Extraordinary Women Leaders in Speleology (EWLS)

Julie Meachen Awarded DMU’s First NSF Grant Dr. Meachen joined Des Moines University as an assistant professor of anatomy in July 2013, where she has been an active researcher. During Dr. Meachen’s initial visit to Natural Trap Cave, a 85-foot-deep sinkhole, she discovered various fossils from species ranging from 12,000 to 30,000 years old. In April 2015 she was awarded the first National Science Foundation (NSF) grant ($400,000) to support her project in Wyoming’s Natural Trap Cave. In collaboration with researchers from across the globe, this project seeks to understand the Pleistocene extinction. #ewls #womencavers #ScienceWomen #WLeadershp SOURCES https://www.dmu.edu/dose/2015/04/julie-meachen-ph-d-awarded-dmus-first-nsf-grant/

Larisa Yerofeevskaya, research fellow at the Institute of Oil and Gas Problems, says that bacterial found in frozen paleontological remains has unearthed hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms capable of decomposing oil components into water and carbon dioxide. This find gives the potential to develop bacteria compounds that could clean-up pollution caused by oil products and fats. "From cave lions, we identified a very large number of bacteria ... so far four strains...[are] hydrocarbon oxidizing. We identified bacteria in the mouth of one cub and in the anus of the second one ... ancient bacteria that existed ... least 12,000 years ago." The ancient cave lion cub bacteria literally appears to eat the oil. The woolly rhino carcass also hosted 'ammonifying organisms that break down the protein of plant and animal origin. "There is strong potential for use in fighting pollution," she said. "If we manage to create a consortium of organisms - ammonifying, cell

Tabitha Rossmass has been the Photography Blog Director for one year at EWLS. She has been a strong advocate for the EWLS mission. “She is in inspiration really” said Lisa Bauman, EWLS President. “Tabitha operates more like a advocate than a blogger. She is so dependable and wonderful and she truly cares about people.” Tabitha has donated countless hours to inspire people on social media but she also contributes on the field. In 2015 she volunteered as a trip leader at the EWLS annual event, arriving days early to help with the event preparation. She finds contributors for EWC in the annual magazine and coordinates with local caving and community organizations as a volunteer. “I am working to build a community of women cave photographers and create a place where we can learn from each other.” Tabitha said. Tabitha graduated from New Mexico State University (NMSU) in 2014 with a BS in Agriculture with an emphasis in Wildlife Science and have over three years of experience with mon

Here are some great young women who have shared their skills and become leaders in caving at a very young age. If you like these, you'll like our Pinterest page too! Kristen Bredemeier is director of environmental education at Teach and Learn Experientially, the non-profit that manages EarthWorks & Exchange City in the SubTropolis business park. Read more here . Gretchen Hartman, 18 years, has been caving with the NSS youth program for almost 4 years now and is a member of the Philadelphia Grotto. Read more here . Catie McEntee first went caving about 4 years ago with her Venturing Crew (the co-ed division of Eagle Scouts) on a trip hosted by the NSS Youth Liaison Committee Chairperson Allen Maddox. Today she studies engineering at North Carolina State University. Read more here . Katrina Berry is a 20 year old college student who has been caving with the NSS youth program for 2 years. Berry has planned and ran her own trip of 12 Scouts and leaders to

“As always in life, people want a simple answer . . . and it’s always wrong.” Susan Greenfield, Scientist, Writer, Broadcaster, & member of the British House of Lords. Her research is to identify a novel approach to the treatment of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. #ScienceWomen #WLeadership #ewls

The 50-year-old diver, Jill Heinerth also doubles as an underwater photographer and film-maker. She  has spent decades exploring some of the world’s most dangerous waters. "Shipwrecks, dangerous caves and exploding icebergs are all in a day’s work for Jill Heinerth." writes reporter for The Royal Gazette, Jessie Moniz Hardy. Jill regularly is asked to share her skills with aspiring scientists, cavers, and divers. Two weeks ago she taught rebreathing techniques to scientists at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) and lectured about some of her experiences at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute. She has written many books on diving techniques and has become a pioneer in rebreather diving, a method still not used by the majority of divers because of the level of training needed. Her most dangerous dive was a cave in an Antarctic iceberg 15 years ago. The Connecticut-sized iceberg was one of the largest on record and broke off the Ross Ice Shelf in 2