University of New BrunswickGeodesy and Geomatics Engineering

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David J. Coleman

Professor and Dean of Engineering
B.Sc.E., M.Sc.E. (UNB); Ph.D. (Tasmania); P.Eng.
Phone: 506-453-4570;   Fax: 506-453-4943;   E-mail
Geographical Engineering Group

David Coleman has been a faculty member of the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering at the University of New Brunswick since 1993. He holds B.Sc.E. and M.Sc.E. degrees in Surveying Engineering from the University of New Brunswick (1976 and 1988 respectively), and a Ph.D. degree from the Department of Surveying and Spatial Information Sciences at the University of Tasmania in Australia (1994). His Ph.D. research dealt with determination of GIS performance and data traffic patterns in broadband network environments.

Prior to obtaining his PhD, he spent over 12 years in the Canadian geomatics industry - first as a project surveyor and engineer with Marshall Macklin Monaghan, then a general manager and vice-president with Northway-Gestalt Corporation, and later as a partner in The Cabot Group, a GIS and land information management consulting firm.

He has authored well over 150 publications and reports dealing with land information policy development, geomatics operations management, geographic information standards and spatial data infrastructure. Since 1990, he has acted as a consultant on projects in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and South America. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of New Brunswick, President-elect of the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association, Chair of the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science, a past member of the Board of Directors of the GEOIDE Network of Centres of Excellence, Past-President of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics, a past member of the Mapping Sciences Committee of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and a member of Advisory Boards to university, national and international organizations.

Selected research and consulting projects include:

* GeoConnections-funded research examining performance and online availability issues in the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure;

* NSERC-funded research examining "architectures of participation", volunteered geographic information, public participation GIS (PPGIS) and the systems/processes/policies enabling new forms of public and corporate input into spatial data infrastructures;

* Participation in six GEOIDE NCE-funded projects since 1999 -- two dealing with GIS-based decision support for coastal zone management, one dealing with spatial data dissemination and use within a WWW environment, another investigating workflow aspects of incorporating multiple representations into topographic map databases, one examining social and legal isues associated with public protection & ethical dissemination of geospatial data, and the last dealing with the Participatory Geoweb for engaging the public on global environmental change;

* Financing and economic modelling of spatial data infrastructure initiatives;

* Study of Spatial Data Infrastructure Initiatives in Europe and Investigation of Alternative Approaches to Financing of Spatial Data Infrastructure Programs for the GeoConnections Secretariat of Natural Resources Canada.

* Cooperation with Know Edge Consortium in development of new Geographic Information Strategy for the United Kingdom (Consulting Team Member on the project).

* Development and evaluation of tools, procedures and policies for Internet-based distribution of digital property mapping and attribute information;

* Development of data structuring and quality control specifications for government digital mapping, DEM and digital colour orthophoto mapping files for Service New Brunswick (SNB);

* Accuracy assessment of alternative approaches to SNB digital orthophoto mapping production;

* Development of collaborative production and CSCW models and assessment of groupware tools as applied to GIS / Geomatics projects and programs;

* Integration of Ice Objects into Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS);

* Participation in two CANARIE-funded research projects -- one with Nautical Data International Inc. and the other with Universal Systems Ltd. -- dealing with development of early prototypes for WWW-based spatial data access and distribution;

* A $600,000 project sponsored by Canada Foundation for Innovation, ACOA, CIDA, SNB, several industrial partners and four groups within UNB funding the development of a major land information management network on the UNB Campus.

* Selected issues and problems in defence geomatics;

* Selected land information management issues in association with the UNB Centre for Property Studies.

 


Professional Activities

Consultant in geographic information management, spatial data infrastructure, and communications to the Province of New Brunswick; Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; Natural Resources Canada; Watermark Consultants; Geoplan Consultants; Applied Management Consultants; the Know Edge Consortium; Ontario Hydro; GeoNet Technologies Inc.; The Champlain Institute; and GeoSig S.A., Santiago, Chile.


Selected Journal Articles


Selected Conference Proceedings


Contract Research and Consulting Reports