Three GEMS Levels depend on age/grade and previous science experience:

Beginning GEMS

The students primarily carry out biology, chemistry and physics experiments, participate in interactive lectures, explorations in engineering, etc. All lead to an increased interest in science and the overall process of learning. These students enjoy activities that are both educational and fun.

Intermediate GEMS

The experiments are more complex and require some additional expertise than in for Beginning GEMS. Lab work may include experiments to determine neurotoxicity, efficacy of antiproliferative drugs in breast cancer, bridge building, maglev vehicles, and computer aided design. These studies build on techniques previously introduced. The experiments vary from year to year, and students can participate at this level multiple years.

This program is primarily a one-week program. However, a second week (focusing on engineering) is possible for intermediate GEMS participants who can demonstrate sufficient science activities that would enable them to do well in this intensive second week (limited enrollment).

Advanced GEMS

This group is offered a 4-week internship to learn advanced techniques, such as high-throughput cloning, PCR analysis and other advanced technologies. This is a demanding program and only for students who are sincerely interested in putting in a good deal of effort for the 4-week internship. Students who have shown significant initiative and have succeeded in previous years of the GEMS program as well as selected students from this site and the SEAP applicant pool are offered this intensive course. Participants are required to complete a five-page research paper and a poster detailing their summer work.