At the end of her first two years as Editor of ChemPlusChem and the journal’s fifth year, Dr. Marisa Spiniello talks about the journal and her mission to Dr. Rachel Schmidt-Radde for ChemViews magazine.
What is the idea behind the multidisciplinary journal ChemPlusChem?
When I attend conferences I find that some of the most exciting discussions are between scientists from different research areas when they realize that a crucial question can only be addressed by collaboration. When each research group contributes its strengths and skills, the combined results, the “plus” so to speak, are much more convincing than what they would have found on their own.
At the same time, it can be challenging for authors to find publishing venues for truly multidisciplinary papers. Referees may consider the results to be too specialized. We are committed to finding qualified referees to evaluate the details of two or three separate disciplines, if need be, and helping authors publish their hard-won results.
So, in other words, the strength of ChemPlusChem as a multidisciplinary journal is that it fosters networking.
Exactly. We are interested in research at the boundaries between traditional research areas. I find that people slightly outside a field may ask exactly the right questions and direct the investigation of a complex problem in unexpected directions.
We are also keen on publishing special issues dedicated to hot research areas and recruit guest editors, often Editorial Board Members, who help us in acquisition and evaluation. It can be especially attractive to link a conference with a special issue, and in that way provide readers with a snapshot of the state of the art in that particular research area.
Another special feature of ChemPlusChem is the Early Career Series (ECS). Why is the support of young scientists so important to you?
I know how much work young scientists at the beginning of their career have to invest in convincing tenure committees, funding agencies, and prospective graduate students of the value of their research. I find their enthusiasm and dedication invigorating – here is the energy and ideas for the future! When Editorial Board Members suggest ECS candidates, we are happy to put them and their work in the spotlight and maybe give them a little well-deserved boost.
Finally, Marisa, as an Australian you are a long way from home …
Well, not really. I guess I was always a transplanted European. My parents are both originally from Italy. In fact the extended Spiniello family can still be found in the Campagnia region of southern Italy. At conferences I can dust off my Italian, at least on the conversational level. I enjoy the international contacts that come with my job at ChemPlusChem and appreciate the German efficiency, the Italian warmth, and the Anglo-Saxon candor.
Table. Top five most cited articles in ChemPlusChem since 2012. [a]
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1 |
A Brief Summary of the Synthesis of Polyester Building-Block Chemicals and Biofuels from 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural,[b] |
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2 |
Nucleic Acids with Metal-Mediated Base Pairs and Their Applications,[b] |
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3 |
Organic Solid-State Fluorescence: Strategies for Generating Switchable and Tunable Fluorescent Materials,[b] |
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4 |
Hydrogenated TiO2 Nanotube Arrays as High-Rate Anodes for Lithium-Ion Microbatteries,[c] |
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5 |
Palladium Nanoparticles Supported on Mixed-Linker Metal-Organic Frameworks as Highly Active Catalysts for Heck Reactions,[c] |
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[a] This data was taken from Web of Science (from Thomson Reuters) on 24.11.2016. [b] Review/Minireview. [c] Full Paper.
ChemPlusChem staff with anniversary cake. Left to right: Stephanie Labonte (Production Manager), Marisa Spiniello (Editor), Neville Compton (Founding Editor), Rachel Schmidt-Radde (Senior Associate Editor).
Marisa Spiniello studied chemistry at the University of Melbourne, Australia. After postdoctoral work she moved to Germany in 2007 and joined Wiley-VCH as a member of the editorial staff of Angewandte Chemie. She became Deputy Editor of ChemPlusChem in 2011.
Also of Interest
- Publishing—A People Business,
Marisa Spinello,
ChemPlusChem 2017.
DOI: 10.1002/cplu.201600607 - Interview with the Editor,
Marisa Spiniello, Rachel Schmidt-Radde,
ChemPlusChem 2016.
DOI: 10.1002/cplu.201500523 - The Early career Story,
Marisa Spiniello,
ChemViews Mag. 2014. - Launch of New Multidisciplinary Chemistry Journal,
ChemPlusChem,
ChemViews Mag. 2011.
Recent Articles of ChemPlusChem Highlighted in ChemViews Magazine
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Iron corrole complex displays photometric changes upon binding nitric oxide in air - What Makes a Good Photoanode?,
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For photoanodes produced from WO3 nanopowders, the generated photocurrent is not necessarily linked to oxygen evolution - Nanoparticle Networks for Improved Catalysis,
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Mesoporous networks of crosslinked nanoparticles as potential catalysts for styrene oxidation - Highly Efficient Electrocatalysts Derived from MOFs,
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Photochemical water oxidation catalyzed by a copper phthalocyanine complex
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Thin film containing two different metal-porphyrin units catalyzes back-to-back reactions
