Giving back through recognition and why it matters in scholarly publishing 

Peer Review Recognition 

Miriam Dixon, Reviewer Engagement Manager

“Peer reviewers are the backbone of everything we do as a scientific publisher. Their contributions are vital to maintaining the rigour and integrity of scientific research. However, their efforts are often hidden or go unrewarded. We regularly receive feedback from reviewers that our recognition programmes encourage them to continue reviewing for us as it reassures them that their hard work is worthwhile. 

“Our current awards and recognition schemes for peer reviewers, including our IOP Trusted Reviewer certification, our annual Outstanding Reviewer Awards, and our Co-review partnership with Web of Science, allow reviewers to verify and publicly share their peer review contributions.  

“While initiatives for reviewers enhance visibility, they also foster skill development. Reviewers tell us that feedback on their reports improves their reviewing capabilities, benefiting both authors and the reviewers themselves. Our recognition schemes are open to all IOP Publishing reviewers, regardless of factors like age, career stage, or location. We’re continually working to diversify our reviewer pool in terms of gender and geography to ensure representation across the global physical sciences community. Consequently, these initiatives benefit the whole scientific community.” 

Editor Engagement 

Victoria Merriman, Editor Engagement Manager

“Editorial Board members play pivotal roles in scholarly journals, especially in today’s increasingly busy publishing landscape, where the role of an editor is far from passive. As a group, an Editorial Board will decide what their journal should stand for, how their community is represented, and actively champion their journal, seeking out the best research proactively. All this is alongside the vital work of setting acceptance standards, performing consultative peer review roles, and helping with difficult cases, including ethical issues. I have spoken to many board members about why they chose an editorial role. For many, they want to give back to a community and advance the field. Others speak of the benefits that being an Editor provides in terms of expanding their networks and collaborations, which can benefit their careers. At IOPP, we want to champion our Board members whenever possible, as well as recognise their contributions to IOPP journals.

“One of the things we focus on as a publisher is making our Board Members’ lives as easy as possible, with excellent support and a large reduction in the administrative workload seen elsewhere. We are introducing new resources for Editors, including opportunities for those working across different journals to assemble and share ideas. We are also looking at additional ways to give recognition to our Editorial Boards, including awards for exceptional achievement by individual Editors. So watch this space!”

Author Recognition 

Tim Smith, Head of Portfolio Development

“Our annual author recognition program, the Top Cited Paper Awards, has continuously grown year on year. These awards span across our journal portfolios and spotlight just some of the articles that have gained significant visibility in key and emerging subject areas. They aim not only to celebrate and recognise the achievement of our authors but also to showcase influential research being carried out across certain regions to the global community, with the potential of driving new collaborations and ongoing innovation for the good of science. Research awards, and what they represent, also help to demonstrate the necessary high standards we demand in terms of the quality and integrity of scholarly research as a positive example for the scientific communities we serve.”