ORCiD provides a persistent digital identifier that distinguishes you from every other researcher. This means that it will be less likely that your name will be confused with another researcher with a similar name, ensuring that you get the credit you deserve for your work. Unlike your work email or identification number, your ORCiD ID follows you when you move. You can include your ORCiD identifier on your publications, grants and even your web page. You can also link your ORCiD ID to other services such as LinkedIn and Researcher ID.

If you already have an ORCiD ID you can link it to your PSU log-in using the steps below. If you don't have an ORCiD ID you can follow the steps below as well, but there will be one extra step.

***Note: To access the link from off-campus, you will need to VPN into the PSU network first. Here are some instructions on how to VPN into the PSU network.

1. Visit http://orcid.identity.psu.edu
    
2. Login to PSU WebAccess if you are not already (Two Factor Authentication if required)
    
3. Click the "Visit ORCiD" link.
    
    
4. You will need to sign into ORCiD using your ORCiD credentials one last time. This ensures that it is actually you making the link. 
   
   
    
5. If you don't have an ORCiD account you may create one now. You should check the "Allow this permission until I revoke it." box.
   
    
6. You should see a success message.
   
    
7. You can now login to ORCiD using your Penn State credentials by choosing the "Institutional Account" link.
   
    
8. If you have already done step 6 you will see Penn State as a suggested institutional sign in.
   

You can add records directly to your profile from the PSU Researcher Metadata Database. This database maintains an aggregation of publications, presentations, performances, advising, news articles, and bios for Penn State faculty from several major sources including Pure and Activity Insight. 

The following steps to link your ORCID profile with the PSU Researcher Metadata Database cannot be accomplished via proxy and need to be completed by the PSU and ORCID account holder. However, once the link is set up, a proxy can be established in the PSU Researcher Metadata Database to push data to ORCiD. See below for instructions. 

   Please note that the below steps assume you’ve already got an ORCID and connected it to your Penn State Account via   <http://orcid.identity.psu.edu/>.

1. Log in to the PSU Researcher Metadata Database https://metadata.libraries.psu.edu/profile/

2. Connect the PSU Researcher Metadata Database to your ORCID Account

3. Authenticate to ORCID

4. Authorize PSU Researcher Metadata Database to write records to ORCID

5. Add Organizations to ORCID (optional)

6. Add Publications listed to ORCID

7. View additions on the ORCID.org website

To add a proxy to push data from the PSU Researcher Metadata Database, follow the documentation about proxies in RMD. 

To add any content that is not in the PSU Researcher Metadata Database,  go to the ORCiD website (https://orcid.org/) and fill in the content manually through your ORCiD profile.

In many cases, when you write a grant, or submit a manuscript for publication, linking to your ORCiD ID is built into the workflow.  For example, you can now populate your SciENcv biosketch is through an ORCID ID. You can also include it on your website and other creative achievements as you like. It is your ID!