt Sumner about his background, including his work on a project initiated during the presidency of the senior President Bush, a variety of activities during his tenure with NJSPLS including the recent opening of a second surveying degree program in the state, and the circumstances related to the development of an in-state survey technician certification.

This week's podcast features a conversation with John Hohol, FIG Co-Conference Chair and Tim Burch, NSPS Executive Director discussing an exciting new conference experience for all surveyors early next summer. They recently chatted about the planning procedure, on- and off-site events, and exhibitor opportunities for all geospatial vendors. The FIG Working Week 2023, being held in Orlando, Florida, USA, will foster an environment that looks at the world we currently live in and help to create ideas and visions that use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for detailing new strategies to align with our Working Week theme.

Thank for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

This week’s “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast episode captured the virtual town hall held on December 5th featuring a question-and-answer session with Education Chair Denver Winchester.

The 2023 NSPS Student Competition will be held March 29-31 in conjunction with the Spring Business Meeting of the National Society of Professional Surveyors. There will be three separate divisions:

Associates degree programs, Baccalaureate degree programs, and nontraditional combinations of students sponsored by a Professional Surveying Association. A team must submit a Final Registration Form to the NSPS Office by email (trishm@nsps.us.com) or fax to 240-439-4952, no later than December 15, 2022. There is no registration fee.

This “Point of Order” of the “Surveyor Says!” podcast from the National Society of Professional Surveyors. captured a conversation with Jon Warren and Pat Beehler, both former NSPS Past President, and long-time participants in NSPS legislative efforts. Jon also serves as the NSPS Political Action Committee Chair. They help describe our specific focus on how NSPS is an advocate to not just its members, but to all surveyors nationwide. Thanks for listening!

This “Surveyor Says!” podcast from the National Society of Professional Surveyors pulls the curtain back on how Washington D.C. is operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Director Curt Sumner is joined by NSPS Lobbyist John “JB” Byrd and our legislative consultant, John Palatiello, for conversation about issues effecting the surveying profession during this extraordinary time. Lots of great insight from our legislative group on this “Point of Order” episode. Thanks for listening!

Are you fully caffeinated and ready for an energetic guest? Then we have the episode for you! “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” introduces us to Sherry Toutges, a professional land surveyor from California. She recently joined Tim Burch to share her career highlights from discovering surveying at Fresno State University to her current role at Caltrans. Sherry talks about providing training to new employees and utilizing her teaching skills for promoting the NSPS Trig-Star program. She also talks about the importance of mentors in surveying and how effective listening and useful criticism is key to creating great relationships. Sherry also reminded us how important being involved with your surveying associations helps building lifelong professional relationships.

We thoroughly enjoyed our conversation with Sherry and look forward to seeing her back in action with upcoming Trig-Star competitions. Thanks for listening to a busy episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast.

This week's episode of "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" is a follow-up with our EP155 guests, Data Activation Center (DAC)! With more surveyors using cellular networks for data collection and communication, this episode catches up with Chandy Sayre (Account Manager), John Robinson (Director of IOT) and April Hawley (IOT Sales Manager) to discuss how cellular technology has advanced for the surveying and mapping communities in two short years. They recently chatted with Tim Burch about expanded coverage, access to multiple cellular networks, and the transition to e-SIM connectivity. Lots of great information about progressing technology, so check it out today!

Please take the time to listen to this episode! Learn more about the future leaders of our organization. Join host Tim Burch as he interviews the two candidates for Young Surveyors Network (YSN) Secretary. Marcus and Heather have been nominated to run for the NSPS Young Surveyors Network position of Secretary. Please take a few minutes to listen to each candidate and hear why our profession is heading in a positive direction!

Joe Fenicle shares with host Curt Sumner his experiences/adventures in surveying, and recently “going home” to join the faculty of the surveying program at the University of Akron.

Coming from a quiet meeting room from a hotel in Warsaw, Poland, we bring you the latest episode of “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” recorded during the recent FIG Congress 2022 and it was a way overdue interview. Your host, Tim Burch, finally caught up with Narelle Underwood, Surveyor-General & Executive Director of Spatial Services in New South Wales, Australia and the conversation did not disappoint. Nel and Tim covered her journey to both the Surveyor-General/Executive Director AND dodging a bullet to become a surveyor instead of an engineer. She also talked about educational and experience requirements to be a registered land surveyor in NSW, the responsibilities of overseeing a CORS and control point network, and being the authoritative office of issuing, reviewing, and revoking surveying licenses. Nel also shared her love for LEGOS and how her children are not allowed to touch Mom’s building sets. Oh, yeah, they also talked about Nel’s tattoo…

For more information about these events, visit nsps.us.com for details. Thank for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

