Research: Visualizing Chemical Structures using Mineral Crystals

Beginning in Boston MA, where I volunteered at the Harvard Natural History Museum Mineral collection- I have developed a keen interest for illustrating and defining different mineral crystals. Although the subject is often misinterpreted, mineral crystals provide a fantastic scientific study because they are chemically homogenous: or the same structure throughout!

Throughout university, I had become aware of the traditional models of chemical structure using the ball and stick diagram, but always had a difficult time imagining those highly abstract spheres in context to the natural world. While studying these minerals on display, I began to experiment with a different method to visualize that chemical structure using the Periodic Spiral of Elements.

As I soon found out, the Periodic Spiral offered a more natural way to construct chemical models and massively reduced the visual complexity required to represent the same basic structure and geometry as traditional models. Through several years of research and experimentation, I refined the method used to translate a chemical formula onto the spiral graph and hope that it will help to increase the accessibility of chemical information, or the science behind mineral crystals, to a more general audience. This method is currently under revision at the American Chemical Society Journal of Chemical Education. (April 2026)

Below are a few examples: for the PSE method of chemical visualization:

2025: Moab Museum U92 Exhibit

Illustrations of different uranium bearing minerals were created for the Moab Museum, shown on display alongside physical specimens. This exhibit was open from Jan 2025- approx. April 2026. Although not shown for all specimens, the same method discussed above appeared effective at generalizing the chemical structure for these minerals.

A Field Guide (Book!) to Mineral Structures using the PSE

After graphing numerous different mineral crystals, I found that the method I developed worked well to generalize the chemical structure and overall geometry of different specimens. Following this, I compiled many of these samples into an illustrated field guide, which I hope to offer as a tool for fellow rock and mineral enthusiasts.

Landscapes / Field Guide to Canyonlands and Arches National Park

Ultimately, I love rocks and minerals and am constantly amazed by the diversity of their form. As a backcountry field guide to Arches and Canyonlands National Park, the complexity of geologic landscapes never ceases to amaze me. Similar to the paradox of drawing a landscape on a 4x 6 square piece of paper, however, chemistry offers an amazing tool to visualize these forms and structures.