Geodesy & Geomatics Engineering

On Sept. 15, UNB Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering (GGE) alumnus Adrian Tout delivered the inaugural lecture in a new seminar series established by the department. Tout’s well-attended presentation was entitled “Innovation to Impact at Scale: Issues, Challenges and Lessons” in which he shared his experiences in product innovation and the lessons he learned from both successes and failures in developing commercial applications of new technologies.

Since obtaining his MScE degree from GGE, he has since pursued a career that includes building a successful digital mapping and location-based services business that started an industry, which is now key at such companies as Google, Apple, Uber and Lyft. Tout has significant experience with tech giant Google having led commercial efforts at Google Maps and as product partnerships lead for Google Lens + AR (augmented reality).

In the abstract of his presentation, Tout said: “I’ve been working with leading-edge technology since graduating from UNB in 1997 under Dr. John McLaughlin. During this time, I’ve helped launch a successful digital map business (ultimately licensing the content to Google), to leading product development for Google Lens and Search with Augmented Reality. However, I've also been part of many products that didn’t make it. For example, products such as (not limited to) Tango, Stadia, Cardboard, Poly, Google Plus and Wave were all laid to rest.”

Adrian Tout meeting with his MScE supervisors Prof. Emeritus John McLaughlin (right), former president of UNB, and Prof. Emeritus David Coleman (left), former dean of UNB Engineering.