Publishing in Chemical Engineering panel event

Yesterday, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Carbon Science and Innovation co-hosted a panel discussion on “publishing in chemical engineering” together with the ARC Training Centre for the Global Hydrogen Economy and Powerfuels Including Hydrogen Network.

The panel members included:

• A/Prof Carolina Belver (Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain), Executive Editor, Chemical Engineering Journal, Co-Editor in Chief, Applied Catalysis B
• Scientia Prof Rose Amal (UNSW Sydney), Co-Editor in Chief, Applied Catalysis B
• Prof Yijiao Jiang (Macquarie University), Editor, Carbon Capture Science and Technology
• Dr Emma Lovell (UNSW Sydney), Editor, Chemical Engineering Journal
• Dr Fengwang Li (University of Sydney), Editor, Materials Today Energy
• Panel moderator: Dr Priyank Kumar (UNSW Sydney)

The panel brought together diverse voices from across the field to reflect on what truly matters in research dissemination today. While traditional metrics like journal impact factors are still part of the landscape, the panellists emphasised a more meaningful lens: the real-world impact of the work.

Rose shared her view on shifting our focus from journal metrics to societal and scientific impact. “Publications still matter for academic promotions and academic recognition,” she noted, “but it’s more about the impact. Not the journal impact factor—but the impact of our study, our research.” This perspective resonated throughout the session, setting a purposeful tone.

Emma shared a memorable piece of advice from her PhD supervisor around how researchers should decide which journal to target their publications “Aim high and expect low.” Her message was clear—don’t publish for the sake of numbers. Instead, ensure that each publication brings genuine value to the broader community.

Fengwang and Yijiao offered advice particularly relevant to early career researchers (ECRs): stay focused on the project’s objectives, think strategically about how your research stands out, and prioritise meaningful outcomes over publication counts. Their message reinforced a key takeaway—impact is built on thoughtful, goal-driven work.

On emerging areas of research, Carolina drew attention to the growing convergence of materials science and biomedicine, pointing to innovations in biomaterials for sensors, implants, and cancer therapies. Rose added to this by exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming in publication writing. She also noted broader trends: increasing interdisciplinary collaboration, stronger ties between academia and industry, and the rising importance of governance and policy impact.

Another theme that surfaced was the strategic use of publication avenues. The panel urged researchers to look beyond just high-impact journals and to think carefully about targeted audience. Sometimes a specialised or emerging journal may offer a more direct path to the right readership—and ultimately, greater impact.

Finally, the panel reminded everyone the importance of social media which is a powerful tool to enable communication of our research to broad community, especially to a lay audience.
As academic publishing continues to evolve, the panel emphasised that success is not just measured in metrics—but in meaning. The message was clear: publish with purpose and focus on lasting impact.

The event organisers extend sincere thanks to our panel members and all 50+ attendees for their participation and support.