About 30 Western Kentucky University students are learning from one of Chinas best scientists. Yuan Daoxian, the former director of Chinas Institute of Karst Geology, is in Kentucky for the Geological Society of America meeting in Lexington this week. Daoxian will speak to the conference about Chinas cave systems. Daoxian has worked with Western professor Chris Groves on a number of projects, including a water testing project that led Groves to the Asian nation a few weeks ago. Groves said Daoxian is recognized as one of the top karst researchers in China. We hooked up with him in 1995, Groves said. This is the 10th trip in an exchange program with China and the Hoffman Environmental Research Institute at Western since the program began in 1994.Daoxian is a hydrologist and studies ecological impact to karst areas. He said China has a deteriorating karst system that is important to preserve because many people depend on the caves for income. What we are doing is trying to find a way to rehabilitate such regions, Daoxian said. He said he is looking to find ways to improve living conditions in China, including finding better water sources for the almost 100 million people living in poverty. Daoxian said this is an international problem. Areas in Europe and Asia are facing similar situations. This is Daoxians third trip to Kentucky. He came in 1983 and 1992. But this is his first trip to Western. Every time I see new things, Daoxian said. Groves said having Daoxian at Western is valuable to students. Its a chance for our students to meet with foreign scientists who are well-known and learn from their experiences, Groves said. Exposing the students to them and their ideas is great. Groves said he and Daoxian discussed several projects while he was in Bowling Green. The two co-direct a United Nations project called the Global Correlation of Karst Ecosystems under the International Geological Correlative Project. Daoxian visited Mammoth Cave to look at some equipment similar to what Groves group installed in China last month. Groves said the equipment here is a little different. Its a chance for him to see a different example, Groves said.