IOP Publishing launches Sustainability Science and Technology – a new interdisciplinary OA journal aimed at fostering a sustainable future
28 Nov 2023 by Faye Holst
IOP Publishing launches Sustainability Science and Technology
IOP Publishing (IOPP) is launching Sustainability Science and Technology, an interdisciplinary, open access journal dedicated to advancing sustainability through cutting-edge research in science, technology, and engineering. The new journal will bring together researchers from diverse disciplines across engineering, chemistry, physics, materials science and environmental science to address global challenges and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Sustainability Science and Technology sets itself apart by focussing on the critical importance of sustainable impact. Every paper published in the journal will be required to demonstrate its potential to deliver sustainability benefits, whether environmentally, socially, or economically. This commitment is in line with IOPP’s mission to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and authors will be encouraged to explicitly reference how their work aligns with relevant SDGs in their abstracts.
The launch of Sustainability Science and Technology comes at a time when the urgency for growth in research and funding to deliver a sustainable future have never been greater as evidenced by a recently published IOP report, ‘Physics Powering the Green Economy’. The IOP’s report shows that 68% of physicists1 think the current level of investment in research and development is too low to deliver the level of growth in the green economy needed to deliver on Net Zero.
The journal’s Editor-in-Chief, Professor Jonas Baltrusaitis of Lehigh University, USA, and a renowned expert in sustainable catalytic conversion, says: “At a time where all aspects of society are affected by the climate crisis, the launch of this journal couldn’t be timelier. We want to connect communities to collaborate and exchange knowledge and offer authors an interdisciplinary venue to publish their work around sustainable innovations and inventions.”
Dr Tim Smith, Head of Portfolio Development at IOP Publishing says: “Sustainability Science and Technology will bring together researchers from historically separate disciplines who are united by a shared vision to create a more sustainable planet. We are thrilled to be part of this community and are looking forward to establishing the journal as an essential OA platform for researchers to publish new scientific and technological innovations in alignment with the SDGs.”
Opening for submissions in January 2024, the journal will publish a mix of article types aimed at serving and representing a broad audience extending to academia, industry, and government, giving authors the flexibility to present their work in the best way possible.
Eliminating barriers to publication, Sustainability Science and Technology will waive all article publication charges for the first three years, providing authors in all parts of the world the opportunity to publish on an open access (OA) basis to ensure maximum reach, visibility and impact for their work. IOPP data shows that content published OA is downloaded 80% more than paywalled content and cited 30% more, demonstrating the substantial benefits of publishing OA.
In the spirit of transparency and reproducibility, all authors publishing in the journals are encouraged to share data and code where appropriate for the benefit of the research community. The journals also apply double anonymous and transparent peer review and reviewers can invite a colleague to review with them under IOPP’s newly introduced co-review policy.
The journal has been endorsed by The Electrochemical Society, IOPP’s fellow society publisher, thereby expanding its exposure to a broader community of researchers.
For further information and updates about Sustainability Science and Technology visit the journal home page.