These Are the Researchers Set To Speak at GIA Symposium

Carlsbad, Calif.—Leading researchers in geology, mineralogy and diamond formation are slated to speak at the Gemological Institute of America’s upcoming symposium.

The International Gemological Symposium, an event the GIA holds every few years, is scheduled for Oct. 7 to 9 at the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad, California.

It will include presentations from the following.

Saleem Ali, senior fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Sustainable Investment and director of the Gemstones and Sustainable Development Knowledge Hub at the University of Delaware, will discuss “Gemstones and Sustainable Livelihoods: From Mines to Markets.”

Barbara Dutrow, a professor in the department of geology and geophysics at Louisiana State University and a member of the GIA board of governors, will examine “Tourmaline: A Gemstone’s Guide to Geologic Evolution.”

Lee Groat, professor in the department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia and editor of The Canadian Mineralogist, will present “Scientific Study of Colored Gem Deposits and Modern Fingerprinting Methods.”

Andrey Katrusha will present “Growing Ultra-Large Synthetic Diamonds with HPHT Methods.” He is a leading specialist in the field.

D. Graham Pearson, a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alberta, will delve into new technologies and techniques in “Modern Advances in the Understanding of Diamond Formation.”

Evan Smith, a research scientist at GIA, will discuss “The Formation of Natural Type IIa & IIb Diamonds.”

Daniel Twitchen, sales director for CVD synthetic diamonds at Element Six, will address “Synthetic CVD Diamonds.”

There also will be various presentations on gemological research focusing on seven themes: colored stones and pearls; diamond geology; diamond identification; gem characterization; general gemology and jewelry; gem localities and gem formation; and new technologies and techniques.

These themes also will be addressed in a poster session featuring more than 60 participants presenting research abstracts on topics such as “The Use of Endangered Species in Jewelry” and “The Impact of Fluorescence on Diamond Marketability.” Attendees of the symposium will be able to interact with the poster presenters during the sessions.

In addition during symposium, professors from the Harvard Business School will lead a session on business concepts and innovations using the case study method employed in all HBS programs.

The GIA event will close with “Futurescape Forum,” a panel featuring industry leaders who will discuss their predictions on the future of the gem and jewelry industry.