Bowling Green, Ky. - Courses in the 2006 Karst Field Studies program will begin June 4 at Mammoth Cave National Park.

The program is offered by Western Kentucky University’s Center for Cave and Karst Studies in conjunction with the park’s International Center for Science and Learning.

The series of weeklong courses focus on caves, karst and caving but include other disciplines such as biology, ecology, history and geology. Courses are offered as workshops or for undergraduate and graduate credit.

Since the program’s inception in 1980, the Karst Field Studies courses have attracted top scientists and researchers from the United States and around the world to Mammoth Cave and WKU, according to Dr. Nicholas Crawford, director of the Center for Cave and Karst Studies.

“Our philosophy behind the program is to attract the world’s top scientists in various areas to serve as professors for the courses,” Dr. Crawford said. “The world’s top experts have been the professors in this program.”

Many karst researchers from U.S. universities have attended the Karst Field Studies program. “It would be hard to find anyone in this field who hasn’t taken classes at Western Kentucky University,” Dr. Crawford said.

“This program has helped attract some of the best karst researchers in the world to come to WKU,” he said.

This year’s courses are offered at Mammoth Cave National Park, at WKU’s campus and at the Edwards Aquifer in San Antonio, Texas.

Courses include Cave Geomicrobiology, Cave Geomorphology, Exploration of Mammoth Cave, Karst Stewardship, Karst Hydrology, Hydrology of Edwards Aquifer, Cave Archaeology, Cave Photography and Karst GIS.

“For over 25 years, the summer Karst Field Studies program has been providing excellent learning opportunities for students and professionals from around the country,” said Dr. David Keeling, head of WKU’s Department of Geography and Geology. “Our partnership with Mammoth Cave National Park allows us the opportunity to use this fantastic resource as a learning center. As a result, the annual Karst Field Studies program has developed an international reputation for academic and research excellence.”

For information about the program, contact the Center for Cave and Karst Studies at (270) 745-3252 or visit http://caveandkarst.wku.edu

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 Center for Cave and Karst Studies at (270) 745-3252.

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