INL partners with National GEM Consortium to develop young talent
As part of Idaho National Laboratory’s inclusive diversity efforts, Inclusion and Diversity, University Partnerships, and the recruiting team collaborated to bring our first cohort of GEM Fellows to the laboratory. Six new GEM Fellows arrived in June to begin their internship experience at INL.
The National GEM Consortium’s mission is to increase the involvement of underrepresented talent pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in science and engineering, exposing these hidden gems to various leading institutions in the United States. GEM interns work as paid summer interns while completing their studies, allowing public- and private-sector employers to assess and recruit these talented employees.
The GEM partnership allows the laboratory to develop grant proposals with underrepresented universities and encourage some to become GEM schools.
Terrence Buck, an INL senior inclusion and diversity consultant, manages the GEM program at the laboratory. He has been a GEM board member for 15 years and brought the program to INL when he started working at the laboratory last May.
“The program is designed to identify, recruit and bring underrepresented talent to STEM,” he said. “The three most underrepresented groups are blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans. By recruiting these GEM Fellows to INL, we are providing them real hands-on experience at a leading research institution. Ultimately, we would like to see these experiences translate into full-time positions here at INL.”
Representatives from INL’s senior leadership team and the GEM CEO met last August to discuss INL’s mission and vision and determine if GEM and INL were a good match.
“The team decided it was a good fit,” said Buck. “These fellowship interns will bring their unique backgrounds and innovative ideas to INL.”
The following are the first six GEM Fellows to begin their intern experience at INL:
Galloway and Owusu will explore and identify requirements and constraints of siting conceptual small, scalable reactor systems for energy end-use applications.
Hayes will assist in creating and populating a data repository for energy infrastructure vulnerability test results.
Jones will research data on components of critical energy infrastructure to contribute to current research on potential computer vulnerabilities.
Perales will work with one of the laboratory’s mass spectrometry experts to improve nuclear fuel characterization techniques.
Ramirez will work on the Fast Reactor Structural project to increase available materials used in high-temperature nuclear plant construction.
By fostering inclusive diversity through partnering with the GEM consortium, the laboratory’s goals are to widen its talent acquisition circles, enhance external branding, and increase recognition as an employer of choice. For more information on internship and fellowship programs, visit inl.gov/education.
INL News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 14, 2018
NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
Julie Ulrich, 208-520-1139, julie.ulrich@inl.gov
Sarah Neumann, 208-526-0490, sarah.neumann@inl.gov
