ECS Sensors Plus
The Electrochemical Society (ECS) is seeking candidates to serve as the founding Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of ECS Sensors Plus, a journal in the process of being launched in 2021.
ECS Sensors Plus is a multidisciplinary, open access journal that provides an international platform to publish high-quality impactful articles and promote scholarly communication and interactions among scientists, engineers, and technologists whose primary interests are focused on mechanisms, materials, structures, properties, performance, and characterization of sensing and detection devices and systems, including sensor arrays, networks, and actuators. The goal of ECS Sensors Plus, as a one-stop shop journal for sensors, is to advance the fundamental science and understanding of sensors and detection technologies for efficient monitoring and control of industrial processes and the environment, and improving quality of life and human health.
Nomination timeline
Nomination submission opens: May 18, 2021
Nomination submission closes: June 17, 2021
Extended – Nomination submission closes: September 1, 2021
The EIC’s term officially begins in late 2021/early 2022, when the first submissions are expected to be received. However, work to found the Journal begins immediately upon the ECS Board of Directors’ approval of the EIC which is expected in late October, early November 2021.
Scope of the Journal
ECS Sensors Plus covers a wide range of fundamental and applied aspects of various sensors. It includes, but is not limited to, electrochemical, solid state, optical, quantum, capacitive, thermal, piezoelectric, magnetic, resistive, fluorescent, chemiluminescent, and Raman sensors; field-effect transistors; imaging methods; microfluidic devices; semiconductor-based sensors; and analytical techniques. Specific topics of interest cover a range of wet and dry detection methodologies such as sensing mechanisms and principles; materials innovation and modification; materials characterization and processing; device fabrication; packaging; wearable and implantable sensors; sensor arrays; wireless sensor network; lab-on-chip; organ-on-chip; point-of-care testing tools; in vitro and in vivo bio-imaging; real-time monitoring; field-deployable detection platforms; nanotechnology; micro-nano fabrication technologies (MEMS/NEMS); chemometrics; machine learning; artificial intelligence; wireless power and data transmission; lidar; radar; 3D camera sensors; environmental, agricultural, and healthcare sensors and systems; etc. Also of interest are applications of 2D, 3D, and 4D-printed sensors; emerging sensor technologies impacting the future of soft robotics; smart cities and connected ecosystems.
Appointment and term
The ECS Sensors Plus EIC is expected to serve in the position for an initial term of three years, renewable for additional terms up to a maximum of 12 years of consecutive service.
Initial responsibilities of founding EIC
As the founding EIC, the candidate is initially responsible for the following:
- Propose a structure representing their vision for the new Journal’s editorial organization to the Publications Subcommittee;
- Employing diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies (DEI strategies), identify, interview, assess, and nominate qualified Editorial Board candidates to the Publications Subcommittee;
- Devise and design a high quality, rapid peer-review process;
- Help identify prominent researchers in the wider international sensor community and solicit high quality articles for the first issues of the Journal, in order to establish the high impact and
reputation of the Journal. - Solicit ideas, guidance, and input from the ECS Sensors Division leadership in accomplishing the two tasks above related to building editorial organization and identifying high impact articles for the first issues of the Journal;
- Work closely with the Publications Subcommittee, ECS staff, and ECS’s publishing partner the Institute of Physics Publishing (IOPP) to ensure all processes and protocols for the new Journal are properly established and stabilized.
Routine/ongoing responsibilities
The EIC, together with the Editorial Board, ensures the smooth operation and success of the Journal.
Responsibilities include:
- Ensuring the quality of the content, peer-review processing efficiency, and lag time of manuscript submissions;
- Achievement of the highest possible figures of merit including the impact factor;
- Setting the content’s tone and editorial direction while maintaining internal policies for all ECS publications;
- Staying abreast of the latest technical developments within the technical scope of the Journal and ensuring that new and emerging areas have a home in the Journal and ECS;
- Setting Editorial Board meeting agendas and reporting relevant issues to the Publications Subcommittee;
- Representing the Journal and Editorial Board as a member of the Publications Subcommittee;
- Nominating and overseeing Technical and Associate Editors;
- Supporting the principles of ethics, transparency, openness, and best practices in scholarly publishing. ECS is a signatory to the Center for Open Science’s Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) guidelines, and as such, the EIC is expected to adhere to the policies and practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Qualifications/eligibility
In addition to possessing demonstrated expertise and international recognition in one or more of the technical areas and scope of the Journal, the EIC must exhibit the qualities of leadership, fairness, creativity, motivation, and international reputation.
The EIC must be available to attend bi-weekly Journal EIC teleconferences and quarterly Publications Subcommittee meetings.
The EIC is expected to attend the two ECS biannual meetings (typically held in North America in May and
October) in person.
Nominations
Nominations are due no later than September 1, 2021. Self nominations are encouraged. The nomination package must include the following:
- Brief biography, including a list of the candidate’s editorial experience (200-word maximum);
- Candidate’s complete CV, including editorial experience;
- A statement of interest describing the nominee’s vision for the Journal and their ability to commit the requisite time to realize that vision (500-word maximum);
- Submit nomination materials starting on May 18, 2021, via the EIC Sensors Plus Nominations Form.
Selection process
An EIC Candidate Evaluation Committee, comprised of selected members of the ECS Sensors Division Executive Committee and the ECS Publications Subcommittee, evaluates all nominations and
recommends to the Publications Subcommittee which candidates advance to the second round of evaluation.
Candidates reaching the second round of the evaluation process are interviewed, either in person or virtually, by the full Publications Subcommittee. From the pool of candidates, the Publications
Subcommittee selects a single candidate to advance for final approval by the ECS Technical Affairs Committee and the ECS Board of Directors, in that order.
Minimum qualifications
- A decade of active research in an area of interest to the Journal
- Current employment at a research institution (academic, industry or government)
- Experience with the journal editorial process (preferably served on the Editorial Board or as a journal guest editor)
- Proven ability to assemble/manage teams to address complex challenges
EIC support and remuneration
The EIC and ECS Sensors Plus Editorial Board receive full strategic, administrative, and promotional support from ECS leadership and staff.
To set the strategic course for the Journal, the EIC works in concert with the ECS Publications Subcommittee and senior staff (Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer and Director of Publications) to oversee the overall health of Sensors Plus, and to ensure that the Journal is effectively positioned and promoted within ECS’s existing portfolio of titles, as well as within the broader competitive landscape.
In terms of administrative support, the ECS Publications Department manages all aspects of the manuscript processing flow: submission, peer review, editing, and prepping for publication in the ECS Digital Library on IOP Science. In addition, the publications team handles all financial transactions for the Journal; provides the EIC with essential logistical support (meeting scheduling and hosting, detailed reports on usage, editor performance, time-to-publication, etc., and other tasks as needed/possible); and conducts in-depth, ongoing training with the EIC and Editorial Board on effectively using ScholarOne, ECS’s manuscript and peer-review platform.
The publications staff, in conjunction with ECS’s Community Engagement team and IOPP’s Marketing Department, takes the lead on conceiving, producing, and disseminating marketing and promotional collateral for the Journal. While EIC is part of this team, this is a staff-led effort, leaving the EIC valuable time and resources to focus on the technical life of the Journal.
The EIC is eligible to receive remuneration in the form of a stipend which is subject to the conditions of the ECS annual budgeting process.
