The Library will soon launch a service to assist faculty members and research postgraduate students to obtain an ORCID identifier (iD).

 

ORCID (http://orcid.org) is an open, non-profit organization.  It provides a registry of unique identifiers for researchers to distinguish their research activities from those with similar names. Using ORCID's automated linking mechanism, researchers can attach their own identifiers to their research outputs and have them linked and interacted with a diversity of research information systems.

 

It is to HKUST's benefit if each of our researchers has an ORCID iD.  The accuracy of the bibliometrics and research output counts will be greatly improved if our researchers' identity can be distinctively connected to their scholarly publications and datasets.  HKUST's academic ranking will become more accurately reflected when these improved figures are adopted by the ranking agencies.  It is also beneficial to urge our postgraduate students to create ORCID iD for themselves, as the distinctive iDs will enable them to keep track of their research activities and outcomes throughout their research career path.

 

Any researcher can register for an ORCID iD individually from the ORCID website.  So far, about 60 of our 500 plus faculty members have obtained their own ORCID iDs.  These iDs can be integrated into research information systems and publisher platforms, including CrossRef, Scopus, ResearcherID, Nature Publishing Group, etc.  The HKUST Scholarly Publications Database (SPD) also connects ORCID iD in its scholar profiles.

 

With the support from EVPPO, OPIR and PGSO, the Library is currently working with the ORCID technical support to implement an institutional ORCID iD registration mechanism, to minimize individual effort.  Within a few clicks, the iDs and their records will be created automatically for the registrants.

 

This service will be introduced in phases, for both faculty members and research postgraduate students.  In the coming few months, if you receive an invitation email from the Library, please spend a minute or so to click through the links to complete the registration process.