Lecture Program

Jun 23, 2023

Friday, Sept 15

11:00 am Jeff Scovil, Photographer The Drehers, A Legacy of Beauty
12:00 pm Stephen Nash, Senior Curator of Archaeology at Denver Museum of Nature & Science The Enchanted Gem Carvings of Vasily Konovalenko
1:00 pm Kim Vagner, Executive Director of Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals Gem Minerals of the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals
2:00 pm Jenna White, Colorado School of Mines;  Kimberly Collins, Kimberly Collin Colored Gemstones; and John W. Ford, AGTA AGTA and Colorado School of Mines Update on the Transparent and Traceable Gemstone Supply Chain Initiative
3:00 pm John Rhoads, D&J Rare Gems Colorado Faceted Gemstones
4:00pm Rebecca Boyajian, Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Knowledge Session: GIA Updates

Saturday, Sept 16

11:00 am Ed Raines, Curator of Mines Museum of Earth Science The Quest for Great Wealth from Free Stuff
12:00 pm Laura McCall, Manager of Lizzadro Museum Shop Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art-Sharing the beauty of hard stone carvings for over 60 years
1:00 pm Bill Larson, President, Pala International, Inc. San Diego County Tourmalines, and recent finds at the Tourmaline King
2:00 pm Kimberly Collins, Kimberly Collins Gems; Niklai Israileff, ASBA, USA, Inc.; Robyn Dufty, DuftyWeis Opals, Inc.; and John Bradshaw, John J Bradshaw; Moderator: John W. Ford, AGTA AGTA Shares It’s Love of Colored Stones and Cultured Pearls
3:00 pm Renata Lafler, Executive Director of Mines Museum of Earth Science Crowns and Cleavage – Gems from the Mines Museum of Earth Science

Sunday, Sept 17

11:00 am Mark Ivan Jacobson Spodumene – An Exotic Gemstone
12:00 pm Albert O. Ray, Mine Claim Owner Unearthing the Beauty of Chihuahua, Mexico
1:00 pm Brian Walko, Earth Extractions, LLC and Conrad North, Past President of the Fluorescent Mineral Society Silver Foxes of Fluorescence
2:00 pm John Pollard, Senior Director of Education at International Gemological Institute (IGI) and Neil Beaty, ICGA Appraiser Assessing, Appraising & Advising Consumers on Colored Stones
4:00 pm John Pollard, Senior Director of Education at IGI What’s Happening Here and Now? New Color, Fun Features and Sharing