How to run your SPIE Student Chapter

Your questions answered

Stronger together

SPIE Student Chapters play a critical role in developing future leaders of optics and photonics. We are here to support the collaboration, mentoring, industry connections, and outreach programming of your chapter. Set your chapter up for success by carefully reading though the guidelines below, and reach out to Student Programs and Activities with any questions.

A group of three students and a chapter advisor standing together in front of the SPIE Membership photo booth backdrop

Your chapter is up and running. Now what?

In this section:

What does a chapter need to do to meet good-standing requirements?

SPIE Student Chapters must maintain a good-standing status to receive activity funding.  If a chapter does not meet all these requirements for three consecutive years, SPIE staff will contact the chapter to assess revitalization opportunities. If there are no opportunities or if the advisor and any members feel the need to end the chapter, the chapter will be recommended for decertification to the Board of Directors.

Good-standing requirements include:

  • Maintain a minimum of 10 current SPIE Student Members as members of the chapter.
  • Have a chapter advisor who is a full-time faculty member at the chapter’s educational institution and is also a current SPIE voting (non-Student) Member.
  • Hold annual elections for four officers: president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.
    • All chapter officers need to have current SPIE Student Memberships.
    • Check out these resources to equip your officers with the skills and tools they need to be effective in their roles.
  • Hold a minimum of three chapter meetings annually.
  • Submit an annual report and funding request for those seeking funding by 1 October annually.

Watch this video for our chapter guidelines and tips. 

Can we register our SPIE Student Members in bulk?

To request Student Memberships in bulk using one method of payment, email students@spie.org with:  
  • The total number of Student Memberships you want to purchase
SPIE will then send an invoice. After it is paid, you will receive a promo code equal to the number of memberships you purchased. Share this code with your chapter members so they can join or renew their own SPIE Student Membership online at no cost to them.

Important: Be sure that each student selects your chapter in the check-out process, or else they will not appear in your chapter roster. Details on how to do this are communicated when you receive your promo code. You can also log into your Account Details on spie.org to update your chapter affiliation once your membership is active. 

Please note that this code will only work for the number and type of memberships you have purchased. There are no refunds, but you can use your purchase and related promo code for future chapter members. 

How do we elect chapter officers, and what are their roles?

  • Officer elections are required to be held annually. The membership will vote, and those with the highest number of votes will be elected as respective officers.
  • Each chapter must have a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.
  • Each term of office is equal to one year of service, and a student may be re-elected to the same position for a second term.
  • No individual can serve in the same position for more than two years.
  • No individual should be elected to office if graduating before completing at least one-half year in office.
  • The newly elected officers will take office immediately after the election.
  • After elections have been held, the chapter must submit an online Officer Update Form.
  • Chapter officers’ duties:
    • The president supervises the SPIE Student Chapter’s affairs and activities. The president is responsible for public relations, publicity, and promotion of the chapter’s activities and assumes all other executive duties not otherwise delegated.
    • In the absence of the president, the vice president presides over meetings and performs all other functions of the president. The vice president’s primary responsibility will be program planning and execution.
    • The secretary keeps permanent records of all meetings and activities of the chapter. The secretary is also responsible for maintaining a current roster of members and for timely communications with SPIE headquarters.
    • The treasurer keeps records of all expenses and submits the annual funding request form to SPIE. The treasurer also ensures that an accounting of the previous year’s expenses is included in the annual report submitted to SPIE by 1 October.

What is required for annual reporting?

    Annual reports and annual funding grant requests are due every year on 1 October.

    The annual report will include:

    • Names of elected officers for the calendar year coming to a close.
    • List of current chapter members for the calendar year coming to a close.
    • Details of chapter activities since the last report.
    • Details of planned activities for the next year and the requested funding for them.
    • Financial information with receipts of expenses for the calendar year coming to a close.

    The Student Chapter Annual Report and Activity Grant Application will open on the SPIE application platform (SMApply) in mid-August each year. One of the chapter officers will need to complete the annual report and activity grant funding request if applying for those. Read these essential grant prep tips before submitting your application.

    Beware of the Late Student Chapter Annual Report Application option! This is only to be used when you have missed the 1 October deadline to submit your Student Chapter Annual Report and Activity Grant Application, but you still want to keep your chapter in good standing to be eligible to apply for funding the following year. 

    How do we fund our chapter activities?

