Have a question that has not been answered below? Reach out to us at gage@500womenscientists.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can become a member of gage?
Gage is a global search platform/database for self-identified women and gender minorities working and studying in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.
Can I join if I’m a student?
Yes! We love STEMM students and encourage you to join the platform - you can also use the platform to find and connect with potential mentors in your field of interest/study.
What do you mean by gender minority?
The CDC defines gender minorities as individuals whose gender identity (man, women, other) or expression (masculine, feminine, other) is different from their sex (male, female) assigned at birth. However, we at 500 Women Scientists believe and understand that gender is fluid and can be difficult to define. We built this platform specifically for people who have been historically marginalized in the fields of STEMM due to their gender identity and expression.This includes (but is not limited to) women, gender nonbinary, genderqueer, transgender, agender, and bigender folks.
We rely on members self-identifying their gender identity - so based on our mission if you believe gage is for you, please sign up. Additionally, we aim to make our platform a safe space and encourage members to only share as much information about their identities that they feel safe and comfortable with doing so publicly.
What is the meaning of gage?
The word Gage is a nod to the “Matilda effect” and named for Matilda Gage (a suffragist and abolitionist) who wrote about how women scientists had been erased from history over the course of the 19th century.
Do I have to have a lot of work experience?
We welcome people of all backgrounds and experience levels from within the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine fields. We only require that you are able to share examples of your academic or professional background in the relevant field in the form of publications, Twitter, LinkedIn, university profile, or similar website to verify your inclusion on our database.
Do you have to be a member to search the platform?
No! If you are a journalist, conference planner or someone looking to find an expert in a STEMM field you do not need to sign-up to our platform. Just start searching via our search bar! You can also download your search results or save profiles to come back to them later!
How do I sign up and what kinds of tags do you encourage folks to include?
You can easily sign-up and create a profile via this link. We encourage folks to use our expertise section to list your STEMM disciplines and/or keywords that can include science and common language keywords (these can be research, professional, or personal). e.g. podiatry, hiking, etc.
Can folks find mentors on the platform?
Coming soon: Gage members will soon be able to add “Being a mentor” and/or “Being mentored” under the “Contact me for” section. This feature has been added so that anyone looking for mentors can easily identify people who are willing to be contacted for mentorship.
Can you update your profile after you have created it?
Yes. As a member you can sign-in to your profile and update at any time! We encourage you to keep your profile updated so that people can see all the amazing things you have been upto and contact you for relevant opportunities!