www.acs.org A Newsletter for Contributors to the ACS Cycle of Excellence Volume 2 / Issue 2 / Fall 2008

In This Issue: • Announcing ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces • Introducing JACS Beta & JACS Select • 2007 Journal Citation Reports® by Thomson Reuters • ACS Legacy Archives—A Perfect 80! • Organic Letters Celebrates 10 Years • Gordon G. Hammes Lectureship • ACS Introduces Global Challenges/ Solutions • A New Delivery Platform for ACS Publications And more...

A Supplement to ACS Publications EXCELLENCE VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 - FALL 2008

b A Message from ACS Publications Our most sincere appreciation to you for your continued support in contributing to the journals of the American Chemical Society. We are reminded of your commitment to excellence with every manuscript we publish. That commitment is reinforced and reaffirmed every summer with the announcement of the annual Journal Citation Reports® by Thomson Reuters. Led by the Journal of the American Chemical Society with its 295, 465 total citations and its rise in ISI ® to 7.885, ACS journals once again ranked at #1 in ISI Impact Factor and/or total citations in 15 separate subject categories (see pages 11 & 12).

Further to these results, we extend our gratitude around the world as just like the global community of competitors on the world’s stage in this summer’s 2008 Beijing Olympics, so are you a global community of researchers contributing your very best in the publication of your research findings. In support of our global community we continue to grow our editorial presence and support worldwide with centralized support for international offices (see page 18) and recent delegations to China and Taiwan (see pages 6, 7, & 8).

On the cover: Also in this issue and in support of the global community is an introduction to the Global Molecular Pharmaceutics Innovations Imperatives (see page 10). The Gii is a collaborative initiative between the From the Feature Topic Issue: ACS and the Society of Chemical Industry targeted to speed innovation, share chemical Natural Products and Production Systems technologies, and determine strategies for effective delivery on a global scale to address the (Volume 5, Issue 2, Guest Editor: Blaine Pfeifer) many significant issues facing our world.

The cover illustration highlights the natural We are also very excited to introduce our newest entry to the ACS Cycle of Excellence, environments responsible for natural products, ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, beginning publication online and in print in early the native or heterologous microbial organisms used to produce natural products, and the 2009 (see page 2 at right), as well as a new delivery platform for ACS Publications coming this final natural products isolated. Photos from fall (see pages 15 & 16). jupiterimages. Microbe images from CDC. Best regards, and as always thank you for your contributions to the ACS Cycle of Excellence. Molecular Pharmaceutics recorded its first We hope you find this newsletter to be useful and recommend that you visit the Excellence ISI Impact Factor® of 11.030 with the recently website for more information at http://pubs.acs.org/4authors/excellence/index.html. announced 2007 Journal Citation Reports® by Thomson Reuters. 11.030 ranks the journal as Best Regards, the highest impact primary research journal in Sean Abell, Editor, Excellence the category of and (205 total journals), and also ranks Molecular Pharmaceutics as the 3rd highest in impact factor among all ACS journals behind Chemical Reviews at 22.757, and Accounts of [email protected] Chemical Research at 16.214, the two highest impact factor journals in all of chemistry.

01 b Announcing ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces—Get to know ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces with Editor-in-Chief Kirk S. Schanze

Dr. Schanze, Professor of Chemistry at Excellence: Who should read this new publication? the University of Florida, has recently been selected as the founding editor of The readership will consist of practicing scientists, engineers and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, the students working in the area of applied and newest journal from ACS Publications who have an interest in applications of molecular- available in early 2009. Professor Schanze based materials and interfaces. We anticipate that the journal answered our questions about the new will be of interest to the community of materials scientists and journal and provided information about engineers in industrial, academic, and government lab settings, upcoming submission deadlines and where applications guide the development of advanced materials Editor-in-Chief: Kirk S. Schanze, publication dates. that are used in new products and technologies. University of Florida Excellence: Have you already appointed an Editorial Excellence: What are your scientific interests? Advisory Board?

My scientific interests are in the area of optical properties of The full Editorial Advisory Board has not yet been appointed, organic and organic/inorganic hybrid materials. My group has but I plan that the EAB will feature a broad and diverse group of an active research program that is focused on the study of scientists from around the world who are working in academia, fluorescent conjugated polymers and luminescent organometallic government and industry labs. Their expertise will cover the conjugated materials. The group is also keenly interested in diverse areas of the journal including applications of organic, the applications of photoactive materials, and we have been inorganic and hybrid materials, biomaterials, polymers, and involved in the development of chemo- and biosensor technology, interfaces. luminescence imaging materials and methods, light emitting diodes and solar cells. Excellence: What types of content do you plan to feature and how soon will researchers be able to submit manuscripts for Excellence: Can you tell our readers about the scope of ACS consideration in the journal? When do you expect to publish Applied Materials & Interfaces? What topics do you plan to the first issue? cover and how does this journal fit into the existing suite of ACS journals? ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces will feature content in several different formats including letters, articles, comments, and invited Coverage will include applications of active and passive electronic/ forum articles and spotlights. Forums will be collections of 5 – 8 optical materials, coatings, colloids, biomaterials and biointerfaces, invited manuscripts published in a single issue that focus on topics polymer materials, hybrid and composite materials, and friction of keen current interest to the journal’s readership. Spotlights will and wear. While this is my initial vision for ACS Applied Materials be articles written by leading scientists and engineers in the field & Interfaces, I anticipate that in the long run the specific content of applied materials science. They will highlight a particular topic of the journal will be driven by the community of active scientists of interest to the readership of the journal, with an emphasis on and engineers who participate as readers, authors and reviewers. the author’s area of expertise.

The journal will be the first among ACS materials chemistry Authors will be able to submit their works when online publications to focus primarily on applied science and submission goes live for the journal in mid-August via ACS engineering, as opposed to fundamental science. It will Paragon Plus. We plan to publish our first ASAP articles near the complement the coverage of the existing ACS materials journals end of this year. The first issue of the journal will be available in that are focused on fundamental science including Langmuir, early 2009. Chemistry of Materials, Biomacromolecules, Macromolecules and The Journal of B and C. You can find more information about ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces by visiting the website at http://pubs.acs.org/acsami. If you have questions about manuscript submission, you may contact the editorial office at [email protected].

