Dazzling Gem and Mineral Gallery Opens in UT Geology Library

A new gem and mineral gallery at the Jackson School of Geosciences offers an eye-catching array of geological specimens meant to delight and inspire visitors. The specimens range from sparkling gemstones, to unusual crystals, to a wall of minerals that turn bright highlighter hues under ultraviolet light.

The Henry R. and Ann H. Hamman Gem and Mineral Gallery is in the Walter Geology Library on the fourth floor of the Jackson Geological Sciences Building on The University of Texas at Austin campus, and it is open to the public.

The gallery is named in honor of longtime Jackson School supporters Ann and Henry Hamman, who funded the gallery’s construction and paid for many of its specimens. Henry Hamman earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees in geology from the Jackson School’s Department of Geological Sciences. He passed away May 11, 2023, shortly after the gallery’s opening in February.

The idea for a gallery in the library started with Dennis Trombatore, who served as the geology librarian for over three decades. With most journals and magazines available online, Trombatore envisioned repurposing the periodical reading room into a mineral gallery where people could learn about — and admire — the geological specimens in the school’s collections. Trombatore passed away in 2020.

Mark Helper, a senior lecturer emeritus who was involved with establishing the gallery from beginning to end, said that it fulfills Trombatore’s vision.

“He wanted to draw people to the library, and he knew the gallery would do that,” Helper said. “I think he would have been thrilled to see it.”

The gallery features minerals that are both new and old to the school. They include an array of the very

best specimens of the school’s E.M. Barron Mineral Collection and hundreds of faceted gemstones from the Glenn and Martha Vargas Gem and Mineral Collection. These are complemented by about 100 new dazzling mineral specimens, selected and purchased with the aid of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Among these are large gem aquamarine specimens from Afghanistan and a purple cluster of spherical “grape” amethyst crystals.

The Houston museum is famous for its own gem and mineral collections and outstanding displays. Hamman arranged for Houston museum staff members to be involved in the school’s gallery from the beginning, assisting with the design phase, the building and purchase of custom cases and cabinetry, and the selection of state-of-the-art lighting. The collection opts for star power over presenting a comprehensive guide to minerals, Helper said. Artist and exhibit

designer John Maisano took the lead on selecting the most attractive specimens to fill the space, and arranging and lighting them. His favorite piece in the collection is a 1,778-carat blue topaz gemstone, lit from below so the light shines thought it.

“It looks kind of like a star,” said Maisano, who retired this spring (see sidebar). “It’s in the back, so it draws you through the room, and it’s just spectacular.”

The opening of the new gallery comes just as the Jackson School is revamping its own gem and mineral education. The school recently hired Kenny Befus, a Jackson School alumnus and former associate professor at Baylor University, to teach the gem and mineral course and oversee the collections. Befus established a similar course at Baylor and will be continuing his research on gems as an associate professor of professional practice at the Jackson School.

Maisano Brings Artist’s Eye to Jackson School Science

The Henry R. and Ann H. Hamman Gem and Mineral Gallery was the final exhibit created by John Maisano, the resident artist at the Jackson School of Geosciences, before he retired in spring 2023.

“It was a nice way to go out,” said Maisano. “It was great to work with Mark (Helper) on such a huge project.”

Maisano’s exhibits can be found in the halls of every floor of the six-story Jackson Geological Sciences Building, save for the basement. They present a wide array of science and in many cases connect it back to Jackson School researchers involved with the work.

“It really is a way to bring out what’s going on in the back rooms, and to bring all that research that’s being done out into the public,” he said.

Maisano got his start in exhibits at the Yale Peabody Museum in 1989. In 2000, he moved to Austin and began working at the Texas Memorial Museum (recently renamed the Texas Science & Natural History Museum), where he designed and built the paleontology exhibit — the museum’s signature attraction — among many others. He joined the Jackson School in 2015.

Maisano is also a talented sculptor. His creations include the bronze saber-toothed cat at the entrance of the Texas Science & Natural History Museum and an Ornithomimus dinosaur in the Hartman Prehistoric Garden within the Zilker Botanical Garden.

Remembering Henry Hamman

Henery R. Hamman was a an alumnus and long-time supporter of the Jackson School of Geosciences. In addition to the Henry and Ann H. Hamman Gem and Mineral Gallery, Hamman’s generosity supported scholarships and programs at the Jackson School.