Garret Romaine has been an avid rockhound, fossil collector, meteorite hunter, and gold prospector for many years. He is a long-time journalist, columnist, instructor, and writer, and currently teaches at Portland State University. He holds a degree in geology and a degree in geography, and is the author of many books on rock & gem collecting and identification, gold panning, geology, and the outdoors, including The Modern Rockhounding and Prospecting Handbook and Geology Lab for Kids.

Garret is a member of the Board of Directors for the North America Research Group, dedicated to amateur fossil collecting, and the Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals, which houses one of the finest mineral collections in the US. He is also a member of numerous rockhounding and gold prospecting organizations.