Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association for LGBTQ+ people and allies in the STEM community. With over 150 collegiate chapters at colleges/universities and professional chapters in cities across the United States and abroad, oSTEM is the largest chapter-based organization focused on LGBTQ+ people in STEM.

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oSTEM Vision

We envision a world where LGBTQ+ people in the STEM community are empowered to achieve success in a safe and supportive environment that celebrates their diversity and unique contributions.

oSTEM Mission

oSTEM empowers LGBTQ+ people in STEM to succeed personally, academically, and professionally by cultivating environments and communities that nurture innovation, leadership, and advocacy.

oSTEM Values

• Integrity
  We establish trust through honesty and transparency by maintaining the highest standard of ethics.
• Intentionality
  We carry out our work with mindfulness, focus, and self-awareness.
• Respect
  We create and maintain openness and inclusion, appreciating individual contributions and fostering diversity and equity.
• Passion
  We are dedicated to the relentless pursuit of our vision.
• Grit
  We push forward with courage and determination, regardless of the circumstances, to achieve our mission.

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Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

oSTEM strives to provide a safe space for all people to express themselves. To that end, we have and hold ourselves to a high-level and broad diversity policy, built around respect for individuals regardless of where they are on life’s journey. oSTEM prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, race, color, ethnicity, citizenship, cultural background, socioeconomic status, age, disability, religion, or veteran status. Furthermore, oSTEM prohibits any harassment that detracts from the learning experience or threatens an individual in any form.

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History of oSTEM

In October 2005, IBM sponsored a focus group where students convened at the Human Rights Campaign headquarters in Washington D.C. as part of the Out for Work conference. These students discussed topics relevant to LGBTQ+ communities at their own colleges and universities and debated how to form an organization that serves students in the STEM community.

oSTEM emerged from that meeting as a new national technical student society for LGBT communities.

Before oSTEM, there was no inclusive organization dedicated to serving LGBTQ+ students in STEM, though other organizations had celebrated and supported diversity in science and engineering through other professional societies, such as Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE), American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), and others.

In order to advance LGBTQ+ STEM students, five chapters collaborated to found oSTEM Inc. in 2009 with 501(c)(3) status by December 2010. In 2017, oSTEM, Inc. expanded its mission to be inclusive of professionals, serving all LGBTQ+ people in the STEM community.

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Privacy Policy

We respect requests to be unlisted in our membership directory. oSTEM never shares personal information for purposes of marketing. oSTEM may share information with sponsors for recruiting purposes only.