SUICRO 2024 Talks Announced

Talks for SUICRO 2024 have been announced:

With 12 speaking slots over 2 days, there is something for everyone!

We’re particularly happy to have such a compelling mix of presentations on diverse
topics from so many renowned cavers, researchers and academics.

This includes expedition reports, cave art/archaeology, club updates, surveying
techniques … and even a bit about AI + caving (of course).

Browse a summary of each talk below.

SUICRO 2024 DAY 1 (Sat 26 Oct)
= TALKS PROGRAMME (7pm kickoff) =

1. CLUB UPDATE FROM SHANNON CAVING GROUP
   An overview of another successful year by the Shannon Caving Group which has
   made some exciting new discoveries in Shannon cave.
2. RESEARCH IN THE RISING STAR CAVE SYSTEM
   Prof. John Hawks appears in the Netflix “Cave of Bones” documentary and is a
   renowned paleoanthropologist. In this talk, John will share his experience of the
   unprecedented discoveries made in the Rising Star Cave System, South Africa.
3. ‘FINDING BACON’ IN BACON HOLE – CAVE ART IN WALES
   Join Dr George Nash as he describes the (re)discovery of palaeolithic cave art from
   Bacon Hole, South Wales. George will also discuss a new image processing
   technique that could potentially be applied to uncovering cave art in Ireland.
4. EXPEDITION REPORT FROM CRETE 2023
   Petie Barry reports on a successful 2023 expedition to Crete which doubled the size
   of the Sternes system, resulting in open leads in every direction.
5. EXPEDITION REPORT FROM LEBANON 2023
   On their first visit to Ireland, Bartek Biela, Paulina Biela and Firas Fayad report on a 2023 expedition to the Dara Caves of Lebanon, including scientific research carried out.
6. UPDATE ON CAVE SURVEY TECHNOLOGY & TECHNIQUES
   Join Rostam Namaghi as he explores some of the latest techniques in cave
   surveying, including a review of current and future technology.

= SUICRO 2024 DAY 2 (Sun 27 Oct) =
= TALKS PROGRAMME (7pm kickoff) =

1. CLUB UPDATE FROM PEGASUS CAVING CLUB
   Pat Cronin will update us on the Panama expeditions 2020-2023 and describe the
   development of Considine’s Cave dig in Co.Clare.
   
2. NEW ARCHAEOLOGY FROM CASTLEPOOK CAVE
   Archaeologist Phil Kenny reports on new finds from Castlepook Cave in Co.Cork
   (supported by the Cork Speleological Group). This includes the unique find of an
   unerupted baby mammoth tooth.
   
3. EXPEDITION REPORT FROM MALAYSIA 2024
   Rostam Namaghi reports on the 2024 expedition to find the main water route through
   Clearwater Cave, one of the world’s longest caves. As he will explain, an exciting
   discovery was made that should finally put to rest this longstanding mystery.
   
4. EXPEDITION REPORT FROM PERU 2024
   A report from local cavers who are currently en-route to join expedition to Peru, as
   described by Pete Talling at SUICRO 2023.
   
5. ‘JOYS’ OF DIGGING & THE COAL MINES OF MEGHALAYA
   Colin Boothroyd explore some of the cave digging approaches he has been involved
   with over the years, including a recent visit to old coal-mines in Meghalaya (India)
   and the “real-life” digging techniques used there.
   
6. AI + CAVING … IT’LL BE FINE. (RIGHT?!)
   It’s being used for everything else … so why not caving?! In this short talk, Shane
   will run through the good, the bad, the beautiful and the plain ugly intersection of AI +
   caving.

Further information is available at CavingSymposium2024 and inquiries should be directed to the organisers at caving.symposium@gmail.com