Florence Bascom, The First US Geologist Inspired by Caves

Florence Bascom was the first woman in the United States to hold a PhD in Geology, and the first woman geologist ever hired by the U.S. Geological Survey. She also became the head of the Dept. of Geology at Bryn Mawr College.

Bascom was was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts in 1862. Her father encouraged her interest in natural science, and she became fascinated with geology as a result of a trip to Mammoth Cave. She earned her BS in 1884, her MS in1887, and attempted to enroll in the PhD program at Johns Hopkins University. The University refused to enroll her as a regular student, but allowed her to attend classes sitting behind a screen, out of sight of the male students. She persevered, taking a full program of graduate studies. She was among the first American petrologists to utilize thin-section studies, and her work was so exemplary and professional that she was awarded the PhD in 1893. Bascom's bibliography numbers about 40 published works. Bascom was elected to Fellowship in The Geological Society of America in 1894, and initiated an important geology program for women at Bryn Mawr College in 1895.

SOURCES
www.minrec.org

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Jessica Deli

Jessica Deli has been Central Region Coordinator for the NCRC since 2012 but before then she had already made her mark as a rescue specialist and cave conservationist all over the US. Deli has been involved with the National Cave Rescue Commission since 2005. With a simple Google search you will find her name everywhere participating in cave rescue training efforts. She appeared in the New York Grotto 2008 report for the Cave rescue Seminar and 2013 Orientation to Cave Rescue. In 2006 Kansas City Grotto mentioned her in the Orientation to Cave Rescue at Indiana University. Central Indiana Grotto enjoyed her demos in 2012 at the club's Vertical training. At the 2011 NSS Convention she presented "Atmospheric Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Levels in Caves: What is Normal? Preliminary Results" with Anmar Mirza. And in 2005 she was involved in the Buckner's Cave clean-up project at Indiana University Bloomington. Deli's credentials in civilian life are impressive too! T

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