The NSPS crew is back stateside and still on the road! This week’s episode of “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” finds us in the Garden State of New Jersey and participating in the NJSPLS General Membership Meeting. Here is where we were introduced to Vince Campanella, a student in the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in both the surveying and civil engineering programs. Your host, Tim Burch, sat down with this dynamic young man to discuss his educational experience so far, working as a surveying intern in the Trenton office of Langan, a nationwide multi-discipline firm, and as the president of the Student Chapter at NJIT. Vince shared his thoughts on balancing education with experience as well as how important mentoring is for all surveying members. He also shared his viewpoint on how surveying can reach future generations of technicians and professionals through social media and in-person seminars in high schools and community colleges. A great conversation you don’t want to miss!

For more information about these events, visit nsps.us.com for details. Thank for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

Emerging technology is the theme for this episode as we take a peek at combining several cutting edge measuring devices and placing them on one platform. Our guest this week on "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" is Michael Bleeker, a student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). Your host, Tim Burch, met Michael at the NJSPLS "SurvCon" in Atlantic City where "Gunther" was unveiled to the attendees for a demonstration. The two of them sat down recently to discuss the project and how Michael is applying his variety of skills to build an instrument for future surveyors. He shared his background in mechanical engineering and why he is applying that knowledge into building better measuring tools for the future.

This week’s episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast finds us having a conversation with the US Forest Service discussing how vital surveyors are to their overall mission as stewards of public lands. Joining Tim Burch for the podcast is Gino San Paolo and Forrest Decker, both surveyors with the Forest Service heading up operations in California and Georgia, respectively. They discussed what a typical day as a Forest Service surveyor is like, how boundary retracement is a key aspect of their duties, and why each day brings its own set of challenges and rewards. Gino and Forrest shared what the agency is looking for in hiring surveyors and technicians and how opportunities are abound with coming on board the US Forest Service. 

For more information on job openings within the Forest service, visit USAJOBS.gov for more information. Thanks for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.  

Our latest edition of “Future Focus” episode of the NSPS “Surveyor Says!” podcast is a discussion with Jim Coan, NSPS Director for Washington and Past President of the Land Surveyors Association of Washington (LSAW). Jim and Tim Burch, NSPS Vice President sat down recently to talk about Jim’s introduction to surveying on the East Coast, the transition to the West Coast and how he’s helped many great young surveyors along the way. A refreshing interview to inspire the mentors in all of us, so thanks for listening!

This week’s recording marks the 200th episode of the “Surveyor Says!” podcast and rather than look back at where we have been, we decided to look ahead to the future of surveying. And who better to have as our guests than the current Young Surveyors Network officers, Nolan Mark, President, Cam Lowe, Vice President, and Spencer McCutcheon, Secretary.

They were all gracious enough to take some time out of their busy schedules to talk with me about what is going on right now in the profession, what are the positives we have going for us, and what the future of surveying looks like from their perspective.

A great conversation you do not want to miss!

This episode of “Surveyor Says!” features our next “Future Focus” discussion with NSPS leadership. Our guest today has been Mark Sargent, the incoming NSPS President. NSPS Executive Director Curt Sumner recently talked with Mark to talk his career, how important it is that our future generations can discover surveying, and why being involved in professional surveying associations has been an important priority in his career.

In the first Episode of the series “Get to know your NSPS Directors” Curt Sumner talks with Dick Kleinmann, NSPS Director representing the Wisconsin Society of Land Surveyors. This series will provide insight into the fact that NSPS leaders are “just like other Surveyors”, and have chosen to dedicate time to help guide our national society in its endeavors on behalf of the profession.

Our “Future Focus” episode brings us an interview with Marisa Trzemzalski, the new NCEES Surveying Marketing and Outreach Coordinator who is also collaborating with NSPS on promoting the profession. Our host, Tim Burch, NSPS President-Elect, recently sat down with Marisa to talk about how she connected with NCEES, her background and drive to promote STEM professions, and how to communicate in the age of COVID-19. The conversation also dives into the deep end of diversity and recruitment of all future surveyors, so settle in for more great insight from one of the NSPS industry partners.

This is another edition of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast you do not want to miss!

This week's episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast finds us in the nation's capital within the shadow of the Washington Monument and the NSPS Student Competition. Your host, Tim Burch, caught up with Megan Theune-Baillargeon, a Young Surveyor from Wisconsin and volunteer for the Competition. Megan shared her story of growing up on the outskirts of Milwaukee and getting her start in surveying. She talked about the benefits of working for a small firm early in her career to gain valuable knowledge in varying parts of surveying. Megan has taken that early experience and transforming her career path through surveying classes into a future goal of professional licensure.

