Gemstone Honors Program
Three Decades of Impact and Inquiry
Gemstone is a unique multidisciplinary four-year research program for selected undergraduate honors students of all majors.
News & Events
Winners of 2026 University Libraries Award for Outstanding Gemstone Team
Congratulations to Team RUBIX and runners up Teams BIONIC and CARE on winning the University Libraries Award for Outstanding Gemstone Team to support their research!
Team VIRAL studies effects of Zika on fetal brain development at Children's National Hospital
Team VIRAL (Class of 2026) was featured on the Honors College website for their research on the effects of Zika virus exposure during pregnancy on fetal brain development. Their team mentor is Dr. Youssef Kousa from Children’s National Hospital, and Dr. Erin Tran, a professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics at University of Maryland.
Bhargav Srinivasan presented at International Plant and Animal Genome conference
With the help of the GO Fund, Bhargav Srinivasan (Class of '27) traveled to San Diego to present at the International Plant and Animal Genome conference. His poster was titled "Correlations between read depth, copy number variation, and Bt resistance in Helicoverpa zea."
"One of the most rewarding aspects of the program was the chance to propose my own research idea, pitch it to the program, and ultimately lead an incredible team of peers who have since become some of my closest friends. Together, our team worked tirelessly to bring our project to life, supported by an amazing faculty mentor who empowered us to take a hands-on, independent approach to lab work. This experience taught me invaluable skills in lab work, scientific writing, teamwork, and leadership—all of which have been pivotal in my journey toward becoming a physician-scientist."
