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Tour of Warsaw University of Technology I never did figure out why, but geodesy is a popular degree
The Conference featured several off-campus tours and one of in Poland. Students are encouraged to focus on commercial
them was a trip to the Warsaw University of Technology (WUT). applications so they can get good-paying jobs in industry after
It was my favorite event. Our guide was Dr. Krzysztof Karsznia, they graduate. Surprisingly, geodesy classes are even offered
Professor, Department of Engineering Geodesy and Measurement in some high schools. It seems Poland has the exact opposite
Systems, Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography. Dr. Karsznia is a problem that we have in the U.S.A., where we worry about
geodesist. He is also a charismatic speaker, and my group really the future of our profession for lack of young people entering
appreciated his interesting presentation on WUT’s long and it. Speaking of young surveyors, I met one of WUT’s geodesy
sometimes turbulent history. The university was founded in 1826 students, Dominik Wiśniewski, at the Conference. Dominik just
to train military and mining engineers. In those days, education started his seventh semester and is currently working on his
was a privilege for the rich. But in this case, the privilege did thesis, the topic of which is due diligence of land with investment
not last, because the school was closed in 1831 by the Russian potential. When I met him, he was volunteering at the registration
Emperor Nicholas I after an armed rebellion by the Poles. It re- desk. I asked Dominik how he became interested in surveying, and
opened in 1898 with three faculties: Mathematics, Chemistry, this is what he told me:
and Civil Engineering, all taught in Russian. That’s because
Poland was then occupied by three powers: Russia, Prussia, and It started with my interest in maps. The first map I got was a map
Austro-Hungarian Empire. Warsaw was under Russian control of Mielno, which is small city located on the Baltic Sea coast. I
until World War I, after which the Republic of Poland proclaimed bought it when I was six. I really appreciated the ability to plan my
a new independent European state on November 11, 1918. The trips and be a guide for my family on our holidays. I also enjoyed
main building, hereinafter referred to as the Politechnika Building, that I was able to get a lot of knowledge about different places
was completed in 1901 in an elegant architectural style. The without the need to go there. On top of that, maps played a huge
Politechnika Building has been a landmark in downtown Warsaw part in increasing my imagination.
for over 120 years. Today WUT is the top engineering university in
Poland. It has over 35,000 students and 19 faculties. About 5,000 Cultural Awareness
students graduate each year. Classes are taught in both Polish and The Conference was about more than surveying, and because
English, in-person and online. I asked Dr. Karsznia to share a few Warsaw hosted the event, there was plenty of Polish culture
words about WUT: on display. That was especially meaningful for me because my
paternal grandparents emigrated from Poland in the early 20
th
Warsaw University of Technology offers a variety of teaching programs century. Several Polish surveyors asked about my Polish surname.
supported by modern research. Our students are taught in nineteen The opening ceremony included performances by the Song and
faculties, e.g., Geodesy and Cartography, Aeronautical Engineering, Dance Ensemble of Warsaw University of Technology. It was
Chemistry, Electronics, and so on. The university offers three-level founded in 1951 by a group of engineering students and is still
courses starting from BSc (Engineering), Master Studies (MSc Eng.), going strong. I enjoyed listening to the live orchestra and watching
and Doctorate (Ph.D. studies). Students can continue their science students perform folk dances from several regions throughout
and technology careers by becoming assistants, associates, and, Poland and Ukraine. There were several groups of dancers, and
eventually, full professors. We offer two main study tracks: Geodesy each consisted of an equal number of men and women, sixteen
and Cartography as well as Land Development. Our students choose or so total. All wore traditional costumes typical of the various
among several specializations, e.g., Engineering Surveying, Remote regions. Mating was a common theme. Most dances started
Sensing, or Cadaster. In addition to teaching and research, we with men and women in separate groups, followed by men
offer practical training in collaboration with industry partners and demonstrating athletic feats to impress the women, and ended
manufacturers of modern surveying instruments. WUT organizes with couples paired up and dancing merrily (on their way to
jobs fairs and workshops to help students launch their careers in producing the next generation, presumably). The FIG Congress
both industry and government. Our business partners throughout Dinner at the Politechnika Building also featured entertainment
Poland greatly appreciate our alumni. The university infrastructure by the WUT Student Ensemble. A live orchestra with strings,
includes state-of-the-art labs, technology centers, and instruments. horns, keyboards, and percussion played jazz and pop hits from
Our newest investment is CENAGIS – one of the most sophisticated today and yesterday while different singers rotated through the
geoinformation laboratories in the world. We are currently organizing sets. The closing number was a brilliantly executed (and entirely
a geosensor lab where we will teach our students how to monitor unexpected) rendition of Casimir by Led Zeppelin. The singer was a
geohazards. My department specializes in deformation monitoring tuxedo-wearing student that sounded a lot like Robert Plant.
and laser scanning aided by artificial intelligence. We provide services
both for industry and cultural heritage institutions. Our students come Conclusion
from both Poland and diverse countries worldwide. For that reason, Closing remarks touched on the many ways geospatial technology
our teaching languages are both Polish and English. In my course is being used to improve built and natural environments world-
Modern Measuring Instruments, I recently had students from Nigeria, wide. Sustainability figured prominently too, of course, and there
Turkey, Indonesia, India, and Belize. To enroll in our university, the were also remarks about the rapid pace of change of technology.
students must fulfill the international requirements of their maturity Gone are the days when surveyors used the same theodolite (or
exam. Poland, as an EU country since 2004, has unified its educational total station) for their whole career. To be honest, I’m not sure if
market and brought it in line with international standards. For non- I’m happy or sad about that. The next big FIG event is FIG Working
EU applicants, we offer payable MSc studies on Mobile Mapping and Week in Orlando, Florida from 28 May to 1 June. I’ve been told that
Navigation Systems. The fee is not exorbitant, however, so interested Working Weeks resemble Conferences in size and scope. Consider
candidates are encouraged to apply. We have been recovering after the attending if you would like to meet surveyors from around the
Covid pandemic and most of our courses are again offered on campus, world and learn how they apply their skills. And save time for
so students have a chance to meet each other and their professors. Disney World.
For more information, please visit: www.pw.edu.pl

16 The Nevada Traverse Vol.49, No.4, 2022