Application of Re-Os to mineral deposits began with Holly Stein receiving a Gilbert Fellowship to work with John Morgan at the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Here the Re-Os chronometer for molybdenite was established by Holly Stein and her colleagues. Following the massive reduction in force at the USGS, the Re-Os team moved from Reston, Virginia to Fort Collins, Colorado and the AIRIE Program was founded.
Over 25 years of influential, industry-applicable, and ground-breaking research took place at Colorado State University. AIRIE Program Founding Director, Holly Stein, without CSU salary or support, built AIRIE into the global leader in Re-Os isotope geochemistry in crustal rocks and resource geology. In August 2022, the Department head stated AIRIE was "not on the mission with CSU-Geosciences" and unilaterally terminated the program in spite of AIRIE's vast portfolio of knowledge, expertise, and acclaim.
The AIRIE group relocated to new office and lab space in Fort Collins (Innosphere Ventures) where they re-established themselves in record time in order to meet demand as samples continued to be received during the transition. AIRIE is now better-than-ever and continues to produce high-quality, relevant Re-Os-Hg data with the same academic rigor. 100% of AIRIE output is produced from their Colorado facilities.
“Thanks very much for this, and as always you have nailed it perfectly. We can now correlate two mineralized skarns surrounding the intrusion.”
Peter Pollard
Consultant, Pollard Geological Services
“Dr. Holly Stein and Dr. Judy Hannah hired me to work in the AIRIE geochronology lab on campus and became my advisors for my thesis. They are extremely kind-hearted and amazing advisors and spent time with me to answer all my questions and help me with my undergraduate thesis.”
