How Utopedia verifies the identities of researchers, scholars, and academic contributors.

What Is ORCID?

ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) is the globally recognised system for uniquely identifying researchers and academics. An ORCID iD is a persistent digital identifier — a 16-digit number in the format 0000-0000-0000-0000 — that distinguishes your scholarly work from that of every other researcher, regardless of name similarities, institutional changes, or career transitions.

ORCID is used by thousands of universities, funding bodies, publishers, and research institutions worldwide. It is free to register and is endorsed by organisations including the National Institutes of Health, the Wellcome Trust, and the European Research Council.

You can register for a free ORCID iD at orcid.org.

Why Utopedia Uses ORCID

Utopedia is not a platform where contributors are anonymous. We believe that knowledge carries more weight when the person behind it is known, verified, and accountable. ORCID verification allows us to:

  • Confirm that a researcher’s credentials are genuine and independently verifiable
  • Link a contributor’s Utopedia profile to their broader body of published academic work
  • Display verified credentials on every entry written or co-authored by an ORCID-verified Scholar
  • Protect the integrity of research published on Utopedia from fraudulent credential claims
  • Give researchers the global academic recognition they deserve when their work is published and simplified for a general audience

Who Needs ORCID Verification?

ORCID verification is required for:

  • Researchers submitting original research papers or literature reviews to Utopedia
  • Academics publishing under a professional title (Dr., Prof., etc.)
  • Contributors claiming institutional affiliation with a university or research organisation
  • Scholars co-authoring simplified editions of peer-reviewed research

ORCID verification is optional but recommended for undergraduate and postgraduate students who wish to have their academic institution displayed on their Utopedia profile.

How to Connect Your ORCID to Utopedia

  1. Register for a free ORCID iD if you do not already have one. The process takes approximately five minutes.
  2. Log into your Utopedia Scholar account.
  3. Log in using your ORCID ID or navigate to your Profile Settings and select ‘Connect ORCID iD’.
  4. You will be redirected to the ORCID website to authorise Utopedia’s access to your public ORCID record.
  5. Once authorised, your ORCID iD is linked to your Utopedia profile. Your verified credentials and academic affiliations from your ORCID record will be displayed on your profile and on entries you author.

Utopedia requests read-only access to your public ORCID record only. We do not request the ability to update or modify your ORCID profile. Your ORCID data is never sold or shared with third parties.

What Appears on Your Verified Profile

Once ORCID-verified, your Utopedia profile will display:

  • Your verified name and ORCID iD number
  • Your current institutional affiliation (as recorded in your ORCID profile)
  • Your academic qualifications and employment history (public ORCID data only)
  • A verified badge on your profile and on every entry you have authored or co-authored
  • Your monthly reader count (coming SOON) — the number of people reading your entries each month
  • Links to your published works within Utopedia and, where applicable, to your external ORCID publication record

What If I Do Not Have an ORCID?

If you are a researcher, academic, or verified professional who does not yet have an ORCID iD, we strongly encourage you to register — it is free, takes minutes, and provides lasting professional benefits beyond Utopedia.

If you are a student or non-academic contributor, ORCID is not required for Scholar status. You may contribute to Utopedia as an unverified Scholar, with your profile displaying your self-reported academic background and discipline.

For assistance with ORCID verification on Utopedia, contact scholars@utopiacircle.org.