DALLAS, Pa. — Charles “Chuck” Ghilani, professor emeritus at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, received an award at the Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute (UESI) conference in Corvallis, Oregon, on June 2.
Ghilani was presented with the Surveying and Mapping Award for “significant contributions to promote and advance the surveying and geomatics education and professions.” He was the driving force behind establishing the bachelor of science in surveying engineering at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. He also has served as founding president of the Surveying and Geomatics Educators Society (SaGES) and president of the American Association of Geodetic Surveying (AAGS), where he spent seven years as surveying and land information science editor.
He is the author of two of the leading textbooks in surveying, "Elementary Surveying: An Introduction to Geomatics" and "Adjustment Computations: Spatial Data Analysis," which are used internationally and have been reprinted in several languages. He also has authored chapters in other books, including one titled "Surveying and Geomatics Engineering," which is published by the American Society of Civil Engineering’s UESI division.
“It is an honor to be recognized by this group for my contributions to the surveying profession over the years,” Ghilani said. “Attending the conference will also add to my knowledge of what is new in surveying and geomatics, which I will use to update and maintain my surveying textbooks.”
Dimitrios Bolkas, associate professor of surveying engineering at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, said, “Chuck has made influential and significant contributions to our field, including creating the baccalaureate Surveying Engineering program at Penn State. He has a passion for and dedication to helping the surveying profession and education. His contributions are truly remarkable, and he is a deserving recipient of this award.”
Ghilani has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors Founders Award, Penn State Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching, Earl J. Fennel Award from the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and Joseph Dracup Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association for Geodetic Surveying (AAGS). He is an AAGS Fellow.
He retired in 2014 and remains active in his field, authoring textbooks and attending professional conferences, including those held by SaGES, UESI and Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors (PSLS). He was a presenter at PSLS conferences every year until 2021 and served as a member of the Industrial Advisory Committee at Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
Penn State Wilkes-Barre offers a bachelor of science degree in surveying engineering and an associate degree in surveying engineering technology. The campus’ surveying engineering program is one of about 35 in the United States.