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WKU Geoscientist Recipient Of October 22, 2004 The annual lectureship was created in 1996 to honor Dr. Timothy L. Mounts, a longtime research scientist with USDA's National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research who made significant contributions to agricultural technology. Former Mounts Lecturers include astronaut Harrison Schmitt and severe storm chaser Charles Doswell III. Dr. Groves' primary lecture in the series -- "Could Caves be Cooling the Atmosphere?" -- describes research that has taken him and his students to caves in California, Alaska, China and Vietnam in a long-term effort to establish a global network of stations to measure rates at which carbon dioxide is being removed from the Earth's atmosphere by limestone dissolution in cave areas. This impact on the carbon cycle may in turn play some role in Earth's changing climate. "This is work that began 10 years ago here in Kentucky in collaboration with Mammoth Cave National Park," said Dr. Groves, who directs the Hoffman Environmental Research Institute within WKU's Applied Research and Technology Program. The Hoffman Institute program continues to refine the field, laboratory and computational methods necessary to make these measurements here in Kentucky, and to develop new partnerships to expand the work to different climates and landscapes around the world. "This also expands opportunities for WKU students to travel to different regions of the world, and to participate in ongoing research projects," Dr. Groves said. The lectures will be presented to USDA scientists, with an evening lecture for the general public in the Department of Chemistry at Bradley University. Dr. Groves will also visit public schools during the visit to generate enthusiasm for science among students at several levels. "Chris' contributions to research on global climate change provide an excellent example of how geoscientists are helping to address major policy challenges in society," said Dr. David Keeling, WKU Geography and Geology Department Head. "Chris is one of the world's leading geoscientists in the area of cave and karst research and this prestigious lectureship is another example of Western Kentucky University's growing national and international reputation as an institution of excellence." For more information, contact Chris Groves at (270) 745-5974. More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
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