Undergraduate majors return from study and research in Slovenia

Four undergraduate students from Louisiana State University, geology majors (with minors in math, biological sciences) and one double major in geology/microbiology, recently returned from 18 days of study and research in Slovenia with Dr. Annette Engel, assistant professor of geomicrobiology.  The students were selected to be participants in a National Science Foundation research project to study sulfur bacteria from karst springs throughout Slovenia with Dr. Engel and collaborators, Dr. Janez Mulec, Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and Dr. Barbara Campbell, University of Delaware, and her graduate student, Karen Rossmassler.

As part of the research experience and training, students were enrolled in the upper-level course, International Karst Field School (GEOL 4002), which included attending the one-week long 16th International Karstological School “Classical Karst” in Postojna, Slovenia. Karst is a landscape with caves and underground drainage that is developed on limestone. Slovenia is famous for its caves and karst, as more than 40% of the country is karst. Consequently, the Karst Research Institute in Postojna is one of the oldest karst institutions in the world (founded in 1946), and Slovenia has one of eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites for karst, the Škocjanske jame (caves).

For LSU students, the educational and enrichment opportunities in Slovenia were tremendous. The International Karstological School was attended by students, professors, and specialists from more than 20 countries. As part of the School, students sat through lectures, participated in a poster session, and went on several excursions in the classical karst. Following the School, 12 karst springs were sampled so that spring geochemistry and microbiology could be evaluated back at LSU. Students had the opportunity to break up the research by visiting a natural laboratory studying Proteus anguinus, a cave salamander, a mercury mine in Idrija, Križna Jama (cave), and Dante’s Cave in the Triglov National Park. Back in the US, students are to completing their assignments for the GEOL 4002 course, and are involved in the laboratory analysis of the spring samples. In 2009, Dr. Mulec will come to the LSU to assist in data analysis.

Prior to the trip, the LSU students organized a new student club “GEEK” (Geomicrobiology in Extreme Environments and Karst), and are helping to organize the Dept of Geology & Geophysics seminar series, “Morning LATTE” (http://www.geol.lsu.edu/morninglatte.html), with other student clubs in the department. The series is planned to continue throughout the next academic year.

As part of the course, the students will also be presenting their experience as a poster at the Geological Society of America meeting in Houston, TX, October, 2008. The title of their poster is “Karst Field School and Research Experience: Undergraduate Involvement in the 16th International Karstological School and Geomicrobiology Research in Slovenia”

Stay tuned for more stories of adventure from this group!

By: Dr. Annette Engel