782
November 2019
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
PRESENT
The present state of educational focus within ASPRS has built
upon much of what had been ongoing in the past. It has also
increased its pro-active support of college level students and
early working professionals via the SAC, the Early Career
Professionals Council (ECPC), the increase in geospatial spe-
cialty certifications and the many workshops now offered at
various ASPRS meetings. A recent initiative to reward and
encourage young working professionals is the Rising Star
Program. The student scholarship program continues with
some sponsors ebbing and flowing, but still retains a healthy
level of funding through the ASPRS Foundation. The monthly
PE&RS
journal is still a robust magazine of technical articles
although it has evolved from topics around film-based photog-
raphy to digital image exploitation topics. Film-based aerial
cameras have almost completely been replaced by digital
aerial cameras. Others, what I call “non-literal” imagery, such
as RADAR, LIDAR, Multispectral, SONAR, etc. have now
become part of the mainstream remote sensing areas of inter-
est and are used in day-to-day activities around the world.
PE&RS
is available in hard copy and in digital form via
the internet. Specific major technical publications continue to
be produced and sold by ASPRS—again mostly emphasizing
the digital sensor and imagery related geospatial technology.
This is evidenced by the exploding interest in Light Detec-
tion and Ranging (LIDAR). It has also included the parallel
expansion of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) such as air-
borne drones, and more inclusive UAVs such as Unmanned
Autonomous Vehicles like under water drones, cars without
drivers and other specialized robots. These latter-mentioned
items are here now and are expected to grow in usage. This
will provide opportunities and challenges for ASPRS as it
remains the premier geospatial technology professional orga-
nization specializing in photogrammetry and remote sens-
ing. The practice of the Society to produce frequent newslet-
ters, join with other professional groups to host conferences,
and some hosting of K-12 events within the Regions and at
national conferences are good signs.
FUTURE
Who knows what the future holds, but one thing for sure is
there will be changes, many of which will happen by pig-
gy-backing on others. LIDAR and UAV technologies are a
perfect example. What does this and other changes mean
for educational initiatives within ASPRS? A few of today’s
trends in education/training may provide indicators for future
planning. One, there are many on-line, computer-supported
courses being offered by colleges. Two, if anyone wishes to
find out something, he/she “Googles” on a laptop or cell phone
to look up the answer. Three, there is an emphasis within
the U.S. K-12 educational environment on science, technol-
ogy, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Fourth, at the
same time there is a rising awareness and need to offer voca-
tional training, commonly covered by what is called Career
and Technical Education (CTE). Vocational training used to
simply cover wood shop for boys and home economics for girls.
Now it includes a much more robust set of offerings, like mar-
keting, computer science, automated manufacturing, digital
design, robotics, criminal justice, and yes—geospatial tech-
nology. The whole intent of CTE is to provide a better oppor-
tunity for high school students to obtain employment after
graduation as well as encouraging them to go to college—of
which 50%-60% of our current high school students do not do.
All these educational emphases in our nation’s pub-
lic schools are the result of changing employment trends—
largely based upon technology and the globalization of eco-
nomic trade. Despite certain current “nationalistic” politics,
these trends will continue and become faster over the coming
years. So, what does this mean to ASPRS?
Since the future is open-ended, there is no timeline to guide
us. It is suggested that an open-ended dialogue continue and
perhaps be increased to explore our Society’s role as these
changes take place. It is encouraging to see some of these
things now happening and there is no reason that most of the
current educational efforts should not be continued. At the
same time, evidence seems to suggest a set of possible changes
and new initiatives. At this time, a list of ideas is offered for
our membership to ponder and hopefully expand on. This can
be done within the entire structure of ASPRS—not just the
E&PD committee. Below is a starting list of ideas to consider:
• More on-line workshops and geospatial course materials
• A robust, maintained and cross-referenced data base of geo-
spatial technology instructional materials for use in K-12
• Increased incentives to ASPRS regions to engage in K-12
outreach activities in order to win the “Region of the Year
Award”
• Since there are some 250,000 Technology Student Associ-
ation (TSA) students across the United States (some are
competing at TSA conferences with geospatial technology
projects) could ASPRS become involved in these regional
state and national meetings?
• Since an important part of CTE course accomplishment is
to do intern work with businesses and government groups,
could ASPRS sponsor an award for K-12 intern involve-
ment in the geospatial technology being used in one of the
many applications like transportation, emergency manage-
ment, environmental studies, etc.?
• Development of an up-to-date set of marketing items about
ASPRS to the K-12 environment. Part of the material
would be for guidance counselors, part for students and
part for teachers who might be offering geospatial technol-
ogy course work. It could include the possibilities for being
trained and certified as GIS technicians and the chances for
employment right out of high school.
• ASPRS Regions and sustaining members hosting K-12 and coll-
ege level students to national meetings on an increased basis.
• Having a specific part of every ASPRS conference focused
on K-12 as well as college student involvement. Tours,
award ceremonies and entertainment events could be
established around the interests of this age group.
• Explore where ASPRS might collaborate with other COGO
org-anizations, including AmericaView, to reach out to K-12
and college students and possible periodic media advertising at
times like Earth Observation Day, Earth Day, Labor Day, Etc.
I am sure there are more and better suggestions, but if we
spend some time and continue on-going dialogue opportuni-
ties related to these issues, I am sure our profession’s prog-
ress will easily match the coming societal changes. I was
encouraged that 10 ASPRS members attended the E&PD
Committee meeting in Denver, this past January. I invite
others to join our next meeting at the ASPRS/ILMF confer-
ence in Washington, DC next March. In the meantime, please
feel free to contact me with any further ideas you may have
about education and professional development within ASPRS.
My e-mail is
and my mailing address is
218 Nimcock Road, Urbanna, VA 23175.
