Employers hugely value the skills and experiences geography graduates bring to help solve some of the world’s most critical problems.
After the completion of my bachelor's degree in physical geography with geology at the University of Southampton, I went on to study for a master's degree in applied meteorology at the University of Reading, with the aim of working in the disaster risk management sector.
I joined Risk Management Solutions’ (RMS) event response team in 2016 as a catastrophe modeller and meteorologist. My role involves monitoring and reporting on real-time catastrophes – such as tropical cyclones, earthquakes, wildfires, floods, and severe convective storms– and providing clients with information and products to assess the possible potential financial impact on their book of business. Having initially joined in an internship programme, I now co-lead the team.
How do you apply geography in your roles?
Undertaking a degree in geography equipped me with a range of skills that I regularly employ in my role as a catastrophe modeller. Probably the most prominent are data collection, evaluation, and analysis. The other hugely important skill is communication - your work and ideas are worthless if you can’t convey their relevance or importance. Practical sessions and especially fieldwork visits during my geography degree allowed me to gain real-world problem-solving experiences, develop new skills, and immerse myself in my studies, all of which I have utilised during my career.
How would you encourage geographers to work with DRM?
Employers hugely value the skills and experiences geography graduates bring to help solve some of the world’s most critical problems, so if you’re motivated to start a career in an industry in which you can apply geographical principles and concepts to real-world problems and challenges, disaster risk management could be for you.