James Shigley, the longtime director of research at the Gemological Institute of America, has been given the new role of GIA Distinguished Research Fellow, the institute said in an internal memo acquired by JCK.

“Jim has served as a public representative to the press, at trade and technical conferences throughout the world,” the memo said. “As GIA Distinguished Research Fellow, Jim will lead the gemological characterization of the Gübelin collection and writing various related articles and reports about the Gübelin Collection to assist education and research. This will allow the public and the industry to benefit from the collection, providing important gemological properties that in some instances may not have been previously reported.”