[CML #17350] Fwd: Cave and karst news and announcements from NCKRI: International Year of Caves and Karst!!!

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От кого: George Veni <>
Кому: George Veni <>
Дата: Среда, 9 октября 2019, 21:53 +02:00
Тема: Cave and karst news and announcements from NCKRI: International Year of Caves and Karst!!!

Dear Friends,

Before introducing our new list of cave and karst news announcements, I urge you to please read and get involved in the:

International Year of Caves and Karst

This will be the biggest and most important speleological event ever. Your participation as part of the global cave and karst community is crucial. The purpose of the International Year of Caves and Karst (IYCK) is to teach the world about the importance of caves and karst. Public understanding and support of caves and karst is currently very limited. As a result, funding, regulations, and opportunities for exploration, research, and management are also very limited.

The International Union of Speleology (UIS) has declared 2021 as the IYCK in a major effort to make the world aware of how caves and karst are valuable to all people. To make this possible, the UIS is calling on all of its member countries and other organizations to begin planning a series of public lectures, programs, demonstration of techniques, and others activities for 2021.

The IYCK website is now open at http://www.iyck2021.org/. It is designed to teach the public about caves and karst, and so it has a great amount of educational information. It also has information on how to become involved in the IYCK. Please send the activities you plan for the IYCK to http://iyck2021.org/index.php/contact-us/ so we can post them on the “Events” page of the website. Look at the Partners page, and if your organization is not listed, send your logo and website address and you will be included. If you know of organizations that should be involved, contact them. The website will continue to be updated so save the address.

More details about the IYCK are described in the December 2018 UIS Bulletin (http://www.uis-speleo.org/downloads/uis-bulletins/uisb602.pdf) and they will be updated in next issue of the UIS Bulletin, which will be posted around the end of this year. Updates will also be sent through this and other e-mail lists. If you have questions, suggestions, or want to offer assistance, contact us!

The IYCK has incredible potential to advance speleology in many and great ways, but only if we all work together to make it possible.

George Veni, PhD

Executive Director, National Cave and Karst Research Institute (NCKRI)

and

President, International Union of Speleology (UIS)

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Now back to our regular message. As usual, there are many good and exciting things happening around the world, which will continue to grow through the IYCK!

Grant Opportunities

4^th Annual SCCi Science Awards Program: Call for Proposals
Cleveland Grotto Offers 2020 Science Grants
2020 Explorers Club Student Grants

Various News

·       EuroSpeleo Newsletter, September 2019

Job Opportunity: Assistant Professor of Hydrology, New Mexico Tech, USA

Conferences and Meetings

25^th International Conference on Subterranean Biology: Romania
Carbonate Critical Zone, An NSF-Sponsored Workshop: Pennsylvania, USA
The 16^th Sinkhole Conference: Update
The 16^th Sinkhole Conference: Beck Student Scholarship Call for Applications
The 16^th Sinkhole Conference: Beck Student Scholarship Call for Donors
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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4^th Annual SCCi Science Awards Program: Call for Proposals

The Southeastern Cave Conservancy, Inc. (SCCi) announces that the Annual Science Awards program to help fund scientific and conservation research projects on SCCi preserves is now soliciting grant proposals for 2019-2020. As the largest and most successful land conservancy solely devoted to acquiring and protecting caves in the US, SCCi understands that scientific research must be part of our mission. We firmly believe that research is essential to conserving cave and karst resources, and it is a foundation upon which good stewardship must depend.

We aim to have a well-rounded research program with focus mainly towards cave/karst topics in geology, geochemistry, hydrology, biology, environmental science, and archaeology. SCCi currently protects more than 170 caves on 31 preserves in 6 states. Any one or more of these caves and preserves would be worthy of different scientific investigations.

SCCi is now accepting grant proposals from non-profit caving groups, scientists, university/college faculty members, and undergraduate-graduate students for conducting research projects at SCCi properties beginning in the Fall of 2019. Funds can only be given to a not-for-profit organization or educational institution. For this year, funding is available to support as many as 3 grants of up to $1,500-$2,000 for (1) geology, geochemistry, or hydrology, (2) biology (zoology and botany) and (3) environmental/archaeological projects.

The deadline for submissions is November 1, 2019. For details on proposal format and other information, contact SCCi Chief Scientist Dr. Matthew Niemiller at .

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Cleveland Grotto Offers 2020 Science Grants

The Cleveland Grotto (NSS 005) will make available a total of approximately $2000 in science grants for cave-related projects in early 2020. The Grotto anticipates making three to six grants of various amounts to bona fide research projects by members of NSS-affiliate grottos or to projects under the aegis of a college or university. Grants are not geographically limited.

