Bowling Green, Ky. - A Western Kentucky University graduate student was honored at last week's annual meeting of the Kentucky chapter of the American Fisheries Society.

Mike Ruhl of Quentin, Pa., won the Best Student Paper Award with his presentation "Effects of Hydrology on Nontroglobitic Fishes in the Subterranean Rivers of Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky." Ruhl's research is supported by a cooperative agreement between WKU and Mammoth Cave National Park. The paper was co-authored by Glasgow senior Travis Varney and biology faculty member Philip Lienesch.

This is the second year in a row that a WKU student has won the Best Student Paper Award. Six Western students and two faculty members attended the meeting Jan. 25-26 at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center.

Other participants represented the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Eastern Kentucky University and Murray State University.

The American Fisheries Society, founded in 1870, is the oldest and largest professional society representing fisheries scientists. AFS promotes scientific research and enlightened management of resources for optimum use and enjoyment by the public and encourages a comprehensive education for fisheries scientists and continuing on-the-job training.

For more on the Kentucky chapter, visit http://www.sdafs.org/kyafs/

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.

For information, contact Philip Lienesch at (270) 745-6006.