02 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 b Introducing JACS Beta and JACS Select

Synthesis of Biologically Active Natural independent feedback from the readership Products” with Guest Editor William R. – really a strong positive reception to this Roush, Associate Editor of JACS. The entry particular area of research. So we decided to below is a modified excerpt from a podcast move forward with it as the first thematic Earlier this year, ACS Publications interview with Dr. Roush that is currently issue. introduced JACS Beta, a new website posted on the JACS Beta website. that presents, encourages, and facilitates ACS: How were the articles and innovations and new approaches to the ACS: To begin with, why is JACS doing a communications selected to be featured in presentation of chemical and related virtual issue of the journal? the virtual issue? research to further communication and understanding as emerging fields and Well, as you know, JACS strives to publish With help provided by ACS Publications, the very best work in all fields of chemistry. we did a very detailed, if you will, statistical And there’s a sense among the readers, analysis of papers looking at the numbers of there’s a sense among the editors and the reads, downloads, etc., off of the Web. And editorial advisory board, that as the research we prioritized by this element of readership. is becoming more and more complex, even At least, that was one of the things we looked within the traditional sub-boundaries at. Obviously, given that we picked papers of the field – and especially given the that were published in ’07 and initially in amount of research ongoing, which is now 2008, it’s not possible for the papers in 2008 interdisciplinary, bordering on materials necessarily to have had the same number science, on the biological fields, and so on – of downloads as a paper that appeared, let’s that it’s just becoming a very, very hard task say, in January of ‘07. So we did a weighted for the readers to understand all the nuances average as well just looking at sort of of the papers that are published. So, indeed, numbers of reads given the time course of its it becomes more challenging for the authors availability. Other factors that contributed to write articles that non-experts can really to the selection of the papers were really disciplines blend at the interfaces of understand. So JACS has made the decision the comments of the referees who reviewed chemistry, biology, and beyond. JACS Beta is to publish these virtual issues, which provide the papers. I had read commentary from essentially a testing ground for the Journal a very focused synopsis of some of the very experts who really waxed poetically shall we of the American Chemical Society website. best work that’s performed in a field and to say about the importance of these particular put it in a way that we hope will bring in pieces of work. Since its launch, the Beta site has introduced both the experts and the non-experts and several tools and features that have been increase everybody’s understanding and ACS: In your editorial that accompanies the very well received by the international appreciation for the area of chemistry that’s virtual issue, you note that “the proactive scientific community. We encourage you highlighted. and creative nature of the science of to visit the site often to review any newly chemical synthesis is unique among all introduced features and functionality on the ACS: The theme of the May inaugural of the physical sciences.” You also wrote site as those that test well may eventually virtual issue is “Total Synthesis of that “this is especially true of research in be implemented across the journals of the Biologically Active Natural Products.” Why natural product synthesis.” Can you expand American Chemical Society. was this theme selected? on that comment?

The most prominent feature to date that has Well, I’m pretty sure that Peter Stang [Editor I think of science really in terms of, as I been launched on the Beta site was the first of JACS] had a number of ideas of themes put in the editorial, this proactive nature in a series of topical collections of previously to pick for this first issue, but ultimately of science. Chemists are unique among all published well-reviewed and well-read he made the decision for us to pursue the scientists in making a decision that we want research. These collections were originally natural products topic because the papers to go out and create a molecule or create a titled “JACS Virtual Issues” and since that are published in this area, many of them system for studying. And it doesn’t matter renamed by the community via a poll on are among the most highly cited and most whether it’s a natural product we’re making the Beta site as “JACS Select.” The inaugural widely read, most widely downloaded papers or whether it’s a conductive polymer or collection was focused and titled as “Total off of the web site. So there was already this an inhibitor of an enzyme. Chemists go

03 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 out very creatively and say, “If we could ACS: Several of the papers in the virtual Associate Dean of Graduate Studies at design a molecule we think would have issue seem to focus on potential anticancer Scripps, Florida, in Jupiter, Florida. Scripps, properties X, Y, or Z …” And then we go out activities of natural products. Would you Florida, is the second campus of the Scripps and do it. And I think that’s an earmark of say that’s the hot area of natural products Research Institute, which is headquartered in what chemists are. So that’s the proactive synthesis? La Jolla, California. and creative nature of science. Now I said it’s particularly so in natural product Well, it’s certainly a hot area of chemistry. Look for the upcoming JACS Select, a synthesis because here you have often a In synthesis, the organic chemist – a collection of recently published JACS very complicated structure of multiple person like myself – or the authors of these Articles and Communications in the rings, multiple stereo centers, multiple papers who are doing the synthesis, we’re materials science area. The potential focus functional groups, which have to be dealt all dependent ultimately on the natural will be “Molecular Engineering of Thin Film with from both the architectural – within products isolation chemists who discover Optoelectronic Materials For Solar Cells”, the field, we talk in terms of strategy and the molecules and define the biological compiled by Guest Editor Jeffrey S. Moore, tactics – the strategy, the idea behind the properties and help them to define these JACS Associate Editor. type of chemistry you might use to do the molecules, these compounds as appropriate synthesis, and then the tactics, the nuts and starting points for chemical synthesis. bolts mechanical aspects of what reaction, Within the natural products world at this which conditions, etc. And it’s really a point in time, I think there’s an increasing multi-dimensional matrix that one has to emphasis – and has been for a number of go through in designing and ultimately years – on natural products from marine reducing a synthesis plan to practice. So organisms, and anticancer activity is one of that’s why I gave this a little bit of extra the, if you will, workhorse screens that many, billing, calling the proactive creative nature many people have applied to this. So, yes, of the science especially being pertinent in this is a very important area of chemistry natural products chemistry. today. But I don’t want to have anybody infer the converse to say that because we don’t ACS: In this virtual issue, how highlight that many compounds that have representative are the papers of the current antibiotic activity or antiviral activity that state of research into natural product these therefore are less important. Those synthesis? also remain vitally important. Again, the 20 papers I’ve highlighted are just a snapshot of Each paper is an individual snapshot and what happened to have crossed the journal each paper represents one project out of at a very high level over the past 14 or 15 many that are often ongoing in any given months. The Journal of the American Chemical laboratory. So I wouldn’t say that the Society will begin publishing author- papers are completely representative of all To hear the interview in its entirety, please submitted art on the cover of every issue natural products chemistry ongoing. This visit the JACS Beta website at beginning in January 2009. Art above happens to be that the filters that we’ve http://pubs.acs.org/JACSBeta. Also taken from “Interfacing Silicon Nanowires used, we highlighted some very creative, available on the Beta site are the JACS with Mammalian Cells” published in the May very important work. There’s very creative Image Challenge to test and enhance 22, 2007 issue of JACS by Associate Editor important work that we weren’t able to your understanding of the published Peidong Yang and his colleagues from The highlight for one reason or another. And research, a PDF Cover page to include Molecular Foundry and Materials Sciences there’s certainly creative important work that additional information when you print out Division, Lawrence Berkeley National appears in other journals, as well. I would a manuscript for your review, full audio Laboratory, and Department of Chemistry, say this is a representative snapshot in time reads of select JACS communications, JACS University of California, Berkeley, California; and there was no intent on my part to make PowerPoint slide sets, and more. and the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular the statement that it’s exactly this science in Disease, San Francisco, California. these 20 papers that defines what the field Dr. Roush is an Associate Editor of the is today. This is a window on the field using Journal of the American Chemical Society, these beautiful pieces of work as the portal and Professor of Chemistry, Executive of entry. Director of , and 04 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 b and the ACS Division of Biological Chemistry Announce the Gordon G. Hammes Lectureship Biochemistry and the ACS Division of Biological and the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Hammes’ research interests Chemistry are pleased to announce that Dr. William have centered on biophysical chemistry, including enzyme kinetics Eaton has been selected as the inaugural recipient and mechanisms, fast reaction techniques, regulation of enzymes, of the Gordon G. Hammes ACS Biochemistry multienzyme complexes, membrane-bound enzymes coupled to ion Lectureship. transport, and most recently single molecule techniques.