Our profession will be much better off if we can encourage more bright young minds like Megan! Thanks for your contribution to the NSPS Student Competition and for your efforts to promote the profession through the Wisconsin YSN.

As Labor Day passes, we say goodbye to summer breaks and hello to autumn, various conferences and meetings, and lots of things going on in the surveying and geospatial profession. This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast finds us catching up from the long holiday weekend and bringing you this installment of “From the Director’s Desk” and your host, NSPS Executive Director Tim Burch. He shares news from the recent NCEES Annual Meeting, visits from international dignitaries, upcoming conferences, and upcoming events and promotions.

For more information about these events, visit nsps.us.com for details. Thank for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

In late July 2022, a rain event in eastern Kentucky brought flash flooding and substantial amounts of water, causing widespread damage on roads and bridges throughout the region. The survey team at QK4 provided emergency data collection to establish the condition of the bridges for design and construction of replacements in record time.

This episode of "Surveyor Says!" The NSPS Podcast finds your host, Tim Burch, discussing the timing and logistics with QK4 surveyors Ben Shinabery, Luke Woodyard, and Ethan Carr. They talked about navigating the devastated areas, helping residents with cleanup efforts, and the overall efforts in getting the critical information back to designers in record time. Luke and Ethan shared stories of upbeat residents who, despite the terrible circumstances, were upbeat and positive about surviving this tragic event. Ben talked about the necessary completeness of the data collection so designers would be able to confidently produce plans for immediate construction. A big thank you goes out to all surveyors who prove their services not just for the data collection but to also help their fellow men, women and children.

https://www.weather.gov/jkl/July2022Flooding

Thanks for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

This week’s episode went from collecting a few sound bites about ongoing legislative efforts from our NSPS Lobbyist, JB Byrd, to a full-blown recording! We caught up with him on a late Friday afternoon to provide “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and boy, are we glad we did! JB chatted with Executive Director Tim Burch about the ongoing Ligado saga, their presentation to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) panel that will be included in the upcoming published NAS report, and legislative outreach during the mid-term election campaigns.

Once again, it was a pleasure to hear JB provide great insight into the sometimes-aggravating world of US politics. Thank you for tuning into this great conversation with JB & Tim on this episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast.

Our latest edition of “Future Focus” episode of the NSPS “Surveyor Says!” podcast is a discussion with Kyle Schultze, a licensed surveyor from Illinois. Kyle will be serving as the Surveying Merit Badge coordinator for the 2021 Boy Scout Jamboree, held every four years in West Virginia. Curt and Kyle discuss all the work, time and support that goes into a typical Jamboree including hands-on with some of the high-tech equipment used by today’s profession. Interested in volunteering? Email us at info@nsps.us.com.

Once again, “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast connects with our fellow surveying contemporaries from around the globe with this week’s guest, Michelle Blicavs, CEO, Association of Consulting Surveyors based in Sydney, Australia. Tim Burch caught up with Michelle to discuss the current climate for surveying in Australia, how one becomes a registered surveyor, and how technical surveyors are a large part of the future of the profession. She also explained how specialization of the profession is becoming more important with the transition to digital cadasters and remote sensing data collection. Michelle explained the role of her organization in the promotion of the profession, including career fairs in high schools. She also stressed that providing business-related seminars to registered surveyors has been key in increasing their knowledge charging what their services are truly worth. 

The big takeaway from this conversation is that surveying in the US is not unique with our struggles to find the next generation of surveyors, but we can learn from each other on how to promote the profession in a positive manner. Thanks for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast. 

Our “Future Focus” episode this week is with Robert Loane III. Join host Curt Sumner as Robert discusses his experiences and challenges along the journey to becoming a multi-licensed Professional Surveyor and educator. He also discusses several high precision tunneling projects in which he was involved.

February 23rd is right around the corner and so are the new ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey Standards. This episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast finds our favorite land title expert, Gary Kent, back again for another “Table A Talk,” but joining him today is Tim Burch. Gary shares his thoughts on the most important additions, deletions and revisions to the new standards and walks us through some of the discussions the committee considered this time around.

Thanks for joining us for a timely conversation on the upcoming changes in the Land Title Survey standards here on “Surveyor Says!”

This week's "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" previews the next session of "Esri and NSPS - Surveyors and GIS Webinar Series" and it's a good one. The host of the series, Linda M. Foster, PLS, GISP, MGIS and Director of Land Records/Cadastre Solutions at Esri, recently joined Tim Burch for to discuss the series. The next webinar, "The Role of GIS and Surveying in a Digital Twin," is coming up, so Linda and Tim talked about why this one will be one not to miss.

