World Research Council

Overview

The World Researech Council (WRC) is the premier body for coordinating and funding global and extra-global research projects, such as Project Outwatch, the development of the ∅-Drive, the non-local relay network, and off-world biological adaptation studies.

The World Research Council is a global think-tank that primarily engages in meta-studies, grant disbursement, agenda-setting and policy frameworks. It is composed of researchers from partner states of the World Cooperative Assembly, appointed by the WCA. Members of the WRC are usually experts in their respective fields. The WRC itself, while playing an important role in monitoring research, does not conduct any primary research, and largely consists of expert panels and review boards.

Meta-studies

The WRC takes an important role in critically reviewing the current state of research and providing needed meta-analysis, which allows the state of various research industries to engage with the "five Cs": consideration, course-correction, coordination or curtailment. Areas of research which are dangerous are identified and noted early, while areas with overlapping research domains can be coordinated to share information more freely.

Grant Disbursement

The WRC is provided with a funding model from the WCA and considers grant applications for research projects around the world and off-world. The WRC operates the largest disbursement of research funds in the world, and funds more than two-thirds of all major research projects, more so than any private industry or national government. Research conducted with WRC funds must be available for review and dissemination by the WRC, producing the largest free-access research network in the work, and the backbone of most scientific research. The WRC has a virtual monopoly on off-world research.

Agenda-setting

On the basis of policy deliberation by the WCA, the World Research Council directs funds and initiates projects to achieve the long-term goals of the WCA, such as abundant energy, efficient transport, information intrastructure, food production, and off-secondary world habitation. The most recent agenda set by the WCA, and by far the most significant, has been Project Outwatch, which aims to explore the insterstellar neighbourhood for research, economic and habitation opportunities.

Policy Frameworks

The WRC has also been tasked with ensuring ethical and safe engagement with research, and as such provides policy frameworks which outline research limits and guidelines. Failure to comply with WRC guidelines may result in the loss of funding, re-assignment of the project, or criminal charges for the researchers involved.