The Gordon G. Hammes ACS Biochemistry The inaugural Gordon G. Hammes ACS Biochemistry Lecture will be Lectureship recognizes an individual contributor presented by Dr. William Eaton at the 238th ACS National Meeting Dr. William Eaton, Chief, Laboratory of who has had a major impact on scientific research August 16-20, 2009 in Washington, D.C. Chemical Physics at the interface between chemistry and biology National Institute of particularly in the realm of biochemistry, biological Recently elected to the National Academy of Science, Dr. Eaton’s Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases chemistry, and . current research focuses on fundamental aspects of the mechanism of Jointly sponsored by Biochemistry and the ACS protein folding using multiple techniques such as nanosecond pulsed Division of Biological Chemistry, the lectureship lasers to trigger and monitor the folding reaction, as well as single is cooperatively administered by Editor-in-Chief molecule fluorescent measurements. For more than 35 years Dr. Eaton Richard Armstrong and the division. The lectureship will be awarded has produced a steady stream of innovative experiments and conceptual annually at the fall ACS National Meeting, and is a testament to the breakthroughs in biophysical chemistry that has resulted in profound strong relationship between the journal and the division. progress towards the solution of several central problems in biophysics. His career exemplifies both the intellectual depth and breadth of The lectureship is named in honor of Gordon biophysics ranging from first rate physics to practical medicine. G. Hammes, who served as Editor-in-Chief of Biochemistry from 1991-2004, was a member of the Dr. Eaton’s biophysical studies on problems of biological interest are Executive Committee of the Division of Biological cut from the same mold as the work of Dr. Hammes. The choice of Dr. Chemistry for numerous terms, and continues to be Eaton recognizes his innovative spectroscopic and kinetic studies on a significant contributor to the field of biochemistry proteins, which have yielded deep insights into protein self-assembly, with more than 200 publications to his credit. allosteric ligand binding and the elementary events in protein folding. Dr. Hammes has received the Eli Lilly Award in Dr. Gordon G. Hammes Biological Chemistry (American Chemical Society) Please join us at the 238th ACS National Meeting August 16-20, 2009 and is a member of the American Chemical Society, in Washington, D.C. for the Division of Biological Chemistry Award the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Phi Symposia and the inaugural Gordon G. Hammes ACS Biochemistry Lecture. Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,

b JNP Announces the 2007 Schwarting and Beal Awards 2007 Arthur E. Schwarting The 2007 Schwarting & Beal awards for best papers in the Journal of Award Winner Natural Products were announced in the June issue of the journal. Anti-inflammatory Thiazine These awards were established in 2001 by the American Chemical Alkaloids Isolated from the Society and the Foundation Board of the American Society of New Zealand Ascidian Pharmacognosy (ASP) to honor Arthur E. Schwarting and Jack L. Aplidium sp.: Inhibitors of the Neutrophil Respiratory Burst Beal, two highly distinguished former editors of the journal. The in a Model of Gouty Arthritis Schwarting Award is open to all papers published in the journal A. Norrie Pearce, Elizabeth W. Chia, Michael V. Berridge, George within a given year (either in print or electronically). In turn, the R. Clark, Jacquie L. Harper, Lesley Larsen, Elizabeth W. Maas, Beal Award is awarded to younger investigators [i.e., persons within Michael J. Page, Nigel B. Perry, Victoria L. Webb, and Brent R. Copp 12 years of receiving their Ph.D. degree or within 10 years of gaining J. Nat. Prod.; (Article); 2007; 70(6); 936-940. their first professional appointment (e.g., Assistant Professor or DOI: 10.1021/np060626o equivalent position in industry or government)]. 2007 Jack L. Beal Awards Winner A two-tier process was used to determine the winners for papers Parectadial, a Monoterpenoid published in the Journal of Natural Products in 2007, with editors from the Defensive Spray of Daneel Ferreira, William H. Gerwick, A. Douglas Kinghorn, and Parectatosoma mocquerysi Richard G. Powell having nominated two papers each for the Aaron T. Dossey, Spencer S. Schwarting Award and one each for the Beal Award. ASP President Walse, Oskar V. Conle, and Arthur S. Edison Bill J. Baker appointed an ad hoc committee (Yuzuru Shimizu, Chair, J. Nat. Prod.; (Article); 2007; 70(8); 1335-1338. Ben Shen, Barbara Timmermann) to make the final selections. The DOI: 10.1021/np070151g winners are as follows:

05 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 b ACS Editors Travel to China

The international community of researchers continues to grow at a rapid pace with manuscript submissions and publications in recent years from Asia in particular providing a more and more significant contribution to the field. In recognition of this growth and in an effort to foster its continuation, ACS Publications and the editors of our journals have been travelling to Asia in recent years to help build stronger JOC Senior Editor Cynthia J. Burrows shows her appreciation to the young researchers at Nankai partnerships in the region. who assisted the ACS Representatives throughout their activities associated with the 26th Annual Congress of the Chinese Chemical Society meeting

