Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute

The spatial sciences range from the traditional practices of surveying and cartography to the more recent practices using GPS, remote sensing and GIS. The spatial sciences involve the skills and understanding to capture, store, manage, manipulate, analyse, model, visualise, set-out and govern information that can be referenced to location.

Information that can be related to a location is termed spatial information. Though predominantly perceived as geo (earth) related, spatial information can range from the anatomic to astronomic scale, from the real to the abstract entity, over any time period.

SSSI acquire, integrate, manage, analyse, interpret, map or distribute information about a location in space and time. They develop, design, and provide related equipment, software and value-added services; undertake applied research, knowledge management and technology development; and manage, educate and train others.

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  Abney Clinometer with carrying case
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  Planimeter
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  Lithograph Needles and Sharpening Stone
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  Spare Glasses
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  Surveying Antique Old Level

The institute's purpose & objectives are to support members in application and practice of surveying and spatial science. This is supported by promoting and representing professional interests of members that work in the discipline of surveying & spatial science. Additionally, the institute also facilitates the exchange of ideas and knowledge between members of the institute via lectures and conferences.

In short, the institute provides with the following benefits to its members:

1. Advocacy
2. Events
3. Professional Development
4. Certification
5. Migration Skill Assessment

The Spatial Sciences Institute (SSI) represents the interests of the spatial information community within the Asia-Pacific region. The Spatial Sciences Institute (SSI) is a not-for-profit professional body with headquarters in Canberra, Australia. Its membership spans the disciplines of surveying, information technology, town planning, cartography, archeology, spatial information (GPS, remote sensing and GIS) professions and others.

In 1952, six State Institutes combined to form Institute of Surveyors Australia (ISA), the result of more than seventy years of intermittent effort.

Institute of Surveyors Australia (ISA), Australian Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (AURISA) and Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Association of Australia (RSPAA) amalgamated to form SSI in 2003.

The SSI merged with the Institute of Surveyors Australia (ISA) to form the Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI) in July 2009.[3]

In 2009, SSSI participated in Q150 (the 150th anniversary of the founding of Queensland) by placing permanent memorials to early explorer/surveyors of Queensland at significant locations.[4] They include a memorial to surveyor to Francis Peter MacCabe at the Calliope River Historical Village (23°57′34.71″S 151°09′06.26″E) [5]

The current name, "Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute", has been chosen by a democratic process which gave all members of both SSI and ISA a vote in choosing the name. Initially, a call for suggested names was distributed with over 200 names proposed. A two stage vote was held with a short list of four names offered after the first round of voting and a substantial majority selecting the final name. Over 1200 members participated in both stages of the vote evenly spread across both SSI and ISA memberships.

Membership of the institution are divided into Commissions, with the first ones being

1. Land Surveying;
2. Hydrography;
3. Engineering and Mining Surveying;
4. Spatial Information and Cartography and
5. Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry

The role of a Commission Committee is to formulate and discuss policy for the Commission and to advice the Directors on matters relating to the Commission.

Membership categories are necessary in a professional institute to differentiate between differing levels of qualification and experience. Movement through the membership occurs via an articulation process which involves satisfying the prescribed progression and professional certification criteria.

Membership Categories

1. Honorary Fellows
2. Fellows
3. Member
4. Associate member
5. Affiliate
6. First year graduate
7. Second year graduate
8. Part time student
9. Overseas Membership
10. Student

Special Interest Groups are based on specific grouping of members of the Institute. A representative from these groups are invited by Directors to participate at any meeting, Committee, Council or Board of the institute.

The Institute conducts various events & awards for its members to facilitate knowledge sharing and networking.

1. LOCATE : A geo-spatial conference which is conducted annually
2. APSEA: The Asia Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards are conducted to celebrate achievement of top spatial and surveying professionals
3. SEASC: South East Asia Survey Congress is a surveying event that will be conducted for the first time at Darwin, Australia in 2019
4. E-CPD : A webinar which is accessible by SSSI members.

The official publication of SSSI is POSITION which is published once in two months. It is an Australian magazine of surveying, mapping and geo-information while Geo-message is a monthly newsletter.

The Journal of Spatial Science is an academic journal owned jointly by SSSI and Mapping Sciences Institute, Australia. This journal publishes original peer-reviewed research and review papers that contribute to the theory and practice of the survey and spatial sciences. The Journal also publishes professional papers that describe aspects of professional practise and implementation of techniques related to cartography, geodesy, geographic information science, hydrography, photogrammetry, remote sensing or surveying.

• ANZLIC
• Surveying in Australia