Camden recently joined Parametrix as a surveyor based out of Parametrix’s Portland, OR office. He has 8 years of industry experience.
What inspired you to become a surveyor?
I’ve had a love for maps ever since I was a little kid. Before the days of Garmin and smartphones most folks had road maps/atlases stashed away in their cars somewhere. I used to sit in the backseat on family trips and stare at those maps for hours. I sort of fell into the survey profession following an educational background in GIS and a restlessness unsuitable for an entirely office-based job. My desire was always to travel for work and after college I landed a gig as a survey technician for a large remote sensing company which sent me to project sites all over the country. The fieldwork has had me hooked ever since.
What is your favorite part about being a surveyor?
My favorite part about being a surveyor is working outdoors in the sun, rain, snow, whatever mother nature throws at you. It really makes you appreciate the changing of seasons when you’re weathered by them constantly. I love the attention to detail, the adventure, and the minimal repetition. Every day is something new.
Tell us about a favorite project you have worked on in your career.
In 2018 I surveyed the entire Klamath River in tandem with helicopter based LiDAR acquisition. The data will be used to plan and implement removal of four dams along the river channel that have decimated native salmon and steelhead populations. These fish are a key resource for the Karuk and Yurok tribes that have fished Klamath waters since long before European settlers expanded west onto their lands. The project involved collection of bathymetric points along the riverbed with sparse cell phone coverage. Perfect!
What advice do you have for the next generation of surveyors?
Oh man am I that old!? I like to think I am the next generation of surveyor. I will say that this is an undying profession, so employment opportunities are aplenty. Technology hasn’t replaced the need for surveying but rather continually improves it.
