The GEM Fellowship at EERE

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy (DOE) Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is proud to partner with The National GEM Consortium (GEM) to provide work experience to minority undergrad and graduate students within our various technology offices through the GEM Fellowship Program. EERE also supports additional GEM Fellows at several of DOE's national laboratories. 

As an employer member, DOE helps GEM ensure student success in competitive academic and professional environments by providing a large network, financial support, and expert knowledge. The GEM Fellowship Program recruits highly qualified, underrepresented students pursuing master's and doctoral degrees in applied science and engineering and matches their specific skills to the technical needs of GEM employer members. 

To learn more and apply for the 2025 program, visit the GEM Fellowship Program website, and contact [email protected] with any questions.

Meet the 2024 Class of GEM Fellows

  • A headshot of Jorge Marchand

    J. Isaac Torres Marchand

    Fellow for Wind Energy Technologies Office 

    Pursuing a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering at Colorado School of Mines

    Hometown: Chihuahua, Mexico

    Research Interest: Renewable energy

  • Cecillia Villegas in a graduation gown and sash

    Cecilia Villegas

    Second-year fellow for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office 

    Pursuing a Master of Science in environmental engineering at New York University 

    Hometown: Long Island, New York

    Research Interests: Renewable energy, environmental science, and geographic information systems (GIS)

  • A headshot of Stacy Godfree-Igwe outside

    Stacy Godfreey-Igwe 

    Fellow for Building Technologies Office

    Pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University 

    Hometown: Richardson, Texas

    Research Interests: Energy justice, decarbonization, and sustainable design

  • Eric Cobos in a shirt, tie, and vest outside

    Eric Cobos

    Fellow for Building Technologies Office 

    Pursuing a Ph.D. in engineering at Carnegie Mellon University

    Hometown: Fort Wayne, Indiana

    Research Interests: Internal combustion engines and radiative cooling technologies

  • Jon-Edward Stokes in a suit

    Jon-Edward Stokes

    Fellow for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office

    Pursuing a Ph.D. in molecular engineering at University of Chicago 

    Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

    Research interests: Condensed matter physics & quantum mechanics, heat and light management in energy conversion, and renewable energy systems

  • A professional headshot of Fabiola Rodriguez

    Fabiola Y. Rodríguez Rodríguez

    Fellow for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office

    Pursuing a Master of Science in environmental engineering at University of Florida

    Hometown: Juncos, Puerto Rico

    Research Interests: Environmental engineering, emerging chemical pollutants, environmental policy, and environmental sustainability

  • A headshot of J. Etiosa Omeike

    J. Etiosa Omeike

    Fellow for Solar Energy Technologies Office 

    Pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science at Yale University 

    Hometown: Elmont, New York 

    Research interests: robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) safety, and AI alignment

  • Dawn Ford outside

    Dawn Ford

    Fellow for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office 

    Pursing a Ph.D. in materials science at The California Institute of Technology 

    Hometown: Houston, Texas

    Research Interest: Materials for renewable energy generation and storage 

  • A selfie of Nazira Cisse in a baseball hat holding a fishing rod

    Nazira Cisse

    Fellow for Solar Energy Technologies Office 

    Recently completed Bachelor of Science in environmental engineering at Northeastern University

    Hometown: New York (Bronx), New York

    Research Interests: Energy, advocacy, water resources, and sustainable development

  • Karen Rodriguez sitting in an office chair

    Karen Rodriguez 

    Fellow for Building Technologies Office 

    Pursuing a master's degree in quantitative finance t Rutgers University 

    Hometown: Cuba and Tampa, Florida

    Research Interests: Applied mathematics, finance, and programming

  • A headshot of Rachel Iweka outside

    Rachel Iweka

    Fellow for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office

    Pursuing Ph.D. in environmental geochemistry at Indiana University

    Hometown: Mobile, Alabama 

    Research Interests: Soil geochemistry, environmental justice, and quantifying contaminates in urban environments for their role in disadvantaged communities and communities of color

GEM 2023 Fellows

  • Headshot of Francisco Aguirre

    Francisco Aguirre

    Master of Engineering, University of California, Irvine

    Fellow for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technology Office 

    Hometown: San Jose, California

    Research Interests: Semiconductor manufacturing and renewable energy 

  • Headshot of Diana Alvarado

    Diana Alvarado

    Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Rice University

    Fellow for Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Technologies Office

    Hometown: Clovis, New Mexico

    Research Interests: Energy and sustainability

  • Headshot of Natalie Alvarado

    Natalie Alvarado

    Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of California Berkeley

    Fellow for Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Technologies Office

    Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

    Research Interest: Intersection of houselessness and transportation engineering 

  • Headshot of Amma Asamoah

    Amma Asamoah

    Ph.D., Applied Science, Carnegie Mellon University

    Fellow for Building Technologies Office 

    Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Research Interests: Sustainable development in Africa

  • Headshot of Javier Corona

    Javier Corona

    Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, Oregon State University

    Fellow for Solar Energy Technologies Office

    Hometown: Boise, Idaho

    Research Interests: Optical thermal characterization

  • Headshot of Jorge Marchand

    Jorge I. Torres Marchand

    M.S., Electrical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines

    Fellow for Wind Energy Technologies Office 

    Hometown: Chihuahua, Mexico

    Research Interest: Renewable energy

  • Headshot of Francisco Ortiz

    Francisco Matos Ortiz

    Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, North Carolina State University 

    Fellow for Solar Energy Technologies Office 

    Hometown: Fajardo, Puerto Rico

    Research Interest: Grid-forming inverters

  • Headshot of Edwin Lebron

    Edwin J. Lebrón Pérez

    Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Rice University 

    Fellow for Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office 

    Hometown: Bayamón, Puerto Rico

    Research Interests: Soft matter research, particularly polymers

  • Headshot of Kelsey Sinclair

    Kelsey Sinclair

    Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida

    Fellow for Bioenergy Technologies Office

    Hometown: Naples, Florida 

    Research Interests: Medical device development, neural implants, and prosthetics 

  • Headshot of Faith Taylor

    Faith Taylor

    Ph.D., Environmental Science, Yale University

    Fellow for Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Technologies Office

    Hometown: Columbia, Maryland

    Research Interests: Environmental justice, incarceration, veganism

  • Headshot of Cecilia Villegas

    Cecilia Villegas

    M.S., Environmental Engineering, New York University

    Fellow for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technology Office 

    Hometown: Long Island, New York

    Research Interest: Environmental engineering