Continuing Education and Profesional Development

In addition to attending Local Professional Society meetings, I have benefitted from the following seminars, classes, and tasks:

- 2 0 1 1 -

Lidar, Sonar and GPR on Transportation Projects
August 24th, 2011
1 hour of information
Presented by CLSA - Speaker: Tom Taylor, PLS
This webinar discussed the following:
Stationary Laser Scanning, Terrestrial Mobile Laser Scanning, Error Analysis, Cost Benefit Analysis, Guidelines, Hydrographic Surveying, Ground Penetrating Radar and Lessons Learned Implementing Innovations

Large-Scale 3-D Laser Scanning: The Complete Process
July 19, 2011
1 hour of information
Presented by FARO technologies
A webinar demonstrating hardware and software solutions on large-scale 3-D scanning projects.

1919 Advance Sheets
July 4, 2011
A reprint of the 1919 advance sheets prepared for republication by me, with the Certified Federal Surveyor as the target audience.

"Jack Raub notes" dedication
June 15, 2011
1 hour presentation
Presented by RBF and the Orange County Surveyor’s Office
A dedication to the Orange County surveyor of Jack Raub's original survey notes. These are important survey documents which will be maintained and protected by the Orange County surveyor.

Modernization of the NSRS
May 26, 2011
Presented by NGS-NOAA
An overview of the various techniques and technologies being used by the national geodetic survey in their modernization of the national spatial reference system.

FEMA-substantial improvements/damage
May 25, 2011
4 hour seminar
Presented by FEMA
An overview of the FEMA standards to be applied when a property undergoes substantial improvement or substantial damage.

FEMA-elevation certificate
May 25, 2011
4 hour seminar
Presented by FEMA & California DWR
An instructive seminar in proper preparation of the new FEMA elevation certificate.

State of the CSRC
April 7, 2011
8 hour seminar/workshop
Presented by California league of survey organizations

LS/LSIT Review Seminars
April 2, 2011
8 hours over two weekends
Presented by Santiago Canyon College faculty and staff
The first review seminar ever presented by the faculty and staff of SCC. Held over two weekends, it was free of charge to all current and former SCC students or graduates.

CLSA-NALS Conference
March 7, 2011
4 days of seminars, workshops, and meetings
Presented by numerous professionals
The joint conference of the California and Nevada professional survey organizations. Over three days of seminars and workshops focused on professional development.

Corner Restoration Circular
February 6, 2011
A republication of the 1974 BLM pamphlet entitled "Restoration of Lost or Obliterated Corners and Subdivision of Sections", with a new Index and cross-references to the 1973 and 2009 BLM Manuals of Survey Instructions. This was originally created by me as an aid to students in my "Legal Aspects of Land Surveying" courses at SCC. It is available on Amazon.com for a price of $6.40

CSU Fresno 50th Annual Land Surveyors Conference
January 28, 2011
2 days of seminars, workshops, and meetings
Presented by various professionals
A two-day conference presented by the state’s original four-year surveying program.

- 2 0 1 0 -

State Plane Coordinate Systems
December 8, 2010
Presented by NGS-NOAA
An overview of the various state plane coordinate systems used in the United States and their

2009 Manual of Survey Instructions
November 30, 2010
Approximately 16 hours of video presentations, readings, and quizzes
Presented by BLM-CFedS
A mandatory continuing education program presented by the BLM/CFedS organization. A reading of the new BLM manual with an emphasis on gaining familiarity with the expanded material.

Deeds, Descriptions, and the Law
October 15, 2010
8 hour seminar
presented by Walt Robillard and PESI
Walt Robillard is the author or co-author of several of the most authoritative and important books on land surveying. He is an engaging and entertaining lecturer, and he has been doing this for a long time. It's always a pleasure to be in one of Walt’s seminars.

Surveying Standards
Completed August 8, 2010
4 hour video seminar and 8 hours creating paper on presentation
Presented by West Virginia Board of Surveyors, Knud Hermensen, PhD.
Mandatory continuing education course presented by the West Virginia Board of surveyors, led by Knud Hermansen of the University of Maine.

Surveying Ethics
Completed August 8, 2010
4 hour video seminar and 8 hours creating paper on presentation
Presented by West Virginia Board of Surveyors, Knud Hermensen, PhD.
Mandatory continuing education course presented by the West Virginia Board of surveyors, led by Knud Hermansen of the University of Maine. Knud is a recognized nationwide authority on surveying and surveying ethics.

Trig Star
March 20, 2010
4 hours coordinating competition
OC-CLSA, Santiago Canyon College
The trig star surveying competition held annually at SCC, led by Jeremy Evans and Greg Seeborn.

