Our Membership

Region Map

If you have any questions about the region map or regions, please contact membership@ostem.org.

The Grad Region will consist of chapters that are specific to graduate students. If your chapter has both undergraduate and graduate students, your region will be your geographic region, but you are also welcome to join the monthly calls for the Grad Region.

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Student Membership

Want to start a student chapter at your college/university?

oSTEM Student Chapters are founded on four important relationships:

1.Chapter to Members/Student Body:

Creating events and programming that support LGBTQ STEM students at your institution and in your community. This can be LGBTQ-focused workshops, panels of queer professionals, hosting information sessions with sponsors, fun socials, and much more.

2.Chapter to the Community:

Volunteering in the community with K-12 programs and collaborating with other student organizations focused on the LGBTQ and STEM communities.

3.Chapter to other Chapters:

Participating in the online chapter network by posting and helping to answer questions, collaborating on regional events like pride parades or conferences, and representing your chapter in your regional council.

4.Chapter to oSTEM, Inc. Executive Committee:

Attending the annual conference and participating in workshops, panels, poster presentations, chapter-focused events, affinity groups, and opportunities to speak directly with companies and organizations that are interested in LGBTQ STEM students and professionals.

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Checklist for Starting a Chapter:

1. Recruit at least three officers and one faculty/staff advisor.

2. Register as an official student organization at your college or university (Letters of support can be provided on request.)

3. Establish an email listserv/distribution list for your chapter members.

4. Join as a Global Member of oSTEM through the Join Now button on the oSTEM homepage.

5. Once you have an account, fill out the New Chapter Application, which will require info from the officers, advisors, etc. After the Membership Team processes your application your chapter will appear in the oSTEM chapter list in the Member Area with personalized logos for your chapter, and an official chapters.ostem.org email address. Go ahead and have your entire membership sign up and join the chapter so you can assign leadership roles and join in on discussions in our Engagement area!

6. Review and follow all organizational guidelines for use of the new chapter logo. This is in the handbook, but more information will be provided.

You can also check out our oSTEM Chapter Handbook for additional information!

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Professional Membership

Why should I become an oSTEM professional member?

We desire to help connect oSTEM professionals for the purpose of sharing technical knowledge, developing broad professional skills and establishing a social network. Becoming a member will connect you with other members in your city, as well as other members globally, through tools such as our Member Portal and events such as the Annual oSTEM Conference. oSTEM was established in 2005, and as such, has a growing international network of student and professionals. We also support chapters building their own tools and events to bring together members more locally. Finally, our network helps academics and professionals connect with each other for mentorship and job recruiting opportunities.

How are oSTEM professional chapters different from other affinity or professional groups in my area?

We don’t aim to replace or replicate these organizations. The objective of an oSTEM Professional chapter is to fill whatever gaps are missing in your city for LGBTQ+ STEM professionals. This may include opportunities to hold development workshops on resume writing and interview prep, informational sessions on local issues and voting topics, or simply social gatherings for you to meet others in STEM fields.

How do I join oSTEM as a professional?

To become a global member, simply navigate to www.ostem.org and click the JOIN button in the top right. From there, you can fill out a profile and gain access to our member center and career portal. If there is an existing professional chapter in your city, select it as part of the registration process. If not, you can select “global member” and sign up for the professional member interest list to get connected with others in your city.

How do I join or start a chapter in my city?

If your city has a chapter, you should be able to find it listed in the member portal. There you can find contact information for chapter officers and information on any scheduled meetings/events.

If your city does not yet have a chapter, step one is to gather interest in your city. There’s no best way to do this, but some suggestions follow. Don’t wait for someone else to take the initiative, you can do it!

1. Start small. Gather some colleagues at your workplace (particularly if you have a LGBTQ+ ERG), possibly for a lunch to describe what oSTEM is. Tap your social networks and ask friends to share with their own ERGs at their jobs.
2. Plan an event! A social at a local bar or free gathering space could work. Just call ahead to see if they have space to host.
3. Start a listserv and/or social media page (e.g. Twitter, LinkedIn) to get the word out when you have the event. Once you have registered your chapter, the oSTEM member portal is a great way to connect with chapter members and share events.
4. Formally apply a chapter. Not as hard as it sounds. Once you’ve had a few events and have regular attendance, set a date to hold a vote. (We recommend keeping the process simple.) Your elected leaders should then fill out the new chapter application and submit a short charter via the provided link in the application, which includes information on what your goals are as a chapter and when you will elect new leaders.