Seminar Details
Seminar Lab Date: November 4, 2026
Seminar Lab Subject: The Hope Diamond and Other Stories from the Smithsonian Gem & Mineral Collection
Seminar Lab Presenter: Jeffrey Post, Ph.D., Curator of Gems & Minerals (emeritus), Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Seminar Lab Location:
In-person only at University of Minnesota, Tate Hall, Room B20
Time: 6:00 PM CT (note earlier time)
Seminar Lab Detail:
Summary: The Hope Diamond is one of the most famous gemstones in the world. It is familiar to most people because of its fascinating human history that includes kings and thieves and perhaps a curse or two, but it is also a rare blue diamond, the largest and finest of its kind known. Despite its long history in the public eye, the diamond still prompts many questions. The United States National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian Institution is also well-known for its many other world-class gems and jewelry pieces. Curator-emeritus, Jeffrey Post, will explore the science and lore behind some of the famous and lesser-known gems in the National Collection.
Biography: Dr. Jeffrey E. Post received Bachelor of Science degrees in geology and chemistry from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville, and his Ph.D. in geochemistry from Arizona State University. Prior to joining the Department of Mineral Sciences at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History in 1984, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Harvard University. He was Chairman of the Department of Mineral Sciences 1989-1994 and 2014-2019, and from 1991 to 2023 served as Curator-in-Charge of the National Gem and Mineral Collection. Dr. Post was the lead Curator for the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals that opened in 1997. In May 2023 he was appointed research curator, emeritus. He is on the Board of Governors for the Gemological Institute of America.
He has published more than 150 scientific articles and is author of The National Gem Collection, and the recently published: The Smithsonian National Gem Collection—Unearthed: Surprising Stories Behind the Jewels.
