Sciences & Humanities Under the Dome

A free public lecture series sponsored by the Rita & Stanley Levy & Ratna & Vaman Naik Endowment.

Why is Ruby Red? How Minerals Interact with Light

Presented by Dr. Sarah Brownlee (Wayne State University, Department of Environmental Science & Geology)

Have you ever wondered what gives minerals their color? Or why some minerals come in a wide variety of colors? This talk will focus on interactions between minerals and light at the micro and nanoscales to illuminate the causes of color in minerals. We’ll begin by discussing the properties of visible light, and then we’ll dive into how light interacts with mineral structures to produce visible properties like color, fluorescence, and iridescence. 

Dr. Sarah Brownlee is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Science & Geology at Wayne State University. She received her PhD from the University of California Berkeley, and is interested in understanding the composition and structure of the lower and middle continental crust of the Earth. She teaches a variety of courses including mineralogy and petrology, and leads several geology field trips for the College.

Sciences & Humanities Under the Dome is a free public lecture series supported by the Rita & Stanley Levy & Ratna & Vaman Naik Endowment. We welcome all members of the community to join us in the planetarium for these research lectures! Light refreshments will be provided.

Please note the mineral museum will be open for this event as well.