18th Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts will be in Albany, New York, October 5-9, 2026.

The Sinkhole Conference invites you to become a conference sponsor. Your support is important to the success of the conference and being able to attract a nationally and internationally broad audience, including students: the next leaders in solving karst challenges.

To learn more about the conference in general and register, visit www.sinkholeconference.com. If you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact Bob Denton at robert.denton@terracon.com or Ben Tobin at benjamin.tobin@nmt.edu. We look forward to hearing from you in the near future. 

To stay up to date, join the email list!

Nomination Deadline November 15th

At the awards banquet during each annual National Speleological Society (NSS) Convention, the NSS recognizes exceptional people both in and outside of the Society by presenting awards for outstanding accomplishment.

Please consider nominating an outstanding individual in one of these categories:

• (*New) Alvin McDonald Award
• Science Award
• Certificate of Merit
• Victor A. Schmidt Conservation Award
• Group Conservation Award
• Fellow of the Society
• Honorary Member Award
• Steve Hudson Award for Cave Rescue
• Lew Bicking Award
• James G. Mitchell Award
• Outstanding Landowner-Caver Relations Award
• The William J. Stephenson Award for Outstanding Service
• Spelean Arts and Letters Award
• Peter M. Hauer Spelean History Award

Applications Open

Deadline: February 15, 2026

The William L. Wilson and Diane C. Wilson Scholarship in Karst Science includes a one-time award of $3,000. The scholarship is open to any student who is currently enrolled in, or has been accepted into, a master’s degree program at an institution of higher education in the United States.

Applications Open

Deadline: November 14, 2025

When: May 31-June 15, 2026

Qualified Geology and ESCI majors can join Professors Valerie Murgulet and Dorina Murgulet.

To learn more please contact Professor Murgulet: Valeriu.Murgulet@tamucc.edu

Photo description: NCKRI Cave and Karst Management Liaison, Andy Armstrong leads a discussion about cave and karst management during Coffee and Karst. Photo courtesy of Dave Mundt

Summary

NCKRI attended the 2025 National Cave and Karst Management Symposium in Ely Nevada, held October 6-10. This gathering attracted cave managers, owners, researchers, students, consultants, and explorers to travel to the high desert of eastern Nevada for a week of presentations, meetings and networking opportunities.  

In addition to attending meetings with partners, NCKRI staff taught a workshop with the Kentucky Geological Survey on cave and karst inventory and hosted roundtable sessions titled "Coffee and Karst." Both were well-attended and led to thought-provoking discussions on the current state and future directions for collaborative cave and karst management.  

Summary

From October 19-22, 2025, NCKRI staff and members of the Jones Geomicrobiology Lab attended the Geological Society of America (GSA) Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Academic Director Dr. Dan Jones chaired three oral and three poster sessions. Seven students from the Jones Geomicrobiology participated in the conference and even organized one astrobiology session. In total NCKRI gave 4 posters and 8 oral presentations.

Dr. Dan Jones received the Service Award, and Jones Lab alumnus, Zoë Havlena, received the Early Career Award from the Karst Division. Karst was well represented at the convention with the Karst Division having 60 presentations, four oral session, three poster sessions, and a jam-packed awards lunch.

Photo description: 1. NCKRI Academic Director Dr. Dan Jones receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the GSA Karst Division 2. Mackenzie Best and Melina Karavousanos from the Jones Geomicrobiology Lab during the poster session. 3. Cave and Karst Scientist gather around the NCKRI booth 4. NCKRI Professional Intern Matthew Kaspar presents their poster.