SPACE, SURVEYORS AND STUDENTS AN EXCITING NEW PROJECT, ARISING FROM AN SFI DISCOVER AWARD, OFFERS SURVEYORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION TO JOIN THE PROFESSION.
European Space Education Resource Office
M
most surveyors will be
(ESERO) Ireland. Promoting application of
aware of. A specific goal of these
space data among the wider SCSI has
awards is to reach new audiences not
been a goal of the Geomatics Professional
normally engaged with STEM. As Chartered
Group (PG) since the flooding in Storm
Geomatics Surveyors, we have the profile and the
Desmond in December 2015, and four articles
national reach to target many underrepresented
have been published in the Surveyors Journal
groups. We understand that promoting STEM is
and RICS Land Journal introducing satellites as
essential to increase the profile of the
a survey tool. CPD and presentations to other
profession,
important
SCSI PGs have helped to highlight Ireland’s
surveying is, and enthuse the next generation to
financial commitment to the European Space
choose surveying as a career.
Agency (ESA) and the role of satellite
Partnership projects are welcomed in Discover
information in Ireland. Space data also
any people are aware that
applications, and in 2019 the SCSI joined with
featured in the 2018 SCSI/Teagasc Land Market
demonstrate
how
Science Foundation Ireland
Maynooth University, TU Dublin, Ordnance
Review and Outlook and in 2019, the Geomatics
(SFI) is the national body
Survey Ireland and Esri Ireland on a proposal to
PG, via SCSI, also made a submission to the
promoting applied and basic research in Ireland,
showcase satellite mapping to students. The 5*S
Department of Business, Enterprise and
but they may be less aware that SFI also funds
– Space, Surveyors and Students – STEM and the
Innovation’s first National Space Strategy for
public engagement with science, engineering,
Sustainable Development Goals project was
Enterprise 2019-2025, highlighting the roles
technology and maths (STEM). The SFI Discover
successful in the 2019 call and the partnership
that Chartered Surveyors could play in
programme is an example of one such outreach
has kicked off in 2020 with a number of free
leveraging Ireland’s investment in the ESA. The
funding scheme, designed to enable projects
training and volunteering opportunities that
SFI Discover programme therefore presented
that encourage people of all ages and from all
Chartered Surveyors can benefit from.
an excellent opportunity to scale up the work
walks of life to be informed, inspired and involved
being done by volunteers on the Geomatics PG,
in STEM. SFI Discover awards have been used to
Space and surveyors
and to recruit two dedicated staff to offer free
fund a number of successful outreach
The 2019 SFI Discover call particularly
training opportunities to Chartered Surveyors
programmes in recent years: the Engineers
encouraged projects with a space context and
and promote our profession and STEM to the
Ireland STEPS programme is probably one that
these were reviewed in association with the
wider public.
FEATURE
Dr Avril Behan FSCSI FRICS
James Lonergan
Angela Ricard
Director and Dean of College of
Director of Education and
Assistant Professor,
Engineering and Built Environment Membership, Society of Chartered
Department of Education,
at TU Dublin
Surveyors Ireland
Maynooth University
Assistant Professor,
Aideen Croasdell
Lorraine McNerney
Eimear McNerney FSCSI FRICS
Dept of Geography,
Engagement Manager, Esri
Chief Information Officer,
Assistant Lecturer on BSc in
Maynooth University
Ireland/ArcGIS for Schools
Ordnance Survey Ireland
Geographic Science, TU Dublin
Dr Conor Cahalane FSCSI FRICS
26
SURVEYORS JOURNAL Volume 10, Issue 1, Spring 2020
