The Geoholics

Welcome to this meeting of Geoholics Anonymous! This is another “roundtable” format discussion touching on the current issues affecting the geomatics world. This panel is made up of Kent Groh, LS (Host of The Geoholics), Ryan Kelly, CP (Co-host of The Geoholics), Linda Anderson (Project Manager for the North Central Texas Aerial Robotics STEM Initiative), Daphne Rickard (Executive Director of Career and Technical Education for Fort Worth ISD), Candy Slocum (Executive Director of North Central Texas InterLink, Inc.) and Stephanie Tennyson (Career and Technical Education Coordinator for the Fort Worth Independent School District). The topic of this GA meeting focuses on the S.T.E.M. initiative. We touch on the history of STEM in the US, why there is a shortage of skilled workers in many of the STEM occupations (including land surveying), the K-12 STEM continuum model and how industry leaders can get involved by paying it forward for the betterment of their respective professions.

Welcome to this meeting of Geoholics Anonymous! This is another “roundtable” format discussion touching on the current issues affecting the geomatics world. This panel is made up of Kent Groh, LS (Host of The Geoholics), Ryan Kelly, CP (Co-host of The Geoholics), David Acosta, LS (Co-Owner of Construction Survey Technologies, Inc. & NSPS Diversity Committee Chairperson), Roxanne Nimmer, LS (Survey Manager @ Audubon Field Services), Hasmitha Rayasam (Research Assistant at Boston University & Sustainability Chair for Graduate Women in Science and Engineering Marketing @ BU) and Anna Rios, LS (Project Manager @ Landesign). The topic of this GA meeting focuses on diversity. We scratch the surface of this timely subject matter with some very poignant and humbling discussions touching on the past, present and future challenges the geomatics world faces.

O…M…G…if you only listen to one Geoholics Podcast make it this one (kidding…listen to all of them)! The boys welcome the one and only Cameron Hughes to the show. Cameron is best known for being a professional Crowd Igniter having performed at over 1500 events and being awarded The Best Act in Sports! His story is both amazing and inspirational. Cam talks about how the “just get up” movement started, where it’s taken him, and his upcoming book. His energy is nothing less than infectious and we had a blast experiencing it! PJ is taking reservations for Chasing Geoholics - Bahamas edition. BS wants to place a wager on the new pro sports team names. DD wants you to treat your cell phone like a third hand. Please continue to support our FOTP. Music for this episode by U2!   

We welcome Jeff Lovin, CP, PS to The Geoholics Podcast! Jeff has been elected to the National Geospatial Advisory Council (NGAC), served as president of MAPPS, and is the current president of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. His entire 34 year survey/mapping career has been spent at Woolpert where he currently serves as a Sr. VP and the Government Solutions Market Director. We took full advantage of this opportunity to get to know more about Jeff (including his fear of birds!) and ASPRS! PJ is remodeling his office. BS is conflicted about wearing a mask. DD shares a newly discovered sport called Calcio Storico and talks about a recent run-in with a local degen #glock. Please continue to support our FOTP. Music for this episode by The Rolling Stones!   

Kyle “Hollywood” Schultze, PLS is not only a fellow Saluki but also a Project Manager at Precision Engineering Group, Inc. in beautiful Champaign, Illinois. He is an Eagle Scout, recipient of the IPLSA Eldridge Award and has had his picture in POB magazine! Kyle and the boys discuss what its like to work for a small firm and wearing many hats, requirements to become a professional land surveyor and the Boy Scouts of America Survey Merit Badge. Kyle is the poster child for the Survey Merit Badge and continues to pay it forward being the Survey Merit Badge booth coordinator for the 2021 BSA National Jamboree…and he needs our help! NSRS announces a delay in the 2021 Modernization. PJ’s YouTube video of the week is Relentless. BS proposes to run a half marathon in lieu of getting a tattoo…decision pending. DD drives a green and gets called out for doing the DD strut. A “Would You Rather” question is asked….maybe a new segment? Please support our FOTP and local small businesses. Music for this episode by David Bowie!   

Guten Tag! The Geoholics have broken down the Geo Wall and are taking Germany by storm! Tim Bauer, the Head of Geo AI (Artificial Intelligence) for Supper und Supper, joins us from Berlin. We had a spirited chat about the role AI currently plays in the world around us and the effects it could have on our future. Tim tells us about Pointly, a software he is helping to develop and implement for automatic classification and segmentation of data points and objects in 3D point clouds. A little known fact about Tim is that he was the proud winner of a first grade reading competition...before everyone got a trophy. Guess what…the US Survey foot is going away…I swear! Producer Jake is selling everything and living on a sailboat. Big Shoots has not slept in a week resulting in a retraction and Dilfy Dilf is convinced the world is headed off the rails and he too is considering minimalism. Please continue to support local small businesses. Music for this episode by SUMA!   

Welcome to this meeting of Geoholics Anonymous! This is another “roundtable” format discussion touching on the current issues affecting the developing world. This panel is made up of Kent Groh, LS (Host of The Geoholics), Ryan Kelly, CP (Co-host of The Geoholics), Scott Phillips (President @ Ace Asphalt), James Murphy (CEO @ Willmeng), Rob Robichaud (VP Sales & Marketing @ Ace Asphalt) and Scott Sangster (Partner @ Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP). The topic of this GA meeting focuses on what true leadership will look like Post COVID19. We discuss the challenges of navigating a business through a global pandemic, how leadership is having to adapt to be successful, managing the associated risks, health & safety of employees and clients, de-globalization and the effects on urbanization.

Kyle Felder, LS is the Survey Manager at Red Plains Lender Surveys in Edmond, OK. He has been surveying for the better part of 15 years and is a 3rd generation land surveyor. Kyle is the Oklahoma Society of Land Surveyor's Young Survey Coordinator, a proud member of the NSPS Young Surveyor group and was voted the 2019 OSLS Surveyor of the Year by his peers. We discuss the fear of land surveying becoming a forgotten profession, the fact that there are only fifteen registered land surveyors in OK under the age of 35, how surveyors are stereotyped, and the idea of a national education requirement to become a professional land surveyor. We learn a little about a great new product from CivDrone, Producer Jake’s mom won’t let him get a tattoo, Big Shoots is afraid of getting a tattoo and Dilfy Dilf will get a Geoholics tattoo if the podcast hits 15K downloads by the one year anniversary! Please continue to support local small businesses. Music for this episode by The Doobie Brothers!

My friends, join us as we share the airwaves with Michael Pummer, LS a 30+ year land survey veteran. To say that Michael has lived an interesting life would be an understatement. He is a self-proclaimed Parrot Head, has captained a sea lion tour boat and booze cruise in Mexico, lost the lower part of his leg due to an infection and is an avid skydiver…all in addition to having a sincere passion for surveying. Michael shares his thoughts about the current state of affairs as it pertains to the profession (land surveyor vs appliance operator) and makes some suggestions on how to move forward. New Geoholics merch has arrived for Fan Club members! Producer Jake gets talked into believing in UFO’s, Big Shoots and Huddy are going magnet fishing and Dilfy Dilf explores going off the grid and how to repurpose old survey equipment. Please continue to support local small businesses. Music for this episode by Jimmy Buffett!