This year's National Geography Awareness Week activities include a daily speaker series and a Picture Your Place celebration.

Free Daily Speaker Series
Join us each day of National Geography Awareness Week for a lunchtime discussion of a current geographical topic.

Where: NMC Great Lakes Campus
When: 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm daily, November 12 to 16

Here is the schedule (or download and print the schedule):

Monday, November 12 (Room 112)
Re-building the National Map: Spatial Data for the 21st Century
Steve Aichle, Geographer, USGS
Steve Aichle will discuss how the US Geological Survey builds the national base map.

Tuesday, November 13 (Room 211)
The Weather Machine: How it Affects Michigan
Dave Barrons, Chief Meteorologist 9&10 News
Dave Barrons will discuss unique aspects of Northern Michigan’s climate and how climate change affects the region.

Wednesday, November 14 (Room 112)
Landscapes of Schizophrenia - Life in Burma/Myanmar
Dr. David Dickason, Professor of Geography, Western Michigan University
Dr. David Dickason will talk about conflicting aspects of everyday life in Myanmar and the issues surrounding recent unrest in the country.

Thursday, November 15 (Room 211)
Asian Influences on American Cuisine
Tom Kelly, Executive Chef, 310 Restaurant
Chef Kelly will discuss his explorations in Asian cuisine and how they have influenced his food preparations for an American audience.

Friday, November 16 (Room 112)
Oil, Energy Consumption and Climate Change: Geography as Global Connections
Dr. Michael Libbee, Professor of Geography, Central Michigan University
Dr. Michael Libbee will discuss a geographic perspective on the history and impact of oil and changing relevance of oil in our society.

Picture Your Place Photo Contest
Come view the winning entries of YourPlace Magazine's Picture Your Place photo competition...and have a little wine and hear some music, too.

Where: Grand Traverse Heritage Center
When: Wednesday, November 16, 6:00 pm

Everyone is welcome!