Umbrella Research Group
Umbrella Research
Group
Distinction between membership and institutional affiliation
Membership in the Umbrella Research Group does not constitute an affiliation with any of the group’s partner institutions. A partner institution is defined as any university, laboratory, or research organisation to which one or more members of the group are formally and contractually affiliated. This distinction ensures that a researcher’s institutional affiliation remains accurate and that participation in the group is not misinterpreted as an institutional endorsement or employment relationship.
Members must always list their official institutional affiliation in academic outputs and must not present the Umbrella Research Group as an institutional home.
Citation of the group in publications
Members may acknowledge the Umbrella Research Group in the Acknowledgments section of a publication only when the work fully complies with the group’s established publication policies. If a manuscript does not meet these standards, authors must refrain from citing the group, whether as an affiliation, contributor, or supporting entity.
This policy protects the integrity of the group’s name, ensuring it remains associated exclusively with research that meets its expectations of scientific rigor, transparency, and ethical conduct.
Collaborative and non‑hierarchical structure
The Umbrella Research Group operates through a deliberately non‑hierarchical structure designed to foster open collaboration and intellectual exchange. While Prof. Dr. Rodrigo José da Silva serves as the founder and scientific lead, the group maintains no rigid tiers of authority or predefined positions. Contributions are valued based on their substance rather than formal titles, encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue, shared ownership of research outcomes, and a culture of collective responsibility.