Chair in Land Tenure and Cadastral Systems

On 9 June 2020, Dr Michael Barry, Chair in Land Tenure and Cadastral Systems and Dr Emmanuel Stefanakis, Head of Geomatics Engineering Department at the University of Calgary, offered a Webinar hosted by the Alberta Land Surveyors Association (ALSA) and broadcast to members of surveying associations in Western Canada.

The Webinar started with the acknowledgments to the individuals and companies who have supported the Chair in Land Tenure and Cadastral Systems since 2008. Then, Dr. Stefanakis presented the vision and goals of the Geomatics Engineering programme at the University of Calgary and the state of geomatics and land surveying education in Canada. Dr. Barry took over next to report the achievements and impact of his research group under the Chair since 2013.

Dr. Barry’s presentation focused on the Chair as a Centre of Excellence at the University of Calgary, Alumni and Graduate students, Outreach Activities (World Bank and United Nations), Publication list, Network of Excellence in Canada and Internationally, the Ideal Land Surveying Education Experience and Relevance of a professor conducting research in the area. He concluded with the succession plan and the need for industry support for a new chair or professorship in Land Tenure and Cadastral Systems.

One of the research group’s recent projects involved an examination of a community operated land information system in the Monwabisi Park informal settlement in Cape Town. It is the only effective digital community operated system that Dr Barry has come across. It provides important lessons in participatory development and participatory land information system design, implementation and development.

Then, the speakers responded to the members’ questions focusing on the need for a professor chair conducting research in land tenure and cadastral systems in Canada and Alberta. The webinar was live-streamed to 100 participants and the recording was made available by ALSA to its members. 

Our sincere thanks to the following individuals and companies who made the chair possible:

All-Can Engineering and Surveys

Caltech Surveys Ltd

Challenger Geomatics Ltd

Explore Surveys Inc.

Global Raymac Surveys Inc.

McElhanney Geomatics & Consulting

McLeod Family

Meridian Surveys (Alta) Ltd.

Midwest Surveys Inc.

Millennium Geomatics Ltd.

MPE Geomatics

Pals Geomatics Corp.

Quest Geomatics Inc.

Snell & Oslund Surveys Ltd.

Thank you to John Holmlund who funded the original chair 2008 - 2013. Thanks to Victor Hut and Michael Thompson.