UIS Commission on Karst Hydrogeology and Speleogenesis

Dear Friends,

This has been a difficult year for millions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sadly, millions of people have also had difficult lives for many years before the pandemic because of discrimination. The National Cave and Karst Research Institute (NCKRI) rejects all forms of discrimination. We encourage everyone to treat each other, especially those who have suffered discrimination, with kindness, respect, and justice.

Here is the latest news:

Various News

  • International Year of Caves and Karst: Reminder and Call for Papers
  • KarstLink Update!
  • New Book: Karstology in the Classical Karst

Research, Student, and Job Opportunities

  • NCKRI National Seed Grant Program: Request for Proposals
  • Lincoln National Forest Cave Specialist Position Now Open

Conferences and Meetings

  • International Congress of Speleology: Call for Abstracts and New Video
  • KARST 2020 Goes Virtual: Registration Open
  • Carbonate Critical Zone Workshop Goes Virtual
  • Central Asian Speleological Forum: Postponed
  • Karst Record IX (KR9) Conference: Postponed
  • List of Upcoming Cave and Karst Meetings

Please contact the people and organizations listed below for more information, and feel free to share this message with anyone who may be interested.

George

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International Year of Caves and Karst: Reminder and Call for Papers

The International Year of Caves and Karst (IYCK) is next year. It has incredible potential to advance speleology in many and great ways, but only if we all work together to make it possible. One way is to send manuscripts representing new advances, insights, and challenges in all fields of cave and karst research topics by visiting https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/ijs/. The deadline for submission is October 15, 2020.

For more information on the IYCK and ta downloadable leaflet and planning guide in multiple languages, see www.iyck2021.org.

George Veni, PhD
Executive Director, National Cave and Karst Research Institute (NCKRI)
and
President, International Union of Speleology (UIS)

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KarstLink Update!

You might have wondered how to find data on caves? How to connect the caves to the documents that speak of them? How to create links between scientific observations, the measurements made by the sensors and the cavities in which these observations were made? How to share data between databases that have been designed independently of each other? How to apply one query to a group?

If you are interested in these important question, you may want to get involved with KarstLink Subcommission of the International Union of Speleology. Its website has been updated and offers a lot of information and opportunities. For more details:

English: http://uisic.uis-speleo.org/exchange/karstlink/index-en.html
French: http://uisic.uis-speleo.org/exchange/karstlink/index-fr.html

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New Book: Karstology in the Classical Karst

Now available, Karstology in the Classical Karst in an overview of research findings of recent years of researchers from Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU, Postojna, Slovenia, and edited by Martin Knez, Bojan Otoničar, Metka Petrič, Tanja Pipan, and Tadej Slabe.

This 12-chapter, 222-page book presents the latest advances in the Classical Karst. It features interdisciplinary investigations carried out on the karst surface, subsurface, caves, and associated waters. It covers various topics, such as analysis of karst processes, including the mineralogical and lithological characteristics of sediments and carbonate rocks; structural geological mapping; detecting the old traces of paleokarst; the formation of karst surfaces in a variety of types of rock and conditions; and the evolution of karst, which can aid in dating sediments, and in tracing aquifers using artificial and natural tracers.

In addition, the book provides detailed information on the use and development of various research methods, ranging from comprehensive field research, long-term measurements, and laboratory analyses to computer and laboratory modeling. Integrating karst geology, geomorphology, hydrology, ecology, speleobiology, and microbiology research, these methods provide readers with a far deeper understanding of karst terrains.

For more information visit: https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030268268

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NCKRI National Seed Grant Program: Request for Proposals

Dear Colleagues,

NCKRI is pleased to announce our next round of seed grants in support of cave and karst research. The NCKRI National Seed Grant Program is designed to enable new cave and karst research, and encourage new principal investigators to enter the field.

Proposals for NCKRI National Seed Grants are due August 10th, 2020. Applications can be submitted at the following link: https://www.nmt.edu/research/organizations/nckri.php

Please direct any questions about submission or budget preparation to Judith McShannon (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Other questions about this RFP can be directed to Daniel Jones, NCKRI Academic Director (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

We will also have another call for graduate and undergraduate student grants (the NCKRI Scholar Fellowship Program); that RFP will be announced later this year. 

Please help spread the word about this opportunity, and please consider applying yourselves!

