Conferences, Field Trips, and Seminars
KWI organizes small, interdisciplinary conferences, field trips, and seminars on karst, cave, carbonate reservoir, and groundwater-related topics.
KWI organizes small, interdisciplinary conferences, field trips, and seminars on karst, cave, carbonate reservoir, and groundwater-related topics.
KWI publications include abstracts, proceedings, and field trip guides from KWI conferences, results of KWI research, and digital reprints of books and journals.
What is karst and why is it important? KWI provides educational materials to the general public about karst, caves, sinkholes, and karst-related groundwater resources.
The Karst Waters Institute is sad to report that Bob Gulden, 2022 recipient of the KWI award for contributions to karst science, passed away in November, 2022. Bob had kept the database for long and deep caves of the world since 1976. Over the years he maintained the list and expanded the searchable catagories to include deep pits, largest rooms, gypsum and salt caves, and underwater caves. This online resource has been an important tool for karst researchers from around the world. Bob was also an accomplished cave surveyor and cartographer who excelled at producing detailed maps of complex and significant cave systems.
His award acceptance talk is below.
The William L. Wilson and Diane C. Wilson Scholarship in Karst Science recognizes the significant contributions of the late William (Bill) L. Wilson, who tackled some of the most difficult karst science questions in Florida and elsewhere through his consulting company, Subsurface Evaluations, Incorporated. To stimulate the development of new, energetic, motivated, and creative karst scientists and to remember Bill Wilson and his dedication to karst science, the scholarship was established by Diane C. Wilson in his memory. The scholarship includes a one-time award of $2,000.
The scholarship is open to any student who is currently enrolled in, or has been accepted into, a master’s degree program at an institution of higher education in the United States. This year’s deadline for all application materials is February 15, 2023. Information on how to apply can be found at http://karstwaters.org/scholarship/. Additional information can be had through email to Dr. Janet S. Herman (jherman@virginia.edu).
KWI is pleased to share upcoming opportunities for abstract submissions for the 2022 Geological Society of America Meeting in Denver, CO:
Session Description
This session will consider how managing the public health risks from natural hazards and contaminants are addressed differently than manmade contaminants. Available resources, policy, and educating the public are all handled differently. Share your successes.
Session Rationale
Manmade contaminants gain public attention in the press. Federal programs provide insight and oversight to delineate plumes, clean up contaminants, and provide affected residents with clean air, water, and earth. Many geologists are employed by environmental consultants to deal with these contaminants. Yet
according to USGS (DeSimone, 2009), the most common well water contaminants are naturally occurring. In 2013 Wake County, NC implemented a program to notify private well users about risks of man-made contamination, and in the ensuing 6 years tested several hundred wells for the synthetic organic
contaminants associated with such sites. The county’s 2016 review of a decade of well testing found that over 10% of tested wells exceeded the drinking water standard for uranium, while only about 1% exceeded drinking water standards for manmade contaminants. Comparison of the uranium testing data to detailed geologic mapping revealed that 20-30% of the wells in an area covering ½ the county, an area underlain by Pennsylvanian granitic intrusions, were likely to be contaminated with uranium or other radionuclides, a finding in accordance with DeSimone and others, 2009.
The fact that these contaminants are naturally occurring complicates and limits the ability of well users to mitigate their health risks. Wake County is not alone. It is estimated that approximately 15% of the US population obtain their drinking water from private wells (U.S. Census Bureau (USCB), 2009). Taking the USGS and USCB estimates together, approximately ten million people in the US are currently exposed to unsafe levels of naturally occurring contaminants in their drinking water, yet there are no federal programs to provide resources to educate or assist these users of unregulated wells. Well water is not the only pathway of exposure to contamination from naturally occurring contaminants. Session proponents would like to learn from others who have dealt with natural hazards or contaminants and the following: limited resources while managing public health risks; risk relative to public investment in resolving natural vs. manmade contaminants and hazards; models from natural disasters such as flooding and earthquakes; successful policy responses; outreach campaigns; and lessons learned.
