Addressing Educational Needs in Spatial Data, Information Science, and Geomatics in the Civil Engineering Undergraduate Curriculum

The technology-driven, rapidly advancing field of spatial data and information science (SDIS) is an integral part of numerous engineering professions. Many college civil engineering programs are struggling to find ways to accommodate this subject in an already crowded undergraduate curriculum. There are several reasons that taking a course in SDIS is desirable for civil engineers entering today’s demanding job market. First, technologies related to surveying, spatial data, and information science are among the fastest developing in the industry, and there is significant demand for skills in the latest technology. Second, spatial data collection and analysis are essential to all civil engineering disciplines; thus, a fundamental understanding of data collection and analysis techniques is desirable. The transportation discipline of civil engineering may face the greatest need for professionals specializing in SDIS. Transportation planning, system design, facilities management, and transportation logistics rely heavily on SDIS technologies, including conventional surveying, geographic information systems, Global Positioning System, remote sensing, and digital terrain modeling. A description is given of a widely transferable and technically up-to-date course in geomatics that expands on traditional surveying by incorporating modern methods of spatial data collection, management, and analysis. Including a course on geomatics early in students’ undergraduate civil engineering curriculum may plant the seed for the development of future SDIS and SDIS for transportation professionals. Lessons learned in developing geomatics courses at Clemson University, Georgia Tech, and The Citadel are presented. Findings and recommendations are summarized with respect to broader application issues affecting the civil engineering curriculum.