WDS Membership

The WDS Scientific Committee (WDS-SC) has established four categories of membership.

• Regular Members: Organizations that are data stewards and/or data analysis services (e.g., data centres and services that support scientific research by holding and providing data or data products).
• Network Members: Umbrella bodies representing groups of data stewardship organizations and or data analysis services, some of which may or may not be WDS Regular Members. Usually serve as coordinating agents for nodes that have common characteristics and mostly common disciplines (e.g., International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange).
• Partner Members: Organizations that are not data stewards or data analysis services, but that contribute support or funding to ICSU-WDS and/or WDS Members (e.g., International Scientific Unions of ICSU supporting data services, and public and private agencies that provide technical or financial support).
• Associate Members: Organizations that are interested in the WDS endeavour and participating in our discussions, but that do not contribute direct funding or other material support (ICSU National Members, Academies, and some commercial entities could be in this category).

The WDS Scientific Committee (WDS-SC) is also in the reviewing process for several other applications. New applications for membership can be started by signing up to the WDS website and filling an Expression of Interest.

Note: Membership requires the signature of a Letter of Agreement (or a similar document) between Members in all categories and ICSU. Template Agreements, in addition to instructions on the procedure, can be found here.

WDS Regular and Network Members (10/2016)