Linking Surveying, Engineering, GIS, and Computer Science into Geomatics through a Digital Terrain Modeling Course

Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technology enables rapid and accurate data collection for many applications such as engineering design, geoscience studies, and cultural heritage. LIDAR systems have become important resources to produce highly detailed digital terrain models (DTMs). Hence, professionals in many disciplines need to understand how to process, handle, and analyze such data sets. For this article, “LIDAR” refers generically to airborne, mobile, and/or terrestrial LIDAR systems unless explicitly stated. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) refers exclusively to ground-based LIDAR systems. Several recent articles have addressed surveying education. Soler (2010) describes the current limitations in and needs of surveying education, particularly within engineering, and discusses the need for more rigorous education to allow engineers and surveyors to analyze modern geospatial data. Schultz (2007) comments on academic barriers creating low enrollments in geomatics. Yu et al. (2010) asserts that academia and industry have been slow to address the challenge of effectively utilizing new, emerging technologies in surveying, such as LIDAR. As such, fewer students have been entering into geospatial fields, and those that do may not receive enough exposure to these new technologies and/or a strong enough theoretical background to properly prepare for careers in the rapidly evolving geomatics field. Overall, there is a lack of LIDAR course offerings, and most available education is typically performed through short training sessions, conference workshops, and so on. Recently, Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, California, was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a TLS course in its land-surveying curriculum. (Yu et al. 2010). This course discussed important topics of TLS including background information, field operations, and postprocessing techniques. This course provides a model course to help fill this knowledge gap, with resources available to help other instructors develop similar courses. In addition to a lack of LIDAR courses, development of computer-programming skills within surveying and civil engineering programs are generally limited, whereas students are typically exposed to few (if any) courses in basic programming. Scripting and programming are becoming increasingly important in geospatial technology and data processing in which multiple data sources need to be fused together efficiently. Programming skills can allow students and professionals to spend less time performing rudimentary data processing and conversion tasks and more time in analysis. Furthermore, use of a geographic information system (GIS) by surveyors enables easier data integration, documentation, and transfer. To address these shortcomings, a digital terrain modeling course was recently created at Oregon State University (OSU) that provides students with the opportunity to collect and process LIDAR data, develop programming skills, and utilize GIS to analyze LIDAR datasets. OSU is currently expanding its Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology–Engineering Accreditation Commission (ABET-EAC) geomatics program within the School of Civil and Construction Engineering. This expansion involves additional new faculty, graduate students, research projects, and course offerings. The new courses expose students to the latest technologies in three-dimensional (3D) geospatial data. Currently, there are approximately 1,000 students within OSU’s School of Civil and Construction Engineering, which provides many students with exposure to geomatics. This integration also allows students to prepare for dual licensure as surveyors and engineers. The interested reader is referred to a recent article (Olsen 2010) for more information about the expansion of the OSU geomatics program. An important part of this growth was the formation of a partnership between OSU, Leica Geosystems, and David Evans and Associates (DEA). The main objectives of this partnership are to