ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with potential, and with the provision of opportunities, study, disciplined practice, and psychosocial factors moves to higher stages of competency and expertise-and in rare cases, eminence. It aims to view the two separately, with expertise a precursor to eminence. The chapter contends that eminent is a label that should be reserved for the gifted among the gifted in individuals with fully developed talents. Adult giftedness and expertise differentiate from one another in what is defined as the peak of a career. Many research questions are addressed in the field of gifted education and talent development. However, most of these are not focused either on expertise or eminence. The majority of research is on identifying individuals for gifted and talented education programs, especially individuals from groups that are underrepresented not just in K-12 settings, but also in undergraduate and graduate programs.
