Dr Pearson (64), a research fellow at the Otago School of Surveying, was invited to lead the six-week project by the Government of Nepal's survey department.
And, having returned to New Zealand, Dr Pearson is keen to foster closer academic links with that department, which he believes will be mutually beneficial.
Dr Pearson is an internationally respected specialist in the science of geodesy.
After completing the work, he was recently invited back to give a plenary lecture at an international workshop in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu.
The April and May earthquakes caused the ground over the most densely populated part of the country to move by about 2m, which meant the co-ordinates in geographic information system (GIS) and geodetic databases were now "well off'' their true locations.
This resulted in buried water and sewer pipes becoming hard to find and land surveys for new properties potentially not matching adjoining property boundaries, particularly if GPS was used.
In Nepal, Dr Pearson worked with the survey department to develop mathematical models to correct co-ordinates and survey measurements for the quake-induced ground movement.
And he developed software to allow department staff to use the models to undertake some key surveying tasks.
The research had now been incorporated into a new datum, or co-ordinate system, for Nepal.
He was "delighted'' with the outcome and felt "a huge sense of achievement'', having helped previous survey data to be adjusted to the new, post-quake ground orientation.
But due credit needed to go to the groundwork by colleagues at Land Information New Zealand and the Otago School of Surveying over the years.
And scientists in the United States had also given ‘‘very generous'' help.
He noted Otago University's close academic and research ties with Myanmar, and said there was scope to further develop collaborative links in surveying with Nepal.
● Geodesy is the science of measuring and monitoring the size and shape of the Earth and the location of points on its surface.
