Category Archives: opportunities

KWI and VDCR Cave Biology Workshop

By conferences, opportunities
(in association with the 2023 Convention of the National Speleological Society)

When: Friday, June 23 (7 p.m.) through Sunday, June 25 (5 p.m.), 2023

Where: Front Royal, VA

Cost: $200 USD (lodging included, scholarships available)

Leaders: Wil Orndorff, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; Dr. Julian Lewis and Salisa Lewis, Lewis and Associates Bioconsulting; Dr. Zenah Orndorff, Virginia Tech

Description: The Karst Waters Institute and the Natural Heritage Karst Program of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation will be hosting a pre-convention cave biology workshop in Front Royal, Virginia. The Cave Conservancy Foundation is a cosponsor of this event. Participants will receive classroom instruction in cave biology, including an overview of the invertebrate cave fauna commonly encountered in the Central Appalachians, cave ecology, field observation and collection methods, permitting and legal issues, specimen preservation, and molecular techniques. Field exercises will be conducted in local horizontal caves and at other surface karst sites (e.g., springs, sinkholes) to learn how to recognize habitats and try out some of the field collection methods. Under the guidance of the instructors, participants will sort and label specimens from field exercises for distribution to taxonomists, and students will be co-listed as collectors along with permitted instructors.

Lodging at a state park cabin is included in the $200 registration fee. Cabins will be available to participants starting Thursday night, June 22. Scholarships are available to defer a portion of the cost. Please email Wil.Orndorff@dcr.virginia.gov for more information or to register for the workshop. KWI and VDCR wish to thank the Cave Conservancy Foundation for their generous support of this event.

2023 Wilson Scholarship now available ($2000)

By awards, opportunities

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).

Call for submissions for the Karst Waters Institute Karst Photo Contest

By opportunities

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.

DETAILS OF COMPETITION

Prizes

  • 1st place prize is $500.
  • 2nd place prize is $250.
  • $50 prizes will be awarded for one outstanding photograph in each of the five categories: karst landscapes (geomorphology), geology, hydrology, biology, and cultural history.

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

  1. By participating in this Photo Contest you grant the Karst Waters Institute (KWI), a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution, the right to publish your full name and photographs on their web site and in their social media without compensation, notice, review, or approval. Author will be cited whenever a photograph is used.
  2. Photo submissions may come from anywhere in the world, but the location of the photograph must be reported.
  3. A short description of the subject of the photo must accompany the image. The subject being illustrated must be clearly explained in words.  Word limit is 100 words.
  4. All photo submissions must be JPEG file format. Resolution should be about 300 DPI.  File size must be less than 10 MB.
  5. File names should include your name and photo location. (i.e., JaneBrown-FloridaCollapsedSinkhole.jpeg)
  6. Each individual is limited to no more than 10 submissions for this year’s competition. Submit only one photograph with each email (see below).
  7. Individuals must be 18 years of age or older to participate.
  8. All photos must be original work, taken by the entrants. No third party may own or control any materials the photo contains, and the photo must not infringe upon the trademark, copyright, moral rights, intellectual rights, or rights of privacy of any entity or person.
  9. Individuals officially affiliated with KWI (Board of Directors, Institute Officers, Associates, and Emeriti) and members of their families are not eligible for this competition.

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

  • Photographs must be in JPEG or .jpg format.  Resolution should be about 300 DPI.  Files size must be less than 10 MB.  Higher resolution images may be requested by KWI for use in outreach materials.
  • Photo submissions may be in horizontal or portrait format.
  • The photographer’s name must not be visible on the photo itself.
  • Submit image and description by email directly to jherman@virginia.edu.
  • Submit one photograph per email.  An individual may submit multiple photos (up to 10, see Rules above) but may submit only one photograph per email.
  • The photographer’s identity will be stripped from the image for the judging process.
  • KWI reserves the right to disqualify any entry that is deemed inappropriate or does not conform to stated contest rules.

KWI’s $2000 Wilson Scholarship now accepting applications

By opportunities

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. Ph.D. students are not eligible for this scholarship.
  • This year’s deadline for all application materials is February 15, 2022.

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).