Surveyor-General’s Prize in Geodesy awarded to top surveying students

Two University of Otago students have received the Surveyor-General’s Prize in Geodesy for excellent work in the SURV399 third-year field course.

Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand Deputy Surveyor-General Jeff Needham presented the prize on behalf of Surveyor-General Anselm Haanen on Thursday 14 May at the School for Surveying, University of Otago. 

Established more than 20 years ago, the prize is awarded for the best project from the University of Otago’s SURV399 Field Course every year.
SURV399 Third Year Field Course

The course gives students hands-on experience in real-world surveying, and also fulfils the control survey requirement for registration as a land surveyor.

This year’s recipients are Nicholas Roy and Campbell Horsbrugh who each received a cash prize of $750. The Deputy Surveyor-General congratulated Nicholas and Campbell on their work and noted that “the recipients stood out for strong technical communication skills and robust analytical thinking”.

Accurate surveying underpins many systems New Zealand relies on every day, including land ownership, infrastructure, emergency response, and environmental management.

The Surveyor-General’s Prize in Geodesy recognises students developing the skills needed to support and utilise these systems for the long-term benefit of New Zealand. By acknowledging excellence early, we’re helping build a strong pipeline of professionals who will contribute to New Zealand’s geospatial future.