Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site. In this policy the term “cookie” describes a range of technologies, including cookies, web beacons and pixel tags.

There are two main types of cookies that are used on the website:

Session cookies	These are set at the start of your visit to the website and only exist for the time you remain on the website. They are removed when you close your browser.
Persistent cookies	These remain on your until they expire or are deleted. Many have automation deletion dates so your device isn’t overloaded with cookies.

The website uses both types of cookies to simplify the user journey and enhance the user’s experience of the website. Cookies can also be classed as 1st or 3rd party cookies:

1st Party cookies	These cookies are set and owned by the website.
3rd Party cookies	These cookies are set and owned by a party other than that of the website. These are usually a partner who is providing services to us as the website owner.

Use of cookies by this website

A number of the cookies that we use on the website are essential for parts of the site to operate and some have already been set. You may delete and block all cookies from the site, but parts of the site will not work.

There are a number of different types of cookies which have different purposes:

Necessary – enable you to use our site and services
Functional – remember choices you make to improve site experience
Performance/analytics – anonymised and aggregated information collection about how visitors use our site and services
Targeting and advertising – collect information about browsing habits to deliver ads relevant to you and your interests. Usually placed by ad network with our permission

The following cookies are used by the website:

Necessary and Functional Cookies

These are necessary and/or functional types of cookies. Disabling these would affect the functionality and may restrict access to certain parts of the website.

Cookie	Name	Purpose
PHP Session ID	SSESS PHPSESSID	Used by the website to identify a user that is logged in
SimpleSAML	SimpleSAMLAuthToken SimpleSAMLSessionID	Used as part of the website authentication process that enables users to remain logged in and allows the website to track unique login sessions.
Drupal core	has_js	Used by the website to see if the user’s browser has javascript enabled or not.
Drupal core	Drupal.tableDrag.showWeight	Used by the website to remember if you would like to show weights column in tables with drag/drop functionality to sort it.
Drupal Module: module_filter	DrupalModuleFilter	Added by the website to remember preferences about last access to the admin/module page.
Drupal Module: eu_cookie_compliance	cookie-agreed_[date]	This is used to remember that you have accepted the cookie warning so you don’t have to accept it every time you visit the site.
Drupal Module: stem_comm_resource	community_resources_by_user- dashboard_resources-sort_by	This cookie is used to store your sorting preferences for the "My Resources" list of the dashboard.
Drupal Module: stem_comm_resource	community_resources_by_user- panel_pane_2-sort_by	This cookie is used to store your sorting preferences for the "My Collections" list of the dashboard.
Drupal Module: stem_og_invite_register	Drupal_visitor_stem_og_register_validated	Used to remember if an invite to groups has been validated or not.
Drupal Module: stem_user	stem_user_privacy_policy_banner_link	Used to remember if the Privacy Policy banner has been shown to the user or not.
Drupal Module: stem_course_ab	stem_course_ab stem_course_ab_nid	Used to redirect a user to the correct course during A/B testing.
Custom Javascript	isSideMenuOpenCookie	Used to remember if the sidebar is open or closed when on the STEM Ambassador area of the website.
Wistia	__distillery wistia-http2-push-disabled	Used by our video system to recall a playback position and resume from that point if interrupted
Live Chat	_lc_cid (customerId) _lc_cst (customerSecureToken)	Used by our Live Chat service to verify the identity and customer token of a customer created in Live Chat. These cookies do not store any personal information that would allow someone to identify the user, like customer's name, IP address, geolocation, etc.

Performance Cookies

These cookies collect information about how visitors use the website, for example which pages visitors go to most often. All information collected by these cookies collect is aggregated and anonymous.

Cookie	Name	Purpose
Universal analytics (Google)	_ga, _gat, _gid	These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use the website. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the website. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the website, where visitors have come to the website from and the pages they visited. Read Google's overview of privacy and safeguarding data Privacy Policy Opt Out
Google Analytics - Doubleclick	IDE DSID	This cookie is used to send data to Google Analytics about the visitor’s device and behaviour. It tracks visitors across devices and marketing channels. Privacy Policy Opt Out
Google Maps - Iframe // Recaptcha	1P_JAR APISID HSID NID OGPC SAPISID SID SIDCC SSID	These cookies are added by Google Services which we use on the website to identify user/session and track it. Privacy Policy How to Opt Out
MessageFocus conversion tracking (Adestra)	adestra_ctrk	This cookie is used to track the website activity of a visitor who has clicked through to the website from an email. Privacy Policy Opt Out

How do I change my cookie settings?

Most web browsers allow some control of cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set, visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.

When someone visits our website we use Google Analytics to collect standard internet log information, details of visitor behaviour patterns and search terms being used on the site. To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics visit http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

Targeting and Advertising Cookies

These cookies are used to serve advertisements that are more relevant to you and your interests. You can manage the use of internet-based advertising cookies and disable the sharing of information about your online activities across websites and interactive properties.

Google Ads	Advertising cookie	Privacy Policy Opt Out
Twitter	These cookies are used by Twitter in order to integrate functionality into our website. The cookies are used for a variety of purposes including targeted advertising and campaign measurement.	Privacy Policy How to Opt Out
Facebook	This is a ‘web beacon’ that is used to serve you with advertisements that may be relevant to you and your interests. It may also be used to help measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.	Privacy Policy How to Opt Out

Interest-based advertising

Some targeted advertisements that we display to you across third party operated websites and properties may include the "Ad Choices" icon or another mechanism to opt out of receiving interest-based advertisements. You can click on the AdChoices icon or visit www.aboutads.info to receive more information about your online activities or to opt out of having your data used for interest-based advertising by Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) participating companies.

Updates to this policy

We may occasionally make changes to this policy.

When we make changes to this policy, we will provide you with a prominent notice e.g by displaying a notice on the website.