Geomatics Engineering Student Wins Swiss Graduate Scholarship

The Department of Geomatics Engineering is pleased to announce that Andreas Brown has won the highly competitive Excellence Scholarship and Opportunity Programme (ESOP) award, offered by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH Zürich). Andreas joined the Geomatics program back in 2018 as a second-year student and quickly became involved as secretary on the GESS council. In the summer of 2019, he was an NSERC undergraduate research assistant in the PLAN group, where he investigated ultra-wideband technology for athletic applications in water.

“I will certainly miss the Geomatics Department at the University of Calgary, and the tight-knit community of students and faculty members. Even though the last three years went by quickly, I’ve had nothing short of an amazing experience here, getting to know people, networking with industry, and participating in extra-curricular activities. There are fond memories of Block Week, Survey Camp, and Swiss Trip that I will always remember. It goes without saying that the past year was difficult for everyone, but I’m really impressed by how well things turned out despite being online. The students demonstrated remarkable resilience and the instructors did an excellent job of adapting to the circumstances and keeping us engaged. I have to say we have a very special program here, that is well known for its research and recognized not only in Switzerland, but around the world.”

“This fall, I look forward to starting a new chapter in my academic journey. I’m excited to study abroad and gain some international experience. I hope to apply all the knowledge I’ve learned so far and acquire new skills that will enable me to solve the complex geomatics problems of the future. I think geomatics engineering is a very fascinating and often under-appreciated discipline that has many relevant applications in our daily lives. The profession is highly dynamic and the technology is constantly evolving. I firmly believe that there will always be demand and opportunity for geomatics engineers; we have a unique skillset and the program in Calgary has prepared me well to take on the challenges that lie ahead. I am truly honoured to receive an ESOP award and I am forever grateful to all those who supported me along the way.”

Andreas will complete his Bachelor of Science in Geomatics Engineering in April 2021 and plans to move to Switzerland later this summer. At ETH Zürich he will be pursuing a two-year master’s degree, with specializations in space geodesy and navigation, as well as engineering geodesy and photogrammetry. We wish him all the best.