Michael Hauck replaces Plasker as new ASPRS exec. director
The American Society for Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing (ASPRS) on Monday announced its fourth executive director in nearly 50 years, Michael Hauck.
Founded in 1934, ASPRS calls itself the “imaging and geospatial information society.” Based in Bethesda, Md., ASPRS represents about 6,000 geospatial data professionals in advancing mapping sciences and their applications through photogrammetry, remote sensing, GIS and supporting technologies.
Hauck replaces outgoing executive director James Plasker, who retires effective Friday, Jan. 10.
Hauck has over 20 years experience developing applications for remote sensing and geospatial information technologies, including establishing a joint NASA-DOT program to use remote sensing for infrastructure quality control.
He is the former chief technology officer for Western Research Institute (WRI), a privatized, federal laboratory conducting research and development for government and private clients in the areas of energy, environment, and transportation materials.
Prior to joining WRI, he was director of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group’s virtual reality center in New Orleans, charged with quality assurance of Shell’s multi-billion dollar portfolio of offshore exploration and development projects. He is also a founder and past president of Wisdom Technology Corp., a systems engineering and software development firm.
“From the internal workings of GPS to the imagery embedded in the daily weather forecast, ASPRS members are behind the scenes making it all work for the betterment of humankind,” Hauck said in a statement. “The work of ASPRS members is integrated into so many aspects of modern life that it is easy to take their work for granted.”
ASPRS said his key scientific accomplishment has been the acquisition, processing, and interpretation of the first-ever deep seismic reflection profiles through the Himalayas, which were part of his PhD dissertation in Geological Sciences at Cornell University.
