Public Outreach

Pictured are a few examples of the public outreach activities of the IKC. Our Special Reprint Series consists of eight publications (as of mid-1997) of particular historical or scientific interest. In many cases, the books or journals in which the material originally appeared are now out of print and could not be obtained otherwise. Topics in the reprint series range from biology, geology, archeology, paleontology, hydrology, and even a bibliography of other scientific resources.  The photo at right shows the fourth reprint in the series; a cave-related chapter from Gleanings from Nature by Blatchley. Originally published in 1899, this particular chapter provided one of the first descriptions of the animals living in and around the caves in southern Indiana. These older works make for very entertaining reading, reflecting a time when scientists shared an awe and respect for their area of study; something rarely found in current, data-driven scientific works.

The IKC also occasionally distributes posters or other informative materials to their membership for educational use. The photo at left shows some posters provided by the IKC -- discussing groundwater protection and cave life -- on display at an elementary school northeast of Indianapolis.

Other IKC-sponsored public outreach activities include:

• The IKC Update, our newsletter and main source of information on IKC activities.
• The Indiana Cave Symposium, an annual educational event jointly sponsored by the IKC and the Indiana Cave Survey.
• Earth Day Indiana and other such events, where the general public may view our display, ask questions, and obtain informative brochures.
• Member-led presentations to scout troops, clubs and other interested parties.
• IKC promotional items such as hats, T-shirts and polo shirts with the IKC logo; which foster a sense of pride and identification with the organization.
• The IKC web page and this slide show!

For more discussion of IKC activities, please view the separate page devoted to that topic.