Future Directions in Karst Research: A Workshop Proposal

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Martin0608945Intellectual Merit The Karst Waters Institute plans to sponsor an interdisciplinaryworkshop on Research Directions in Karst Research. This workshop is designed tobring together biologists, biogeochemists, microbial ecologists, hydrogeologists, andgeomorphologists who have an interest in advancing all aspects of karst science. Theworkshop will in part assess the current state of knowledge, but its primary function willbe to identify gaps in that knowledge and to describe (and write down) a road map forclosing those gaps. The workshop discussions will include questions from disciplinesoutside of karst science (e.g. paleoclimate, microbiology) that can be addressed in karstareas. The workshop is not intended to be a meeting at which only recent scientificfindings are discussed; instead, the workshop will be tightly structured leading toidentification of the critical science questions to be investigated over the coming decade.The workshop is tentatively planned for three days in Fall of 2006 with tightlyorchestrated logistics. Following a short introductory plenary session, the participantswill be broken into disciplinary groups to discuss the important current science questionswithin their specialties. Three plenary sessions will be interspersed with the disciplinarybreak-out sessions throughout the workshop to allow cross-disciplinary discussions andintegration of topical science questions. At the end of the workshop and while still onlocation at the workshop venue, the key participants (disciplinary leaders and workshopconveners) will write the initial draft of a report outlining the state of the science in karstresearch and focus on what questions should be investigated over the next 10 years. Thefinal draft of the report will be completed by the workshop conveners within severalmonths of the meetingBroader Impacts The workshop should positively impact the human resources of avariety of disciplines including karst science, hydrology, microbiology, and ecology. Thefunding requested here will be used to offset travel and per diem expenses incurred by theparticipants, with the primary support going to students, junior faculty and disciplinarygroup leaders. Efforts will be made to include under-represented groups in the workshop.The workshop will be advertised in several professional outlets including web resources,EOS, Geotimes, GSA Today, and Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America to assurebroad interdisciplinary participation. Additional funding is being requested from otheragencies and KWI has allocated $10,000 toward the workshop for travel support,advertising, publication costs and other incidental expenses.