W.W. Glover Cemetery – Ground Penetration Techniques Workshop
Sponsored by Texas Society of Surveyors, Chapter 5
Hosted by Poet Laureate Derrick Walker
Locations
Begins at: Take Back Our Community Church
6508 Military Parkway, Dallas, TX 75227
Then Moves To: W. W. Glover Cemetery
6650 Military Parkway, Dallas, TX 75227
Presenter:
Dr. Michael Martin, PhD
Learning Outcomes (Curriculum-Aligned):
Participants will gain:
• An introduction to non-invasive ground-penetration methods
• An understanding of ethical considerations when working with historic burial grounds
• Insight into how science informs preservation decisions
• Awareness of how data builds trust with communities and descendants
Workshop Description:
This public educational workshop introduces ground penetrating radar (GPR) techniques used to identify subsurface conditions and locate unmarked graves in historic cemeteries. Led by Dr. Michael Martin, PhD, the session blends science, ethics, and community stewardship to demonstrate how data-driven tools support respectful preservation and planning.
Participants will learn how GPR technology works, the process and timeline of a typical project, and the practical results it can achieve. The presentation will address common challenges found in Texas cemeteries — including missing infant graves, degraded or absent coffins, and clay-rich soils — and will discuss associated costs and project considerations.
The program begins with indoor instruction and concludes with an outdoor, site-based demonstration at W. W. Glover Cemetery, offering attendees a real-world look at how this technology is applied in the field.
Hosted By: Poet Laureate Derrick Walker
Speaker Bio:
Dr Micheal Martin
Michael is a GPR specialist, founder of Sidekick GPR, and a recent newcomer to the field of historic preservation. He began his academic career researching shallow aquifer resources at Texas A&M University, where he earned his PhD in Geophysics, building on a foundation in Geosciences from Texas Tech University.
Partway through graduate school, however, his focus unexpectedly shifted toward developing new methods for locating unmarked graves — a pursuit that bridged his scientific expertise with historic preservation and led to three peer-reviewed publications spanning both fields. Since then, he has specialized in using high-resolution 3D GPR to address challenging cases of unmarked graves in rural and urban historic cemeteries across Texas.