Geographers

What Does a Geographers Do?

Study the nature and use of areas of the Earth's surface, relating and interpreting interactions of physical and cultural phenomena. Conduct research on physical aspects of a region, including land forms, climates, soils, plants, and animals, and conduct research on the spatial implications of human activities within a given area, including social characteristics, economic activities, and political organization, as well as researching interdependence between regions at scales ranging from local to global.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• 1Create and modify maps, graphs, or diagrams, using geographical information software and related equipment, and principles of cartography, such as coordinate systems, longitude, latitude, elevation, topography, and map scales.
• 2Gather and compile geographic data from sources such as censuses, field observations, satellite imagery, aerial photographs, and existing maps.
• 3Teach geography.
• 4Write and present reports of research findings.
• 5Provide geographical information systems support to the private and public sectors.
• 6Study the economic, political, and cultural characteristics of a specific region's population.
• 7Analyze geographic distributions of physical and cultural phenomena on local, regional, continental, or global scales.
• 8Develop, operate, and maintain geographical information computer systems, including hardware, software, plotters, digitizers, printers, and video cameras.

Required Skills

• Reading Comprehension
• Writing
• Speaking
• Critical Thinking
• Active Listening
• Active Learning
• ACD Systems Canvas
• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Adobe Photoshop
• Autodesk AutoCAD
• Caliper Maptitude
• Clark Labs IDRISI Andes
• Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
• ESRI ArcGIS software
• ESRI ArcIMS
• ESRI ArcInfo

Geographers Salary