Senior Lecturer in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Research interest

• Investigate the implications of 3D kinematic datum modernisation for professional and mass market users, particularly in tectonically active environments.
• Investigate the application of high precision multi-GNSS/ PPP positioning. Leveraging CORS infrastructure and combining UAV or laser scan data for practical application to surveying and geospatial engineering.
• Understand the policy implications of new measurement technologies on authoritative geospatial data management (GPS for cadastral, DCDB, LandXML, eGeodesy, SUI standards, Dial before you dig, smartphone imagery etc).
• Investigating AR/VR applications in Surveying and Geospatial Engineering

Interest in engineering

Why did you get into engineering?

I like geometry, maps and the outdoors and Surveying combines all three.

What are your research goals?

To modernise the national/ international datum and map the geophysical changes that we can now measure in 4D. To better understand multi-GNSS positioning and augmentations. To develop governance to better map underground utilities in accordance with GDA2020 and AS5488 Subsurface utility standard.

What do people not understand about you do?

People trust their modern devices to give them the correct positions all the time. Measurement science is far more complex and expectations of accuracy nowadays are sometimes unrealistic.

Advice for prospective Surveying and Geospatial engineers

Love maths (especially geometry – do Maths Ext 1). Love maps. Love gadgets. Be precise. Love the outdoors.

Lectures/Courses taught

GMAT1110 - Surveying and Geospatial Engineering

GMAT2120 - Surveying and Geospatial Technology

GMAT3700 - Precise Positioning and Applications

GMAT3150 - Field Projects 1 - Survey Camp

GMAT4150 - Field Projects 2

Honours thesis supervision - A wide variety of projects

Students

Number currently in lab: 4

Student Projects:

Hydro-geological Fault Characterisation using Terrestrial Laser Scanning

Land administration responses after major disasters

Augmented reality applied to subsurface utilities

Governance of utility data in accordance with GDA2020 and AS5488

An investigation into ground deformation monitoring techniques utilised in urban tunnel excavations and the root causes of surface subsidence

The importance of virtual reality in collaborative pavement engineering

Geodetic Datums on the Moon, Planets and Asteroids

Time-dependent geodetic transformations and datum modelling.

Integration of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar into a National Geodetic Datum

Developing a new Geoid for Costa Rica

Looking for students for projects related to:

Laser scan of 40 foot rock to reconstruct former rock cave

Geospatial Engineering in support of sustainable drinking water supply for Uralla Shire

Space junk and space policy

The Impact of the ATRF on the cadastre in NSW and beyond

Comparing the big 4 in sub-metre GNSS positioning: Omnistar, Starfire, Veripos, Atlas

GNSS Heights from CORS for Machine Guidance applications

Surveying and mapping with your smartphone

Professional Organisations and Consulting positions

Secretary and Public Officer of the IGNSS Association Inc.

Academic Education Rep for Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping Permanent Committee on Geodesy (ICSM PCG)

UNSW Rep Australasian Spatial Information Education Research Association (ASIERA)

Former Board member of the Board of Surveying and Spatial Information (BOSSI)

Former Chair of the Definition of a Land Survey committee (under BOSSI)

Survey Mapping Industry Council representative for UNSW

Academic member of Institution of Surveyors NSW (ISNSW)

Member of Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI)

Member of American Geophysical Union (AGU).

Active member of FIG GNSS Developments and Modernization Commission 5, Sub Group 5.3.3

Member, FIG Working Group 2.3, “Education Management and Marketing”

Member, IAG WG1.3.1 “Deformation Models for Reference Frames”

Awards 

Best Academic Paper, SatNav 2003, Melbourne, Australia, July 2003

Best Oral Presentation, SSC2009, Adelaide, Australia, Oct 2009

SSSI NSW Education and Professional Development Award - 2014

SSSI National Education and Professional Development Award - 2014

Best Paper Award for 2015 by the Editorial Board of the Journal of Spatial Science

Grants

Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information – Project 1.02, Next generation Australian and New Zealand Datum

Education

PhD/postgraduate

PhD, The University of New South Wales, 2002

Undergraduate

B.Surv, The University of South Australia (formerly South Australian Institute of Technology), 1988