Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Generated by GPT-5-miniExpansion Funnel Raw 115 → Dedup 5 → NER 5 → Enqueued 0
| Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics | |
|---|---|
 Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics · Public domain · source | |
| Name | Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics |
| Abbreviation | oSTEM |
| Formation | 2005 |
| Type | Nonprofit student and professional organization |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Region served | International |
Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics is a nonprofit organization that supports LGBTQ+ people and allies in STEM fields through chapters, professional development, and advocacy. Founded by graduate students and early-career professionals, the organization builds networks across universities, corporations, and research institutions to increase retention and visibility for LGBTQ+ scientists and engineers. Its activities connect members with employers, funders, and policy bodies to influence workplace inclusion and academic climates.
History and founding
oSTEM was founded in 2005 by graduate students influenced by networks such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Pennsylvania who sought peer support similar to groups at Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Yale University, and Columbia University. Early organizers drew on precedents from GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Science Foundation, and activism linked to events like Stonewall riots and commemorations at Smithsonian Institution. Initial funding and mentorship involved contacts at Intel Corporation, Google, Microsoft, IBM, and Boeing, while academic advisors included faculty associated with California Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, Cornell University, and University of Chicago.
Mission and programs
oSTEM’s mission aligns with initiatives seen at American Institute of Physics, Association for Computing Machinery, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, and National Society of Black Engineers to improve recruitment, retention, and advancement for LGBTQ+ professionals. Programs include chapter development modeled after practices at Brown University, Duke University, University of Washington, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, and Pennsylvania State University. Career resources connect members with employers such as Amazon (company), Facebook, Apple Inc., NASA, and Lockheed Martin and partners with grantmakers like Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Wellcome Trust to support scholarships and fellowships.
Membership and community
Membership spans students and professionals from institutions like Oxford University, University of Cambridge, University of Toronto, McGill University, and University of British Columbia and industries including biotech firms such as Genentech, Amgen, Biogen, and Regeneron. The community engages allies from organizations including American Chemical Society, Royal Society, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Max Planck Society, and CNRS. Local chapters have collaborated with campus groups at University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Rutgers University, Boston University, and Northeastern University to host mentoring programs and networking mixers.
Advocacy and policy initiatives
oSTEM engages in advocacy parallel to campaigns by Lambda Legal, ACLU, UN Human Rights Council, European Commission, and World Health Organization to address nondiscrimination, benefits, and data collection affecting LGBTQ+ scientists. Policy efforts have interfaced with bodies such as National Institutes of Health, Department of Education (United States), Securities and Exchange Commission, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus to advance inclusive workplace policies and research funding criteria. Strategic collaborations included consultations with American Physical Society, American Mathematical Society, American Geophysical Union, Optica (society), and Institute of Physics.
Events and conferences
oSTEM convenes an annual conference that attracts students and professionals who have presented alongside representatives from TED, SXSW, SIGGRAPH, NeurIPS, and AAAS Annual Meeting. Conference programming features recruiters from Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Deloitte, Accenture, and PwC as well as panels with researchers from Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Broad Institute, Riken, European Space Agency, and CERN. Regional symposia partner with universities such as University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Florida to run workshops on career development, research ethics, and leadership.
Impact and recognition
oSTEM’s impact includes expanded LGBTQ+ representation at employers recognized by indices like Corporate Equality Index, collaborations acknowledged by National Science Board, and awards from societies such as American Association of University Professors, Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, Association for Women in Mathematics, Mathematical Association of America, and American Chemical Society. Alumni have advanced to leadership roles at institutions including Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, MIT Media Lab, National Institutes of Health, and European Research Council. The organization’s model has been cited in diversity reports by McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte Insights, Pew Research Center, and Catalyst (nonprofit) for its role in shaping inclusive practices across STEM sectors.