CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – The Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science (CBI) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has received a generous gift from the Port of Corpus Christi that will expand K-12 geospatial engineering outreach and education in the Coastal Bend.

The Port of Corpus Christi awarded $50,000 to CBI to assist the institute in establishing its Point of Beginning Initiative, a groundbreaking educational pathway for students interested in pursuing a degree or career in the fields of geospatial engineering and land surveying.

“We’ve seen a decline in the number of skilled professionals entering the geospatial and land surveying fields, and many high-paying jobs in Texas are going unfilled,” said Seneca Holland, Geospatial Analyst at the Conrad Blucher Institute. “We want to reverse this trend by working with educational and industry partners, like the Port of Corpus Christi, to create educational experiences for K-12 students that foster awareness of these fields and generate a skilled workforce for the future.”

The funds will be used to develop a Geospatial Engineering and Land Surveying Career and Technical Education (CTE) Pathway curriculum for high school students. Funding will also support the development of training workshops for high school STEM educators and geospatial engineering camps for middle school students.

“The Conrad Blucher Institute is committed to supporting geospatial engineering and land surveying education,” said Dr. Rick Smith, CBI Executive Director. “Thanks to the Port of Corpus Christi’s generous donation, CBI can continue to be a point of beginning for the next generation of land surveyors and geospatial scientists, as well as the quality benchmark for geospatial research in Texas.”

To learn more about the Conrad Blucher Institute Point of Beginning Initiative, click here.