BGSU celebrates Geography Awareness Week

Bowling Green State University alumnus Jason Butke ’03, senior director and meteorologist at Travelers Insurance Companies, will present “Meteorology and Insurance: How Insurance Companies Manage Natural Catastrophe Risk” as part of Geography Awareness Week, Nov. 10-16.

Butke’s talk, at 2:30 p.m. Friday in 117 Olscamp Hall, is one of the activities hosted by the BGSU geography program this week. He received his bachelor’s degree in geography from BGSU in 2003 and a master’s degree in geography from the University of Delaware in 2006. He joined Travelers Insurance Companies in 2014 as director and meteorologist with Catastrophe Strategy & Analysis and was promoted to senior director in 2018.

On Wednesday, faculty and students of the program showcased the importance of geography at the Bowen-Thompson Student Union tables. They talked about geography, why it’s an important discipline, some famous people who studied or taught geography (such as Mother Theresa, Prince William and Michael Jordan), as well as career opportunities within the field.

The annual public awareness program encourages citizens young and old to think and learn about the significance of place and how we affect and are affected by it.