The funds are available from the Cleveland Grotto Science Fund, which was endowed by Bob Danielson (NSS-26333L) and his wife Bev. The money is available to support research in geology, streams and water, biota, karst and other cave-related research projects.

Requests for equipment grants will be awarded mainly to institutions (schools, grottos). If an individual capital grant for equipment is made and no supporting institution is available to maintain the equipment after the project is completed, the equipment will become the property of the Cleveland Grotto.

Applicants will be expected to have their project output published in an official publication, preferably the Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, NSS News, an academic journal or other similar publication. For all activities to be undertaken if there is any question regarding legality or access, the necessary permissions must be sought from all appropriate and potentially involved parties (landowners, government organizations, etc.) Fund monies are not permitted to be used for travel or in any way that is illegal, unethical, or objectionably dangerous. Awarding of grants and the amounts of each grant will be made at the discretion of the Cleveland Grotto Board whose decisions are final.

The application is available at http://www.clevelandgrotto.org/ClevelandGrotto/Science_Fund.html For questions or clarification contact Rich Kline, Science Fund Chair, at . Deadline for submission for the 2020 Grants is December 31, 2019. Awards expected to be announced early February 2020.

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2020 Explorers Club Student Grants

[The following announcement by The Explorers Club was not written specifically for cave and karst projects, but such projects would be welcome by The Explorers Club.]

The Explorers Club is proud of its history but also looks toward the future by recognizing the importance of new ideas and avenues of exploration. The Club is deeply committed to supporting the fieldwork of serious researchers and, as part of its public service commitment, offers exploration grants in the following categories.

High School Students and College Undergraduates

The goal of this grant category is to foster a new generation of explorers dedicated to the advancement of the scientific knowledge of our world. The average award is approximately $1,500.

Graduate Students

This category of grant supports exploration and field research for those who are just beginning their research careers. Awards are approximately $2,500 to $5000. For 2020 two categories of grants will be available, The Explorers Club – OceanX grants for research involving the ocean and The Explorers Club – Mamont Scholars grants for all categories of field science.

Awards for both categories range from $500 to $5,000. We recommend keeping your budget realistic.

Both grant categories will require you to submit the following via our online application system:

· One page description of your project with attention to scientific objectives

· Description of qualifications of your project associates and the specific sites of your proposed research

· One paragraph description of your career objectives and aspirations and how this project fits into that plan

· Letter of recommendation from your supervisor

· Copy of a current student ID

· Budget outline

· Education and outreach plan

· Media production plan

Your proposal should be readily understandable to a reviewer of a discipline other than your own. Avoid heavy use of discipline specific jargon unless clearly defined. Keep your titles simple.

Generally The Explorers Club considers research proposals in a wide array of disciplines, including:

· Climate Change, Geoscience, Paleoclimate (i.e. Early Earth, Tectonics, Volcanism, Paleontology, Glaciology, Geophysics, Astronomy)

· Marine Science, Marine Biology, Marine Life, Fish, Coral, Ocean, Fresh Water, Rivers, Lakes, Estuaries

· Anthropology/Archeology

· Plants and Molds

· Animals

· Conservation Science

Deadline for applications is 5:00 PM EST, November 18, 2019.

To apply, go to - http://grants.explorers.org/

Important things to note:

· All applications must be submitted through the online system. If you have trouble with registration, please email .

· Awards for the 2020 Grant Cycle will be announced no sooner than March, 2019. Projects must commence after March 15, 2020. Any project beginning before this date will not be considered.

· Unfortunately The Explorers Club will not be able to consider research proposals for work being conducted in China or by Chinese citizens. The Explorers Club is considered a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and we do not comply with the Chinese regulations regarding grant awards by NGOs at this time.

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EuroSpeleo Newsletter, September 2019

English version (version Française ci-dessous)

It is with great pleasure that the European Speleological Federation (FSE) publishes its third EuroSpeleo Newsletter in year 2019. This Newsletter will be exclusively available in electronic form and it will be distributed through the FSE mailing lists, website and Facebook page. It will be edited by the FSE Bureau and will inform member countries and individual speleologists about important events nationally and internationally as well as new developments and the initiatives of the FSE and its member countries. This Newsletter will be released on an occasional basis.

