A Glowing Example of Geology Education

Transforming a Personal Passion Into An Impactful Community Service

- DOUGLAS E. LINIGER

As a geologist, it is almost a prereq-uisite to have some sort of a rock collection. I have been a rock collector since I cannot remember when. Some of the most interesting pieces that I’ve collected are fluorescent specimens. I became interested in fluorescent minerals when I went on a weekend geologic field trip with a friend in the military. He was from Ogdensburg, New Jersey, near the famous Sterling Mine, where some of the most brilliantly colored specimens can be found. After stopping by a road cut with just a small ultraviolet (UV) light, I was mesmerized by the bright orange, green, and blue colors I saw. I started collecting small pieces that would fit nicely in a box and pull them out when the mood struck me. Until about 2013, the collection was intended only for my interests. That all changed with the budgetary stalemate on school funding in the state of Illinois.

In 2013, the Illinois state government shorted the budget of the school district that our children attend to the tune of approximately $1,000,000. Budgets were cut, teachers let go, and programs were eliminated. Programs in the sciences and arts seemed to be affected the most. My wife and I, both being scientists, wanted to do something. My wife suggested that we build a display for the school district to use in teaching students about the unique and fascinating properties of mineral fluorescence. So I put my rudimentary carpentry skills to work, and we built a display box with shelves to hold several specimens.