David B. Zilkoski received a B.S. degree in Forest Engineering from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University in 1974 and a M.S. degree in geodetic science from The Ohio State University in 1979. He was employed by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) from 1974 to 2009. He served as Director, National Geodetic Survey, from October 2005 to January 2009. During his career with NGS, he established partnerships with state/ local governments and private industry to develop advanced surveying/mapping techniques. He conducted applied GNSS research to evaluate and develop guidelines for using new technology to generate geospatial products. As Project Manager of the New Adjustment of the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) he worked with Federal and State agencies to develop plans to transition from NGVD 29 to NAVD 88.
Since retiring from government service in 2009, as a geodetic consultant, he provides technical guidance on issues related to NGS’ modernization of the National Spatial Reference System [the replacement of NAD 83 and NAVD 88 with North American Terrestrial Reference Frame of 2022 (NATRF2022) and North American-Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022 (NAPGD2022)]; reviews the results of GNSS survey projects; and performs training sessions on guidelines for estimating GNSS-derived coordinates, procedures for performing leveling network adjustments, the use of ArcGIS for analyses of adjustment data/results, and the proper procedures to follow when estimating crustal movement rates using GNSS and geodetic leveling data. Mr. Zilkoski is Chair of North Carolina Geodetic Survey Advisory Committee, a member of the North Carolina 2022 Reference Frame Working Group, past Chair and current member of the Standing Committee on Geospatial Methods and Technologies (AKL19), A member of the American Geophysical Union, current President and a fellow of the American Association for Geodetic Surveying (AAGS), a GPS World Survey Scene guest editor, and a faculty member of GeoLearn.
He has authored several papers on GNSS-derived heights, subsidence, surveying, and vertical datum including a chapter in The DEM Users Manual (2001, revised 2006 ASPRS, Bethesda, MD, David F. Maune, ed.). As Guest Editor of GPS World Survey Scene, he has authored a series of newsletters on establishing and analyzing GNSS-derived coordinates, understanding NGS hybrid and scientific models, and NGS’ modernization of the National Spatial Reference System – NATRF2022 and NAPGD2022.