  Scientists have an inherent interest in claiming their contributions to the
scholarly record, but the fragmented state of identity management across the
landscape of astronomy, physics, and other fields makes highlighting the
contributions of any single individual a formidable and often frustratingly
complex task. The problem is exacerbated by the expanding variety of academic
research products and the growing footprints of large collaborations and
interdisciplinary teams. In this essay, we outline the benefits of a unique
scholarly identifier with persistent value on a global scale and we review
astronomy and physics engagement with the Open Researcher and Contributor iD
(ORCID) service as a solution.
