Chemistry professor Tricia Carmichael has been named editor-in-chief of Flexible and Printed Electronics, a multidisciplinary journal devoted to publishing cutting-edge research on electronics that can be either flexible, plastic, stretchable, conformable, or printed.

“I think it will be interesting to learn how the publication process works and at the same time it gives me the opportunity to do something positive for my field,” says Dr. Carmichael, associate dean of science for research and graduate studies.

“Most editors-in-chief are men and there are very few other genders represented in my field. I feel like it is an important opportunity to take on a visible leadership role.”

Carmichael has been on the journal’s advisory board since its inception. Now she will be responsible, along with the executive board, for steering its direction. She plans to bring diversity into the mission of the journal.

“This journal represents a scientific community, and we want to reflect the diversity of our field of subject matter as well as the people who do the science,” she says.

Carmichael is most excited about creating some unique themed issues, starting with the research done by her and fellow researchers who make up the NSERC Green Electronics Network (GreEN).

“GreEN is an interdisciplinary research network with 19 researchers from 13 universities across Canada working to develop eco-friendly printed sensors,” she says. “We are going to do a themed issue that reflects the science that we are doing.”

Her contribution will be investigating composites of paper and shellac as a biodegradable, more environmentally friendly substrate for electronics.

“My team is working on this project on green printed electronics to try to reduce the environmental impact of electronics, which is a big problem because as we increase the number of devices, we increase the scale of the e-waste problem.”

Carmichael has explored the possibilities of wearable electronics throughout her academic career, which began at the University of Windsor in 2005. In 2021 she won the Award for Outstanding Mid-Career Achievements from NanoOntario’s Awards in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.