    Chapters in good standing are eligible each year to apply for up to $1,500 in funding to conduct chapter activities via the SPIE Student Chapter Annual Report and Activity Grant Application* (*do not use the Late Student Chapter Annual Report Application, as funding cannot be requested through this form).

    Student Chapters must provide a detailed activity proposal for the amount requested. Awarded funding will be determined based on the quality of the report and funding request.

    The activity grant application includes support for virtual or in-person speaker stipends and regional travel. Chapter members can arrange visits throughout the year directly without requiring pre-approval from SPIE. Chapters will manage speaker invitations and any payments or reimbursements directly.

    Make sure to take important administrative steps to plan for grant funding. We offer these tips to ensure that accepting grant funding will be a smooth and easy process. 

    Appropriate use of funds includes:

    • Supplies for outreach experiments

    • Small items for giveaways at events, like pencils/pens

    • Zoom account for Chapter events

    • Student Chapter webpage fees

    • Food items to support events  - cannot exceed 25% of total awarded grant

    • Speaker honorarium and travel (except student speakers)

    • Student Chapter banner replacement (SPIE banner with SPIE logo only)

    • Room reservations for Chapter events

    • SPIE branded chapter t-shirts for Chapter members to wear at events (uniforms)

    • Flyers/brochures for chapter advertising

    • Transportation fees that benefit all Chapter members to visit local industry or points of interest

    Inappropriate use of funds includes:

    • Activities that benefit only a few Student Chapter members

    • Office/lab equipment/administrative costs (coffee machines or materials that are for your lab are not permitted)

    • Alcohol

    • Travel to conferences/hotel fees for only a few Chapter members (exceptions considered if Chapter representatives are hosting a Chapter table at a larger event)

    • Gifts/gift cards for Chapter members (gifts for invited speakers are okay)

    • Sporting activities (bowling nights and kayaking trips are great, but not covered by this grant)

    • Student stipends or salaries

    • Memberships or entry fees (including SPIE Memberships)

    How do we know if our chapter qualifies for Student Chapter Awards?

    Chapters may self-nominate for the Presidential Award for Outstanding Student Chapter in their annual report.

    Is there travel assistance available for students to attend SPIE conferences?

    SPIE offers student conference support via a limited number of travel grants (airfare/lodging) and conference registration to SPIE Student Members who are planning to present their research at an SPIE conference.

    How do we use the SPIE logo?

    Once approved, each SPIE Student Chapter receives a unique chapter logo. This logo should be used to promote events organized or sponsored by the chapter, helping to establish and reinforce the chapter’s individual identity within the SPIE community.

    Chapters may use the SPIE corporate logo only to reference SPIE as the parent organization — not in a way that suggests chapter representatives are speaking or acting on behalf of SPIE. To avoid confusion, chapter representatives should use their chapter-specific logos when designing their website, promoting events, creating materials, or representing their group publicly.

    SPIE provides chapter logos in multiple formats to support a variety of uses.
    Options include small, web-friendly files with transparent backgrounds; larger versions with white backgrounds; and scalable formats suitable for high-resolution printing or custom sizing. These formats are designed to help chapters maintain a consistent and professional visual identity across digital and print materials.

    Chapter logos are intended to increase visibility for SPIE Student Chapters while ensuring proper representation and credit.

    What is our chapter's official SPIE affiliation?

    SPIE Student Chapters do not have the authority to act for or in the name of SPIE and will not incur any financial obligations whatsoever in the name of SPIE. The Student Chapter agrees that SPIE will not be held responsible, directly or indirectly, for any claims or damages arising out of the chapter’s actions.

    The organization and operation of the Student Chapter will be in accordance with the constitution and bylaws of SPIE.

    Guide for forming a new SPIE Student Chapter Guide for forming a new SPIE Student Chapter ...

    SPIE Membership FAQ

    SPIE defines a student as someone engaged in studies, who has not yet attained their terminal degree. Post-docs are not eligible for Student Membership and discounts but are encouraged to join SPIE as Early Career Members.

    SPIE accepts checks (in USD), money orders, purchase orders, and bankwire transfers. 

    Yes, you can open a bank account to pay for SPIE Membership fees from one source, or manage funds.

    US chapters looking to open a bank account must complete and submit IRS Form SS-4 directly to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to receive their EIN. On an annual basis, US chapters need to file the 990-N tax form. This form is very short, but if not filed for three consecutive years, the organization will automatically lose its tax-exempt status.