Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (oSTEM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ people working in the STEM field. With over 150 chapters across the country, PSU’s official oSTEM club thrives here in the Park Blocks. The club’s goal is to foster community for queer students in STEM-related majors, and push back against a lack of representation in the field.
PSU Vanguard caught up with the club’s Event Coordinator, Topaz Gem, who is majoring in Biology at PSU. They shared how important it was for them to find people they could relate to and who seek similar career paths. They referenced how other disciplines like the Humanities tend to have a higher presence from the Queer community comparatively to STEM, and the power of community built through the club helps to close that deficit.
The club holds various social events like movie nights and painting in the park blocks. They also host regular talks, inviting figures from the STEM industry to speak on campus. On Friday, April 24th, the club held a talk with Indigenous Nations Studies professor, Hailey Maria Salazar, to share her experience as a Queer person in the Sciences.
“It’s difficult to go into a field that you like when you don’t see anyone that looks like you,” Gem said.
According to Gem, the community built within oSTEM helps quell those fears.
Keep up with oSTEM events at PSU via Instagram @ostempdx.
