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ORCID Researcher Advisory Council (ORAC) Charter

Purpose

The ORCID Researcher Advisory Council (ORAC) is made up of a diverse group of researchers who provide feedback and advice to ORCID staff and the ORCID Board to ensure that ORCID provides value to researchers and facilitates research and innovation. The Council’s overarching mission is to keep researchers at the center of ORCID’s work and ensure ORCID is aligned with researchers’ needs and aspirations.

Authority

ORAC is a consultative body that was established by the Board to elevate researcher perspectives in ORCID decision making. ORAC does not possess decision-making authority but can advise ORCID staff and the Board on matters of researcher interest such as feature development, prioritization, policy making, or any other matters referred by the Board or Executive Director.

Reporting

The Chair(s) are responsible for reporting the discussions of the Council back to the ORCID Board,

Roles and Responsibilities of the Council

Members of the ORCID Research Advisory Council advise the ORCID Board and staff on matters such as, but not limited to:

  • ORCID’s policy as it relates to researchers, especially privacy-related matters
  • ORCID’s strategy, particularly around researcher engagement and maximizing value to researchers
  • Ease of use of the ORCID services and tools
  • Researcher use cases and functionality of the ORCID registry and related tools
  • Integration between ORCID and other tools, systems, and services used by researchers
  • Communication and outreach to the researcher community to drive adoption and use of ORCID
  • The use of ORCID data in research and meta research, including the public data file.

Council members are expected to actively participate in discussions, provide constructive feedback, and contribute to the advancement of ORCID’s mission.

Appointment, Role and Responsibilities of the Chair(s)

ORAC is co-chaired by the Researcher-Director member(s) of the ORCID Board. The Chair(s) are responsible for reporting the discussions of the Council back to the ORCID Board, and bringing matters of importance to the Council to the Board for consideration. The Executive Director, Director of Staff and Board Engagement, and Product Director work closely with the Chair(s) to convene ORAC meetings. 

Council Member Selection and Composition

ORAC members are appointed to the Council by ORCID’s Executive Director and Product Director. In addition to the Executive Director and Product Director reviewing nominations, the Board’s Nominating Committee and ORAC Chair(s) may provide input into the Council composition as ORAC nominations are generally solicited during the Board election cycle. 

Consideration for ORAC membership is based on expertise, geographic representation, and disciplines. The number of council members may vary but typically ranges from 15 to 20 individuals. With the exception of the founding class of ORAC members, Council members serve staggered two-year terms, with the possibility of renewal for one additional term.

The Product Director and Executive Director are ex-officio members of the Council. Member-Director Board members who are also active researchers may also serve as ex-officio members of the Council.  

Meetings and Quorum

ORAC meets virtually twice a year, with additional meetings scheduled as needed.

Committee History

The ORCID Researcher Advisory Council was established by the ORCID Board in 2021 and was launched in 2022. A charter was created for the Council in 2024. 

Committee Membership

2024: Timothy Adivilah Balag’kutu (Institute for Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, USA), Sima Berendes (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK), Rounak Dubey (All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India), Lisa Jo Elliott (Penn State, USA), Andre Leon S. Gradvohl (Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil), Lasith Gunawardena, (University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka), Romain Jacob (ETH Zurich, Switzerland), Adviti Naik Jana (Carnegie Mellon University, Qatar), Rania M Rafik Khalil (The British University in Egypt, Egypt), Pradeep Kumar (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), Niels G. Mede (University of Zurich, Switzerland), Declan O’Loughlin (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland), P. Ravi Shankar (International Medical University, Malaysia), Suzanne Stewart (University of Chester, UK), Amal Amin Ibrahim (ORCID Researcher Board Member and Ex Officio Member of ORAC), Kalynn Kennon (ORCID Researcher Board Member and Ex Officio Member of ORAC), Michael Ullyot (ORCID Board Member and Ex Officio Member of ORAC)

2023: Timothy Adivilah Balag’kutu (Institute for Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, USA), Sima Berendes (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK), Lisa DeBruine (University of Glasgow, UK), Rounak Dubey (All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India), Dilfuza Egamberdieva (National University of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan), Lisa Jo Elliott (Penn State, USA), Paul Farrow (Oxford PharmaGenesis, UK), Alex Godoy (Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile), Andre Leon S. Gradvohl (Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil), Lasith Gunawardena, (University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka), Caroll Hermann (University of Zululand, South Africa), Romain Jacob (ETH Zurich, Switzerland), Adviti Naik Jana (Hamad bin Khalifa University, Qatar), Rania M Rafik Khalil (The British University in Egypt, Egypt), Pradeep Kumar (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), Niels G. Mede (University of Zurich, Switzerland), Declan O’Loughlin (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland), P. Ravi Shankar (International Medical University, Malaysia), Suzanne Stewart (University of Chester, UK)

2022: Timothy Adivilah Balag’kutu (Institute for Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, USA), Sima Berendes (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK), Lisa DeBruine (University of Glasgow, UK), Rounak Dubey (All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India), Dilfuza Egamberdieva (National University of Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan), Lisa Jo Elliott (Penn State, USA), Paul Farrow (Oxford PharmaGenesis, UK), Alex Godoy (Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile), Andre Leon S. Gradvohl (Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil), Lasith Gunawardena, (University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka), Caroll Hermann (University of Zululand, South Africa), Romain Jacob (ETH Zurich, Switzerland), Adviti Naik Jana (Hamad bin Khalifa University, Qatar), Rania M Rafik Khalil (The British University in Egypt, Egypt), Pradeep Kumar (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), Niels G. Mede (University of Zurich, Switzerland), Declan O’Loughlin (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland), P. Ravi Shankar (International Medical University, Malaysia), Suzanne Stewart (University of Chester, UK)