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ACSM Bulletin | June 2011 | #251      DYNAMIC VERSION

EDITORIAL

New ways of thinking about new facts by Ilse Genovese Geospatial science and technology offer new ways of thinking about the world around us. To appreciate the choices we now have thanks to innovations in the past half a century, we only have to aks: Who would have thought that we would be navigating by stellite and think nothing about it? Who would have thoughts that we could go on a trip around the world, in seconds, zooming in and out of Google Earth? Who would have thought that we would get lured by "the cloud" to push our faithful servant, the computer, into murky oblivion? And who would have thought that both our children and our parents would be sending us photos and videos over the Internet? All this and more is in this issue of this June issue of the digital edion of the ACSM Bulletin.

GEOMATICS

		Geomatics: Whose profession is it anyway? by John M. Ward Geomatics professionals help ensure that every location based system works. From the GPS 'smart' maps that guide our cars, to the satellite 'apps' that feed our phone or route our school buses, to the guidance systems that drop missiles down the bad guy's chimney – there are geomatics specialists 'inside'! Go to pp. 10-13 for more on this issue.
		Whither surveying? by N.W J. Hazelton A perennial issue in the surveying community is the extent to which surveyors should have a monopoly over spatial measurement. Which measurements must be completed by a registered surveyor, and which measurements can be undertaken by anyone? From time to time there are efforts to extend or enforce various pieces of state legislation over other people in the larger spatial information community. Is this a battle worth fighting? Look for an answer on pp. 18-20.

SURVEYING

		The Surveying Body of Knowledge by Joshua Greenfeld As positioning technologies evolve and mapping tools become prevalent through GPS and GIS there is a growing misconception that "everyone can do surveying and mapping". The impact of this notion is already felt... More on pp. 23-30.
		Drawing a new generation of surveyor by Don Talend Judging from interest among students at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture at Knoxville, the land surveying field has a bright future. A professor who teaches land-surveying skills as part of broader curricula there says the considerable infusion of technology into the field generates much interest—among students as well as faculty. Go to pp. 35-37 for the rest of the story.

TECH BRIEF

		2011 Storm Surge report by Howard Botts The 2011 CoreLogic Storm Surge Report released in May revealed hurricane-driven storm surge flooding could cause billions in damage to residential structures in 2011. CoreLogic, a leading provider of consumer, financial and property information and business services, developed the Storm Surge Report to enhance understanding of the heightened risk that storm surge waves pose to homes located in areas prone to tropical storms. The report complements the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood zone information to provide a complete picture of potential damage exposure at the property level. Many properties located outside designated flood zones are still at risk for storm surge damage. "The local flood zones defined by FEMA in high-risk coastal regions provide a great deal of exposure data for homes in the path of flood waters, but understanding the additional layer of risk posed by a storm surge is critical for homeowners, emergency response teams, insurance companies and many others to plan and prepare for natural catastrophes," said Dr. Howard Botts, executive vice president and director of database development for CoreLogic Spatial Solutions. "As the report shows, in many cases, homes exposed to potential storm-surge inundation are located outside of designated flood zones, and those homeowners need to be aware of their vulnerability to severe damage and property losses." Go to pp. 40-43 for the rest of the report.