West Coast/Alaska-focused Geodetic Vertical Datums
3/9/2010
2 hours of information and instruction
NGS-NOAA
Presentation of tidal datums, interpolation between National Ocean Service (NOS) tidal stations, collecting tidal data relative to a local suite of bench marks, and the relationship to the latest national tidal datum epoch. Will also include datum computation.

East Coast & Gulf Coast focused Geodetic Vertical Datums
3/3/2010
4 hours of information and instruction
NGS-NOAA
Presentation of tidal datums, interpolation between National Ocean Service (NOS) tidal stations, collecting tidal data relative to a local suite of bench marks, and the relationship to the latest national tidal datum epoch. Will also include datum computation.

Introduction to the Geodetic Vertical Datums
3/2/2010
3 hours of information and instruction
NGS-NOAA
The North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) and the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29), and their relation to tidal datums. This talk will also cover topics such as the National Spatial Reference System, types of heights, the Geoid model, gravity data and CORS and OPUS. Instructor: Dave Doyle.

Managing Challenging Students
Completed February 19, 2010
4.5 hours of classroom instruction
Santiago Canyon College
Identifying the behaviors of a difficult student, selection of an appropriate approach for dealing with the behavior, and successfully applying the approach.

Federal Land Boundary Cases and Codes
Completed 2/23/2010
A book I compiled of Federal Codes and Cases referenced in the text Boundary Control and Legal Principles. I began work on this Book in June and committed myself to its completion by February.

California Land Boundary Cases and Codes
Completed 2/23/2010
A book I compiled of California Codes and Cases referenced in the text Boundary Control and Legal Principles. I began work on this Book in June and committed myself to its completion by February.

Special Boundary Problems
Completed February 19, 2010
A series of case studies and overview of federal rules relating to subjects including: Junior/Senior corners (different from Junior /Senior rights outside the PLSS), hiatuses, and overlaps in the Rectangular Survey System.

The Geographic Coordinate Database
Completed January 2010
10 hours of instruction and examination
BLM / CFedS
An introduction to the BLS’s Geographic Coordinate Database (GCDB), which is a very useful tool for Federal Surveyors and others.

Creating Lessons that Facilitate Learning
Completed January 8, 2010
4.5 hours of classroom instruction
Santiago Canyon College
This course was designed to assist Teachers in developing useful “Student Learning Outcomes” for our courses and a plan to successfully deliver them.

- 2 0 0 9 -

Surv 229 - Legal Aspects of Land Surveying - 1
Completed on 12/17/2009
45 total hours
Santiago Canyon College
The course I instruct at SCC. This is my Second year, and this first portion of the course is focused on the Public Land Survey System and Legal Descriptions.

NSRS Fundamentals
Completed on 12/9/2009
4 hours of information and instruction
NOAA - NGS
An online introduction and overview of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS) by the surveyors/scientists at the National Geodetic Survey (NGS). It covered the History and future of the precisely positioned points in the National geodetic database, and how that database will be maintained.

Carlson Construction Seminar
Attended on 12/8/2009
4.5 hours of hands on instruction
Carlson / Servco
Hands on seminar held in Costa Mesa demonstrating the many tools available in Carlson's latest version of this popular software.

Govt Proposals for Small Businesses
Attended on 11/18/2009
3 hours of information
SCORE
I attended this seminar in hopes of increasing my chances for some of the Federal Stimulus money, and left feeling that I could never afford the large scissors necessary to cut through the miles of red tape each proposal comes wrapped in, particularly as a "new" supplier.

OC-CLSA Mtg
11/12/2009
3 hour meeting
OC-CLSA
The annual Scholarship award night. One of my students was a recipient.

Precise Digital Leveling
10/29/2009
24 hours of hands on instruction
NGS-NOAA
This hands on 3-day workshop was held at the Caltrans Maintenance Facility in Irvine. It was well presented by NGS surveyors/scientist Marti Ikehara (CA's state geodetic advisor), Curt Smith (Idaho's state geodetic advisor), and ___ ____ (Arizona's state geodetic advisor). It included classroom lecture on the procedures necessary to obtain First Order Class Two results and practical field work utilizing the highly precise Leica Digital Level and 2-meter Invar rods. Emphasis was also placed on the recording data so that it would be compatible with the NGS system. This allows the data to be accepted into the National Spatial Reference System.

Railroads 101
Attended on 10/23/2009
7.5 hours of instruction and information
CLSA / AREMA
An eight hour seminar in Ontario CA presented in conjunction with the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association. Charlie Tucker was the speaker, and he has a substantial background in Rail Roads and was "Rail Master" in Los Angeles. In my experience one of the most difficult parts of establishing Rail Road Rights of Way has been finding the rail information, and this seminar provided a number of helpful directories of contacts to assist in obtaining that information.

