(CARLSBAD, Calif.) – Early-career scientists in geology, mineralogy geochemistry and related fields have a unique opportunity to advance their research and our understanding of the Earth with a fellowship at the premier gemological research organization – GIA, the Gemological Institute of America. The Institute’s Richard T. Liddicoat Postdoctoral Research Fellowships provide an exceptional opportunity for specialized research through unparalleled access to nearly 90 years of in-depth research and the vast array of diamonds, colored gems and pearls that flow through GIA’s laboratories.
Karen Smit, a postdoctoral researcher for GIA from 2014-2016. She is using a Scanning Electron Microscope to image a sample’s shape or composition and see the internal growth structure of diamond. Photo by Jian Xin (Jae) Liao/GIA.Qualified candidates are urged to apply for the fellowships at GIA’s Carlsbad, California and New York City locations. Applications are due by July 31, 2021. For more information and to apply, visit GIA.edu/research-careers.
“GIA’s research deepens the world’s understanding of gemstones, building knowledge about Earth’s formation and development, and also contributes to GIA’s deeply held mission to protect all who cherish and value gems and their mineral origins,” said Tom Moses, GIA executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer. “Researchers focused on scientific problems related to mineralogy, crystallography, geochemistry and gemology of diamonds, colored gem stones and pearls, and those with interest in developing related technologies and instrumentation will have unrivalled access to gemstones that come through GIA’s laboratory.”
Research fellows will be exposed to rough and polished natural, laboratory-grown and treated gemstones, including samples acquired by GIA’s unique field gemology program from gem locales around the world. In-house research tools include FTIR; UV-Vis-NIR absorption; Raman, photoluminescence and EPR spectrometers; an SEM microscope equipped with EDS and CL spectroscopy and imaging; laser ablation ICP-MS; and a CVD diamond growth lab with laser cutting and polishing facilities. GIA also facilitates access to outside research facilities. The start date of each fellowship is flexible as long as applicants received their Ph.D. in a relevant field by the start date, and preferably within the last three years.
The fellowship includes a competitive annual stipend, research funding and travel subsidies for approved offsite research work. Benefits include full health, dental and vision insurance, and the potential reimbursement of relocation expenses. Appointments are for one year and may be extended for a second year based on mutual agreement.
The Richard T. Liddicoat Postdoctoral Research Associate Fellowship program was created in 2014 to honor GIA’s former president, who was widely considered the “Father of Modern Gemology.”
Learn more about GIA at GIA.edu.