The featured speaker for the seminar is Narelle Underwood, Surveyor-General and Executive Director of Spatial Services in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Narelle has overseen the planning and implementation of a robust digital twin for the state of NSW and shares the highlights and challenges they faced in implementing this significant project.

This will be a great opportunity to hear about the real world benefits of digital twins and the important role surveyors have in its development. 

Esri and NSPS | Surveyors and GIS Webinar Series The Role of GIS and Surveying in a Digital Twin September 5, 2024 | 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (PDT) The Role of GIS and Surveying in a Digital Twin

For more information about the Esri and NSPS | Surveyors and GIS Webinar Series, visit here: Esri and NSPS | Surveyors and GIS Webinar Series

For more information about Linda Foster and her incredible blog, visit here: Linda Foster - Info & Blog

This week’s episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast finds us back in “The Golden State” catching up with another surveyor who is making a significant “mark” on the profession. This week’s guest is Adrian Aguirre, a survey analyst with Guida Surveying in Fresno, CA who is also is the Secretary of the San Joaquin Valley Chapter of CLSA. Tim Burch was able to catch up with Adrian to discuss plans for a virtual webinar and YouTube recording bringing various professional associations together to share commonality and fellowship to surveyors of all ages. They discussed how many surveyors don’t realize all the opportunities for networking and furthering one’s education simply by attending association functions and how Adrian wants to close that gap by hosting these informative sessions for all surveyors.

If you have an interest in being part of Adrian’s upcoming sessions, connect with him on LinkedIn and/or send us a note at info@nsps.us.com and we will get you hooked up! Look for more information from Adrian and social media for dates and time coming soon.

Thanks for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

Continuing our journey in the “Future Focus” series, this episode features a conversation with Emily Soloby, founder of “Hazard Girls” community and podcast along with a new line of safety boots for women through her “Juno Jones” apparel line. Emily recently hosted our NSPS Vice President, Amanda Allred on “Hazard Girls” and our common interest in promotion of women in non-traditional roles led to inviting her onto our podcast. Tim Burch recently talked with her about what encouraged her to start both “Hazard Girls” and “Juno Jones” and how she is using these platforms to broadcast the message of career development across all professions and occupations.

https://junojonesshoes.com/

https://junojonesshoes.com/pages/hazard-girls

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hazardgirls/

A big thanks to Emily for a great conversation here on “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast.

In continuing with our “What is Surveying?” series, this week’s episode of “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast takes us down to the parishes of Louisiana and the land of the tigers, specifically LSU Tigers. Our guest this week is J. Anthony Cavell, PLS, CFedS, who current serves as President of American Association for Geodetic Surveying (AAGS). He is also a Past President of NSPS and the Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors (LSPS). Besides working at LSU in the Center for Geoinformatics (LSU C4G), Tony also an associate editor for Surveying and Land Information Sciences (SaLIS) and is a Board member of the Public Land Survey System Foundation (PLSSF). Tim Burch recently sat down with Tony to talk about the geodesy, the surveyor’s role with geodesy through the years, and how the paths are converging again with technology. 

Lots of knowledge and great ideas discussed here with Tony, so we definitely want to thank him for his dedication to the profession. Stay tuned to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast for more great topics and guests to come! 

Based on his experience as a Certified Landscape Architect, Steve Allison provides a strategy for use by Surveyors in identifying the various species of trees, and tips related to variations within species.

As the FIG Congress 2022 winds down and the conference goers head for the exits, we felt it was a good time to bring another excellent guest to “Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast” and we found ourselves a great one. Claire Buxton, an FIG Young Surveyor and past leader of the Volunteer Community Surveyor Program (VCSP), joined Tim Burch to talk about the Congress, expansion within the FIG YSN, and exciting days ahead in the surveying profession. Originally from New Zealand and now practicing in Canada, Claire shared her perspective on being a young surveyor working as a Project Manager above the Arctic Circle and how mentoring has become a big part of her daily job. She also talked about the importance of the surveyor’s role within the VCSP and training young practitioners to help establish cadastral areas within developing countries. Claire and Tim also touched upon how diversity in surveying is important to its growth, and how roles within the profession have changed drastically within the last generation.

For more information about these events, visit nsps.us.com for details. Thank for listening to “Surveyor Says!” The NSPS Podcast and subscribe wherever you listen to your audio selections.

Two in a row for the USACE! "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" finds us have a great conversation with Mack McCarty, Community of Practice Lead for CAD-BIM, Topo Survey, and Hydro Survey at the US Army Corps of Engineers. Mack sat down with Tim Burch to discuss his exposure into surveying at an early age, and how it lead to a carer at the Corps. They discussed the importance of good people within the Corps to make successful projects that protect the public. Mack shared a bit of history of the Corps, so this is a chat you don't want to miss. Lots of survey nuggets in this one!