GPS derived heights - 2
Completed on 10/7/2009
3 hours of information and instruction
NGS-NOAA
Part Two of the seminar, discussing the NGS tools available, the "Height Modernization Initiative", review of heights and their accuracies, a guide for establishing GPS derived heights using the NGS guidelines, procedures, software, and analysis techniques.

GPS derived heights - 1
Completed on 10/6/2009
3 hours of information and instruction
NGS-NOAA
PPart One of an online seminar, this portion covered the various historic datums used by the Federal Government, and their relationships. The distinctions between ellipsoid, Geoid and Orthometric heights were explained and explored.

Forensic Approaches to Evidence Discovery & Location
Attended on 9/18/2009
73 hours of information and instruction
CLSA - Bakersfield / Don Wilson
Don Wilson is the author or co-author of a number of Books on Surveying including the two major legal aspects books Boundary Control and Legal Principles and Evidence and Procedures for Boundary Location. This seminar focused on his latest book Forensic Procedures for Boundary and Title Investigation. Don uses Sherlock Holmes as an exemplar of using Evidence and Perception to view the available facts and either come to a conclusion based on what you have or seek out further evidence. It is always a pleasure to sit in a seminar with one of the current leaders in surveying education and research.

CLSA/OC Auction
Attended on 8/13/2009
3 hour meeting
CLSA-OC
The annual Scholarship Auction. One of my favorite local meetings, there is almost always something I've always wanted or something worth while having being auctioned at reasonable prices. The number one source for survey scholarship money in the county.

Legal Aspects of Land Surveying - 2
Completed on 6/4/2009
45 Total Hours
Santiago Canyon College
The Second course in the Legal Aspects series at SCC. This course was faster paced and reviewed the California Subdivision Map Act, the Land Surveyors Act, Board Rules, Surveyors responsibilities in boundary retracements, Sequential, Simultaneous, and combination boundary creations and retracements, more Legal Descriptions, and riparian boundaries.

Advanced Plane Surveying
Completed on 6/1/2009
45 Classroom hours and 4 Saturday field labs
Santiago Canyon College
I attended this college course to review and refresh my field techniques after too many years behind a desk. Don Mertens, who teaches this course is highly skilled in these areas having many years of experience working for the Department of Water and Power and Caltrans. SCC has high quality modern field equipment available to the surveying students.

Trig Star
Attended on 5/1/2009
3 hours
OC-CLSA / SCC
Jeremy Evans, Instructor of the Advanced Problems courses at SCC, has built this surveying outreach tool into a huge event at the college, and I believe it is the largest in the State, and one of the largest in the entire country.

- 2 0 0 8 -

Legal Aspects of Land Surveying - 1
Completed on 12/12/2008
45 total hours
Santiago Canyon College
The first portion of the two part "Legal Aspects of Land Surveying" Course. This focuses on Legal Descriptions and the Public Lands Survey System.

FEMA Elevation Certificate
attended on 6/10/2008
6 hours of information and instruction
FEMA
A day long in person workshop in Anaheim presented by Henry Chow of FEMA, Derrick Tan Sing of DWR, and Frank Mansell of FEMA. This covered the "new" Elevation Certificate (EC) required by FEMA. This was sponsored by the City of Anaheim and the State Department of Water Resources.

Construction Defect Litigation
Attended on 5/15/2008
3 hours
Continuing Education for the Bar
Presented by the Continuing Education for the Bar, this was a useful seminar to see what issues are likely to end up in Litigation.

Boundary and Easement Disputes
Attended on 5/10/2008
3 hours of instruction
Continuing Education for the Bar
An EXCELLENT seminar provided by Continuing Education for the Bar. Highly recommended to any surveyor who does boundary reestablishments.

ACSM Conference 2008 Spokane
Attended in March 2008
28 hours of various seminars, workshops and meetings
ACSM/NSPS
This National Surveyors Conference was my first as a CFedS, and was very useful with a large number of workshops and seminars which I had not previously attended. Spokane was much nicer than I thought it would be.

Certified Federal Surveyor Program
Completed between Sept 2007 and Jan 2008
120 hours (approximately) of instruction and testing
BLM
The training required to obtain the Certified Federal Surveyor (CFedS) certificate. Great training provided by the BLM staff.

- 2 0 0 7 -

Client Relations
Attended 11/7/2007
3 hours
ASCE
A morning workshop in how to keep clients happy. Apparently some clients only want a basket of fruit, or a birthday card. And I was wasting my time giving them high quality products. Go figure.

Common Interest Developments
Completed on 7/12/2007
3.5 hours of instruction
Continuing Education for the Bar
Another high quality seminar provided by CEB, this one on CIDs (Condos). The extensive handouts alone are worth the price of the class, but the instructors are also highly qualified.

Subdivision Map Act
Completed on 7/12/2007
3.5 of instruction
I really enjoyed these Bar Association continuing education seminars, and highly recommend them to other surveyors.