ACS Publications and held July 2, 2008, in University. Participants were honored conjunction with MACRO 2008 in Taipei, to have ACS President Bruce Bursten in Taiwan. As a part of this Macromolecules attendance who provided the opening ACS Editor delegation to Asia, Drs. Lodge address for the ACS Editor, Author, and and Reichmanis, accompanied by several Reviewer reception. ACS staff, also met with students and faculty at the Institute of Chemistry, Dr. Bursten also spoke at the opening Chinese Academy of Sciences (ICCAS), ceremony of the 26th Annual Congress of Peking University, and Tsinghua University the Chinese Chemical Society where he prior to attending the MACRO 2008 ACS President Bruce Bursten provided the opening conference. remarks for the ACS Editor, Author, and Reviewer Reception where he thanked the hosts from Nankai University for their support The second group travelling through the region in early July was in connection Most recently, in conjunction with the with Accounts of Chemical Research and June 2008 MACRO conference in Taipei, headed by Accounts Editor-in-Chief Joan S. Taiwan, and the July 2008 Chinese Chemical Valentine from the University of California Society Conference in Beijing/Nankai, two at Los Angeles. Dr. Valentine was joined significant contingents of ACS Editors and by JACS Editor-in-Chief Peter J. Stang and representatives have visited the region. The Journal of Organic Chemistry Senior Editor Cynthia J. Burrows, both of the ACS President Bruce Bursten exchanges business University of Utah. cards with a local researcher following the ACS Editor, Author, and Reviewer Reception. The Accounts group also visited the ICCAS, as well as Peking, and Tsinghua noted that this was a “truly remarkable, Universities between July 7th and 11th. arguably historical, opportunity to catalyze Their efforts were capped by the 26th and extend China/US scientific exchange Annual Congress of the Chinese Chemical and network development to advance Society hosted by Nankai University, which chemistry, and in particular to optimize began on Saturday July 12th and included its use to solve global challenges without participation and presentations from many regard to national borders.” of the ACS representatives. The sessions Macromolecules Editor-in-Chief Timothy P. Lodge were followed by a “meet the editor” All official activities by ACS Publications chats with local researchers at the ACS Author and Reviewer Reception in Taipei, Taiwan (Macro 2008) event on the afternoon of the 12th where reinforce the ongoing speaking and research attendees were able to meet and interact engagements by ACS Journal Editors Macromolecules Editor Timothy P. Lodge with the aforementioned journal editors as around the world and in the Asia region in of the of the University of Minnesota, well as Chemistry in Context Editor Cathy particular. Biomacromolecules Editor-in-Chief Ann- Middlecamp. Christine Albertsson of the Royal Institute To read more on recent activities in the of Technology in Sweden, and Chemistry of The events of the week and the CCS region, please see the article published in Materials Senior Editor Elsa Reichmanis of meeting were punctuated with an ACS the Spring 2008 issue of the Excellence the Georgia Institute of Technology greeted Editor, Author and Reviewer Reception newsletter, available at http://pubs.acs. attendees at a special reception hosted by hosted in conjunction with Nankai org/4authors/excellence/index.html

06 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 b Intervew with Dr. Zhen-Yu Chen, Associate Editor, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

Processing approximately 500 manuscripts than the overall acceptance rate for the annually, my role is to serve as a gatekeeper journal because they are so often poorly for the manuscripts I am assigned. With written, formatted, fragmentary, marginally the support of my editorial assistant, we incremental, or lacking in significance. do everything from acknowledge receipt, Dr. Jim Seiber, Editor-in-Chief, discussed evaluate content and format of the this issue with me during the Boston ACS manuscripts, select reviewers, monitor meeting in the fall of 2007. He hoped to progress of the review process, evaluate upgrade the quality and thereby increase the comments of reviewers, forward reviewer acceptance rate of manuscripts submitted comments to authors, provide my own from China. comments, communicate ultimate acceptance or rejection to the corresponding With this goal in mind, I visited several authors, and carry out a final check of major institutes where we have a larger accepted manuscripts for appropriate format number of submissions, including China and style. Agricultural University, Zhejiang University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Excellence: You have made significant and the Institute of Medicinal Plant Now in its 56th volume of publication, the efforts to travel around China in order Development (IMPLAD). I also recently Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry to give presentations about the research participated in the 3rd Cross-Strait publishes research from around the world, in the journal and how to publish in the Symposium on Food and Biotechnology and has an Editorial Advisory Board that journal. Where have you visited and what held in Hong Kong. The presentation I reflects that international audience with type of feedback do you receive at these gave at the aforementioned institutions and representatives from North America, South engagements? symposium is entitled “How to Prepare a America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Manuscript for the Journal of Agricultural Let me start with some background and Food Chemistry,” and is well received. In recent years, roughly 80% of all published information on manuscript submissions My hope is to reinforce the good image research in the journal originated from from China as they are in the realm of of the journal, and encourage the further outside the United States with the research 650 papers per year. These manuscripts publication of papers of good quality, from Asia continuing to increase annually. are accepted at a significantly lower rate particularly from China by encouraging the

In recognition of the international growth of the journal, we took some time to visit with Dr. Zhen-Yu Chen of the Chinese University of Hong Kong who serves as a JAFC Associate Editor.

Excellence: How long have you served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry? What are your responsibilities in this role?

I have been serving as an associate editor for a year and a half. It is a very challenging job for me but I enjoy it as I have learned a lot

from Editor-in-Chief Jim Seiber and other Dr. Chen addressing a full house of researchers at Zhejiang University associate editors for the journal.

07 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 This compounds the work they perform in An expansion of the activities of the ACS the laboratory since they must study English Division of Agriculture and Food Chemistry intensively as most of the targeted high particularly in China would be very helpful. profile journals are published in English. It These activities may include but not be is very challenging for them to both write limited to journal/division sponsorship of a manuscript in English as well choose a key symposia in China, India, Spain and/or journal for submission. Brazil. Of course it will always be beneficial to work towards continuing to raise the Excellence: What are your current areas of impact factor of the Journal of Agricultural research and interest, and where do you see and Food Chemistry through the continued “How to Prepare a Manuscript for the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” agricultural research in China in the next international growth and continued 10 years? publication of the top research. inclusion of more chemistry, more significant and comprehensive chemistry, My research focuses on antioxidants and Excellence: Thank you Dr. Chen for your and more effectively written manuscripts. free radicals with the goal of understanding time and attention to this interview, but the structure and function of natural even more so, thank you for everything Many universities in China aim to antioxidants and mechanisms by which you do for the Journal of Agricultural and become first-class comprehensive research they combat the free radicals both in vivo Food Chemistry in particular, and ACS universities with dimensions of student and in vitro; regulation of cholesterol Publications in general. It is the efforts of education, scholarly output, contribution to metabolism focusing on regulation of our Editors, Authors, and Reviewers that the community and standards of excellence. cholesterogenesis by natural compounds help to make our journals the most cited The publication of high impact papers is from traditional herbs and foods; and in chemistry and the related sciences, with also one of the most significant criteria used essential fatty acid metabolism where we JAFC the most cited journal in Applied to assess a research university as a whole. are mainly investigating the effect of dieting Chemistry, Agriculture, and Food Science on the utilization of these fatty acids in and Technology. In general, it is a very big issue now in China vivo. In these areas and related areas, I have to publish in high impact journals for the published more than 150 original scientific purposes of promotion, pay increase, bonus, papers in peer reviewed journals. tenure, and grant applications. Candidates are judged mainly by the number of papers In regards to agricultural research in China they have published and the impact factors in the next 10 years, sustainable agriculture, of the respective host publications. Authors genetically modified crops and transgenic will send their manuscript to a journal with livestock, hybrid rice, sustainable use of a high impact factor first, and if it is rejected, medicinal plants, plant nutriomics and move down to a lower ranked journal on biotechnology, biofuels, and the impact the list. A journal targeting excellent papers of agriculture on the environment are all must already have a high impact factor. I growth areas for the region. guess a similar trend is seen in USA and Dr. Chen presenting to a collection of researchers at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences European countries. Excellence: What additional efforts could be made to bring the international It is also significant to note that some community of researchers in agriculture universities in China have a policy that and food chemistry closer together? each graduate student is required to be published before graduation, providing additional pressure for graduate students.

