Signing up on the OpenLab
BEFORE YOU BEGIN, PLEASE NOTE: To create an account on the OpenLab, you will need to be able to access your City Tech email account. If you don’t have one, have never used one, or have forgotten your username and/or password for an existing account, you’ll need to contact the Help Desk at 718-260-4900 or studenthelpdesk@citytech.cuny.edu, or visit the Help Desk on the first floor of the Atrium Building. You can also look up your email username here. The Help Desk is not part of the OpenLab, which doesn’t handle City Tech email account issues.
1. Once you are sure you can access your City Tech email account, go to the OpenLab homepage. You’ll find a box with the text Join the OpenLab at the top. Click the Sign Up button.
2. Select your account type from the dropdown.
3. After selecting your account type, review the information about the OpenLab that appears below, and confirm your understanding to continue. If you have any questions or concerns, select “No, I have questions,” and you will be directed to OpenLab Help.
2. Scroll down to continue, and fill in the following required information in the Account Details section:
- First and last name: These will not be displayed publicly.
- Account type: Student, faculty, staff, or alumni
- City Tech email address:
- IMPORTANT for students: Your City Tech email address is different from your CUNYfirst login. If you use your CUNYfirst login as the beginning of your email address, you will not be able to complete the sign up process.
- Student email addresses all follow the same format, usually with firstname.lastname@mail.citytech.cuny.edu. Sometimes an email address may include a number, like firstname.lastname2@mail.citytech.cuny.edu, if you have a common name.
- Username
NOTE: You will use your username to sign in, and it will also be displayed in the URL of your public OpenLab member profile. Because the username is public, we recommend that students do not use their full name. You don’t need to use your real name. You cannot change your username after you sign up.
- Password for your OpenLab account
- This doesn’t have to be your City Tech email account password–in fact, it’s always good to use different passwords for all sites.
3. In the Public Profile Details section, fill in the following:
- Display Name
NOTE: Your Display Name is different from your username and will appear on your public OpenLab profile and wherever you post on the OpenLab. Because your Display Name is public, you don’t need to use your real name or your full name. Your Display Name can be changed at any time by editing your profile.
- For student and alumni accounts: Major Program of Study
- For faculty and staff: School and Department or Office
- Choose your avatar: you can upload an image that will be used on your profile and throughout the site. You don’t have to use an image of yourself. Feel free to use something that represents you or your interests.
- Click Upload Photo to upload it, or drag the image from your computer to Drop your file here.
- If you don’t want to upload an image, you can keep the avatar that is already shown under Profile Picture.
- You can also add Pronouns, Academic interests, Bio, Website and Google Scholar. None of these are required, and you can add or edit them later. You can also choose who can see these fields on your profile:
- Everyone: Visible to anyone on the web
- OpenLab Members: Only logged-in members of the OpenLab can see
- Friends: Only OpenLab members who you’ve added as friends can see
- Only Me: Only you can see
All of this information can be changed later by visiting Settings under My OpenLab.
You can add Social Links by choosing a social platform from the Platform dropdown and adding your account URL or username. To remove one of your social media links, click the minus symbol next to the URL/username field. To add another social media link, click the plus symbol at the bottom, select the platform, and add the URL or username.
As with the other profile details above, you can choose who can see each social link on your profile.
4. Once you’ve finished, click Complete Sign Up at the bottom.
5. You will see a notice that sign up is complete. Now you just have one more step!
Activation Email
1. At this point, an activation email will be sent from the OpenLab to your City Tech email account. Visit your City Tech email account, and look for an email with the subject line: [City Tech OpenLab] Activate Your Account. Click the link you find in the email from us, and you’re officially a member of the OpenLab! (Instructions for accessing student email).
Students, please note: If you don’t see the account activation email in your Inbox, please check your Junk folder. Sometimes account activation emails will appear there but not in the Inbox. If you still don’t see it, try doing a search for the subject line: [City Tech OpenLab] Activate Your Account
2. After clicking on the link, you will be at the activation page shown below. Your activation key will be prefilled, and all you need to do is click the Activate button.
You do not need to go through this process again. When you want to come back to the OpenLab, simply go to the OpenLab homepage, and log in with the username and password you created in step two. You can find more information in the OpenLab help section Logging in to the OpenLab.
