Geologist, educator, author, and artist
I’m working on a book about how different people see the Earth.
Here’s what I’m thinking…
The Earth talks to us. What do we do with all that information?
I’ve dealt with data my entire life—mineralogical, test scores, demographics—along with all the things we do to data—label, digitize, visualize, archive. We literally have so much data we hardly know what to do with it.
How do I answer the person who asks me “What does geology have to do with climate change?”
This question prompted considerable head-scratching on my part, for although I thought I knew the answer, it’s complicated. Simply, the use of water, minerals, and fossil fuels are strongly tied to people with their politics, economics, beliefs, and actions.
Are we prepared for the new rush toward mineral exploitation for a green economy?
The current use of the word ‘harvest’ in place of ‘mining’ on the deep sea floor is another sugar-coating or perhaps green-washing for a process that is difficult and dirty at best. At its worst, mining devastates people, their communities, and the environment.
How do the Earth, the planet, and the world intersect?
I thought I was writing about the Earth when, in fact, I am writing about how a person constructs a world view. While writing about how other people might see the Earth, I’ve learned a lot about myself.
How to Be A JEDI in 2026?
Broadening participation in geoscience has rightfully evolved into BElonging, Accessibility, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. In the meantime, geoscience has grown into a community that no longer relies primarily on white people to advocate for these principles. Where do I put my energies now? Natural resource justice for women and children in mining? Continued mentoring of geoscience students?
How to Be A Jedi in 2026?
Artisan amethyst miners, Mapatiza, Kalomo,Zambia, photo by Daniel Munalula, courtesy of Patricia Ongwe Zita.
Broadening participation in geoscience has rightfully evolved into belonging, accessibility, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. In the meantime, geoscience has grown into a community that no longer relies primarily on white people to advocate for these principles. Where do I put my energies now? Natural resource justice for women and children in mining? Continued mentoring of geoscience students?
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The field of geoscience persists in having one of the lowest percentages of underrepresented minorities as students and as professionals. In the late 20th century, I was the only white person in a room at Virginia Tech telling the Black faculty organization about a new project to increase representation in the sciences. The members asked me why I was there; they didn’t believe there was only one African American geoscientist in a university in Virginia. I still think that was true at the time, but in that moment, I felt quite awkward as the message-bearer.
Children mining beryl in Ethiopia, photo courtesy Hewan Zewdi
I’m more interested now in hanging out with people who are thinking about ethical sourcing of gems and metals, and about the working conditions of men, women, and children in artisan mines. Maybe it is presumptuous to think I, a white woman, can help, but we who buy jewelry and trinkets made of stone know so little about how these rocks are taken from the ground.
I started on this journey using beautiful stone beads I had accumulated over 20 years of attending gem and mineral shows. As I learned more about the business of gemstones, I migrated from wanting simply—and it really is not simple—to know where my rocks came from, to wanting to ensure that the people who touch these stones along their journey have a living wage, safe working conditions, access to school, and some environmental safeguards. This is not an easy task in the jewelry industry—or, as we know from frequent news stories—for many of the modern products that we take for granted!
I do not fit the profile of an entrepreneur—I get a grade of 5 out of 20 on Daniel Isenberg’s quiz in the Harvard Business Review. I’ll stick to education rather than selling jewelry. But I love gemstones and jewelry, and I admire the people in the jewelry industry who are working toward a transparent and ethical trade.
And I still think we need to know where our rocks come from!
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