08 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 b Journal of Proteome Research Experiences Strong Growth, Editor-in-Chief Elected as 2008 President of US HUPO

Launched in 2002 by founding editor Excellence: The journal has published an increasing number of William S. Hancock, the Journal special issues. What is the reason behind having these special sections of Proteome Research (JPR) has of the journal and which subtopics of proteomics are on the horizon firmly established itself as a major for the journal and the field? contributor to the field over its first 6+ years of publication. Evidenced We use special issues to draw a focus on areas of proteomics that are as much by the growing number of importance but need a focus to bring a greater realization of the of published papers in the journal importance, challenge or achievements of a given subfield. This type and the increase to monthly of activity represents an important part of a journal’s nurturing of its publication, as by a growth in field and also helps establish a journal’s focus while recruiting authors impact factor to 5.675 with a in new areas. 76% growth in total citations in the 2007 Journal Citation Subtopics currently on the horizon include top down proteomics, Reports®, JPR is poised for glycoproteomics, functional or activity based proteomics, protein a bright future of making complexes (protein interactions), increased sensitivity due to improved significant contributions to sample handling, micro HPLC methods, better mass spectrometry and the field. gel separation technology.

Editor: William S. Hancock More and more researchers Excellence: Thank you Dr. Hancock for your time and attention are seeking out the journal to this interview, and additionally for your contributions as the to find out what is happening in proteome research. Authors are founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Proteome Research. discovering that JPR is the best place to showcase their research to a global audience. Providing content encompassing all aspects of systems-oriented, global protein analysis and function, the journal emphasizes the synergy between physical and life sciences resulting In 2009, JPR will publish Special Issues on the topics in a multi-disciplinary approach to the understanding of biological of Temporal and Spatial Proteomics, Glycoproteomics processes. The journal integrates the fields of chemistry, mathematics, and Tissue-Specific Proteomics and Metabolomics. applied physics, biology, and medicine in order to better understand the function of proteins in biological systems. Previous JPR Special Issues:

We caught up with Dr. Hancock following the 2008 US Hupo meeting Mammary Gland and Breast Cancer Proteomics and asked a few questions about the journal, the field and the US April 2008 (Vol. 7, No. 4) Hupo organization. Guest Editors: Sam Hanash, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Serhiy Souchelnytskyi, Excellence: Now in your 7th volume and your first year of monthly Karolinska Institute Biomics Center (Sweden) publication, what do you feel has contributed to the journal’s quick rise as an essential resource in the community? Statistical and Computational Proteomics January 2008 (Vol. 7, No. 1) The broad focus on high quality research has been paramount as has Guest Editor: Martin McIntosh, been the coverage in the journal of the full breadth of proteomics from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center technology to medical to agriculture. Metabolomics, Metabonomics, and Metabolic Profiling in Excellence: Recently elected as the 2008 President of US HUPO, can Complex Organisms: The Portals to “Real-Life” Systems Biology you tell us more about the organization, as well as how long you have February 2007 (Vol. 6, No. 2) been involved with US HUPO and what your goals are as President? Guest Editors: Jeremy K. Nicholson, Elaine Holmes, John C. Lindon, Imperial College London US HUPO is an organization dedicated to scientific and educational activities encouraging the use of proteomics technologies and Proteomics and Biomarkers dissemination of knowledge pertaining to the human proteome and July/August 2005 (Vol. 4, No. 4) model organisms. It is an important organization dealing with the Guest Editors: Joshua LaBaer, Harvard Institute of Proteomics tremendous challenge of proteomics on a global basis. The plasma and Steven A. Carr, Broad Institute proteome organized by Gil Omenn some 5 years ago was my initial contact with US HUPO as we became a participating laboratory. As Proteomics and Disease the 2008 President of US HUPO, my goal is to build the identity of the March/April 2004 (Vol. 3, No. 2) young US organization and to develop a close relationship with the NIH. Guest Editors: György Marko-Varga and Thomas E. Fehniger, AstraZeneca

09 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 b ACS Corporation Associates and SCI Address Global Issues

Through scientific lack access to safe drinking water. Almost 4,000 children die every day innovation, new chemistry- from water borne diseases. Water affects every aspect of our lives. It can based solutions are being be argued that water is the most important and basic chemical on earth, constantly developed to so it is appropriate for ACS, through CA, and the SCI to take leadership address the significant in the effort to bring science to bear on the challenges around water global issues affecting issues, such as safe drinking water, water pollution, infrastructure, every one of us. That being wetlands, water supplies, water uses in industry, and many others. said, even more needs to be done to expedite and Gii held a Town Hall session this past April at the ACS Meeting in New facilitate these innovations Orleans to launch the water initiative, with footage from the session and the sharing of chemical now available on the Gii website at www.thegii.org. In June 2008, Gii Nelufar Mohajeri (ACS Committee on ACS Corporation technologies to determine Associates), Krishan Kalra (PHD Chamber), Mark also held its first summit in New Delhi, India where the Gii received strategies for effective Shannon (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), support from industry, academia and government. In October 2008, delivery on a global scale Saif-ud-din Soz (Union Minister, Water Resources), Gii will also host sessions at the International Exhibition on Water to act as a catalyst amongst Sanjay Bhatia (PHD Chamber), Andrew Ladds (Society Treatment in Shanghai, China. of Chemical Industry), and Pradeep Dave (Society of the key stakeholders in the Chemical Industry, India) at the recent Gii summit held process. in New Delhi, India All these sessions will serve as a foundation for our community building and innovation The ACS Committee on Corporation Associates (CA) and the Society discussions in 2009 and 2010. At this time the of Chemical Industry (SCI) have now joined forces in creating the Gii has tentatively scheduled activities in 2009 Gii, a collaborative venture with a mission to create community and in Toronto, Puerto Rico, Salt Lake City and knowledge transfer to stimulate global scientific innovation that meets Washington, DC. societal imperatives. In particular, both organizations are focused on areas where they can stimulate industrial innovation to tackle societal The Gii outreach activities will be developed more fully as the imperatives. dialogue and community direct them. It is important that we have all viewpoints stated within the community to allow as many people from The first imperative chosen for the Gii program is water; where the different backgrounds to join the community and give voice to their Gii aims to achieve significant results by engaging a wide range of areas of expertise. stakeholders including educators, multinational businesses, and both government and non-government organizations. ACS Corporation Associates and the Society of Chemical Industry are excited about the prospect of creating opportunities to make a real Earth is a planet with more water than land mass, and yet political and difference. We hope you will want to contribute to these challenges by scientific leaders agree that we are facing unprecedented water resource bringing your expertise and influence. Learn more at www.thegii.org issues. More than two out of six people on earth, or, more than 2.6 or by sending an email to [email protected]. billion people, lack adequate sanitation and more than 1 billion people

