The Faculty of Science has created a fund to help early-career faculty members cover the costs of getting published in high-profile scientific journals.

The New Faculty Publication Support Fund supplements publication costs of high-impact journal articles, such as open access fees or costs associated with journal cover publication. It provides a maximum of $1,000 to new faculty to support publication costs of one peer-reviewed journal article in the first four years of their tenure-track appointment.

Tricia Carmichael is a chemistry and biochemistry professor and was interim associate dean of graduate studies and research in the Faculty of Science when she helped design the fund. She says she knows how difficult it can be getting published initially, with substantial publication costs for open access or for fees associated with having original artwork published on journal covers — all running into the thousands of dollars.

“This high cost is challenging for most new faculty to support with start-up or initial grant funds,” says Dr. Carmichael. “However, with these high costs comes a potentially high value in raising the profile of both the research and the researcher.”

She says open access articles are highly accessible, increasing the reach of an article and potentially the number of citations. Journal covers attract great attention from journal readers and can be used to promote the research and researchers on social media.

Marcus Drover, hired in 2019, is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He was very excited when his research group was selected as the fund’s inaugural recipient. His article, Octaboraneyl Complexes of Nickel: Monomers for Redox‐Active Coordination Polymers, was published online in Chemistry – A European Journal in April 2020 and features the work of three UWindsor undergraduate researchers.

“I vividly recall my first journal cover as a graduate student. I was very excited. I printed no less than 25 copies and gave one to everyone,” says Dr. Drover. “These initiatives are particularly important for starting groups who are endeavouring to obtain international recognition.”

Drover says this initiative highlights the Faculty of Science’s commitment to young researchers and provides them and their research with an artistic outlet to gain international exposure. For his cover article he used original artwork created by biochemistry major Chelsea Ymana, a member of the  Science Meets Art (SMArt) program in the USCi Network.

“I am very grateful to this program and its talented students," says Drover.

Peer-reviewed journal articles supported by the fund will be promoted by the Faculty of Science on social media, DailyNews, and other media opportunities. For more information, go to the New Faculty Publication Support Fund website.

—Sara Elliott