Sincerely,

Daniel S. Jones, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Geobiology, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Science
Academic Director, National Cave and Karst Research Institute (NCKRI)
314 Mineral Science and Engineering Complex (MSEC)
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM 87801
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Lincoln National Forest Cave Specialist Position Now Open

Cave and Karst Community,

The Lincoln National Forest is currently accepting applications for the Forest Cave Program Manager (Cave Specialist) position. This position is stationed in Carlsbad, New Mexico, USA. The selectee will be responsible for all aspects of the management of caves and karst resources on the Lincoln National Forest. Please see the position announcement for further information. This announcement is open to the public. Applications must be made through USAJobs.gov and will be accepted through 6/24/2020. Please distribute this email to all that may be interested, including any cave related email lists you may know of. Help us find some highly qualified candidates for this great opportunity to manage some world class cave resources. Let me know if you have any questions. You can follow the link below to the listing.

Vacancy Announcement Period:   06/18/20 – 06/24/20

Position Title:  Interdisciplinary Biological Scientist/Physical Scientist, GS-101-401-9/11

Vacancy Announcement Number:  20-R3SVJUN-4011301-11-DP

USAJOBS link:  https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/PrintPreview/571273900

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International Congress of Speleology: Call for Abstracts and New Video

The International Congress of Speleology will be held next year in France. In addition to its usual status as the world’s most significant speleological conference, next year it will also be the main event for the International Year of Caves and Karst. However, some planning for the congress is delayed by COVID-19 and your patience and understanding is appreciated. Because of those delays, the deadline for abstracts is postponed until 31 August 2020. You will definitely want to send your abstracts and papers. The proceedings of the congresses are the largest single conference contribution to speleology with over 18,000 pages of information since the first congress in 1953. To download any or all of those proceedings, visit https://www.uis-speleo.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=92&Itemid=417. To become part of the future of speleology by sending your abstract to the next congress, go to https://uis2021.speleos.fr/conference-scientifique/ for instructions and details.

For general information about the congress visit https://uis2021.speleos.fr/, where you can watch the new congress video. It is also accessible at https://youtu.be/_JuCKb67Z1I.

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KARST 2020 Goes Virtual: Registration Open

Western Kentucky University, the George Wright Society, and the Mammoth Cave Area Biosphere Reserve invite you to attend Conservation of Fragile Karst Resources: A Workshop on Sustainability and Community to be held online August 18-20, 2020. The meeting will be hosted via Zoom Web Conferencing for three, half-day sessions that include technical presentations, flash-talks, interactive workshops, and virtual field trips as well as access to all related online resources produced in preparation for and during the meeting. 

The purpose of this meeting is to enhance communication and the sharing of ideas and resources between major international conservation and science programs that protect, study, or manage cave and karst resources, with a special focus on supporting UNESCO science programs. The meeting will bring together (virtually) a diverse group of managers, scientists, educators, and community partners to share successes and challenges in promoting sustainability and community involvement while protecting fragile karst ecosystems. 

All those interested in participating are welcome to join us online! Registration, schedule, and detailed information are available at karst2020.com

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Carbonate Critical Zone Workshop Goes Virtual

Originally scheduled for 2-5 August 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, the Carbonate Critical Zone Workshop has been changed to a virtual meeting that will begin in August and end in September 2020. For details about the meeting, visit https://carbonatecriticalzone.research.ufl.edu/.

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Central Asian Speleological Forum: Postponed

This celebration of 50 years of speleology in Central Asia is being postponed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The exact dates have not been set yet, but it is now planned for August 2021 in the same special location of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. For more information about this conference, visit https://speleo.kg/en/news/first-circular-speleo-ca-forum-2020/.

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Karst Record IX (KR9) Conference: Postponed

Originally scheduled for 12-15 July 2020 in Innsbruck, Austria, the Karst Record IX (KR9) Conference is postponed to July 2021. For more information visit  https://www.uibk.ac.at/congress/kr9/

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List of Upcoming Cave and Karst Meetings

If you are interested in any of the following events, contact them directly to learn if they are still planned as announced below.