10 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 The ACS Tradition of Excellence Continues

Led by the Journal of the American Chemical Society and Chemical Reviews in Multidisciplinary Chemistry, ACS Journals are #1 in Total Citations and/or ISI Impact Factor in Seven Core Chemistry Categories:

MULTIDISCIPLINARY CHEMISTRY APPLIED CHEMISTRY ORGANIC CHEMISTRY ACS journals account for 46% ACS journals account for 33% ACS journals account for 36% of total citations of total citations of total citations

Journal of the American Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry The Journal of Organic Chemical Society Impact Factor: 2.532 Chemistry Impact Factor: 7.885 #1 in total citations: 45,286 Impact Factor: 3.959 #1 in total citations: #1 in total citations: 295,465 Journal of Combinatorial 85,315 Chemistry Chemical Reviews #2 in Impact Factor: 3.154 Organic Letters #1 in Impact Factor: Total citations: 2,275 Impact Factor: 4.802 22.757 Total citations: 39,755 Total citations: 63,207 Journal of Natural Products Impact Factor: 2.551 Bioconjugate Chemistry Accounts of Chemical Research Total citations: 12,404 Impact Factor: 4.384 #2 in Impact Factor: 16.214 Total citations: 7,295 Total citations: 24,129 Organic Process Research & Development Biomacromolecules Nano Letters Impact Factor: 1.833 Impact Factor: 4.169 Impact Factor: 9.627 Total citations: 1,874 Total citations: 9,111 Total citations: 26,246 Organometallics Crystal Growth & Design INORGANIC & NUCLEAR Impact Factor: 3.833 Impact Factor: 4.046 CHEMISTRY Total citations: 32,926 Total citations: 5,045 ACS journals account for 34% Organic Process Research Bioconjugate Chemistry of total citations & Development Impact Factor: 4.384 Impact Factor: 1.833 Total citations: 7,295 Inorganic Chemistry Total citations: 1,874 Impact Factor: 4.123 Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation #1 in total citations: Impact Factor: 4.308 64,210 PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY Total citations: 1,526 ACS journals account for 28% Organometallics of total citations Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling Impact Factor: 3.833 Impact Factor: 2.986 #2 in total citations: The Journal of Physical Chemistry A Total citations: 7,113 32,926 Impact Factor: 2.918 Total citations: 38,281 Chemical Research in Toxicology Impact Factor: 3.508 MEDICINAL The Journal of Physical Total citations: 8,084 CHEMISTRY Chemistry B ACS journals Impact Factor: 4.086 Journal of Combinatorial Chemistry account for 35% #1 in total Impact Factor: 3.154 of total citations citations: 87,658 Total citations: 2,275 Journal of Medicinal The Journal of Physical Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data Chemistry Chemistry C Impact Factor: 1.729 Impact Factor: 4.895 NEW IN 2007 Total citations: 8,105 #1 in total citations: 42,221 Langmuir ACS Nano Impact Factor: 4.009 NEW IN 2007 Chemical Research in Toxicology #2 in total citations: 68,963 Impact Factor: 3.508 Total citations: 8,084 Chemistry of Materials ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Impact Factor: 4.883 One ACS journal Journal of Combinatorial Total citations: 43,179 accounts for Chemistry 17% of total Impact Factor: 3.154 citations Total citations: 2,275

Analytical Chemistry Journal of Natural Products #2 in Impact Impact Factor: 2.551 Factor: 5.287 Total citations: 12,404 #1 in total citations: 73,757

11 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 ACS journals achieve record number of total citations, dominating the chemical and allied sciences

ACS Journals are #1 in Citations and/or Impact Factor in Eight Additional Key Categories

AGRICULTURE, FOOD SCIENCE & NANOSCIENCE & MULTIDISCIPLINARY TECHNOLOGY One ACS journal accounts for 56% of One ACS journal One ACS journal total citations accounts for 18% of accounts for 20% Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry total citations of total citations #1 in Impact Factor: 2.532 Journal of Agricultural and Nano Letters #1 in total citations: 45,286 Food Chemistry #2 in Impact Factor: 9.627 Impact Factor: 2.532 #1 in total citations: 26,246 CRYSTALLOGRAPHY #1 in total citations: ACS Nano One ACS journal accounts for 4% 45,286 NEW IN 2007 of total citations Crystal Growth & Design MATERIALS SCIENCE, POLYMER SCIENCE #1 in Impact Factor: 4.046 MULTIDISCIPLINARY ACS journals account Total citations: 5,045 ACS journals account for 11% for 28% of total citations of total citations Macromolecules ENVIRONMENTAL Chemistry of Materials Impact Factor: 4.411 ENGINEERING Impact Factor: 4.883 #1 in total citations: 79,438 One ACS journal #1 in total citations: 43,179 Biomacromolecules accounts for 37% of Nano Letters total citations Impact Factor: 4.169 Impact Factor: 9.627 Total citations: 9,111 Environmental Science & Total citations: 26,246 Technology Crystal Growth & Design #2 in Impact Factor: 4.363 Impact Factor: 4.046 #1 in total citations: 51,326 Total citations: 5,045 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ACS Nano One ACS journal accounts for 10% of NEW IN 2007 total citations Environmental Science & Technology Impact Factor: 4.363 #1 in total citations: 51,326