Please spread this newsletter on the broadest way possible among caving clubs and individual speleologists and all those interested. You can download the English version of the September 2019 Newsletter here:

http://www.eurospeleo.eu/images/stories/docs/europeleo-news/Newsletter_September_2019_English.pdf

With cordial regards,

The FSE Bureau, September 2019

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Version Française

C'est avec grand plaisir que la Fédération Spéléologique Européenne (FSE) publie le Bulletin d'Information EuroSpeleo, septembre 2019. Ce bulletin sera exclusivement disponible sous forme électronique, et il sera distribué à travers les listes de diffusion FSE, le site Web et la page Facebook. Il sera édité par le Bureau de la FSE et informera les pays membres et spéléologues individuels sur des choses importantes à l'échelle nationale et internationale ainsi que de nouveaux développements et des initiatives de la FSE et ses pays membres. Ce bulletin sera publié sur une base occasionnelle.

S'il vous plaît diffuser ce bulletin d'information sur la manière la plus large possible parmi les clubs spéléologiques et spéléologues individuels et tous ceux qui s'intéressent. Vous pouvez télecharger la version Française du Bulletin d”Information de septembre 2019 ici:

http://www.eurospeleo.eu/images/stories/docs/europeleo-news/Newsletter_septembre_2019_Francais.pdf

Cordialement,

Le Bureau de la FSE, septembre 2019

RNDr. Alena Gessert, PhD.
FSE General secretary

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Job Opportunity: Assistant Professor of Hydrology, New Mexico Tech, USA

[The following job is not specifically a karst position, but it is posted here because it could be of interest to and potentially filled by someone with karst expertise.]

There is an opening for an assistant professor of hydrology with a specialization in hydrogeochemistry or hydrogeology at New Mexico Tech in the Earth and Environmental Science Department:

www.nmt.edu/hr/docs/hr/jobs/AsstProfEESHydro19-166.pdf

The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT) invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in Hydrogeochemistry/Hydrogeology. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related field at the time of appointment. We seek candidates with interests in aqueous geochemistry, isotope hydrology, contaminants, flow and transport in porous and fractured media, and/or vadose-zone hydrology. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a cutting-edge, externally funded research program and teach 3 classes per year at the graduate/undergraduate level. Applicants should submit a letter of interest, resume, statements of teaching and research interests, one representative publication, and the names of three references in a single pdf sent to and . Inquiries should be directed to Hydrology search committee chair, Mark Person (). Review of application material will begin on November 15, 2019. The search will remain open until the position is filled. New Mexico Tech is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. NMT is committed to creating a community in which a diverse population can learn, live, and work in an atmosphere of tolerance, civility and respect for the rights and sensibilities of each individual. NMT is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Excellent benefits (health, vision, dental), tuition fee waiver, and a generous retirement plan. New Mexico Tech is located in Socorro, in the scenic Rio Grande River Valley of central New Mexico, 75 miles south of Albuquerque with its many attractions, and 139 miles south of Santa Fe. Nearby mountains and desert canyons provide opportunities for excellent hiking, climbing, and mountain biking. The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, located just south of Socorro along a major north-south flyway, offers some of the best birding in the USA.

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25^th International Conference on Subterranean Biology: Romania

Celebrate 100 years of biospeleology in Romania at the 25^th International Conference on Subterranean Biology on 28 June – 4 July 2020. For more information visit: https://www.25icsb.com/.

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Carbonate Critical Zone, An NSF-Sponsored Workshop: Pennsylvania, USA

The Carbonate Critical Zone Research Coordination Network (Carbonate CZ-RCN) aims to further transdisciplinary and collaborative science to aid the understanding of carbonate-rich Critical Zones and to foster a diverse and inclusive community of students and investigators. The Carbonate CZ RCN will convene three field workshops and two workshops at major disciplinary conferences.

The first field workshop will be in Pennsylvania, USA, on August 2-5, 2020. The workshop includes a field trip to the central Pennsylvania karst followed by working group discussions and training modules in Philadelphia. Registration details will be posted shortly. Participant support is available. For more details visit https://carbonatecriticalzone.research.ufl.edu/

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The 16^th Sinkhole Conference: Update

The Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, generally called “The Sinkhole Conference,” is the longest-running international conference of its type. Since 1984, engineers, geologists, hydrologists, land managers, biologists, and many others have gathered at these meetings to exchange cutting-edge information on karst and its many benefits and challenges.

The deadline for abstracts has passed and we received a fabulous array that assure an excellent conference. The 16^th Sinkhole Conference will occur on 20-24 April 2020 in beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico! Puerto Rico offers a tropical karst landscape and a vibrant historical and cultural venue unlike anything seen in rest of the United States. Many people are already talking about attending the conference as part of a vacation, and we are helping to make that possible.

