National Cave and Karst Research Institute

Carlsbad, New Mexico | Conduct, support, facilitate, and promote programs in cave and karst research, education, environmental management, and data acquisition and sharing.

Karst Info Portal
Join
Donate
Adopt-A-Bat

About

NCKRI was born from a passion for protecting caves with their abundant research opportunities and diversity of resources.

People

  • Dr. George Veni

    Dr. George Veni

    Executive Director

    Caves and karst, my life since 1975. Karen, my life too and wife since 1990. Caver, hydrogeologist, NCKRI chief, and International Union of Speleology President.

  • Valerie Davis

    Valerie Davis

    Operations Division Director

    Lifelong New Mexican who values supporting educational endeavors by utilizing her administrative skills to support research programs, with sustainable and creative solutions.

  • Dr. Daniel S. Jones

    Dr. Dan Jones

    Assistant Professor of Geobiology, New Mexico Tech
    Academic Director NCKRI

    Dan has been studying caves and the microbes that make them since 2005. Geomicrobiologist, geochemist, and karst scientist. Assistant Professor of Geobiology at New Mexico Tech.

  • Dr. Patricia Seiser at ICS

    Dr. Patricia Seiser

    Cave and Karst Management Science Director

    I view life like a never-ending cave—always something different around the next corner, always something new to see and explore, and on occasion a passage brings you right back to where you started from but having learned a great deal.

  • Dr. Lewis Land

    Dr. Lewis Land

    Karst Hydrogeologist

    Lewis has been doing hydrogeology in New Mexico since 2002. Most of his work involves big-picture investigations of karstic aquifers, but he sometimes finds his way into caves and sinkholes.

  • photo of Devra

    Devra Heyer

    Education Program Manager

    Mary Poppins and Ms. Frizzle are my heroes, so I take chances, make mistakes, and have a never-ending tool bag to solve problems. I also like to trepidatiously go where no one has gone before with an ample supply of gummy bears.

  • Dr. Issam Bou Jaoude

    Dr. Issam Bou Jaoude

    Cave and Karst Specialist

    I have been mixing my love of adventure, with my love of karst and caves, since 1999, and it is a passion that keeps me moving forward.

  • Lisa Ryan

    Office Manager

    Lisa is adventurous, loves anything water and being outdoors. She values life and the simplicity of life, loves her family and animals deeply. Caretaker, courteous, compassionate, and devoted to all she holds dear.