Volunteer

Science on Tap volunteers needed!

Our events are professionally recorded, shared on multiple platforms, have a consistent audience, and have educated/entertained THOUSANDS of people. Volunteering with SoT is more than helping out with some schedules or gear – it’s learning and growing as a community!

We are prioritizing the door greeter (esp. for Vancouver) role and the tech support role at the moment (see Other Roles below if you’re interested in…other roles)

Door Greeter

Door greeters are a great way to get started with Science on Tap, get to us, how things run, and get into shows for free!

First, you sign up for a show with our volunteer coordinator (usually via Slack). Day of, show up around 5:30pm (doors are at 6pm), slap a few VIP signs on chairs, and then set up a table with pencils and the trivia sheets/evals. Then, when people come in, you ask if they’ve been to Science on Tap before, give them a 1-2 sentence run down, hand them a pencil and sheet, and send them on their way. Food (usually pizza, but sometimes not…) provided!

We have 2 shows a month (usually), one in Vancouver and one in Portland (no shows in August nor December). You certainly don’t have to attend all the shows! Pick your favorite topics, and the most convenient location. (Could really use Vancouverites – that commute to Kiggins theatre is rough from Portland).

Contact: write our volunteer coordinator Annicca, volunteer@makeyouthink.org

Tech Support

Interested in building your published portfolio? Come contribute to the photos and filming of our events! You’ll need a solid grounding in technical problem-solving and experience in some of the following:

  • photography (technically difficult lighting and digital processing)
  • videography
  • wired and wireless networking
  • Powerpoint troubleshooting
  • theatrical sound system control
  • theatrical lighting
  • projection systems
  • video-direction

Bonus points if you have high-end camera gear to contribute to show documentation.

We generally have 2 events a month (with August and December off). For in-person events, you’d need to be at the location for about 5 hours (4-9pm usually Wednesdays, in NE Portland at Alberta Rose Theatre OR at Kiggins Theatre in Vancouver, Washington).

Once you’re trained, we don’t expect you to be at every single show, but we are hoping to have a ‘B team’ so we aren’t dependent on so few skilled volunteers.

Contact: write our volunteer coordinator Annicca, volunteer@makeyouthink.org

Speaker Bounty Hunter

Help us find speakers for Science on Tap!

Who should be our next guest? Help us to find and vet speakers for our shows. Once you’ve got the hang of that, you can coordinate with them to book a spot in our lineup. Needed:

  • An outgoing, friendly email voice
  • Ability to check/respond to email in a timely manner
  • Juggle various contacts
  • Some familiarity with Science on Tap’s shows/tone

We’ll train you and provide materials, and communicate with you every step of the way.

Perks: free show admission, a legit reason to geek out with real authors and scientists backstage, and being a part of spreading accessible science!
Contact: write our volunteer coordinator Annicca, volunteer@makeyouthink.org

OTHER ROLES

Are you a good people wrangler?

We are also looking for those who could help with fundraising, communication, emceeing, managing the books, or anyone willing to hand out the trivia sheets and check people in as they get to the theatre. Contact us!

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Interested in volunteering for us? Yay! Please submit a paragraph or two telling us:

1. What position you are interested in
2. What draws you to this position
3. What experiences you bring to the role

Send your application to volunteer@makeyouthink.org with subject:

Science on Tap Volunteer: *name*

If you have any questions about these roles, or have other ways you would like to contribute let us know. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Make You Think is a non-profit that supports programs like Science on Tap events and A Scientist Walks Into A Bar podcast. We are based in Portland, Oregon, but our online events and podcasts are accessible anywhere in the world.

Make You Think strives to create an inclusive environment where all volunteer staff feel welcome and are able to contribute and develop their strengths. We especially welcome applications from persons of color, female-identified persons, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons, and others with lived experiences that can contribute to the further diversification of ideas. If you are comfortable, we invite you to share your identities.