ACS Journals Are Also Highly Ranked in 10 Additional Subject Categories

BIOCHEMICAL RESEARCH CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PHARMACOLOGY AND PHARMACY METHODS Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research Journal of Natural Products Bioconjugate Chemistry Impact Factor: 1.749 Impact Factor: 2.551 Impact Factor: 4.384 #2 in total citations: 19,228 Total citations: 12,404 Total citations: 7,295 Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data Molecular Pharmaceutics Journal of Proteome Research Impact Factor: 1.729 Impact Factor: 11.030 - First Impact Year! Impact Factor: 5.675 Total citations: 8,105 Total citations: 3,216 Total citations: 5,793 Energy & Fuels Impact Factor: 1.679 PHYSICS – ATOMIC, MOLECULAR & BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR Total citations: 5,356 CHEMICAL BIOLOGY The Journal of Physical Chemistry A ACS Chemical Biology COMPUTER SCIENCE, Impact Factor: 2.918 Impact Factor: 4.741 - First Impact Year! INFORMATION SYSTEMS Total citations: 38,281 Total citations: 390 Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling Biochemistry Impact Factor: 2.986 PLANT SCIENCES Impact Factor: 3.368 #2 in total citations: 7,113 Journal of Natural Products Total citations: 93,411 Impact Factor: 2.551 Total citations: 12,404 Bioconjugate Chemistry COMPUTER SCIENCE, INTERDISCIPLINARY Impact Factor: 4.384 TOXICOLOGY Total citations: 7,295 Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling Impact Factor: 2.986 Chemical Research in Toxicology Biomacromolecules Total citations: 7,113 Impact Factor: 3.508 Impact Factor: 4.169 Total citations: 8,084 Total citations: 9,111 ENERGY & FUELS Energy & Fuels Impact Factor: 1.679 Total citations: 5,356

Go to http://pubs.acs.org/promo/jcr/2007/index.html for further information on ACS journal results in the 2007 Journal Citation Reports® by Thomson Reuters.

12 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 13 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 14 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 b Coming this Fall… ACS introduces a new delivery platform for ACS Publications

A sneak peek at the new ACS Publications home page currently in development.

For over a hundred and thirty years, ACS Publications has been Personalization Options providing the scientific community with a platform to share and exchange the very latest in research and development. This Fall, High on every user’s list to achieve a better online experience is ACS will be launching a new, fully integrated content delivery to have personalization options – and this is exactly what we will platform to further the development of the chemical enterprise provide. With the new ACS journal platform you will be able to and its practitioners worldwide. ACS is fully committed to keep maintain your very own list of favorite articles as well as saved on pushing the boundaries of knowledge and helping scientists searches to enable you to quickly perform previously run searches. produce even greater results. Signing up for and editing journal e-mail alerts will also be lightyears easier. In addition, you will be able to receive an e-mail A Better Online Experience notification whenever a particular article is cited. What a great way to find out when (and by whom) you’ve been cited! A better online experience starts with better searching --and that is exactly where we started. Here is a short list of search benefits and Better Browsing features of the new ACS Publications Web Platform (Fall 2008): Browsing is the natural consequence of having to keep up with 8 Search by Citation or DOI everything you want and need to keep up with. You need to 8 Improved interface for advanced searching browse, and we want to help you become a better browser. Here 8 Results retrieved from figure and table captions are just some of the ways in which we will be helping you realize 8 Filter results by author, date, journal, content type your full browsing potential. 8 Create an RSS feed of your search 8 Snippet of the article displayed within search results The journal home page will provide a highlighted content area to 8 Ability to flip through thumbnails of all of an article’s give you a quick look at selected images and research, allowing you figures without leaving the page to see what you want to see sooner. You will get a quick glimpse of the latest published research, current issue, most-read articles, and most-cited articles right away.

15 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 b ACS Introduces Global Challenges/ Chemistry Solutions

You will have the ability to browse by issue from any journal- ACS Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions is a series of specific page and to view a list of all issues for a journal on one podcasts describing some of the 21st Century’s most daunting page. Convenient. problems, and how cutting-edge research in chemistry is leading the way in the quest for solutions. The sweeping panorama of global challenges includes dilemmas such as providing a You will also be able to flip through thumbnails of all of an hungry, thirsty world with ample supplies of safe food and clean article’s figures without leaving the TOC or search results page. water; developing alternatives to petroleum; preserving the Impressive. environment and ensuring a sustainable future for our children; and improving human health. An ongoing saga of chemistry for Want more? OK, how about having the ability to select multiple life — chemistry that truly matters. articles from a TOC or search results and view a page that Highlights from Confronting Climate Change – Part 1: contains the selected articles’ abstracts? You got it. • Warming trends in the next 50 years may have And, we didn’t stop there. When viewing either an article or profound effects TOC, you will be able to browse the previous/next article or • Burning oil, coal and natural gas promotes global warming previous/next TOC. Now that’s browsing made easy. And it’s • Solutions include alternative fuels and greener industrial all for the purpose of allowing you to realize your full browsing processes • Using a mixture of coal and biofuels may help reduce potential. Go ahead: browse with ease. carbon dioxide emissions • Eating chicken, fish or vegetables instead of red meat just You asked and we listened once a week could help fight climate change

You asked for better options for the PDF versions of the journal Part 2 Now Available: Water Desalination; articles. ACS Journals will now provide you with an enhanced Fresh Water from the Sea PDF view of the article that contains hypertext links to the figures Global Challenges debuted in June 2008 and continues through and within the references (currently only offered in HTML). December. Subscribe at iTunes or listen and access other Better PDFs, better choices. resources at acs.org.

We have also greatly enhanced the functionality of the full-text HTML and abstract by improving the layout and presentation for easier reading, and providing dynamically generated links to related content. In addition, the full-text HTML will now list forward citations and display references in-line so you don’t have to leave your place in the article to view the reference information.

You will also have one-click access to a list of research published by any of the article’s authors within ACS journals; you will be able to add an article to your personal list of favorites; and you will be able to easily e-mail a link to the article to colleagues and share an article through popular social networking sites.

Another thing you’ll like

Another thing you’ll like about the new ACS Publications site is the consistent navigation for easy access to society-wide content and the consistent navigation structure across all journals. Plus, it just looks better. You’ll see.

Coming Fall 2008. Stay tuned.

16 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 b ACS Legacy Archives – A Perfect 80! Providing instant online access for In total, there are 80 distinct categories in which CAS indexes abstracts subscribers to all titles, volumes, of all published research in chemistry and the related sciences based issues, and articles published by on their main content and interest. The ACS Legacy Archives are the ACS from 1879-1995, the represented in all 80 CAS sections, demonstrating the depth and ACS Legacy Archives covers a breadth of the Legacy Archives content. From Amino Acids, Peptides, legacy of scientific advances in and Proteins to Pharmaceuticals and Fossil Fuels, Derivatives, and chemistry and beyond. Through Related Products, the essential research content in the Legacy Archives their indexing services, Chemical covers more than just chemistry.

