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A Geoscience-Teacher-in-the-Park obtains GPS coordinates for the entrance to one of nearly 400 caves documented within Mammoth Cave National Park.

A Northern Kentucky University student learns cave mapping techniques and their importance as a scientific tool.

In 1908, Max Kaemper and Ed Bishop mapped nearly 35 miles of Mammoth Cave. Their map was extremely accurate and was used as the basis for many later maps. In October 2008, MACA hosted a science symposium highlighting research on Kaemper and Bishop’s work and other cultural resources at the Park.

MCICSL provides research-based education for people of all ages and backgrounds. MCICSL staff lead or participate in numerous educational activities that highlight research at the park. Our educational efforts serve a variety of internal and external audiences. The methods employed to reach such diverse audiences also vary widely. They include such things as workshops, internships, research-focused field opportunities, internal educational presentations, and internal and external research summaries. In 2009, MCICSL’s outreach programs provided over 15,039 person-hours of direct education contact.

Sample educational projects that MCICSL is currently involved with or has been involved with include:

• Geoscience Teachers in the Park: Each summer, Mammoth Cave National Park and MCICSL co-coordinate the Geoscience Teachers in the Park (GTIP) internship program. This internship program provides local teachers with hands-on experience working with researchers at Mammoth Cave National Park. The teachers then take their experiences back to the classroom in the fall. This program not only increases the teachers’ knowledge and experiences, but also promotes awareness and resource stewardship in both the teachers and their students. The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) provided funding for the internships from the programs’ inception in 2006 through the summer of 2010.
• Research-focused Field Opportunities: MCICSL staff provides research-based field experiences primarily for advanced high school and college students as well as adult learners. Each of these experiences is customized to fit the interests, learning objectives, and time frame of the visiting classes or groups. Currently, MCICSL is working with a group of advanced middle school science students to study the unique hydrological flow pattern of one of Mammoth Cave's underground rivers. An article about this project can be found here. MCICSL also continues to partner with Western Kentucky University’s Hoffman Environmental Research Institute to provide intensive, weeklong, field-based Karst Field Studies workshops and classes during the summer.
• Conferences and Science Symposiums: MCICSL staff has been actively involved in presenting at and hosting numerous regional, national, and international conferences and science symposiums. Descriptions of many of these events can be found on our News page under Past Events. Links to published abstracts, papers, or proceedings associated with these events can be found on our Publications page.
• Documentary: In 2009, MCICSL staff assisted Mammoth Cave National Park and WKYU-PBS in the production of Mammoth Cave: A Way to Wonder, a one hour highlighting many of the natural and cultural resources found within Mammoth Cave National Park and the ongoing research occurring within the Park. MCICSL staff provided technical and logistical support for this project. This support included facilitating interviews with subject matter experts, arranging for access to remote locations, providing safety equipment and training for film crew, and participating in the filming. Mammoth Cave: A Way to Wonder won 4 Emmys from the Ohio Valley chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
• Research Summaries: MCICSL staff also produce easy-to-read research summaries that provide information on a variety of research occurring at Mammoth Cave National Park. Those summaries can be found under the Publications tab. Additional summaries will be added as time allows.

To find out how to become involved with any of MCICSL’s educational activities, contact the Education Program Specialist, Shannon Trimboli, at shannon_trimboli@contractor.nps.gov.