John McLaughlin

John McLaughlin is a Professor of Engineering and Scholar in Residence at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), affiliated with the Department of Surveying Engineering within the College of Engineering. He holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has been registered as a professional engineer and New Brunswick Land Surveyor. Over his career, he served as Department Chair (1985-1991), Vice-President (Research & Academic), and UNB's 17th President (2002-2009).

His academic and professional contributions span geomatics, land administration, and surveying engineering. He pioneered North America's first land administration program and global land information management curriculum. McLaughlin has advised governments across Canada and internationally, leading projects with the World Bank, UNDP, and over 40 countries. He authored/co-authored over 200 publications, including seminal works on cadastres and geospatial infrastructure.

McLaughlin has held visiting professorships at universities in New Zealand, Australia, and the US, and served on editorial boards for journals like Geomatica and Surveying Engineering. He has led major organizations including the Canadian Council of Land Surveyors and the Canadian Institute of Geomatics. His awards include the Champlain Award, Fellowships from the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and membership in both the Order of Canada and Order of New Brunswick.

In administrative roles, he championed research and academic excellence at UNB, and currently chairs the Canadian Rivers Institute Management Board. McLaughlin has supervised nearly 100 graduate students and co-founded technology and development firms. His career reflects deep expertise in integrating geospatial technology with public policy and international development.