As gem and mineral curator I’ve learned much about getting specimens on display in geology departments. If you want advice on purchasing stuff to improve cases and ideas to execute, let me know. I’d love to use what I’ve fought to learn help other departments level up. Email me at utexas.edu

Last tourist stop on the way to Keflavík airport. And it lives up to its famous reputation.

Columnar basalts are a personal favorite. But collecting the perfect specimen remains elusive.

BA sampling the Laki lava crust on a breakout lobe… we then checked out the diamond beach little icebergs.

Iridescent Strombolian fall, reticulite, and the crew.

PhD student Abby sampling the base of the 1783 Laki pyroclastic fall, and one gratuitous hook’em.

PhD student Abby is ready for Laki on our Smithsonian expedition.

The best obsidian I've ever seen, mahogany to boot. Collected in Oregon.