Nathan Renfro, a native of North Carolina, received a B.S. in Geology and Education from Appalachian State University in 2006. In 2007, he enrolled in the resident Graduate Gemology program at the Gemological Institute of America. After completion of the Graduate Gemologist program, he was hired as a diamond grader at GIA. In July 2008 he transferred into the Gem Identification department at GIA. He is currently GIA’s Gemological Manager of Gem Identification and an analytical microscopist in the inclusion research department. He has authored and co-authored several gemological articles and specializes in photomicrography and defect chemistry of corundum.

 Three photomicrographs from Nathan Renfro. See Nathan Renfro  2