Earl F. Burkholder is part of the Surveying Engineering faculty at New Mexico State University. Prior to joining NMSU 1998 he was self employed and incorporated Global COGO, Inc, a firm which promotes use of 3-dimensional coordinate geometry for combining GPS and terrestrial survey data into a single data base. His professional focus is helping the user work with 3-dimensional spatial data concepts and making better use of existing computational tools. A related specialty is describing and working with datum transformations such as NAD27/83 and NGVD29/NAVD88.
He has a BS in civil engineering from the University of Michigan and a MS in geodesy from Purdue University. From 1980 to 1993 he taught upper division surveying courses such as geodesy, astronomy, state plane coordinates, adjustments, GPS surveying, computer programming and geographic information systems at Oregon's Institute of Technology. Practical surveying work preceding graduate studies include 5 years with Commonwealth Associates of Jackson, Michigan. He is registered as a Professional Surveyor in Ohio and New Mexico and as a Professional Engineer in Michigan, Ohio and New Mexico. He has written numerous technical papers related to geodesy and has presented surveying seminars in various locations from Florida to Alaska.
He is a member of ASPRS, ION, ACSM, ASCE, AGU and during 1994-98 served on the Related Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (RAC/ABET). During 2000 - 2001 he served as Chair of the Commission.