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Welcome to the GSA Karst Division

The Karst Division (KD) was formally approved by GSA Council in December 2015. In the U.S., rocks with the potential to be karstic occur in every one of the 50 states, and approximately 18% of their area is underlain by soluble rocks either having karst or the potential for its development (Weary and Doctor 2014). Portions of major cities and innumerable smaller cities are underlain by karst (e.g., St. Louis, MO; Nashville, TN; Birmingham, AL; Austin, TX; Louisville, KY). According to Veni and colleagues (2001), karst terrane underlies approximately 25% of the global land surface. Ford and Williams (1989) estimated that “25% of the global population is supplied largely or entirely by karst waters” and approximately 1.5 billion people live in karstic terrain."

GSA, with its multidisciplinary geosciences scope and large, international membership, is helping to bring prominence to karst science and to provide a scientific focal point for karst researchers across the disciplines.

Announcements

  • Nominations for GSA Karst Divisions Open

    The GSA Karst Division encourages and recognizes excellence in scholarship and service through three annual awards. We are now soliciting nominations for all three awards. Please nominate one or more of your deserving colleagues! This year, nominations are due March 31st.

    Meritorious Contribution Award: Awarded to the author of a published paper or body of work of distinction that has significantly influenced the intellectual direction of karst or broadly enhanced the knowledge of the discipline.

    Early Career Scientist Award: Awarded to a distinguished scientist (35 or younger throughout the year in which the award is to be presented, or within 5 years of their highest degree or diploma) for outstanding achievement in contributing to the karst profession through original research and service, and for the demonstrated potential for continued excellence throughout their career.

    Distinguished Service Award: Awarded as a highly esteemed award in recognition of distinguished personal service to the karst profession and to the GSA Karst Division.

    To submit nominations for any of these awards, please send an email to awards.gsakarst@... (and cc the Division Secretary, daniel.s.jones@...) that includes the following:

    1. GSA Karst Division Award Nomination Form

    2. A letter of recommendation explaining the merit of the nominee's work and its role in advancing karst studies. (You may also solicit additional letters of support.)

    3. A Curriculum Vitae for the nominee

    Nominees do not need to be Karst Division members to be eligible for these awards, but it adds merit to the nomination.

    More information on our awards is available on our website: https://community.geosociety.org/karstdivision/home. And thank you for supporting the GSA Karst Division!

  • Connects 2024 Proposal Submittal Deadline 5 Feb 2024

    Hello Karst Division!

    As you may already know, the deadline to submit a proposal for Connects 2024 has been extended to 5 Feb 2024. 

    As of this morning, the Karst Division has four (4) endorsed sessions (from JTPC rep, Dan Jones).  

    • Karst Ecosystems and Biogeochemistry
    • Karst Hazards and Monitoring
    • Karst Hydrology and Hydrogeology
    • Karst Sedimentary, Paleoclimate, and Historical Records

    An additional title is on the list New Frontiers in Cave and Karst Science | Advocates: Patricia N. Kambesis; Jeanne Lambert Sumrall; Rachel Bosch; Natasha Sekhon; Lewis Land; Daniel S. Jones

    And there are two additional sessions that reference Karst in their description:

    • Near Surface Geophysics to Solve Geological Problems | Near surface geophysics is increasingly used to study a variety of problems including environmental, engineering, archaeological, karst, hydrological and geological and abstracts are requested that study these problems. (proposed by Kevin Mickus)
    • Geoscience and Hydrology of Your Public Lands: STEM Internships, Research, Science, Mapping, Resource Management, and EducationFederal and other public lands have long served as unique outdoor laboratories for earth scientists. In the United States, primary federal land management agencies include the National Park Service, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management. Through internship programs such as the Scientists in Parks and GeoCorps America programs in the United States, federal and other public lands provide exceptional hands-on career development opportunities for students and recent graduates in geoscience and other STEM fields. This session provides an interdisciplinary forum for earth scientists, land managers, educators, and internship participants or sponsors to present their work and describe its relevance to the public and land managers. We are particularly interested in presentations that show how geoscience and hydrology information is used by federal and other public land managers, particularly as it relates to decision- making. All federal and other public-lands related topics are welcome and, in past sessions, have included all natural resource fields, predominantly in geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, paleontology, abandoned mineral lands, geothermal monitoring, geologic mapping, mapping natural resources, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), natural sounds and night skies, soils, glaciology, geohazards, cave/karst science, history of science, and resource management. Each year the internship programs provide opportunities to hundreds of participants across the country and are public- private partnerships between the land management agencies and partners such as The Geological Society of America, Ecological Society of America, and Stewards Individual Placement Program. A poster session may be used to accommodate additional abstracts. (proposed by Jason Kenworthy)

    Do you see a gap in the sessions you'd like to see?  Or maybe one that would highlight your specific area of research and how it relates to the GSA Connects 2024 Themes, Water in a Changing World or Life Along an Active Margin (might be a stretch here...)?  You are encouraged to submit your proposal today!  

    Please reach out if you have any questions and I look forward to receiving your submission.

    Best,

    Susan Jenkins, GSA Program Content Manager and GSA Karst Division Staff Advocate

Latest Discussions

  • Dear Karst Division members, The GSA Karst Division encourages and recognizes excellence in scholarship and service through three annual awards. We ... More

  • Dear GSA Karst Division Members, As you may already know, the deadline to submit proposals for sessions at the 2024 GSA Fall Meeting in Anaheim (Sep ... More

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