The National GEM Consortium

Meet your goals through The National GEM Consortium.  We are a unique and powerful connection to a national network of universities and employers.  This partnership promotes the participation of underrepresented groups in post-graduate science and engineering education and the technical workforce.  The employees shaping our nation’s ability to remain a global leader in innovation and economic prosperity must fully utilize the talents of all Americans and reflect the country’s changing demographics. 

The BEST (Building Engineering & Science Talent) Blue Ribbon Panel on Higher Education evaluated The National GEM Consortium as the nation’s only graduate education program exemplary at “deepening and diversifying the nation’s technical talent pool”. 

BEST’s 2004 report, “A Bridge for All: Higher Education Design Principles to Broaden Participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics”, states “GEM’s selection is a reminder that the need for financial support is a constant, and is often the difference between pursuing a graduate degree and entering the workforce with a baccalaureate degree.”

Founded in 1976 at the University of Notre Dame, we have operated quietly and steadily to graduate nearly 3,000 researchers, professors, entrepreneurs, inventors, and business leaders, including nearly 200 men and women with doctorates in the physical sciences, life sciences, and engineering.

Our Mission

The mission of The National GEM Consortium is to enhance the value of the nation's human capital by increasing the participation of underrepresented groups (African Americans, American Indians, and Hispanic Americans) at the master's and doctoral levels in engineering and science.

… and how we achieve it
We prepare technical leaders for advanced careers in industry, academia, and government agencies by identifying and selecting highly qualified GEM Fellows to complete a program of graduate study and internships.  Through our university and employer members, and other strategic partners, GEM develops funding to award fellowships and builds mentor networks to support Fellows in achieving academic and professional success.