Whether you’re an amateur or a professional photographer, you can help us illustrate karst features and processes for a wide audience including technical professionals, educators, and citizens wishing to learn more about karst. Dive into your collection of photographs from karst regions around the world and submit your best images to our first-ever Karst Waters Institute (KWI) Karst Photo Contest. Your images (with full attribution) could be featured on our web site at https://karstwaters.org/educational-resources/ or in social media or other KWI communications intended to help others understand, appreciate, and protect karst resources. Our goal is to use images to illustrate and, therefore, better communicate facts about karst. We seek imagery to illustrate the karst landscapes (geomorphology), geology, hydrology, biology, and cultural history of karst systems.
Enter your photos until midnight February 15, 2022.
Prizes
The winners will be contacted via the email address provided during entry. Public announcement of the winners will be made at the KWI Annual Awards Ceremony in late March 2022.
Selected photos will be displayed as part of a slide show at the KWI Annual Awards Ceremony.
Rules
Judging
Photographs will be anonymously judged based on the quality of the image as an illustration of the karst feature or process being documented. A component of the quality of the submission is the clear explanation in words of what the image illustrates. Judges will be five members of the KWI Board of Directors and three non-affiliated colleagues with experience in photo-judging competitions.
Successful photographs will be those showing technical excellence (well focused, sharp, well exposed) and compositional choices that make the photograph memorable and those that clearly illustrate the karst feature or process being described.
Winners will be announced at the KWI Annual Awards meeting in March 2022.
Submission
This is a great accessory for all kinds of fieldwork and can also be used as a mask.
Each buff is $20, with shipping fees of $4.50 USD. International shipping fees as well as shipping for bulk purchases may higher.
To purchase, click here: KWI Buffs
The William L. Wilson and Diane C. Wilson Scholarship in Karst Science recognizes the significant contributions of the late William (Bill) L. Wilson, who tackled some of the most difficult
karst science questions in Florida and elsewhere through his consulting company, Subsurface Evaluations, Incorporated. To stimulate the development of new, energetic, motivated, and creative
karst scientists and to remember Bill Wilson and his dedication to karst science, the scholarship was established by Diane C. Wilson in his memory.
Information on how to apply can be found at http://karstwaters.org/scholarship/. Additional information can be had through email to Dr. Janet S. Herman (jherman@virginia.edu).
The Karst Waters Institute is pleased to announce that the Karst Award winner for 2021 is Dr. Annette Summers Engel of the University of Tennessee – Knoxville. Please join us on Saturday, March 27, 2021 for presentation of the award, a presentation by Annette, and networking opportunities with other karst/cave scientists. Click here to learn more about Dr. Engel.
KWI looks forward to seeing you at the Awards Ceremony to celebrate Annette’s award, hear a presentation by Annette on her work and adventures, and enjoy an afternoon of conversation and companionship with fellow scientists and friends. The meeting is from 2:00-4:30, with the awards lecture at 3:15 pm EDT (Eastern Daylight Savings Time; UTC-04:00). A detailed schedule is provided below.
Student Registration (free – the $10 cost has been covered via donations from KWI Board Members)
Professional Registration ($20)
Schedule of Events
Time EDT | Event | Host |
---|---|---|
2:00 | Welcome and what is KWI, including introduction of Board of Directors and Officers | Harvey DuChene, Chair, Board of Directors |
2:05 | Plans for today’s event | Janet Herman |
2:10 | Sulfuric acid weathering conference announcement | Jenn Macalady |
2:15 | Critical Zone lecture series announcement | Matt Covington |
2:20 | KWI Distinguished Service Award | Janet Herman |
2:25 | Announcement of 2021 Wilson Award | Janet Herman |
2:30 | Past Wilson winners research updates | Janet Herman |
2:40 | Get to know who is here – breakout rooms (thematic) | |
3:10 | Introduction of 2021 KWI Karst Award Recipient – Annette Engel | Harvey DuChene, PJ Moore |
3:15 | Lecture and Q&A: How It Started? How It’s Going! One Speleologist’s Journey into Darkness | Annette Engel |
4:00 | Group discussion of activities in karst science (ask anyone in the room anything) | |
4:30 | End |
Once registered, you can join the meeting at any time.
For those who cannot attend live, the seminars will also be recorded and made available on the Karst Waters Institute
Attendance is free and open to anyone. Prior to attending the seminar, you must register at the following link and further details will be sent to your email.