Geodesy & Geomatics Engineering

Please join me in offering condolences to the family and friends of honorary degree recipient Gottfried Konecny, who passed away on July 25, 2024.

Originally from Czechoslovakia, Gottfried was educated in Germany and the United States. He held advanced degrees from the Technical University of Munich and Ohio State University. He came to UNB in 1959 as an assistant professor in the department of civil engineering. He helped found what was then known as the department of surveying engineering, which was the first of its kind in North America and a model for future educators in this field. The young Professor Konecney’s contributions included developing and teaching almost all of the first generation of courses offered by the program, as well as earning an international reputation as a leading researcher in his field. Now known as geodesy and geomatics engineering, the Department is still at the forefront both in its teaching of geomatics and in its research endeavours.

From 1966 to 1967, Gottfried worked with NASA to develop analytical photogrammetric methods to prepare for the landing on the moon, shortening by several months the time for organizing the successful first walk by man on the moon. He left UNB as a full professor in 1971 to serve as professor of photogrammetry and director of the Institute of Photogrammetry and Engineering Surveys (IPI – now the Institute of Photogrammetry and GeoInformation) at the University of Hanover until his retirement in 1998.

Regarded by his peers as “the European father of remote sensing”, Gottfried remained active as an expert authority on remote sensing and geospatial information management to professional associations, national governments and the United Nations until he was well into his nineties.

He served in several capacities to various international organizations. He was a member of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) from 1976 to 1992, organized the 1980 Congress in Hamburg, Germany, led the ISPRS as president from 1984 to 1988 and was an honorary member of the ISPRS since 1992. Gottfried was awarded an honorary doctor science from UNB in 1985, and remained a regular visitor to Department events over the years.

Funeral services have not been announced at this time. Flags have been lowered on both the Fredericton and Saint John campuses. Gottfried will be missed by all who knew him, and our thoughts are with his family.

Sincerely,
Dr. Paul J. Mazerolle
President and Vice-Chancellor