Discover Geospatial Science

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Suelynn Choy: Hello. My name is Suelynn Choy, Associate Professor of Geospatial Science, here at our RMIT University. Today, I'm going to tell you about our Bachelor of Geospatial Science Honors Program. I'll explain some of the key learning outcome of the degree, the structure, and the kinds of project you can expect to work as a student. Our program is world-renowned, and allow student to work across industry, to replicate the real world experience they will need once they start their careers. It is my privilege to be a part of the education community at RMIT, and I'd love to welcome you to our program. 

[foreign language 00:00:44] and welcome. Before I start, I'd like to acknowledge the people of the Woiwurrung and Boonwurrung language group of the Eastern Kulin nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the university. RMIT respectfully acknowledges their ancestors and elders past, present and emerging. And while we conduct our work remotely, I want to pay my respect to the wider unceded lands of this nation. Our historical and future connection to First People in Australia and around the world is very important part of geospatial sciences. 

Geospatial science is all about the where question. From Google Maps and GPS system, geospatial science is everywhere. And it's relied on for information about where things are and how they are related. That might means finding the quickest road to the cafe for breakfast or predicting the spread of pandemic outbreak, such as COVID-19. It can involve mapping the health of trees in your suburb or informing government policy on transport and infrastructure, natural disaster and climate change. So geospatial scientists creates manage, analyze, and map data about where things are on earth and how they are related. The unique feature of this program is its breadth. 

We are one of just a handful of university in Australia and around the world with expertise in every area of geospatial science, from surveying to satellite positioning, to remote sensing and satellite imagery. We are also expert in spatial information science or GIS, mapping and cartography, and in smart CTs, land use policy and digital twins. Our Bachelor of Geospatial Science program reflects this, giving students the opportunity to build practical skills and expertise across all those areas. 

This breadth is vital in the workplace as new geospatial technologies from satellite navigation system to the internet of things are leading a strong demand for geospatial scientists who have the range of skills needed to understand and combine knowledge from all these areas. Our strong connection to the geospatial industry also make this degree unique. But don't take our word for it. You can hear some of our industry talks about the degree in the virtual tour of geospatial sciences available through the School of Science website. 

This course offers pathway options. If you don't meet the degree entry requirement, geospatial sciences offer an articulation pathway through RMIT advanced diploma in surveying. Every year we graduate a number of degree students who have taken this pathway. Use our a pathway finder or contact Study at RMIT for more information, or have a chat with any member of the geospatial science team through Open Day and ask them to explain how articulation through an advanced diploma might work for you. 

Our program focuses on the three Cs of geospatial science. One, capturing geospatial data, such as with satellite positioning, land surveying or remotely sensed imagery from satellites or drone. Two, computing with geospatial data. That is using spatial databases and GIS to analyze and combine data from different sources. And number three, communicating geospatial data to human. As in designing maps, graphic and user interfaces that help decision makers to understand the pattern behind the maps. 

In the early years of the course, you will study the fundamental of positioning and surveying, mapping and cartography as well as other foundation skill in mathematics and statistics, physics, and scientific communication. In later years, more specialized studies are offered in spatial analysis, interface, design, image analysis, advanced mapping skills, environmental application and professional practice. A wide variety of elective choices give you the opportunity to develop further skill in this area, or to learn more about information technology, environmental studies, planning and land administration. 

We have outstanding education facilities in RMIT university. We are mainly based in the city campus with direct access where train, tram and buses from all areas of Melbourne and Victoria. 

We also have a dedicated surveying field station in our Bundoora campus for our field work. The field station houses much of our specialized equipment, including GPS robotic and laser surveying equipment, a GPS station that is part of a national network to support precise positioning measurement and the robotic telescope for measuring and tracking space object in the earth, orbit, such as satellite and space debris. 

Our geospatial science program at RMIT actively engages with industry to ensure our program meets the needs of this rapidly expanding field. Our program has strong emphasis on practical work and skill development, as well as solving real world industry problem. For example, in first year, student will undertake a design project for an amphitheater. The project involves a range of geospatial activity, such as surveying the area, modeling of landscape and designing of the amphitheater, which will have minimal environmental impact. 

