Article by: hannah17.near

The NEAR Research Collective (NRC) is more than just a research contributor to the blockchain community. Its mission is to create a thriving ecosystem that promotes innovation, learning, and curiosity within both the NEAR Protocol and the broader blockchain ecosystem. The NRC operates as a DAO and aims to empower individuals who are interested in research, align their work with community needs, and drive informed decision-making. Emphasizing decentralization and community involvement, the NRC’s objectives include continuous research publication, promoting decentralization, empowering researchers, providing open and unbiased data, ensuring resource accessibility, and fostering inclusivity and transparency.

Overall, the NRC aims to catalyze growth in the NEAR ecosystem and contribute to the evolution of blockchain technology through impactful research. This article explores this through the following points:

• Collective Vision and Values
• Membership and Roles
• Benefits of Membership
• Governance and Decision-Making
• Code of Conduct and Violation Response

Collective Vision and Values

The NRC revolves around fostering innovation, inclusivity, transparency, and community-driven growth within the NEAR Protocol ecosystem and the wider blockchain space. They are dedicated to advancing blockchain technology through rigorous research while empowering individuals to contribute meaningfully.

Here is an overview of the collective vision and core values:

Vision

The NEAR Research Collective envisions a dynamic and thriving ecosystem within the NEAR protocol and the broader blockchain community. This ecosystem is characterized by continuous innovation, informed decision-making, and a strong personal growth and development emphasis. The collective aims to play a significant role in driving the evolution of blockchain technology through impactful research and by supporting researchers at all levels.

Values

• Transparency: Prioritizes transparency across operations, sharing research, procedures, and decisions openly for trust and collaboration within the NEAR community.
• Innovation: Centrally values innovation, exploring novel blockchain and cryptocurrency areas to maintain NEAR’s leading-edge status.
• Inclusivity: Devotes to inclusivity, offering an environment for diverse researchers of all backgrounds to contribute and thrive, bolstered by resources.
• Community-Driven: Commits to aligning research with NEAR community needs, ensuring practical, relevant, and valuable outcomes.
• Empowerment: Empowers researchers with education, finances, and logistics, facilitating impactful contributions and personal growth.
• Open Research: Promotes open research principles, enabling collaborative data access and modification for unbiased, informed decision-making.
• Decentralization: Functions as a DAO, embracing decentralization to empower members’ participation in governance and objectives.
• Continuous Learning: Cultivates a culture of ongoing learning and curiosity, benefiting individual researchers and the broader NEAR community.

Membership and Roles:

You can join the NEAR Research Collective DAO as a Researcher in two steps: 

1️. Verify your personhood using nada.bot with a score of 20 or above.

• This is to safeguard our community from malicious actors and connect with potlock. 

2️. Visit the NRC DAO page, click “Ask to Join” and select the “researcher” role.

• You can check your role in our DAO by searching your name.

 

How to Get a NEAR Account:

For those interested in joining the NEAR Research Collective or simply exploring the NEAR ecosystem, having a NEAR account is essential. Here’s how you can set up your NEAR account:

1. Visit shard.dog/ncr.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to create your NEAR account.
3. Once your account is set up, you can explore various features, join the NRC, and participate in the NEAR ecosystem.

The NEAR Research Collective DAO operates within three distinct roles :

• Council: The council is composed of 7 members elected by the NRC community. Council members are responsible for overseeing the operations of the NRC, approving, rejecting, or marking proposals as spam. Starting with 3 in September, 2 more after the first round of elections (bringing the council to 5), and moving to a total of 7 after a second round of elections.
  • Council members must actively participate in DAO voting and regularly check for updates monthly. They must also maintain regular communication with other Council members, advisors and the community to achieve the DAO’s objectives.
• Researcher(s): The DAO also includes “researcher(s)” who have been delegated voting rights on polls, but are ineligible to pass proposals. Nevertheless, they can accept bounties, contribute to research and provide insights for the benefit of the NEAR ecosystem.
• Advisor(s): The Council of Advisors is composed of experts in relevant fields who offer guidance and lend their expertise to support or critique proposals. The Marma J DAO currently acts as advisors to the NRC. 

Members must be a part of the NDC: IAH FV SBT, OG SBT, Regen, Vibes.

Benefits of Membership:

Membership in the NEAR Research Collective provides an array of benefits, encompassing networking opportunities, skill development, cutting-edge technology exposure, collaborative engagement with industry experts, a platform for continuous learning, active contribution to the NEAR ecosystem, potential bounty earnings, and the sheer enjoyment of meaningful involvement.

Governance and Decision-Making

The NRC follows the principle of “one person, one vote” for all Council members, ensuring equal representation and influence over the DAO’s decisions.

The NEAR Research Collective’s Decision-Making Process:

• One Person, One Vote: Each Council member has equal voting power to ensure fairness, and democratic decision-making, and prevent power concentration.
• Transparent Voting: Voting occurs on the NEAR Protocol blockchain, ensuring the secure, transparent, and publicly verifiable recording of all votes.
• Proposal Submission: Members propose matters with detailed explanations, promoting informed decision-making. Proposals must be submitted to the DAO for consideration.
• Voting Procedure: Proposals undergo a 31-day voting period on chain but all proposals should be voted on within 7 days of their submission by the council. Council members receive notifications and cast votes before the deadline, and proposals require sufficient votes within this timeframe.
• Quorum: A minimum participation rate (quorum) is needed for valid votes, promoting representative decision-making over a small subset.
• Vote Notification and Recording: Vote results, including total votes, for/against counts, and abstentions, are shared with the community. Voting records are securely stored on the blockchain for future reference.

Code of Conduct and Violation Response

Upholding a high standard of conduct among all members is paramount to our collaborative and diverse environment. Fostering a professional, respectful, and inclusive community following these guidelines:

• Professionalism: All members must exhibit professionalism by honouring commitments, delivering work as promised, and engaging in respectful dialogue.
• Respect: Members must treat others with respect, considering diverse perspectives and refraining from offensive remarks.
• Integrity: Upholding honesty and fairness is essential, with no tolerance for spreading misinformation or engaging in fraudulent activities.
• Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment: Discrimination or harassment based on race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status is strictly prohibited and can result in expulsion.
• Constructive Dialogue: Encourages open, constructive discussions that foster community growth and knowledge sharing.
• Inclusivity: Aims to create an inclusive environment where all members are valued and have equal opportunities to contribute.

The conduct violation response process includes an impartial investigation, an assessment by the community and advisors, mediation by the council, and implementation of the decision by Marma J DAO.

• Investigation Process: Thorough, impartial investigation to establish facts of potential breaches.
• Community & Advisor Assessment: Findings presented to the community and the DAO’s advisors for review and recommendations.
• Council Mediation: The Council mediates discussions based on findings, community, and advisor input.
• Enforcement: The council enacts decisions, with consequences ranging from temporary suspension to permanent exclusion from the DAO based on severity.

The NEAR Research Collective shines as a symbol of innovation, inclusiveness, and transparency in both the NEAR protocol ecosystem and the wider blockchain sphere. By uniting dedicated individuals in pursuit of rigorous research and blockchain progress, the NRC lays the foundation for a dynamic future. Through decentralization, open research, and engaged expertise, the NRC accelerates growth and shapes the evolution of blockchain technology.

Conclusion 

Join the NRC to embark on an impactful journey of exploration and learning. Your insights and skills will contribute to shaping the NEAR ecosystem and driving the transformative potential of blockchain technology. Be a part of the community and make a meaningful difference. Click here to follow the NRC on X.