PeerJ announces Open Advances, a new journal series to address the world’s biggest challenges by unlocking Open Access

(Press-News.org) PeerJ, the award-winning Open Access publisher, has announced the launch of the Open Advances series of journals, part of its ongoing commitment to democratizing scientific communication. The series will foster an equitable approach that empowers researchers worldwide to contribute valuable insights towards solving global challenges. The journals will be fully Open Access but will not charge authors a fee to publish. 

The Open Advances series is a transformative endeavor that cements PeerJ's commitment to openness, innovation, and knowledge dissemination. Jason Hoyt, CEO of PeerJ, commented, "We believe that knowledge should be freely accessible to all. With Open Advances, we aim to empower researchers, promote participation, and drive positive change on a global scale."

Open Advances will encompass a range of disciplines, with the first four journals covering Ecology, Marine Biology, Plant Science and Zoology. The scope of the journals will be defined and developed by a globally representative board of editors. As experts in their respective fields, the editorial boards, led by Editors-in-Chief, will identify the most pressing questions and challenges in their field, and select those submissions which make meaningful contributions to solving them.

Peter Binfield, Publisher at PeerJ, expressed his excitement about the launch, saying, "Open Advances marks a new chapter in our commitment to access. By putting the power of research dissemination in the hands of the scientific community, we can collectively drive forward our understanding and address the urgent challenges faced by society. The Open Advances series is a platform for groundbreaking research that will shape the future."

With Open Advances, the barriers of access and publication fees are shattered. From launch, no researcher will be required to pay a fee to publish in the journals. PeerJ will provide initial funding to support the endeavor, ensuring that groundbreaking research can be freely disseminated without imposing financial burdens on researchers. Over time, the journals will transition to be supported by PeerJ’s recently announced Annual Institutional Memberships and, eventually, a collective funding model.

“Open Advances embodies our commitment to inclusivity in research communication. We believe that the contributions of researchers from around the world are vital to solving global challenges,” said Nathaniel Gore, PeerJ’s Director of Communities. “We are excited to unlock open access, and support research communities in answering the most pressing questions facing the world today.”

The Open Advances series will follow a rigorous peer review process to ensure the quality and reliability of published research. An Impact Statement from both the Editorial Board and the authors will highlight the key questions or challenges addressed by the research, further enriching the publication, whilst accepted articles will be accompanied by their full peer review reports, providing readers with transparency and insight into the evaluation process.

For further information about the Open Advances series, please visit: https://peerj.com/open-advances/ 

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