The conference will be held in the lovely Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel, located in the historic heart of the city. Unlike previous conferences, your registration will include your breakfasts and lunches, in addition to the other usual amenities. Also, your discount conference room rates will extend to three days before and after the conference, in case you want to stay longer and enjoy a vacation. For all of the details on the conference, visit http://www.sinkholeconference.com/.

The Sinkhole Conference is managed by the National Cave and Karst Research Institute and with tremendous assistance from a diverse team of karst experts from around the country who join us to form the Organizing Committee. On behalf of the 16^th Sinkhole Conference Organizing Committee, we look forward to receiving your abstracts and seeing you in San Juan next year!

George Veni

Sinkhole Conference Co-chair

NCKRI Executive Director

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The 16^th Sinkhole Conference: Beck Student Scholarship Call for Applications

The Sinkhole Conference was created in 1984 and led for many years by Dr. Barry Beck. In his memory, the conference now offers the Beck Student Scholarship. Students awarded a Beck Scholarship will receive free registration to the conference and up to $1,000 reimbursement for travel expenses, as well as certain special recognitions and other benefits. Scholars from the previous Sinkhole Conference are recognized at http://www.sinkholeconference.com/Beck-scholarship. To apply for the scholarship, visit http://www.sinkholeconference.com/how-to-apply-for-the-beck-scholarship.

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The 16^th Sinkhole Conference: Beck Student Scholarship Call for Donors

The Sinkhole Conference funds one Beck Student Scholarship for each conference, but more than one scholarship can be offered with your support. Six were awarded last time! Attending The Sinkhole Conference can be a life-changing experience for students by opening their eyes to state-of-the-art knowledge, and important professional contacts and opportunities. To help change a student’s life for the better, we ask and encourage you to donate to the Beck Scholarship. All donations are tax deductible. For details on how to donate, visit http://www.sinkholeconference.com/How-to-sponsor-the-scholarship.

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List of Upcoming Cave and Karst Meetings

1) British Cave Research Association 30th Annual Cave Science Symposium, 19-20 October 2019 (Keyworth, Nottingham, UK), for more information contact Dr. Andy Farrant at: arf[-at-]bgs.ac.uk.

2) 13th European Cave Rescue Meeting, 15-17 November 2019 (Istanbul, Turkey), https://caverescue.eu/13th-european-cave-rescue-meeting/

3) International Congress: 80^th Anniversary of the Cuban Speleological Society, 19-23 February 2020 (Caibarién, Villa Clara, Cuba), for information contact .

4) 16^th Multidisciplinary Conference on the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, 20-24 April 2020 (San Juan, Puerto Rico), www.sinkholeconference.com

5) 23^rd Conference of the Australasian Cave and Karst Management Association, 3-8 May 2020 (Jenolan Caves, New South Wales, Australia), www.ackma.org.

6) 9th International Workshop on Ice Caves (IWIC-IX) & the 12th Scientific Conference Research, Utilization and Protection of Caves, 12-15 May 2020 (Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia), http://www.ssj.sk/en/akcia/18-12th-scientific-conference-research-protection-and-utilization-of-caves

7) US Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Meeting, 13-14 May 2020 (Nashville, Tennessee), for information contact

8) UNESCOkarst 2020: Conservation of Fragile Karst Resources, 18-22 May 2020 (Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA), https://unescokarst2020.com/

9) 25^th International Conference on Subterranean Biology, 28 June – 4 July 2020 (Alba Iulia, Romania), https://www.25icsb.com/

10) US National Speleological Society Annual Convention, 27-31 July 2020 (Elkins, West Virginia, USA), https://caves.regfox.com/nss-convention-2020

11) Carbonate Critical Zone: An NSF-Sponsored Workshop, 2-5 August 2020 (Philadelphia and central Pennsylvania), https://carbonatecriticalzone.research.ufl.edu/

12) 19^th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology, 29 August – 5 September 2020 (Catania, Italy), http://www.19isvetna.com/

13) Geological Society of America Convention, 25-28 October 2020 (Montréal, Québec, Canada), http://www.geosociety.org/

14) EuroKarst 2021: The European Congress on Karst Hydrogeology and Carbonate Reservoirs, 22-24 June 2021 (Málaga, Spain), http://www.eurokarst.org/

15) 18^th International Congress of Speleology, 23-29 July 2021 (Lyon, France), http://uis2021.speleos.fr/

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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

www.nckri.org

UIS address

Titov trg 2

Postojna, 6230 Slovenia

www.uis-speleo.org

--
Bulat Mavlyudov