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 Seung Uk Son (Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea) below!
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Prof. Seung Uk Son received his Ph.D. in organometallic chemistry from Seoul National University, South Korea. After completing postdoctoral research in nanomaterials under Prof. Taeghwan Hyeon at Seoul National University and conducting visiting faculty research in supramolecular chemistry with Prof. D. A. Sweigart at Brown University, he joined the Chemistry Department of Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in South Korea as an assistant professor and has been working there since 2005. His current research interests focus on the development of functional organic-inorganic materials for sustainable chemistry and energy applications. |
How have you seen ChemComm evolve over the years, and what aspects do you find most noteworthy?
Reflecting the changes in the scientific community, such as shifts in research topics and publication styles, I believe that ChemComm has strived to maintain its original philosophy (in my subjective thinking): publishing first and novel findings in chemistry.
What is your favourite thing about ChemComm?
I appreciate ChemComm’s philosophy (in my subjective thinking), which emphasizes new findings rather than focusing solely on world-best record performance.
In what ways do you think ChemComm stands out among other journals in your field?
In materials chemistry, I feel that scientists often compete on performance records of functional materials without necessarily introducing new scientific principles. I feel that ChemComm maintains an open mind toward new approaches and the discovery of scientific principles, even when they are in incomplete stages.
How would you describe the peer review process and interaction with the editorial team at ChemComm?
I found that the peer review process at ChemComm is both fast and fair. I believe the editorial team operates in a fair and reasonable manner, particularly in adjudicative reviewing cases
Are there ways in which the journal can further support and engage with future generations of scientists?
I believe that continuing to invite young editors and making editorial efforts to increase the impact factor will be crucial in encouraging young scientists to submit their manuscripts to ChemComm.
Could you provide a brief summary of your recent ChemComm publication?
Recently, replacing petroleum-based polymers with biomass-based ones has become an important subject. Additionally, managing energy with chemical materials is crucial. Our recent ChemComm paper reports the synthesis of biomass-derived polyurethanes for harvesting triboelectric energy.
In your opinion, what are the next steps or potential areas of research that could build upon the findings in this paper?
I believe that non-petroleum-based artificial polymers and their energy applications could become a prominent and active research field.
Be sure to read Professor Son’s article, “Polyurethanes synthesized using biomass-derived furan diols as sustainable triboelectric materials” to learn more!
