Friends of Mineralogy Virginia (FMVA) encourages collaboration and engagement across the academic, professional, and public communities who all have an invested interest in promoting mineralogy and geology. Below is the current list of national, state, and local affiliates and partners FMVA works with.
National Affiliates & Partners
The non-profit, Friends of Mineralogy (FM), a national organization founded in 1970, includes nearly a dozen chapters from coast to coast, whose members share a common love of minerals. FM’s objective is to promote, support, protect, and expand the collecting of mineral specimens, while furthering the recognition of the scientific, economic, and aesthetic value of minerals and mineral collecting. Membership includes collectors, museum curators, mineralogists, and earth science educators. The organization is affiliated with Mindat.org, the Mineralogical Society of America (MSA), and the Mineralogical Association of Canada (MAC).
The Mineralogical Society of America (MSA) was founded in 1919 for the advancement of mineralogy, crystallography, geochemistry, petrology, and promotion of their uses in other sciences, industry, and the arts. It encourages fundamental research about natural materials; supports the teaching of mineralogical concepts and procedures; and attempts to raise the scientific literacy of society with respect to issues involving mineralogy in the widest sense. The Society encourages the preservation of mineral collections, displays, mineral localities, type minerals and scientific data. MSA represents the United States internationally with regard to the science of mineralogy.
To accomplish its goals, the Society publishes journals, magazines, and books, as well as uses short courses, lectureships, Internet website, awards, grants, symposia, and meetings for professionals, students, and the public. MSA depends on the involvement of all individuals who are concerned with the health and direction of the field of mineralogy. MSA supports and champions efforts by individuals and organizations to foster a climate of inclusion, diversity, and acceptance in the sciences and in the wider public. The Society cooperates with other scientific and organizations, and continually explores and adopts new programs and policies to better serve its members.
State Affiliates & Partners
The Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance (VTCA) is the voice for the contractors, aggregate producers, engineers, suppliers and service providers who plan, design, build and maintain Virginia’s transportation network. VTCA provides a powerful voice to advocate for transportation funding critical to the quality of life and a healthy business environment in Virginia. In addition, VTCA spearheads outreach about the importance of maintaining and enhancing Virginia’s transportation network to the Virginia General Assembly, state agencies and the public and provides a forum for open communications, networking opportunities, education and training for members.
The objective of VAST shall be to advance the study of science, to promote excellence in the teaching of science, and provide opportunity for communication among science educators in the Commonwealth of Virginia. VAST is a community of science educators whose mission it is to: Inspire students, Provide professional learning opportunities, Build partnerships, and Advocate for excellence at the school, local, state and national level.
Local Affiliates & Partners
The Gem & Mineral Society of Lynchburg promotes, educates and encourages interest in geology, mineralogy, lapidary arts and related sciences. The society is a member of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Eastern Federation of Mineralogical & Lapidary Societies, Inc., Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc., and Dixie Mineral Council.
The Shenandoah Valley Gem & Mineral Society is a nonprofit organization which strives to promote education in and appreciation of minerals, fossils, archaeology, general geology, and the lapidary arts. We provide opportunities for collection, exchange, discussion, and exhibition of specimens and mineral material.