THE RESONANCE INSTITUTE FOR OPEN RESEARCH

A research home for independent minds.

Verified research membership, privacy-respecting affiliation, and durable scholarly infrastructure for researchers working outside conventional institutions.

Founding Member PilotWe are selecting a small number of approved applicants for complimentary pilot membership during our launch period. Selection is not guaranteed, and no payment is required for a pilot place.
Apply for membershipHow membership works
  • Verified research membership
  • rifor.org institutional email
  • Public or confidential identity options
  • Hosted personal researcher page

Research does not end when institutional employment does.

RIFOR is for people who continue serious work beyond — or alongside — a university, lab, employer, or traditional academic pathway.

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Research identity

Maintain a clear, honest affiliation and a professional research address without implying employment, a degree, or accreditation.

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Privacy by choice

Choose a public profile or keep your membership private. Both options are included in standard membership.

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Durable infrastructure

Keep a stable research home for correspondence, credentials, records, and future work as your career changes.

A research identity, with privacy included.

Each application is reviewed for research purpose, identity signals, and fit with RIFOR’s standards.

Verified Research

$99/year

For independent researchers, with an optional public profile.

  • Verified RIFOR affiliation
  • rifor.org email
  • Personal researcher page at rifor.org/~yourname
  • Membership confirmation
View membership

Verification Support

By inquiry

For requests that need additional, individually agreed support.

  • Tailored confirmation requests
  • Limited third-party disclosure
  • Scope and fee agreed first
  • Privacy included in the $99 plan
Discuss support

Research Group

$499–999/year

For small independent teams and long-running research projects.

  • Group identity and member management
  • Institutional email infrastructure
  • Public or private group presence
  • Onboarding support
View membership

Membership does not guarantee publication, journal or arXiv endorsement, ethics approval, a degree, employment, or recognition by another institution.

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A clear review process, not a black box.

RIFOR reviews applications carefully while collecting only what is necessary for the requested membership.

  1. Choose visibility.Choose individual or group membership, and whether to publish a profile.
  2. Share research signals.Provide a concise statement and one or more verifiable links, such as an ORCID, project, paper, portfolio, or GitHub account.
  3. Receive a decision.AI may assist with organization and inconsistency checks; a person makes the final membership decision.
  4. Begin responsibly.Approved members receive onboarding for their affiliation, email, and chosen record.

Read the full process

Boundaries create trust

We support research identity. We do not sell borrowed prestige.

RIFOR is independent. Our affiliation is precise about its scope, our policies are public, and our records can be corrected or withdrawn when facts change.

Privacy by choiceControl what is public.See your membership documentsSample profile, confirmation and affiliation wording.GovernanceCorrections, conflicts, and appeals.Review standardsWhat we check before approval.

Build a research identity that can travel with your work.

Applications are reviewed before payment and onboarding. If you are unsure which membership fits, contact RIFOR first.

Apply for membershipContact RIFOR

Practical guides for independent researchers

Clear answers about affiliation, research identity and publishing outside a university.

Browse all research guides