Out to Innovate Summit is a biennial cross-generational multi-day event that provides an educational and supportive environment for career development and enrichment for LGBTQ+ students, academics, and career professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Established in 2010, this has become NOGLSTP’s signature event.
Out to Innovate Summit 2026 is happening! March 6-8, 2026. University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA. Save the Date!
We are excited to officially announce that an "Out to Innovate Summit" will be taking place again on March 6-8, 2026, at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA. It has been far too long since we have convened our Out to Innovate Summit. This is an opportunity to support one another, our LGBTQ+ communities, and the STEMM community—all of which are facing political attacks. We would love to see you there!
It is our intention that this summit will help to forge a path forward towards inclusion in STEMM. Strengthening our connections across disciplines will help us face the challenges that we are experiencing from society and the economic limitations being imposed by anti-DEI efforts and government funding cutbacks. Bringing together academics, industry, philanthropy, and policy experts will help us chart a path forward from where we are today by providing resources to navigate a path for success. We plan to include a keynote address, plenary panels on essential topics, interactive workshops, networking opportunities to explore, strategies, and resources toward more inclusive, creative visions for participants careers and lives. However, all of this cannot be achieved without your input, help, and participation.
This summit will be our first opportunity for an in-person, organizational meeting since 2019. We'd love to connect with new members and re-connect with long-standing members. If you can volunteer in any capacity—marketing and communications, logistics, on-site help, sponsor recruiting—please fill out this sign-up form. We'd love to have your help.
Watch this space for developing information about program content, registration, lodging, sponsor opportunities. For more information about past events and links to photoalbums and conference videos, click on each event below:
- Summit 2010: Inaugural event, hosted by the LGBTQ+ Community from University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, October 9, 2010. Keynote Speaker: Dean Hamer
- Summit 2012: hosted by the oSTEM chapter at The Ohio State University, Columbus OH, October 13-14, 2012. Keynote Speaker: Nergis Malvavala
- Summit 2014: Joint event with oSTEM 4th National Conference, hosted at the Georgia Tech Conference Center, Atlanta GA, November 8-9, 2014. Keynote Speakers: Lynn Conway, Tam O'Shaugnessy
- Summit 2017: Danvers MA, March 4-5, 2017. Keynote Speaker: Victoria Orphan
- Summit 2019: hosted by the USC Lambda Alumni at University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA, March 16-17, 2019 . Keynote Speaker: David Bohnett
- Summit 2020: Joint virtual event with the oSTEM 10th Annual Conference, November 12-15, 2020. Keynote Speakers: Mylene Dipenta, Sian Lewis
- nanoSummit 2021: This virtual event celebrated the recipients of the 2021 Out to Innovate Recognition Awards, the 2020 Ben Barres Fellowships, and the 2021 Out to Innovate Scholarships. Tonia Poteat, one of our first Out to Innovate Scholarship recipients, was our keynote speaker.