ORCID is a non-profit organization that provides faculty, researchers and students with a unique alphanumeric identifier. The ORCID ID is a non-proprietary means of establishing your author name and identity and can be associated with scholarly works such articles, books/book chapters, posters and videos; and professional activities such as editorial work or grant submissions and more. This is especially useful for authors who have common names or authors who have name changes during their career. The ORCID ID remains the same throughout your career regardless of affiliation history.
ORCID is linked among other identifier systems such as the Scopus Author ID, Web of Science and ResearcherID; publishers such as Nature and APS; platforms such as Publons; and funding agencies such as NIH and the Wellcome Trust. Many publishers such as Nature and Science now require or highly encourage authors to note their ORCID IDs during the submission process or when undertaking peer review activities.
Don’t have an ORCID ID yet? No worries! It’s very easy to sign up for one. Head over to the ORCID website to register. A Washington University institutional sign-in to ORCID using your WUSTL Key is also available. Your works can be quickly imported from other services such as Scopus or ResearcherID. You can also designate a delegate in ORCID to assist with populating and maintaining your profile.
Want to know more? Check out our ORCID Subject Guide or contact us at publicationsupport@wustl.edu.