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Carlsbad, Calif., – March 31, 2008 – A broad, international spectrum of individuals across academia, the research community, and the gem and jewelry trade have agreed to serve on the Advisory Committee for GIA’s second Gemological Research Conference (GRC), planned for August 21–23, 2009.
GRC Advisory Committee members will help with program planning, review abstracts and disseminate information about the conference. A number of committee members will also participate as presenters.
The committee includes representatives from most of the major gemological labs in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, as well as gem dealers who are active in gemological research.
Among the museums represented are the Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of Natural History, the Natural History Museum of Milan, and the Netherlands National Museum of Natural History.
The committee also includes researchers from the De Beers DTC Research Centre, the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. Researchers from major universities in the United States, Canada, Thailand, United Kingdom, and France will participate as well.
Dr. James Shigley, GIA’s Distinguished Research Fellow and co-chair of the event, said, “We are pleased and gratified to have secured the assistance of such a diverse and distinguished group. The evolution of gemology and the challenges of new treatments and synthetics require a broad-based, multidisciplinary approach. The input and experience of our Advisory Committee members will ensure a rich and rewarding program for GRC 2009.”
The three-day event will take place at the Town & Country Resort and Convention Center in San Diego. The dual-track program will cover numerous technical areas of contemporary importance. Track 1 deals with topics such as gem treatments, synthetics and simulants, gem localities, the geology of gem-forming environments, diamond and colored stone identification, inclusions, and gem characterization technology. Track 2 features subjects such as pearls and organic gems, color description/grading and appraising, jewelry manufacturing technology, market research and analysis, fair trade and environmental issues, jewelry history and gems in cultural heritage, and gem pricing.
“The sessions at the 2009 GRC will cover an even broader range of subjects than the 2006 conference, while upholding the same rigorous standards of technical information,” said Brendan Laurs, co-chair of the event and editor of GIA’s professional journal, Gems & Gemology.
Rounding out the conference will be field trips to gem pegmatite mines in San Diego County.
Abstracts will be accepted beginning September 1, 2008. The final deadline for abstract submissions will be March 1, 2009.
As in 2006, travel grants will be available for presenters who demonstrate appropriate need.
For more information on the 2009 Gemological Research Conference, visit www.grc2009.gia.edu or e-mail grc2009@gia.edu.
About GIA:
An independent nonprofit organization, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is recognized as the world's foremost authority in gemology. Established in 1931, GIA has translated its expert knowledge into the most respected gemological education available. Early in the 1950s, GIA invented the famous Four Cs of Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat Weight. In 1953, the Institute created the International Diamond Grading System™ which, today, is recognized by virtually every professional jeweler in the world.
Through research, education, gemological laboratory services, and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism. GIA can be found on the web at www.gia.edu. Media queries contact: Laura Simanton 760-603-4112 or Jessica Sachariason, 760-603-4197.
A list of the Advisory Committee Members follows.
2nd Gemological Research Conference
August 21-23, 2009
Town & Country Resort and Convention Center
San Diego, California
www.grc2009.gia.edu
Advisory Committee Members
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Track 1: Gemology
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Dr. Ahmadjan Abduriyim
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Gemmological Association of All Japan, Tokyo, Japan
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Edward Boehm
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JOEB Enterprises, Solana Beach, California
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Dr. James Butler
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Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC
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Jean-Pierre Chalain
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SSEF, Basel, Switzerland
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Gagan Choudhary
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Gem Testing Laboratory, Jaipur, India
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Jim Clanin
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JC Mining, Hebron, Maine
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Dr. Alan Collins
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King’s College, London, England
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Branko Deljanin
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EGL Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia
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Dr. Barbara Dutrow
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Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
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Dr. Filip de Weerdt
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International Diamond Laboratories, Dubai
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Dr. Robert Downs
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University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
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Garry Du Toit
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GIA Research (Thailand), Bangkok
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Manfred Eickhorst
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System Eickhorst, Hamburg, Germany
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Dr. Emmanuel Fritsch
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Institut des Matériaux, Nantes, France
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Dr. Gaston Giuliani
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CRPG/CNRS, Nancy, France
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Chaman Golecha
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Gem Testing Laboratory, Jaipur, India
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Dr. Lee Groat
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University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Matthew Hall
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GIA Laboratory, New York
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Thomas Hainschwang
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Gemlab Gemmological Laboratory, Balzers, Liechtenstein
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Dr. George Harlow
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American Museum of Natural History, New York
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Dr. Peter Heaney
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Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
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Dr. Ulrich Henn
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DSEF, Idar-Oberstein, Germany
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Dr. Jaroslav Hyrsl
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Kolin, Czech Republic
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Robert Kane
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Fine Gems International, Helena, Montana
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Dr. Lore Kiefert
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AGTA Gemological Testing Center, New York
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John I. Koivula
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GIA Laboratory, Carlsbad, California
