ChemComm is publishing its 60th volume in 2024. Over the past 60 years, ChemComm has been the RSC’s most cited journal, and one of the most trusted venues for rapid publication of short communications. In our anniversary year, we recognise the important contributions ChemComm has made, and continues to make, in advancing the chemical sciences.
As part of our anniversary celebrations, we’ve brought together a collection featuring the latest research from some of our most loyal and dedicated authors. From those marking the beginning of their independent academic career by publishing their first article with us, to the rising stars and established leaders publishing in our yearly ‘Emerging Investigators’ and ‘Pioneering Investigators’ collections, this collection champions the contributions of our worldwide author community. We are proud many authors choose to support our journal by regularly publishing their best work with us. This collection also features papers from our ChemComm Emerging Investigator Lectureship winners, and our Outstanding Reviewer awardees, whose invaluable feedback has shaped our published content through the years.
To accompany the collection, we’ll be publishing interviews with contributing authors where they provide further insight into their research and reflect on their journey with ChemComm.
Check out our interview with Professor Matt Allen (Wayne State University, USA) below!
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Matthew (Matt) Allen is currently a Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Chemistry Department at Wayne State University (WSU). Matt earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Purdue University, during which time he was also an intern at Eli Lilly. He earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology while on a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship. He was a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellow at the University of Wisconsin–Madison prior to joining WSU as an Assistant Professor in 2008. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2013 and Professor in 2016. He has served as Chair of the Chemistry Department since 2016. Matt’s research program involves the aqueous chemistry of the lanthanides and he has co-authored over 100 publications. He has served as a member of the Imaging Probes and Contrast Agents study section for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the editorial advisory board for the ACS journal Inorganic Chemistry. He is a fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. |
What is your favourite thing about ChemComm?
I love the concise nature of the communications as well as the broad range of topics. I learn something new each time I scroll through an issue without investing a ton of time (which there never seems to be enough of).
How would you describe the peer review process and interaction with the editorial team at ChemComm?
The peer review process is helpful and the editorial team is professional and easy to work with. Even when I receive several critiques (which can be frustrating at first), I enjoy seeing the evolution of science through the critique and response process, which usually leads to improved articles, so I am extremely grateful to reviewers for their time.
Are there ways in which the journal can further support and engage with future generations of scientists?
My kids love watching other people play Minecraft on YouTube. When their generation grows up, they might want to see some sort of walkthrough of papers like Craftee walks through Minecraft mods.
Could you provide a brief summary of your recent ChemComm publication?
This article is a review of the chemistry of europium with a specific focus on how coordination chemistry can be used to tune the properties of both Eu(II) and Eu(III). We center the discussion around how that tuning is relevant to application in magnetic resonance imaging, luminescence, catalysis, and separations.
In your opinion, what are the next steps or potential areas of research that could build upon the findings in this paper?
I think there are many of next possible areas of research that could build upon what we describe in this paper. What comes to mind first is further using coordination chemistry to kinetically inhibit oxidation of divalent europium in aerated solutions so enable delivery in vivo. Also, recycling and separations of lanthanides, including europium, is an important area of future study for modern society.
Be sure to read Matt’s Open Access Feature article, “Europium(ii/iii) coordination chemistry toward applications” to learn more!
