The Smithsonian Volunteer

Ken Rock

“Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. Your last name is Rock and you are a geologist? That’s cool – this must be the perfect job for you!” These are comments that I’ve heard literally dozens of times in my work at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum where I work as a volunteer in the Geology, Gems & Mineral (GGM) Hall. I can’t say that it bothers me – in fact, I included my last name on my volunteer name tag on purpose to see if people make a connection.

I have loved rocks and minerals for as long as I can remember and continue to be amazed by what I believe is nature’s finest handiwork. Growing up in northern California, I remember being blown away by the glacially carved valley in Yosemite. I also loved the rich, colorful history of the gold country along Route 49 in the eastern part of California where I had always hoped to retire. Although I started off in the engineering school at Stanford, a professor in the School of Earth Sciences brought the subject to life for me in the classroom and on field trips. I completed a graduate program in the earth sciences school and got degrees in both subjects after five years of college.

I feel fortunate to have worked as a consultant on projects involving “earthy” issues for most of my career. Projects I have worked on for government agencies and private industry have included environmental assessment of land development proposals, mining policy, groundwater contamination, wetlands, and emergency management work focusing on coastal infrastructure and issues. It was only in the last few years that I got into financial analysis for mining and environmental cleanup projects using dormant skills that I must have learned at the GSB. I am sure that my GSB experience gave me the confidence to “stretch” in writing proposals and taking on new work.

These days, the work I enjoy the most is as a volunteer at the Natural History Museum where my mission is to enhance the experience of visitors from all over the world by making comments, asking questions, and attempting humor. My commitment is 100 hours per year, or about two half-days per month.

The GGM Hall features the single most popular artifact in all of the Smithsonian museums – the Hope Diamond (slightly more popular than Dorothy’s red slippers.) The blue Hope Diamond is set in a diamond necklace donated to the Museum in 1958 and has been seen by over 100 million people. There is a wonderful collection of gemstones and jewelry (many with interesting stories), a fantastic hall containing some of the most beautiful mineral specimens on the planet, a mining exhibit, information about rocks that were used to construct many of the buildings and monuments in D.C., earth history information, moon rocks, and lots of meteorites.

One lesson I have learned during my five years as a volunteer is that sharing information about minerals and gemstones is only a part of the overall mission. The key, I have learned, is to ask visitors questions–about themselves, where they are from, what they have seen that they like–and a nice discussion is more likely to occur. A smile and some humor go a long way in moving the process forward. Visitors come from all over the U.S. and from many countries to spend a day or half a day in the museum and some have spent lots of money on airfare, hotels, and meals to be able to visit. This is an important reason why the volunteers have an obligation to add as much value as possible to the experience of our visitors.

Everyone who enters the GGM Hall is there by choice (well, okay, almost everyone) and it is usually not hard to find something in the collection that they want to talk about, even if it does not come up right away. I have learned that it is possible to have a conversation with folks who understand little or no English by using hand gestures, pointing, and tools. For example, I use an expandable magnet pen tool that people can use to test meteorites to see if they contain iron. And who does not want to touch a piece of Mars (actually a small slice of a Martian meteorite) mounted in an open Lucite box? Always popular with the young, old, and everyone in between.

Another interesting lesson I learned is that you do not have to be an expert to answer questions or explain things to people. Visitors often do not take the time to read the panels explaining the exhibit and you can simply share some of this information to earn their gratitude. There is so much information to take in and many people are delighted to learn simply by having a short, simple discussion.

Many of my fellow volunteers who work in the Natural History Museum are retired scientists, engineers, and educators, some with PhDs, and all with a strong love of what they do. They have even set up an unofficial online forum where members can post articles and share opinions and book recommendations. I am proud to be part of this peer group.

I have found great satisfaction in stimulating interest in a subject I hold dear and having people take pictures of the objects we discussed, and say thank you and other nice things after our interactions. I also try to learn something new every time I go in because, as we all know, learning never stops.

Needless to say, I would be delighted to meet you and your families at the Natural History Museum if you would like a personalized tour of the GGM Hall. You can specify your available time (e.g., 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour) and I will cut the suit to fit the cloth. I also can suggest other highlights in Washington, D.C. that you might not want to miss.