SoE Boasts Six GEM Fellows 

Prestigious program supports underrepresented graduate students in physical and life sciences and engineering 

Since its founding in 1976, the National GEM Consortium has supported the success of thousands of master’s and doctoral students through summer work experiences with industry partners while providing them with academic year funding.  

Of this year’s cohort of 15 university-wide GEM fellows, Antonio Bu Sha, Robert Green-Warren, and Bryan Llumiquinga are pursuing PhDs in mechanical engineering; Janell Mason and Juan Pena-Carvajal are working towards their doctoral degrees in biomedical engineering; and Nedgine Joseph will receive her PhD in materials science and engineering.  

A Network of GEM Scholars and Alumni 

“Being a GEM Fellow means belonging to a network of GEM scholars and alumni, some of the brightest minds of our time, who have overcome the challenges of being historically underrepresented in STEM, and who are making a global impact,” says mechanical and aerospace doctoral candidate Robert Green-Warren.  

“GEM provides unrelenting support to its fellows and GEM alumni are always willing to reach back. It is a privilege to be recognized as a GEM Fellow here at Rutgers.” 

Green-Warren was a GEMpreneur panelist at the 2023 National GEM Consortium Annual Conference. Attending the 2020 conference inspired him to pursue an entrepreneurial career path, he reports that being a panelist was a “full circle moment for me to be up on the stage three years later, hoping to inspire students the way I’d been inspired.” 

He also volunteers as a Rutgers GEM panelist about twice a year, which he says is an “incredibly rewarding opportunity to engage with incoming students and encourage them to apply to GEM, Rutgers, and graduate school.” 

A recently named recipient of a highly competitive Department of Defense (DOD) SMART scholarship-for-service, after receiving his PhD, Green-Warren will work for two years for the DOD – the term of his scholarship – as a rocket scientist developing new materials for solid rocket propulsion in the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. He later hopes to work as a technical advisor to start-ups.  

Pivotal Internship Experience 

Since joining the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in 2022, doctoral student Nedgine Joseph has focused her research on glass science and technology.  

Joseph’s GEM Consortium Fellowship gave her the chance to work as a material characterization intern at The Aerospace Corporation. “Internship experiences like this have been pivotal in shaping my current academic path,” she states. 

By alleviating financial burdens, Joseph – who has also received the Corning Glass Age Scholarship and a Rutgers Dean’s Fellowship to Broaden Participation – says her awards “will allow me to dedicate more time and resources to conducting comprehensive research, presenting my findings at conferences, and submitting impactful research to journals.” 

Ultimately, she aims to enter industry to continue to tackle the many challenges facing glass scientists and leverage glass in practical applications such as tissue engineering.  

An Inclusive Space 

Janell Mason, who expects to earn her PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 2027, received her current GEM Fellowship in August 2023. Currently, as the President of her Biological Engineering Student Society (BESS) Chapter, Janell is not only leading with distinction but is also actively engaged in connecting with fellow students. Her commitment extends beyond her chapter, as she assumes the role of the professional chair for the Minority Engineering Education Task (MEET), and demonstrates her dedication to fostering inclusivity and unity within the engineering community." 

As a doctoral candidate, her research focus is on stem cell and neural engineering systems for neurovascular and retinal diseases, while she reports that her work as a graduate research assistant in the VazLab studies the progression of diabetic retinopathy. She hopes to work in the public sector connecting people to resources in the medical field after graduating. 

“The GEM award means a lot to me because it is an inclusive space for people who look like me,” she says. 

Representing the Hispanic Community 

GEM Fellow Bryan Llumiquinga, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the School of Engineering in mechanical engineering, began his doctoral studies in the summer of 2020, after receiving his MS degree.   

Receiving the fellowship in 2020 has enabled him to “conduct research on the topic of functional nanocomposites.” It has also been “an opportunity to get a higher education and to represent a diverse Hispanic community.”  

A Lifelong Network 

Since graduating in May 2023 with a degree in mechanical engineering, Antonio Bu Sha has been working towards his PhD. 

He is currently designing an autonomous robotic system that cleans surfaces. “I’m very excited about the opportunity to apply my engineering design knowledge to build robotic systems with real-world applications – and to get to see the results of my efforts in a functional device.”  

His GEM award, which he received in spring 2023, supports his first – and current – academic year as a doctoral student. “It is a validation of my hard work and success as an undergraduate at Rutgers,” he explains. “I’m excited to be part of the GEM community and to benefit from the many resources available to fellows and alumni – including networking opportunities with employers in the GEM Consortium.”