Workforce Development & Education hosted a GEM Leadership Virtual Summer Site Visit with (Clockwise from top left) Manager of Workforce Development & Education, Colette Flood; Communications Coordinator, Dr. Ingrid Ockert; GEM’s Client Relations Manager, Dr. Carrine Todman-Lewis; GEM’s CEO, Brennon Marcano; GEM Fellow, Alexandra Grayson; GEM’s Executive Director of Client Relations, Dr. Marcus A. Huggans
On July 13, the leadership team of The National GEM Consortium (GEM) met virtually with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Workforce Development & Education (WD&E) colleagues and GEM Fellows. GEM is a non-profit organization that has been invested in scientific workforce development for over 45 years. In March 2022, GEM was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring for their work; this award is the highest recognition in STEM mentorship. Every year, GEM recruits students from underrepresented minority groups (African Americans, American Indians, and Hispanic Americans) who want to pursue a Masters or a Doctoral degree in applied science and engineering. Through partnerships with GEM’s Employer Members, GEM is able to offer GEM Fellows summer internship opportunities, a living stipend, and funds to fully cover their tuition and fees to attend a graduate program at a GEM Member University. GEM recently received an $11 million dollar grant from the Simons Foundation to support 100 GEM Fellows each year for the next 5 years. Additionally, each of these GEM Fellows is matched with an industry partner and spends at least one summer working as an intern. WD&E has hosted GEM Fellows every year since 2017.
This year, Berkeley Lab is hosting one GEM Fellows, Alexandra Grayson. Grayson is working with Dr. Galen Barbose in the Energy Technologies Area. GEM’s leadership team was represented by GEM’s CEO, Brennon Marcano; Executive Director of Client Relations, Dr. Marcus A. Huggans, and their Client Relations Manager, Dr. Carrine Todman-Lewis.
Mr. Marcano encouraged Grayson to continue her hard work during her internship and emphasized how big of a deal it is to carry the name ‘GEM Fellow’. “If the Administration is recognizing GEM’s accomplishments,” he told her, “you should feel very proud to be carrying the name GEM Fellow.” He explained, “For us at GEM, our goal is very simple. We’d like to reshape the landscape of diversity in STEM.” He also thanked Berkeley Lab staff, especially WD&E staff, for their own part in facilitating the program and for their ongoing support of the GEM Fellows year over year.
Alexandra Grayson is a recent graduate of Howard University, with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and minors in economics and biology. She is also an incoming graduate student at UC Berkeley, where she’s pursuing a masters in Energy and Resources. “This summer,” Alexandra told GEM leaders, “I’m working with the electricity markets and policy group and doing econometrics research.” She wants to better understand how the adoption of rooftop solar by community leaders, such as non-profits, government buildings, and churches, may increase the nearby rates of solar adoption, especially in communities with less access to resources. Alexandra said she found her internship valuable because it has already provided her with the opportunity to meet alumni from her graduate program at UC Berkeley and learn from others conducting transformative energy justice research.
Would you like to learn more about the GEM Consortium? Read more about their program on their website. Learn more about GEM at Berkeley Lab on WD&E’s our program page.
–Ingrid Ockert, Marketing Communications Coordinator
