The National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) held its 10th Annual Student Competition in conjunction with the California Land Surveyor’s Association (CLSA)/Nevada Association of Land Surveyors’ (NALS) joint conference in Las Vegas, NV on March 7, 2011. Seven schools with baccalaureate degree programs in surveying, surveying engineering technology and/or surveying engineering participated.

Each competing team had four months to develop a project in the area of “Hydrographic Surveying”; write a 30pp. paper; prepare a wall poster; and give a 20 minute presentation at the conference. Judges for the competition were A. Wayne Harrison, President of NSPS; William Coleman, President-Elect of NSPS; Robert Dahn, Vice-President of NSPS, Carl R. CdeBaca; NSPS Area Nine Director; and Robert J. Reese, a Past President of CLSA.

Results:

First Place: Troy University, Troy Alabama

Second Place: University of Maine, Orono, Maine

Third Place: Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Fall, Oregon

Honorable Mentions (In alphabetical order)

California State University, Fresno; Fresno, CA

Michigan Technological Institute; Houghton, Michigan

New Jersey Institute of Technology; Newark, New Jersey

University of Puerto Rico- Mayaguez; Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

At the conclusion of the competition each team received a crystal bowl and each individual on the team received a participation ribbon and medallion in recognition of their efforts.

This year’s competition was coordinated by A. Richard Vannozzi, Assistant Professor of Civil Technology/Surveying and Mapping, Thompson School of Applied Science at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH and further questions can be addressed to him via email at: a.r.vannozzi@unh.edu. Schools wishing to receive information regarding the 2012 competition should contact Mr. Vannozzi at the above email, as well.