Abstracts Service (CAS) provides To understand where chemistry is today, it’s essential to understand pathways to published research where it has been. More than an historical record, the ACS Legacy in the world’s journal and patent Archives enables researchers to understand how modern chemistry literature — virtually everything and its related disciplines came to be—and where science is going. relevant to chemistry plus a wealth The history of chemistry is a springboard to its future, and the Legacy of information in the life sciences and a wide range of other scientific Archives is an essential resource for researchers. disciplines back to the beginning of the late 19th century.

b Organic Letters Celebrates 10 Years as the Leading Communications Journal in Organic Chemistry 2008 marks the 10th year of publication for Organic Letters, “Certainly all of us at Organic Letters and the highest impact communications journal in the field of the ACS Publications Division are extremely Organic Chemistry. Publishing brief reports on cutting-edge proud of these accomplishments, but research, creative approaches, and innovative ideas in a broad clearly the true credit goes to the chemical range of Organic Chemistry research to be quickly shared community for strongly embracing the goals with other scientists, the journal quickly established itself as we set forth in 1999 for Organic Letters. a leader in the field through the vision of founding Editor- As stated then, and is ever more true today: in-Chief, Amos B. Smith III and his Associate Editors. This is indeed exactly where you want to be!” –Amos B. Smith, III, Editor-in-Chief Since 1999, Organic Letters has published more than 10,000 Letters and received more than 100,000 total citations, securing its ranking ACS Publications is very proud to be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania among the leading journals in Organic Chemistry. Among the 56 for the 236th ACS National Meeting where Organic Letters makes journals listed in the Organic Chemistry category in the most recent it’s home at the University of Pennsylvania with Amos B. Smith III, Journal Citation Reports® by Thomson Reuters, Organic Letters and managing Editor Carol Carr. ranks in the top 4 journals overall in Impact Factor(#4), Total Citations (#4), Immediacy Index (#3), and Articles (#3), a testament to the authors and reviewers that have contributed to the journal Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Home of Organic Letters since 1999. and the 236th ACS National Meeting

17 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2 b Crystal Growth & Design Boasts Centralized Support and Excels with ACS Paragon Plus

Blickem: Authors often want to know why you didn’t look the they are asked to enter suggested reviewer next day, you information during submission. Can you wouldn’t know you describe from the editorial office point of invited them. You view how collecting this information benefits couldn’t officially the author and the process? invite them in the system for 24 hours. This is research that the authors have done and they know their work best. With a few Blickem: Reviewers suggested reviewers, we can find out what are now asked to work they have done and quickly get more either enter or to From left to right: Melissa Blickem (ACS Editorial ideas for who else to ask. Authors have upload their reviews Office Operations), Amy Gay Ervin (CG&D Coordinating Editor), and CG&D Journal Assistants Laura Amster performed plenty of research on topics similar into ACS Paragon Plus, which can take a little and Adriane McKenney to the manuscripts they submit. So, they more time than simply emailing them into know other experts in their field better than the office. They can also see a full history of Launched in 2001, Crystal Growth & Design we do as journal assistants. their reviewing activity for any journal. Can (CG&D) publishes original research papers, you describe why this effort is greatly worth short communications, critical reviews, the time and how it improves the efficiency and software reviews, while serving a broad of the journal? and multidisciplinary audience of chemists, physicists, biologists, materials scientists, and There’s a record for everything. Especially engineers. the referee, now they can agree via a link in their email. We have a record of the process in CG&D migrated into the ACS Paragon Plus the system. Their logging in could be viewed Environment for manuscript submission and as a benefit, confirming that they sent their peer review in July of 2007. ACS Paragon Plus contribution, and we can confirm that we replaced the original ACS Paragon system for received their work without going back to electronic submission and peer review, and is check. Journal Assistant Mihaela Gurau a web-based, real-time system providing new CG&D capabilities to simplify the submission and Suggested reviewers from authors makes Blickem: How would you rate ACS Paragon review processes. our jobs much easier. When authors suggest Plus overall and the services that it provides reviewers, we do not have to search multiple at this point? Led by founding Editor-in-Chief Robin R. databases to find appropriate reviewers. It Rogers, the journal’s team of editors are saves us a lot of time. It helps if they can It helps us and the users to process located in Alabama, Florida, Illinois, China, recommend someone who is more specialized. manuscripts more quickly, I would give it India, and the United Kingdom. Even though a 9 out of 10. It helps a lot. It is much more the editorial team is spread around the United Blickem: How has ACS Paragon Plus affected efficient. The ACS Paragon Plus system helps States and the globe, all editorial support time to publication? to simplify and organize your workflow. extends from a single centralized office in Alabama with three journal assistants: Adriane It has improved by a great deal. Processing Blickem: Do you have any advice that McKenney, Laura Amster and Mihaela Gurau; times have been reduced tremendously. The you would give authors and/or reviewers and one office manager, Amy Gay Ervin. time from submission to acceptance has working in ACS Paragon Plus? decreased by a good 3 to 4 weeks with the This team of four has proven to be extremely system because everything is electronic. We Read the author guidelines before submitting adaptable to accommodating the needs of have the advantage of everything being online. a manuscript. All of the information we their international group of editors, and We can work from anywhere, which allows for request is explained, in detail, in the author has excelled in the use of the ACS Paragon better accessibility. It is just easier. guidelines. If the author takes the time to read Plus system, fully leveraging its web-based them, and include all pertinent information, attributes to successfully manage their global Blickem: Unlike our previous system, ACS their manuscript will be processed much more operation. The international group of editors Paragon Plus is a real-time system. Because quickly. notwithstanding, the needs of authors and of this, there are no more overnight delays reviewers remain paramount in the CG&D of information. Can you give some examples Don’t be intimidated by the system. It is office just as they are in the hundreds of other of how this has helped the submission and something new and different. Embrace it. ACS Publications editorial offices around review process? It’s so user-friendly, you don’t really have to the world. ACS Peer Review Analyst Melissa figure out much on your own. Follow the Blickem visited the journal office recently and You can add a reviewer and invite them in the steps—it is really self-explanatory. We’ve even took the opportunity to ask the group some same day. In the old system, you had to make submitted manuscripts for authors, and if we pointed questions that we often hear from the a note in the file folder or the system, and if can do it anyone can! author and reviewer community concerning the ACS Paragon Plus system: 18 EXCELLENCE NEWSLETTER - VOL. 2 - ISSUE 2