The number of Geodesy programs in the United States has been essentially reduced to a few departments in a few universities. At the present time, the U.S. government generally, the DOD and university administrators are unaware of the crisis we now face. If you continue to disinvest in Geodesy, the scientific knowledge and its outflows in technologies and applications will only be available in Europe or China. This seems far from ideal for many reasons which are beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say, if something significant isn’t done soon we could see a deterioration in many systems, products and applications dependent upon the basic science of geodesy. We are becoming increasingly vulnerable to other countries because they will be dictating to the U.S. what and how we can apply these technologies. WHAT CAN WE DO AS ENGINEERS AND SURVEYORS? “The Geodesy Crisis” white paper suggests two “recovery mechanisms”: 1. Greatly expanded training and recruitment (Bevis, 2022) 2. Greatly expanded research and technical development (Bevis, 2022) Additional action items could include the following: • Raise awareness at every applicable level of government (lawmakers and bureaucrats). • Encourage and seek funding for basic geodesy scientific research. • Encourage and incentivize enrollment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs in high schools, colleges and universities. • Encourage and seek funding support for undergraduate programs not only in STEM degrees generally but also in Surveying, Mapping, and Engineering degrees (these degrees produce graduates that could potentially further their education in STEM graduate programs, specifically Geodesy). • Seek funding for workforce development to incentivize and employment in the STEM workforce, specifically: ˚ Surveying and Mapping ˚ Civil Engineering ˚ STEM — specific to Geodesy • Companies that use geospatial technologies and applications can begin funding employees to become educated in STEM programs, specifically: ˚ Surveying and Mapping ˚ Civil Engineering ˚ STEM — specific to Geodesy • Encourage and incentivize colleges and universities to focus more on job market demand than on enrollment numbers including student recruiting efforts and student incentive programs like scholarships, tuition waivers, or other mechanisms which will increase enrollments in high-demand disciplines like geodesy. CONCLUSION The list of action items above is not exhaustive nor specific, but with careful thought and concerted effort on the part of government officials, university administrators, business owners and concerned citizens, they can develop viable solutions which could alleviate the Geodesy and Geospatial Crisis in the United States. Maybe then you and I will continue to enjoy new and exciting geospatial technologies and applications that improve our productivity and our personal lives. Works Cited Bevis, e. a. (2022, January 1). The Geodesy Crisis. Retrieved from The American Association of Geodetic Surveying: https://aagsmo.org/ the-geodesy-crisis/ Zilkoski, D. B. (2020, July 20). Number of trained US geodesists at crisis level. Retrieved from GPS World: https://www.gpsworld.com/ number-of-trained-us-geodesists-at-crisis-level/ Zilkoski, D. B. (2022, November 1). The inverted geospatial pyramid shows our vulnerability. Retrieved from GPS World: https://www.gpsworld.com/ the-inverted-geospatial-pyramid-shows-our-vulnerability/ CIVIL ENGINEERING LiDAR UAV / UAS RIGHT-OF-WAY TRANSPORTATION LAND SURVEYING GIS (801) 569-1315 www.meiamerica.com UTAH BEST OF STATE 58
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