The future of deep carbon science featured prominently at the recent Mineralogical Society of America (MSA) Centennial Symposium. The symposium, convened on 20-21 June 2019 in Washington, DC, focused on the next 100 years of mineral sciences. The Deep Carbon Observatory partnered with MSA as a symposium co-sponsor to promote complementary scientific objectives.
A session on “Mineral Inclusions in Diamonds from the Deep Earth” featured several members of DCO's research collaboration Diamonds and Mantle Geodynamics of Carbon (DMGC). Fabrizio Nestola (University of Padua, Italy) discussed in-situ, ambient analysis of diamond-captured mantle transition zone and lower mantle minerals, while Graham Pearson (University of Alberta, Canada) examined the diamond record of plate tectonic recycling of H, C, N, and B. The session was moderated by Steve Shirey (Carnegie Institution for Science, USA)—a leader in DCO’s DMGC research collaboration.
DCO Executive Director Robert Hazen (Carnegie Institution for Science, USA) moderated a session titled “The Future of Data-Driven Discovery in Mineralogy, Crystallography, and Petrology,” which was based on concepts that blossomed from his DCO research in mineral evolution. The session featured Shaunna Morrison (Carnegie Institution for Science, USA) who explored the future of data-driven discovery in mineralogy and crystallography and Simone Runyon (University of Wyoming, USA) who addressed the future of data-driven discovery in petrology and geochemistry.
Many DCO scientists were among the 160 attendees of the MSA Centennial Symposium, which was held at the historic headquarters of the Carnegie Institution for Science. DCO members have also served as past MSA presidents, including Robert Hazen, Doug Rumble, Steve Shirey, and Alexandra Navrotsky.
Additional information about the program is available on the symposium website.
Image credit: Jon Howard/Courtesy of MSA