  1. Karst Field Studies Program (4 one-week courses), 7 June – 10 July 2020 (Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, USA), www.karstfieldstudies.com.
  2. ASTM International Karst Subcommittee Virtual Meeting, 29 June 2020, for more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  3. US National Speleological Society Virtual Annual Convention, 27-31 July 2020, https://nsscon2020.org/
  4. Carbonate Critical Zone: An NSF-Sponsored Workshop, August-September 2020 (virtual meeting), https://carbonatecriticalzone.research.ufl.edu/
  5. Karst 2020: Conservation of Fragile Karst Resources, 15-21 August 2020 (virtual meeting), https://unescokarst2020.com/
  6. 9th International Workshop on Ice Caves (IWIC-IX) & the 12th Scientific Conference Research, Utilization and Protection of Caves, 8-11 September 2020 (Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia), http://www.ssj.sk/en/akcia/18-12th-scientific-conference-research-protection-and-utilization-of-caves
  7. 14th Balkan Cavers’, 9-13 September 2020 (Dryanovo Town, Bulgaria), http://balkancaverscamp.weebly.com/
  8. Geological Society of America Convention, 25-28 October 2020 (Montréal, Québec, Canada), http://www.geosociety.org/
  9. European Cave Rescue Association Meeting 2020, 12-15 November 2020 (Cantabria, Spain), https://caverescue.eu/ecra-meeting-2020-cantabria-spain/
  10. ALCADI 2020: International Symposium on History of Speleology and Karstology (ALps, CArpathians and DInarides), 5-8 December 2020 (Gorizia, Italy), contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  11. 1st Karst Science Forum, postponed to 2021 (Bucharest, Romania), https://www.eris100.ro.
  12. International Course and Field Seminar: Characterization and Engineering of Karst Aquifers, postponed to 2021 (Žabljak-Durmitor Mt., Virpazar-Skadar Lake in Montenegro, and in Trebinje in Bosnia & Herzegovina), http://www.karst.edu.rs.
  13. 7th International Course Characterization and Engineering of Karst Aquifers (CEKA), postponed to 2021 (Montenegro: Žabljak-Durmitor Mt., Virpazar-Skadar Lake, and Bosnia and Herzegovina: Trebinje), http://www.karst.edu.rs.
  14. 16th Multidisciplinary Conference on the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, 12-16 April 2021 (San Juan, Puerto Rico), www.sinkholeconference.com
  15. US Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Meeting, May 2021 (Nashville, Tennessee, USA), https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/karst-interest-group-kig-2020-workshop?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
  16. Australian Cave and Karst Management Association Conference, 3-7 May 2021 (Wellington Caves, New South Wales, Australia), for more information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  17. 14th International Symposium on Pseudokarst, postponed to spring 2021 (Świętokrzyskie [Holy Cross] Mountains, Poland), https://14pseudokarst.wonders4you.com/
  18. Karst Waters Institute Frontiers in Karst: Sulfuric Acid Weathering, postponed to mid-summer 2021 (San Vittore, Italy), https://karstwaters.org/conferences/sulfuric-acid-weathering/
  19. 28th International Karstological School “Classical Karst”: Regional Karstology - Local and General Aspects, 14-18 June 2021 (Postojna, Slovenia), https://iks.zrc-sazu.si/en/
  20. EuroKarst 2021: The European Congress on Karst Hydrogeology and Carbonate Reservoirs, 22-24 June 2021 (Málaga, Spain), http://www.eurokarst.org/
  21. Karst Record IX (KR9) Conference, July 2021 (Innsbruck, Austria), https://www.uibk.ac.at/congress/kr9/
  22. 18th International Congress of Speleology, 25 July – 1 August 2021 (Savoie Technolac, Le Bourget du Lac, Savoie, France), http://uis2021.speleos.fr/
  23. Central Asian Speleological Forum, postponed to August 2021 (Tashkent, Uzbekistan), https://speleo.kg/en/news/first-circular-speleo-ca-forum-2020/
  24. 34th International Geographical Congress karst sessions: Global Karst Critical Zone and Land Use Planning in Karst, 16-20 August 2021 (Istanbul, Turkey), https://www.igc2020.org/en/KARST%20COMMISSION.html
  25. 19th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology, tentatively August or September 2021 (Catania, Italy), http://www.19isvetna.com/
  26. Fort Stanton Cave Science Conference, September 2021 (Socorro, New Mexico, USA), https://geoinfo.nmt.edu/FtStanton/home.cfm
  27. 26th International Cave Bear Symposium, 30 September - 3 October 2021 (Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim, Germany), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
  28. 6th EuroSpeleo Protection Symposium, 26-30 October 2021 (Isle of Vilm, Germany), contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  29. Speleo Kamaraton, 29 October – 1 November 2021 (Marina di Camerota, Salerno, Italy), http://www.speleokamaraton.eu/

********************

George  Veni, PhD
Executive Director, National Cave and Karst Research Institute (NCKRI)
and
President, International Union of Speleology (UIS)
NCKRI address (primary)
400-1 Cascades Avenue
Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220 USA
Office: +575-887-5517
Mobile: +210-863-5919
Fax: +575-887-5523
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.nckri.org

UIS address
Titov trg 2
Postojna, 6230 Slovenia
www.uis-speleo.org
www.iyck2021.org