Former GIA Governor Dr. George Rossman Passes Away
Noted scientist, author, and educator advised GIA for over 50 years
CARLSBAD, Calif. – February 11, 2026 – George Rossman, a member of the GIA Board of Governors from 1995 to 2007 and professor of mineralogy, emeritus, at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), passed away on February 6 at age 81.
“George was a skilled and passionate scientist, a dedicated and talented educator, and a mentor to generations of GIA scientists," said Tom Moses, GIA executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer.
In addition to being a GIA Governor, he advised GIA researchers for over 50 years and authored or co-authored numerous important articles for GIA’s professional journal, Gems & Gemology, while serving many years on the journal’s editorial review board.
Jennifer Stone-Sundberg, senior technical editor at Gems & Gemology, frequently visited him at Caltech. She noted, “George was one of the most significant resources for Gems & Gemology, whether he was an author, peer reviewer or guest editor. Endlessly curious, he would always consider a researcher’s background and research capabilities and was very sympathetic to new talent.”
A respected professor of mineralogy at Caltech, Rossman was known for his passion for the field and his enthusiastic dedication to teaching. He was a leading authority on mineral spectroscopy and the causes of color in minerals, and, with others, discovered several minerals, including rossmanite from the tourmaline family, named in his honor. A prolific writer, he produced more than 400 academic papers.
