In the month of March 2025, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) hosted a series of impactful Meet the Editors (MTE) events across India. We connected with more than 300 research scholars and faculty members across four leading institutes in India: INST Mohali, IISER Mohali, IISER Kolkata and IISc Bangalore.
Focused primarily on early-career researchers, the RSC-MTE events were a resounding success, offering invaluable insights into the academic publishing process alongside cutting-edge research presentations. Participants had the unique opportunity to engage directly with Executive Editors, Associate Editors and expert speakers from institutions across India. The sessions covered key aspects of manuscript submission, the peer review process, and strategies for publishing with maximum impact. They also emphasized the importance of networking, collaboration, and understanding the complete life cycle of a manuscript—from submission to publication.
We were delighted to have the following prominent figures contribute to the success of the MTE events:
Dr. Heather Montgomery: Managing Editor for Nanoscale Horizons and Nanoscale, RSC
Professor Eva Hemmer: Associate Editor, University of Ottawa, Canada
Professor Umesh Waghmare: Associate Editor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore
Professor Subinoy Rana: Associate Professor, (MRC), Indian Institute of Science (IISc),Bangalore
Dr. Bhagavatula LV Prasad: Director, Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bangalore
Professor Suryasarathi Bose: Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Instiute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
Professor A. S. Achalkumar: Associate Editor, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati
Dr. Tapasi Sen: Associate Professor, Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali
Dr. Ujjal K. Gautam: Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, (IISER) Mohali
Dr. Tharamani C. N: Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) , Ropar
Professor Sayan Bhattacharyya: Department of Chemical Sciences, & Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, (IISER) Kolkata
Dr. Lijina MP: Assistant Editorial Development Manager (India), Royal Society of Chemistry
These speakers and editors shared invaluable advice on navigating the publishing process, writing high-impact manuscripts, understanding peer review, and selecting the right journal for their research. Their discussions and presentations were instrumental in giving researchers a transparent view of the academic publishing landscape.
The scientific sessions sparked thoughtful discussion, covering a wide range of topics in Nanoscience and technology from Lanthanides to quantum geometry of electrons for various applications including miniature thermometers and anomalous hall transistor.
In addition to valuable interactions with invited experts, the MTE events also highlighted the significant contributions of students. From IISc Bangalore, student speakers Savita Chand, Shibu Meher, and Mohit Tanwani presented their research, sharing innovative ideas and findings with their peers. Their presentations were well-received and served as a strong reflection of the depth of research talent emerging across the country.
The poster sessions provided a more interactive platform for researchers to showcase their work, encouraging meaningful dialogue between students and senior scientists. We are pleased to recognize Smarak Islam Chaudhury, Rohit Thakur, Aryan Keshri, and Garima Kaura as the winners of the poster session, at IISC.
Some of the glimpses of the MTEs can be seen here:
We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the speakers, organizers, student volunteers, and attendees who made these events a success. Your enthusiasm and dedication helped create a vibrant atmosphere of learning, collaboration, and innovation.
The consistent success of these events underscores the value MTE brings to our engagement efforts and how it brings together diverse expertise to address global challenges. We look forward to the continued support of the scientific community in India and beyond, and to fostering further collaboration and knowledge exchange in the future.
Together, we believe we can build a brighter, more connected future for science, technology, and innovation.