A geospatial network is a network of collaborating resources for sharing and coordinating geographical data and

data tied to geographical references. One example of such a network is the Open Geospatial Consortium's
efforts to provide ready global access to geographic information.[citation needed]
A number[quantify] of university departments which were once titled "surveying", "survey engineering" or
"topographic science" have re-titled themselves using the terms "geomatics" or "geomatic engineering".
The rapid progress and increased visibility of geomatics since the 1990s has been made possible by advances
in computer hardware, computer science, and software engineering, as well as by airborne and space
observation remote-sensingtechnologies.
The science of deriving information about an object using a sensor without physically contacting it is called
remote sensing, which is a part of geomatics.

Science [ edit ]

See also: Geographic information science

Geospatial science is an academic discipline incorporating fields such as surveying, geographic information
systems, hydrography and cartography. Spatial science is typically concerned with the measurement,
management, analysis and display of spatial information describing the Earth, its physical features and the built
environment.[3]
The term spatial science or spatial sciences is primarily used in Australia. Australian universities which offer
degrees in spatial science include Curtin University,[4] the University of Tasmania,[5] the University of
Adelaide,[6]Melbourne University[7] and RMIT University.[8]
In the U.S., Texas A&M University offers a bachelor's degree in Spatial Sciences and is home to its own Spatial
Sciences Laboratory.[9] Beginning in 2012, the University of Southern California started to place more emphasis
on the spatial science branch of its geography department, with traditional human and physical geography
courses and concentrations either not being offered on a regular basis or phased out. In place, the university now
offers graduate programs strictly related to spatial science and its geography department offers a spatial science
minor rather than the original geography major.[10]
Spatial information practitioners within the Asia-Pacific region are represented by the professional body called
the Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI).[11]

Engineering [ edit ]

This article may need to

be cleaned up. It has been
merged from Geomatics
engineering.

Geomatics Engineering, Geomatic Engineering, Geospatial Engineering is a rapidly developing engineering

discipline that focuses on spatial information (i.e. information that has a location). The location is the primary
factor used to integrate a very wide range of data for spatial analysis and visualization. Geomatics engineers
apply engineering principles to spatial information and implement relational data structures involving
measurement sciences, thus using geomatics and acting as spatial information engineers. Geomatics engineers
manage local, regional, national and global spatial data infrastructures. Geomatics Engineering also involves
aspects of Computer Engineering, Software Engineering and Civil Engineering.
Geomatics is a field that incorporates several others such as the older field of land surveying engineeringalong
with many other aspects of spatial data management ranging from data science and cartography to geography.
Following the advanced developments in digital data processing, the nature of the tasks required of the
professional land surveyor has evolved and the term "surveying" no longer accurately covers the whole range of
tasks that the profession deals with. Like how the profession of mechanics is a part of mechanical engineering,
surveying is a part of geomatic engineering. As our societies become more complex, information with a spatial
position associated with it becomes more critical to decision-making, both from a personal and a business
perspective, and also from a community and a large-scale governmental viewpoint.
Therefore, the geomatics engineer can be involved in an extremely wide variety of information gathering activities
and applications. Geomatics engineers design, develop, and operate systems for collecting and analyzing spatial
information about the land, the oceans, natural resources, and manmade features.
The more traditional land surveying strand of geomatics engineering is concerned with the determination and
recording of boundaries and areas of real property parcels, and the preparation and interpretation of legal land
descriptions. The tasks more closely related to civil engineeringinclude the design and layout of public
infrastructure and urban subdivisions, and mapping and control surveys for construction projects.