​Start a Branch

​​

At STARS, we aim to develop student leaders in structural biology research. If you have research experience with crystallography, have a passion for it, and want to share it with other students, this application is just for you.

 

The application process will include:

(1) submitting responses to each of five questions,

(2) submitting a bylaw for your branch that fulfills STARS branch bylaw requirements,

(3) share the message about STARS with 10+ students and have 8 serious students (including yourself) be interested and register as proposed STARS members for your proposed STARS branch 

(4) (optional) have a crystallography or structural biology research faculty sign on and provide a supporting letter, saying how long and in what context they have known you for and that they are interested in supporting your proposed STARS branch in its endeavors on campus (having such support from a research faculty will be useful for connections and collaborations for your proposed STARS branch)

​

The five narrative questions:

• Please describe your experience and background with structural biology and crystallography research. Describe what context it was in. Was it with a research group, a side project, some tinkering on your own, etc.? (250 words max)

• Please describe your research experience in general, including any skills you have learned, any projects you have worked on, which lab and university you are in (if college student) or which science classes you have taken or what science programs you had notably participated in (if high school student), and how long you have been working there. (250 words max)

• Please describe your leadership experience, including the time periods you served in an officer role/member, what duties you performed, and any programs or events you initiated and how you initiated and propelled them forward. (300 words max)

• Why do you want to start a STARS branch at your school/university? (300 words max)

• STARS branches are required to organize weekly club meetings for members and at least two outreach events open to all students each semester. Describe what your weekly club meetings will be like and how they will embody the STARS mission and vision. Propose two category of outreach events that you want to bring to your fellow students and describe what each of the two event types would entail and how they will embody the STARS mission and vision. (250 words max)

​

Application form: https://forms.gle/SreL7dpFRte1h4T5A

​

STARS Branch Policy (includes required language in STARS Branch bylaws): TBD

STARS Branch example bylaws: TBD​

​

If your group is approved as a STARS branch, then the prospective membership registration form can be modified into the STARS membership registration form for your branch, and the STARS one-paged release and registration document must be added to the registration form for registering STARS members to sign and submit.

Additionally, each STARS branch officer must sign an officer release, registration, and agreement form to uphold and embody the STARS mission, vision, and core values.

Your secretary will then keep these new STARS member registration forms and new STARS officer forms on file at your branch, and any newly signed forms such as these need to be submitted to STARS nonprofit bi-semesterly.

​

STARS member one-paged release and registration form: Coming soon

STARS officer release, registration, and agreement form: Coming soon