Do you have an ORCID id number? Think you do not need one? YOU DO! More and more agencies are starting to require these for grant submissions. Read on to learn why.
ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor Identification) is a non-profit organization that promotes the use of its unique digital identifier to connect researchers with their science contributions over time and across changes of name, location and institutional affiliation. Since inception several big names in research such as NIH and Elsevier have partnered with
ORCID to provide a lifelong identifier that automatically link researchers to past and recent papers, avoid confusion caused by similar last names, enhance the discoverability of papers and simplify creating biosketches for grant applications. This partnership also allows NIH to better monitor professional outcomes by tracking the progress of researchers along their career path, starting with trainees and early career scientists.
To make this a reality, in fiscal year 2020, NIH, joined by CDC and AHRQ, will begin requiring individuals supported by training, fellowship, career development, and other research education awards to have an ORCID iD linked to their personal electronic Research Administration (eRA) account (NOT-OD-19-109).
Beginning October 1, potential NIH xTrain appointees who do not have an ORCID iD linked to their eRA personal profile will not be accepted. This will apply to fellowship and career development applications submitted on or after January 25, 2020.
In addition to NIH, other funders adopting ORCID include: the Wellcome Trust, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UK Research and Innovation and the Department of Energy. NSF, NASA, USDA, and Department of Transportation are also encouraging or requiring the use of ORCID.
Graduate students to senior scientists are encouraged If you do not already have an ORCID account, register today and link it to your eRA Commons personal profile. This will ensure a smooth transition for future implementation plans for other grant awards. ORCID accounts can also be linked to your UTMB Research Expert Profile to help with inclusion of publications.
If you have questions on how or why you should get an ORCID profile or how to link it to various profiles, please do not hesitate to contact Melodi Moore in Research Services.