Contined Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award

oSTEM: Out In STEM

Continued-Excellence-AW-Diversity

Out In STEM (oSTEM) has been a cornerstone for the LGBTQ+ community at the University and a leader in diversity within the EPS Community. All too aware of the difficulties that lockdown would pose for their community, oSTEM quickly pivoted their entire society online. They built the oSTEM Discord Server which evolved into a virtual community for current students, staff and alumni to connect socially and professionally. oSTEM offered a series of online events from coffee socials to weekly virtual quizzes for members. One of the most impressive examples of this was oSTEM’s success in adapting their STEM, LGBTQ & You conference conference. Not only did they move the event online, but they vastly improved its accessibility with live transcriptions and, with permission, published recordings of the events online. This Herculean effort enabled oSTEM to attract more international speakers and audience members than ever before while also creating a safe space for members and students to be themselves. oSTEM extended its efforts to the wider EPS Community and University. They curated a range of LGBTQ+ History Month events that were made widely available and also made a conscious effort to reach out to LGBTQ+ students who might be struggling. The society went as far as to support the College of Life and Environmental Sciences in engaging and enriching the experience of its LGBTQ+ students and played an important role in the Historical Research on Sexuality Project at the University. oSTEM continues to ensure that students voices are heard and that the University moves forward with a clear understanding of LGBTQ+ people’s needs.