George R. Rossman is the Eleanor and John R. McMillan Professor of Mineralogy at the California Institute of Technology

California Institute of Technology

The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...

. He studies Mineral spectroscopy, water and hydroxide in nominally anhydrous solids,
Analytical methods for OH analysis in minerals, X-ray amorphous minerals, and the effects of exposure on minerals to background levels of natural radiation. Paul Asimow, describing Rossman's work, wrote, "Within the general rubric of mineral spectroscopy, George’s work can be grouped into three principal categories: the origin of color, the effects of natural and artificial radiation damage, and the concentration and crystal chemistry of hydrogen in minerals both hydrous and nominally anhydrous." http://www.minsocam.org/msa/ammin/toc/Abstracts/2002_Abstracts/MJ02_Abstracts/Asimow_p799_02.pdf

Awards and honors

• 2005 The Friedrich-Becke Medal, Österreichische Mineralogische Gesellschaft
• 2004 The Richard P. Feynman Prize for Excellence in Teaching, California Institute of Technology
• 2001 The Dana Medal, Mineralogical Society of America
• 1999 Honorary Awardee, American Federation Scholarship Foundation and the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies
• 1994 Distinguished Lecturer, Mineralogical Society of America.
• 1987 Alumni Distinguished Service Award, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
• 1980 Fellow, Mineralogical Society of America
• 1966-1970 NSF Graduate Fellowship

Partial List of Publications

• Chadwick KM, Rossman GR (2009) Orange kyanite from Tanzania. Gems & Gemology 45, 146-147.

• Chemtob SM, Rossman GR, Eiler JM, Jolliff BL (2009) Silica coatings on the 1974 Kilauea flow: new SEM and SIMS results and implications for Mars. 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Abstract 2156.

• Cooper MA, Hawthorne FC, Grew ES, Kyser TK, Rossman GR (2009) The crystal chemistry of the kornerupine-prismatine series. II. The role of hydrogen. Canadian Mineralogist 47, 263-274.

• Glotch TD, Rossman GR (2009) Mid-infrared reflectance spectra and optical constants of six iron oxide/oxyhydroxide phases. Icarus 204, 663-571.

• Kampf AR, Rossman GR, Housley RM (2009) Plumbophyllite, a new species from the Blue Bell claims near Baker, San Bernardino Couinty, California. American Mineralogist 94, 1198-1204.

• Ma C, Beckett JR, Rossman GR, Connolly HC, Guan Y, Eiler JM, Hofmann AE (2009) In-situ disovery of a cluster of refractory grains in an Allende ferromagnesian chrondrule. 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Abstract 2138.

• Ma C, Beckett JR, Rossman GR (2009) Allendeite and hexamolybdenum: two new ultra-refractory minerals in Allende and two missing links. 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Abstract 1402.

• Ma C, Rossman GR (2009) Tistarite, Ti2O3, a new refractory mineral from the Allende meteorite. American Mineralogist 94, 841-844.

• Ma C, Rossman GR (2009) Davisite, CaScAlSiO6, a new pyroxene from the Allende meteorite. American Mineralogist 94, 845-848.

• Ma C, Simon SB, Rossman GR, Grossman L (2009) Calcium Tschermak’s pyroxene, CaAlAlSiO6, from the Allende and Murray meteorites: EBSD and micro-Raman characterizations. American Mineralogist 94, 1483-1486.

• Ma C, Rossman GR (2009) Grossmanite, CaTi3+AlSiO6, a new pyroxene from the Allende Meteorite - American Mineralogist 94, 1491-1494.

• Rossman GR (2009) The geochemistry of gems and its relevance to gemology: different traces, different prices. Elements 5, 159-162.