Cemetery Ground Penetration Workshop

A Constellation of Living Memorials Program
Presented by Micheal Martin, PhD
Sponsored by Texas Society of Surveyors, Chapter 5
Hosted by Poet Laureate Derrick Walker

Lecture and On-Site Demonstration
Join the Constellation of Living Memorials for a Free Public Workshop on ground-penetration techniques used to better understand historic cemetery landscapes. Learn how non-invasive tools support ethical preservation, planning, and long-term stewardship.

Event starts 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

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.

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

Hosted by Poet Laureate Derrick Walker, Derrick “#iamdwalk” Walker is a Dallas-based spoken word artist and creative professional. A graduate of David W. Carter High School and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, he is the creator of Be Inspired Before Leaving Earth and brown in word, both circulated for Grammy consideration with The Recording Academy. He serves on the Millennial Board of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters and is the 2026 Juanita Kraft Resident Artist at South Dallas Cultural Center.

- D.R. Walker

Presented by Micheal Martin, PhD

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.

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