Ed Grew participates in “Sunday with a Scientist” at the State Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Ed joined his wife Priscilla Grew and other volunteers in presenting “Sunday with a Scientist: Rocks and Minerals” at the University of Nebraska State Museum in Lincoln on December 18. The Museum’s monthly “Sunday with a Scientist” outreach programs are designed to appeal to family audiences. Volunteers from the University and local groups present topics related to science and natural history in a fun and informal way through demonstrations, activities, or by conducting their science on site. Other presenters were UNL geology professor Matt Joeckel and volunteers from the Lincoln Gem and Mineral Club who demonstrated lapidary techniques. Attending were 164 visitors including 70 children.
Ed and Priscilla selected examples from Ed’s mineral collection to illustrate the great variety of color and crystal forms in minerals, including rock crystal, agate, tiger eye, amazonite feldspar, garnet, pyrite, malachite and azurite. These were displayed in temporary cases for easy viewing. In addition, visitors could handle “touchable” minerals showing special properties—such as clear cleavage rhombs of Iceland spar displaying double refraction. Even more fascinating for visitors were polished slices of ulexite, the so-called “TV stone,” which demonstrated the effect of light traveling along crystal fibers. Children could also color pages printed with outline pictures of minerals, and they could take home sheets with special patterns to cut and fold into paper crystal models. Each visitor could also choose a rock or mineral trading card as a souvenir of the event.
For three hours, Ed answered visitor questions about the optical effects and origin of mineral color, explained the difference between cleavage and crystal faces. The children were full of curiosity and got great delight from handling minerals, looking at them with magnifiers, and admiring their colors and forms. Adult visitors posed some tougher questions for Ed about the geochemistry of beryllium and the origin of the solar system.

The Museum’s exit survey asked visitors what they liked best about the event. Among the responses: “the pretty rocks” (from a 5 year old girl); “crystals”; “different than the usual museum”; “I like seeing scientists”; and “awesome”!