The DHARMA Initiative

It is unknown what the Arrow Station's primary purpose was, but when it was discovered by the Tail Section Survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, it was almost entirely empty, with minimal lighting and none of the contents of the Swan station. The only thing inside was a trunk containing some blankets, a radio, a glass eye, and a Bible which concealed a segment of the Swan Station’s Orientation film. Why this segment was removed and transported to a different station remains unclear.

Station 3 was originally constructed as a laboratory where scientists could work to understand the unique electromagnetic fluctuations emanating from that specific sector of the island. However, shortly after the experiments began, there was an “incident." To prevent another such incident, the Initiative established a system requiring that a person enter a code into a computer terminal every 108 minutes.

This station was shown on the map that was drawn on the blast doors. Primarily used for communication with the outside world, Kate, Sayid and Locke stumbled upon the station and it's occupant and the station became the location for a tense situation. The station was later destroyed when Locke entered a command into the computer which triggered the C4, detonating the station.

Station 5 was built as a monitoring station deep underground located at the "question mark". It contains two chairs and a wall full of video screens. Each screen shows live feed of a different station so the employees on shift in the Pearl can monitor. The inhabitants of the Pearl were to write observations down about their fellow initiative employees and send them to DHARMA via a vacuum tube. While the Orientation Video indicates that those observed by the Pearl staff are part of an experiment, its the Pearl Staff the ones conducting a useless task as part of an experiment, as their notes end up on a dump.

The purpose of the Orchid serves is to manipulate time and space, but in an excerpt from a video "Edgar Halliwax" explains that, contrary to DHARMA's statements that the station was for botanical research, the station is used for researching a "Casimir effect" exhibited by the Island.

This station is where Claire was taken by Ethan, who drugged her and acted as her doctor. It has a surgical room where Claire was injected with medicine, supposedly to keep the baby free from infection. The Staff Station contained a nursery for the baby. Claire was later shown by Alex that the Others planned to remove Aaron from her via caesarean section.

Partly underwater and partly above ground, the Hydra Station was used for Zoological research. Thus far, three species of animals have been identified as having been kept there for study: Bears, sharks and dolphins, and a whale is heard in the background (A Tale of Two Cities). As with all the DHARMA stations, it appears to be abandoned, dilapidated and mostly-inoperative, and the cages are currently used only for humans.

The Looking Glass is the only known DHARMA station completely underwater. While the purpose of this station is still unknown, it is known that it is being used to block all radios on the island. While Charlie was in the station, he was confronted by two occupants.

The Temple is a sanctuary and the "last safe place on the island". Ben sent Richard and the remaining Others to the camp for safe haven, and planned to send Alex, Karl, and Rousseau there as well. The Temple bears a DHARMA logo of its own, however, it is unknown what purpose it serves, if any.

The Tempest is a biochemical station that houses a deadly toxic gas. Under the ruse of a power station, Goodwin previously worked there, preventing the release of the gas. Daniel and Charlotte infiltrated the station in a successful attempt to render the gas inert.

A station door appears at the Others' camp, which is described as being on the north side of the island, near a rock formation with a hole in it. The entrance is guarded by two "Others" with M14 rifles. Michael claims that this hatch is where the Others keep the people they captured. When Sayid sneaks into "the Others'" camp, he finds that the door to this hatch leads only to a small cave in the rock about the size of a walk-in closet.

• Introduced in Orientation

Gerald and Karen DeGroot were doctoral candidates from the University of Michigan, who founded the DHARMA Initiative in 1970. Influenced by B.F. Skinner, Gerald and his partner Karen set out to create a large scale communal research compound where scientists and free thinkers would be able to pursue scientific pursuits.

• Introduced in Orientation

Hanso later spent his time working in different areas of science and technology attempting to improve the human experience, and trying to create a brighter future for humanity. In 1970, Alvar provided Gerald and Karen DeGroot with the funds necessary to begin their work in the DHARMA Initiative

• Introduced in Orientation

"Marvin Candle" was the narrator and host of the DHARMA Initiative’s Orientation film for Station 3: The Swan; Station 4: The Flame, and the orientation film welcoming new recruits to the island. Chang does not appear to move his left arm during the film, this is due to the fact that that arm is a prosthetic. He also appears as "Mark Wickmund" was the narrator and host of the DHARMA Initiative’s Orientation film for Station 5: The Pearl, and as "Edgar Halliwax" in the orientation film for the Orchid.

• Introduced in The Man Behind the Curtain

Horace Goodspeed was a mathematician for the DHARMA Initiative, and possibly worked with the Valenzetti Equation. Horace offered Roger Linus a position with the Initiative, where he would work as a "Work Man" or janitor. Horace was eventually killed when the Hostiles purged the Barracks with a toxic gas, Horace died while sitting on a bench.

• Introduced in The Man Behind the Curtain

Olivia was a member of the DHARMA Initiative and was the teacher of Benjamin and Annie. While in class one day, Olivia taught the children about volcanoes, when suddenly the Barracks were rocked by an explosion which was a result of a conflict with the "Hostiles" of the island.

• Introduced in The Man Behind the Curtain

Casey was a gemologist for the DHARMA Initiative and welcomed Roger and Benjamin Linus on their first day to the island with a Namaste greeting.

• Introduced in The Man Behind the Curtain

June was an employee of the DHARMA Initiative and welcomed Roger and Benjamin Linus on their first day to the island with a Namaste greeting.

• Introduced in The Man Behind the Curtain

Mike was a technician employed by the DHARMA Initiative who was present at the dock when Roger and Benjamin Linus arrived on the island.

• Introduced in The Man Behind the Curtain

Opal was a nurse for the DHARMA Initiative who assigned Roger Linus the position of "Work Man". Roger was immediately outraged that instead of changing the world, he would be cleaning up after those who do so. Opal stated that if anything else opened up, he could feel free to apply for it.

• Introduced in The Man Behind the Curtain

Annie was the childhood friend of Benjamin Linus and was a member of the DHARMA Initiative. She was a fellow classmate of Ben's and while in class one day, the Barracks were suddenly shook by an explosion, and Olivia, the class teacher, instructed the students to get into their positions, as she loaded a rifle, and locked the doors.

• Introduced in Tricia Tanaka Is Dead

After having trouble finding work, Horace offered Roger a position with the DHARMA Initiative working as a "Work Man" or janitor on the island. While he deeply resented the position, Roger stuck with it for many years until his death by the hand of his son, Benjamin Linus.

• Introduced in One of Them

Benjamin arrived on the island with his father Roger when he was a child. After seeing a vision of his mother, Ben heads into the jungle to attempt to find her, but instead, finds Richard Alpert, a member of "the hostiles". Ben defects over to the Hostiles, and earns their trust, as the remaining Initiative members are purged.

• Introduced in One of Them

After leaving the army because "men followed" his orders, Kelvin joined the DHARMA Initiative and was stationed inside the Swan Station alongside a man named Radzinsky. Kelvin would later find a new partner in Desmond, where the two would spend three years together, performing the functions of the station.

• Introduced in Live Together, Die Alone

Radzinsky was the partner of Kelvin Inman inside the DHARMA Initiative's Swan Station. Radznisky discovered how to fake a lockdown inside the hatch and bring down the blast doors. In doing so, he was able to create an invisible map on the blast door. Radzinsky also made edits to the Swan's Orientation film.