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About the Program


The Geodetic Science and Surveying graduate program at Ohio State is the most prominent in the United States and one of the best worldwide. Rich with a history of more than 50 years of groundbreaking research, some of the most influential and effective geodetic science professionals in the world have graduated from this program.

The Department and School

The program is administered by the School of Earth Science in the College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

The program has 54 graduate students, 10 regular faculty, two adjunct faculty and numerous postdoctoral researchers and visiting scientists.

More than 90 percent of our graduate students are funded by research projects. Each year, many of our graduate students receive national and international awards for their research work.

Specializations

The program features master's and doctoral degrees in the following primary areas of specializations:

  • Geodesy
  • Photogrammetry/Image Understanding
  • Mapping/Geographic Information Science
  • Mathematical and Statistical Methods (Ph.D. only)

Research

Geodetic Science at Ohio State has a long tradition of promoting collaborative research and leading advanced research in:

  • Satellite and inertial geodesy
  • Global Positioning System
  • Inertial navigation systems
  • Digital photogrammetry
  • Remote sensing
  • GPS-meterology
  • Satellite/airborne altimetry and laser ranging
  • Gravimetry and geodynamics
  • Intelligent database design

Ohio State researchers:

  • Pioneered the concept of Mobile Mapping Systems, now widely used throughout the world
  • Developed the first high-accuracy integrated GPS/INS navigation system
  • Are funded to build a GPS network (GNET) in Greenland to study past and present changes in ice mass
  • Support NASA’s Mars Exploration Mission by providing Spirit and Opportunity rover locations
  • Collaborate with other research institutions on campus, including the Center for Mapping, Byrd Polar Research Center, ElectroScience Laboratory, Ohio Supercomputer Center, Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory

Research Facilities

We maintain extensive, state-of-the-art computing, laboratory and field instrumentation facilities in support of graduate education, including the:

  • Satellite Positioning and Inertial Navigation (SPIN) Laboratory
  • GIS and Mapping Laboratory
  • Photogrammetric Laboratory
  • Laboratory for the Space Geodesy and Remote Sensing

Contact

Alan Saalfeld
Division of Geodesy and Geospatial Science
School of Earth Science
Graduate Studies Chair
saalfeld.1@osu.edu
614-292-6665