How many years of experience do you have as a surveyor?
I have worked in the Engineering and Construction Surveying fields for over 19 years, mostly in Maine and Northern New England.
When/how did you discover that you wanted to become a surveyor?
I discovered that surveying came fairly naturally to me; engineering taught me that the need to collect precise data and apply quality control to construction and fabrication was necessary to ensure the success of large projects. Over the course of years of exposure, I could begin to apply the principles of spatial sciences to easily identify and improve many of the diverse phases of the construction and engineering projects that I encountered.
What do you like most about the work you do?
The ever-changing challenge and variety of collecting precise and accurate data in the outdoor environment gives me the most satisfaction. The unique projects provide interesting sets of data that I can use to compare a constructed or fabricated item to the design drawings or model to ensure the project is proceeding according to specifications.
Describe a typical (or ideal) work day in the life of being a surveyor.
I enjoy being part of a talented and coordinated team working cohesively to supply the client with the highest quality project support and final deliverables, to ensure projects get completed according to project specifications.
What is your favorite/most notable project and why?
The Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory is one of my favorites; it’s the World’s tallest bridge observatory. It was a high profile Federal and State project in the mid-coast of Maine, taking approximately 30 months in its active construction. The bridge is a balanced cantilever construction with towers and suspension cables. Each tower is on separate sides of the Penobscot River, approximately 2,000 feet apart, and they were constructed at the same time. Part of my job to ensure that both sides of the bridge connected in the middle and the satisfaction of seeing it all come together perfectly made it one of my most memorable experiences.
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about pursuing a career in surveying?
Go for it – surveying is an incredibly satisfying job knowing that what you do day in and day out gets projects done that impact the world around us. Try not to be discouraged by the initial complexity of it all, once you get the hang of it, the results of your work are really impressive!