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Dr. Michael Krzemnicki
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SSEF, Basel, Switzerland
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Dr. Simon Lawson
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De Beers DTC Research Centre, Maidenhead, UK
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Dr. Robert Linares
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Apollo Diamond Inc., Medfield, Massachusetts
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Dr. David London
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University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
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Shane McClure
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GIA Laboratory, Carlsbad, California
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Dr. Claudio Milisenda
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DSEF, Idar-Oberstein, Germany
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Dr. Mark Newton
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University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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Franck Notari
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GemTechLab Laboratory, Geneva, Switzerland
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Dr. Daniel Nyfeler
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Gübelin Gem Lab, Lucerne, Switzerland
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Vincent Pardieu
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Gübelin Gem Lab, Lucerne, Switzerland
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Dr. Federico Pezzotta
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Natural History Museum of Milan, Italy
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Dr. Jeffery Post
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Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
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Dr. George Rossman
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California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
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Dr. Karl Schmetzer
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Petershausen, Germany
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Dr. Dietmar Schwarz
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Gübelin Gem Lab, Lucerne, Switzerland
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Dr. William (Skip) Simmons
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University of New Orleans, Louisiana
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Dr. Sergey Smirnov
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Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
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Christopher Smith
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American Gemological Laboratories, New York
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Tay Tae Sun
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Far East Gemological Laboratory, Singapore
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Dr. Victor Thomas
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Tairus Created Gems, Novosibirsk, Russia
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Dr. Jef Van Royen
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HRD Research, Lier, Belgium
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Dr. Wuyi Wang
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GIA Laboratory, New York
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Dr. Pornsawat Wathanakul
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Kasetsart University/Gem & Jewelry Inst. of Thailand, Bangkok
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Dr. Christopher Welbourn
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University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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Dr. Hanco Zwaan
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National Museum of Natural History, Leiden, Netherlands
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Track 2: Jewelry/Business/Pearls
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Dr. Saleem Ali
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University of Vermont, Burlington
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Eddie Bell
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Rio Grande/Neutec, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Charles I. Carmona
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Guild Laboratories Inc., Los Angeles
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Rui Galopim de Carvalho
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Laboratorios G&M, Lisboa, Portugal
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Richard Drucker
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Gemworld International Inc., Glenview, Illinois
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Cecilia Gardner
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Jewelers Vigilance Committee, New York
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Ken Gassman
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Kenneth Gassman Consulting, Glen Allen, Virginia
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Al Gilbertson
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GIA, Carlsbad, California
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Dr. Karin Hoal
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Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado
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Torry Hoover
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Hoover & Strong Inc., Richmond, Virginia
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Russ Hyder
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GIA Education, Carlsbad, California
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Dr. A.J.A. (Bram) Janse
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Archon Exploration, Carine, Australia
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John M. King
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GIA Laboratory, New York
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Dr. Jurgen Maerz
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Platinum Guild International, Santa Ana, California
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Dr. Yvonne Markowitz
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Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts
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Elise Misiorowski
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GIA Museum, Carlsbad, California
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Dr. Jack Ogden
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Gem-A, London, UK
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Martin Rapaport
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Rapaport Diamond Corp., New York
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Kenneth Scarratt
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GIA Research (Thailand), Bangkok
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Russell Shor
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GIA, Carlsbad, California
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Dr. Mink Stavenga
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GIA Education, Carlsbad, California
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Elisabeth Strack
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Gemmologisches Institut Hamburg, Germany
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Nicholas Sturman
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Gem & Pearl Testing Lab of Bahrain, Manama
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Thom Underwood
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San Diego Gemological Laboratory, California
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Robert Weldon
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GIA Library, Carlsbad, California
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