The German Mineralogical Society awards the 2024 Doris Schachner Medal to Dr. Paul Rustemeyer in recognition of his outstanding contributions to promoting the visibility and public appreciation of mineralogy throughout the German-speaking world.
Dr. Rustemeyer is a chemist by training who has been fascinated by minerals since childhood. For decades, he has given public lectures on mineralogical topics and has made a remarkable contribution to science communication. In addition to publishing in peer-reviewed mineralogical journals, he has authored numerous popular science articles and serves as editor of the magazine Der Erzgräber.
He has also published two comprehensive books on the crystal structure of tourmalines, making complex mineralogical concepts accessible to both specialists and interested lay audiences. These works present a wealth of mineralogical insights, including newly discovered aspects of the internal structure, external morphology, and growth history of this important mineral supergroup.
Born in 1952, Paul Rustemeyer received his PhD in chemistry in 1981 under Ernst Otto Fischer with a dissertation on rhenium carbene and carbyne complexes. He subsequently worked in research and development for a French chemical company specializing in synthetic fibers until his retirement in 2010.
During the 1990s, he became fascinated by the remarkable beauty of dark tourmalines observed in thin sections. This inspired him to investigate the relationship between their intricate internal color patterns, their external crystal morphology, and their geological formation. He recognized that the color zoning of tourmalines provides an exceptional means of visualizing mineralogical processes and making them intuitively understandable. He presented these findings in his widely acclaimed 2003 book Fascination Tourmaline.
Drawing on his extensive collection of tourmaline crystals, thin sections, and photographs, he developed the traveling exhibition Crystal Magic – Fascinating Crystals with Fantastic Inner Worlds. Both the exhibition and the accompanying book are based on the idea of attracting visitors through the aesthetic appeal of minerals while introducing fundamental geoscientific concepts in language that is as accessible as possible.
The exhibition is uniquely successful in engaging the general public with mineralogy and inspiring visitors of all ages. While it first captivates audiences through the beauty of minerals, it gradually introduces a wide range of scientific concepts almost effortlessly.
Topics such as nucleation, crystal growth, and resorption are explained alongside phenomena including oscillatory zoning, sector zoning, and pleochroism. Visitors also gain an understanding of the crystallographic faces and directions that define crystal morphology.
To achieve this, Paul Rustemeyer relies on an extraordinary collection of crystal thin sections and polished sections, all of which he personally cut and polished by hand in his own workshop. Some of the tourmaline specimens were acquired from mineral dealers, while many others were collected during his own field expeditions. Over the years, this resulted in a unique collection comprising thousands of internal views of tourmaline crystals, all professionally photographed by Rustemeyer and incorporated into the exhibition.
The exhibition's educational concept encourages visitors to explore crystal structures interactively. Through audiovisual installations, digital media, three-dimensional puzzles, movable crystal models, illuminated crystal sections, quizzes, and drawing activities, visitors are invited to discover the three-dimensional architecture of crystals in an engaging and intuitive way.
Since 2007, the exhibition has been presented in 23 natural history museums across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, attracting many thousands of visitors. It continues to tour and is scheduled to be shown in Magdeburg, Dortmund, and Bamberg.
Paul Rustemeyer has inspired a broad public audience to explore mineralogy, crystallography, and petrology, thereby significantly increasing public awareness and appreciation of these disciplines. His work may also inspire future generations of students to pursue studies in the mineralogical sciences.
By awarding the Doris Schachner Medal, the German Mineralogical Society recognizes Dr. Paul Rustemeyer for his exceptional contributions to raising the public profile of mineralogy. Through his lifelong commitment, he has successfully strengthened the connection between scientific research, amateur mineralogy, and the wider public.
— Horst Marschall, Frankfurt am Main