Throughout the four year degree, you will engage in project based learning, tackling real world problem and designing solution using geospatial tools. In your final year, you will complete a major project on the topic of your choice. This is a chance to specialize in particular areas of interest and gain more in depth expertise. These projects are frequently a highlight of the course for both staff and students, as they involve one on one supervision from academic staff and potentially industry contacts. You will have ample opportunities to develop skills and experience as our practical projects are based on industry standard software and hardware, the same tools you will find in the workplace. We are active members of the Spatial Industry Business Association and the Surveying and Spatial Science Institute, the main bodies that represents the spatial industry in Australia and often hosts joint industry events on campus. Our degree is accredited nationally by the Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute and internationally by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyor. 

One example of a recent industry project was to develop a fully automated artificial intelligence system to identify street sign from street view images. Working with Alpine Shire council and industry leaders, Spatial Vision, one of our student last year helped develop new geospatial machine learning tool that use street view to automatically detect signs and what type of sign and where it is with more than 96% accuracy. The project helped save large amount of time and money previously spent manually capturing and maintaining the database of street science location. 

In addition to our national connection, we have a wealth of partnership with other global university and external industry and governmental organization. For example, some of our recent research partnership have included partnership with the United Nation on achieving sustainability development goals. We have active research partnership with NASA and JAXA, the Japanese Space Agency. We work with global companies, such as Fugro, Hexagon, IBM Research and Google. 

RMIT student can study for one or more semester at an oversea institution through our Education Abroad program. Our graduates have excellent employability in the spatial sector, an area that is rapidly expanding and where graduates are in short supply. In fact, most of 90% of our graduates are employed within three months of completing their studies, demonstrating that demands for geospatial science professional is growing across Australia and around the world. Geospatial science is everywhere. So our graduates have gone on to work in every imaginable type of organization and agency across government, research and industry. Their roles involve for example, mapping and analyzing crime pattern with the police, helping track fire fronts and monitor and coordinate first responder during bushfire, designing new system for monitoring the spread of infection disease, building new location-based smartphone apps and organizing the system and data to support those geospatial apps, urban planning and land use policy for local, state and federal government agency. 

And there are many other roles in banking, insurance, park, and environmental agencies, transportation and infrastructure companies, national and international consultancy. It is hard to think of any industry or area of government that does not need data about where. So our graduates are welcome in an incredible range of jobs and role. 

Nikolaas Kostraby graduated with a Bachelor of Geospatial Science with Honors in 2014. During his degree at RMIT, he worked with Parks Victoria as a GIS and spatial information officer. Even before finishing his degree, he had moved straight into a job on the spatial sciences team at the global consultancy company, GHD. At GHD. He worked on many different projects, including major new infrastructure projects, such as the forest field airport link. Within four years of finishing his degree, Nicholas had started a job at the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment, managing a team of 11 GIS professional and supporting a wide range of government project. 

Nikolaas now work at CNC Project Management, a major Australian engineering and environmental consultancy company. He's the Client Development Manager reporting directly to the CEO and he's part of the senior leadership team for the whole company. Here are some important dates for 2021 commencement to remember, and we'd love to welcome you to our program in 2021. 

Thank you for taking the time to learn about our Bachelor of Geospatial Science Honor Program. As a geospatial scientist, I am constantly inspired by the many new ways that geospatial science and technology is improving our lives. 20 years ago, no one had imagined putting a map and a GPS in a phone. Today, almost everyone has a phone hook up to location services. What will tomorrow bring? Whatever it brings, even in this uncertain world, it is certain we become more and more digitally interconnected. The answers to the where question will only become more important. Geospatial scientists are the people who have the skill to answer tomorrow's where question. So join us to meet this challenge in the modern global age. For more information on our geospatial science program, be sure to check the program information available on our website. Take care and have a lovely day.

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