The convergence of infrastructural and environmental crises with a technological explosion is giving rise to vast expenditures of public and private funds on land/spatial infrastructure information systems. This in turn is creating a burgeoning need for professionals trained in the design, implementation, and management of these systems. These social and technological dynamics exert enormous pressure on education institutions to respond to change and more importantly, to help shape positive change. In civil and environmental engineering, effective course offerings, and curricula, methods of instruction depend upon state-of-the-art instructional laboratories which keep pace, as best as practical with technological innovation. This project aims to upgrade equipment in surveying engineering and land information studies laboratories. Specifically, the project seeks to acquire electronic angle and distance measurement systems (total stations) for state-of-the-art three dimensional field data collection, and computer equipment/software for modern laboratory data processing, analysis, design and graphics presentations. This equipment will enable changes to be incorporated into our instructional programs to meet the challenges of these rapidly changing times. The project not only responds to the current situation, it attempts to anticipate future requirements for civil and surveying engineers and the associated land information management problems. It will have a direct impact upon twelve courses and as many as 1100 students over the next five years.
