IETF Systers

The IETF Systers Program offers women and nonbinary IETF participants the opportunity to catch up with friends across all areas of the Internet Engineering Task Force and the Internet Research Task Force.

IETF Systers at IETF 104
IETF Systers at IETF 104, in Prague


IETF Systers is a community of women and nonbinary IETF participants who gather to network, share advice and experiences, and collaborate on various projects. We welcome women and nonbinary participants of all ages and at any stage of their studies or careers, and we encourage our members to utilize the Systers group as an informal mentoring and information gathering network. We are here to support and encourage each other.

In addition to providing a supportive environment, IETF Systers also provides training and professional development opportunities for community members.

The IETF Systers has gathered during nearly every IETF meeting since 1993. The founder of the program, Allison Mankin, chose the name Systers as an answer to the late Anita Borg’s call for women in computer systems to support and celebrate each other. IETF Systers is a recognized initiative of AnitaB.org.

Complementing the face-to-face and online gatherings, the Systers email list and Slack channel is for Systers anywhere, and topics can be about any concern of the list members. Both the mailing list and Slack channel are open to all women and nonbinary individuals who are interested in the IETF.

Systers hold monthly meetups in the IETF Gather space and the meeting schedule can be found in the Datatracker

If you are interested in learning more about IETF Systers or sponsoring the program, please contact support@ietf.org.