Chemistry – A European Journal: 30 Years of Excellence

Chemistry – A European Journal celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. In his editorial, the journal’s Editor-in-Chief, Haymo Ross, reflects on its launch in 1995, stating: “Back then, I was a Ph.D. student, and I remember the journal launch very well. I find it hard to believe that 30 years have passed since Jean-Marie Lehn and Peter Gölitz wrote in the editorial of the first issue that “the first step has thus been made towards our stated aim of creating a journal that is European in spirit and international in appeal”.

Back then, I was a Ph.D. student, and I remember the journal launch very well. — Haymo Ross

Nobel laureate Jean-Marie Lehn and then-Editor-in-Chief of Angewandte Chemie, Peter Gölitz, along with others, realized the vision of a truely European journal that would transcend national boundaries. They established Chemistry Europe, a consortium of 16 European chemical societies jointly publishing journals. For this, the societies gave up their national journals. The first journal co-owned by Chemistry Europe was Chemistry – A European Journal. Part of the broader vision was to strengthen the global visibility of European science.

Advisory Board

In 1995, the 1st issue was launched as part of Angewandte Chemie. Editor in Chief became Peter Gölitz and Jean-Marie Lehn, University of Strasbourg, France, Editorial Board Chair. Jan-Erling Bäckvall, Stockholm University, Sweden, took over as Editorial Board Chair in 2003. In 2019, with a growing author and readership also from Asia, there were three Editorial Board Chairs: Kuiling Ding, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, Kendall N. Houk, University of California, LA, USA, and Jean-François Nierengarten, CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, France. In 2025, as Haymo Ross says in his Editorial, Tao Zhang, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, will succeed Kuiling Ding.

Supporting researchers at all career stages has always been central to Chemistry Europe. Reflecting on this mission, in 2021, most of its journals, including Chemistry – A European Journal, introduced an Early Career Advisory Board (ECAB). This board complements the editorial board and gives younger chemists a voice in shaping the journal. ECAB members serve two-year terms, renewable once. This means, the group is now being refreshed.

Birthday Symposium

Chemistry – A European Journal plans to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a symposium in Strasbourg, a historically significant location also as it was the workplace of Jean-Marie Lehn.