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WKU Professor New President November 10, 2004 Dr. Chris Groves, director of the Hoffman Environmental Research Institute within WKU's Applied Research and Technology Program, was elected at the organization's national board of directors meeting last week. The Cave Research Foundation was established in 1947 to facilitate research, interpretation and conservation of caves and karst resources. Originally established by a an agreement with the National Park Service to explore and map the Mammoth Cave System, the foundation now has cave survey and research projects on federal lands throughout the United States, and for almost 20 years has been active in cave research projects in southwestern China. In Kentucky, the group organizes monthly expeditions to continue exploring and surveying Mammoth Cave, which at more than 365 miles is the world's longest cave and is still expanding. Dr. Groves joined the CRF in 1982 and has participated in and led Mammoth Cave expeditions, served on the group's board of directors since 1996, and for the past few years has administered the foundation’s Karst Fellowship Program, a grant program for master's and doctoral research in karst studies. Many Western graduate students, including current students Joel Despain and Pat Kambesis, have been recipients of these awards. Dr. Groves also was a recipient as a graduate student in 1985 at WKU and again in 1989 as a doctoral student at the University of Virginia. Outgoing CRF President Dr. Rick Toomey, cave specialist at Arizona's Kartchner Caverns, noted that Groves’ faculty position at WKU supports the foundation's goals of partnership-building. "CRF has a long tradition of working with faculty and students from Western Kentucky University at Mammoth Cave and elsewhere," Toomey said, "and we expect the synergy from this partnership to continue to blossom in the context of both U.S. and Chinese karst research projects." Dr. David Keeling, head of the Geography and Geology Department, added that "Dr. Groves" appointment as president of the CRF brings additional benefits to Western in terms of research and educational opportunities for students and faculty. Student engagement is key to the department's long-term strategy of growth and development, and Dr. Groves is providing new and exciting opportunities for our programs."
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