You want your research to be easily found based on your name. For some of us, this is not self-evident: the name we used at the start of our academic career might not be the one we actually use or the one we want others to use. As a transgender researcher, there are a couple of things you can do to ensure that your current name will appear in the right places and that your research is still easy to find under your current name.

Within Ghent University

As a researcher (or student) at Ghent University, you can change your legal name on your staff or student card, as well as in your e-mail address. You don't need to wait for a legal name change to request this. However, on official documents, such as your contract(s) and/or degree(s), we're legally obliged to use your legal name.

If you choose to legally change your name, you can request a diploma with your current, legal name.

For more information, you can look at the webpage of Work Group Trans or e-mail them via trans@ugent.be.

Biblio

Biblio is both the academic bibliography of Ghent University and our institution's archive. Your name in Biblio is based on the name registered in the Ghent University phone book. You can easily change your name here as well. This is possible before a legal name change. You can do so as follows:

• Go to SAP MijnApps.
• Click the tab "Human resources" / "Personeel".
• Click the tile "Personal data" / "Mijn persoonsgegevens".
• Click "Edit personal data" / "Mijn persoonsgegevens beheren" > "Change name" / "Wijzig roepnaam".

You might have to wait a day and a night before the correction is visible in the phone book and Biblio. Was the correction not saved completely or are you experiencing another problem? Please contact DPO via dpo@ugent.be.

Lib.ugent.be

To correct your name in the library catalogue (lib.ugent.be), you can contact libservice@ugent.be. They can correct your name in the record and on the title page of a pdf.

Elsevier

Right before trans visibility day (March 31st) in 2021, Elsevier launched their new, trans-inclusive policy. As a trans researcher, you can now request a name change for your articles in their databases (for instance: Science Direct, but also Scopus, ...). This happens retroactively and an institutional e-mail address usually suffices to request the change (a legal name change isn't necessary).

If adjusting your name causes decreased visibility, you can ask for a note to be added to the change. Otherwise the change will be invisible to ensure the safety of trans researchers.

Adjusting names in citations in publications in Elsevier proves to be a bit more complex, but Elsevier is working on a solution.

You can request these changes via e-mail to namechange@elsevier.com. You'll need to provide your current name and a list of articles. Changes in ScienceDirect typically take 1-2 weeks. Updates in Scopus and Web of Science take another 2 weeks.

More information

Would you like to know more about the Work Group Trans? Visit the webpage or e-mail them at trans@ugent.be