Our Work

In the Gemstone Honors Program at the University of Maryland, students of all majors come together in teams to design, direct and conduct significant research under guidance of faculty mentors and Gemstone staff.

Our students and their excellent research make up the core of the Gemstone Honors Program. Visit our Team Research page to learn about current and past teams' reasearch.

This unique opportunity is is a unique multidisciplinary four-year research program for selected undergraduate honors students. Gemstone students are members of a living-learning community comprised of fellow students, faculty and staff who work together to enrich the undergraduate experience.

This community challenges and supports the students in the development of their research, teamwork, communication and leadership skills. Visit our Student Engagement page to see the ways in which our students are engaged with the Gemstone community, and the leadership roles that they take on.

In the fourth year, each team of students presents its research in the form of a thesis to experts, and the students complete the program with a citation and a tangible sense of accomplishment.

Purpose

We are committed to providing our Gemstone students a challenging and rewarding experience based on the following goals:

• Develop students' research skills in the context of multidisciplinary team research projects of importance to society
• Develop students' ability to work effectively in teams
• Provide students' leadership opportunities through peer mentoring, teaching and service throughout their four years in Gemstone
• Provide students' with a close-knit community that supports them in their Gemstone and other commitments and activities at the University of Maryland