Simone Silver
Alumni
Since graduating, I have worked as a Academic Teaching Assistant in the Geography department in a school in East London. I was helping students with learning difficulties better understand their geography lessons and revising challenging areas of the curriculum with various age groups. Whilst working, I applied for jobs as a catastrophe modeller and started working at Gallagher Re on their REACH graduate programme in August 2023.
As a catastrophe modeller, part of my job is to use computer models (called catastrophe models) that use the data clients give us (usually location information of what they insure) to calculate how much money they may need to pay out in the event of a catastrophe (earthquake, hurricane, flood, terror attack) occurring. The output from the model is then passed onto actuaries who price how much insurance the client may need and that is fed back to the client.
Why did you choose to study Geography at Birmingham?
I chose to study geography at the University of Birmingham because there was opportunity to start off studying broader geographic topics in first year and then specialise in certain areas as I went through my degree, which I didn’t find elsewhere. I wanted to study geography because I was interested in the interplay between the natural environment and humans and how one can affect the other and vice versa.
I chose Birmingham due to the green campus, and variety of societies and career opportunities that the university offers.
What skills/knowledge did you develop at Birmingham the helped you to follow your career path?
Learning about the impact of natural hazards and climate variability on not just the environment but on the insurance and reinsurance industry in one of my final year modules, was useful putting into context what catastrophe modellers do and how geography and finance are related, which helped me in my interview.
Gaining knowledge about natural hazards and weather and climate helped me understand the components of a catastrophe model, which is vital for when I look at client’s data and see how different natural hazards can affect their portfolio.
In terms of skills, data analysis is a big part of my day-to-day role and learning how to analyse data effectively and draw out key messages from R studio outputs or even journal articles helps me convey clients’ data effectively.
What advice would you give to current students studying on your degree programme?
There are three pieces of advice I would give current students studying Geography.
The first would be to try and engage in different topics that may be outside your comfort zone as you never know where it may lead you and what might interest you.
Secondly, take in as much knowledge as you can from your lecturers because they are experts in their field and have been in your position before, as well as always being a great sounding board throughout your degree!
Lastly, enjoy your experience and be open to trying new things. At the start of your degree, time may go slowly, but before you know it you’ll be graduating and will be able to walk under Old Joe without the worry of it chiming!