PolyU partners with Cell Press to publish interdisciplinary journal Nexus

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), through its publishing house the PolyU Press, has selected Cell Press to publish Nexus, a new gold open access journal that aims to bring together scientists and engineers to tackle the world’s greatest challenges. PolyU Chair Professor of Energy and Buildings Prof. Jerry YAN will serve as the journal’s inaugural editor-in-chief.

Now open for submissions, Nexus covers all subjects in the areas of applied sciences, engineering, technology, and inter- and multi-disciplinary fields. The journal will publish original research and reports as well as reviews and commentaries on innovations that aim to improve lives, protect the planet, and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, said, “As the name of the journal suggests, we envision Nexus to be the leading scholarly forum that connects science with engineering and technology and brings together different disciplines to address the many challenges faced by society today through collaborative and interdisciplinary research. This vision reflects the spirit of PolyU’s motto: ‘To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind.’”

Nexus is Cell Press’s first partner journal in the physical sciences and the first title published in collaboration with a university. Its addition marks Cell Press’s continued growth in open access physical sciences titles, which include Cell Reports Physical Science and Cell Reports Sustainability.

Ms Anne KITSON, Managing Director of Cell Press and the Lancet, said, “We are embarking on a journey to create something new, inspiring, and transformative that will drive progress towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Our shared vision for Nexus as a home for scientists and engineers across multiple disciplines is intended to spark new collaborations and ideas in order to drive progress towards achieving a more sustainable future for all.”

In naming the journal Nexus, editor-in-chief Prof. Jerry Yan wanted to emphasize that it will be a place that connects different fields and people. In addition to publishing research, reviews, and letters, there will be original content types that will allow authors to touch on how scientists and engineers can work together, for instance, to organize larger research projects or aggregate funding to support interdisciplinary initiatives.

Prof. Yan said, “As an editor, I was beginning to feel that we have a gap between science and engineering, and just because they’ve historically been distinct disciplines, the reason both sides do what they do is to solve problems, and those problems are interconnected. This means Nexus can’t be a traditional journal—we will need to go beyond the paper, encourage knowledge and system sharing, and challenge both sides to sync their approach.”

Prof. Yan also serves as the advisory editor-in-chief of Applied Energy and is the founding editor of Advances in Applied Energy, both published by Elsevier. He has published over 400 papers in scholarly journals and is an award-winning and highly cited researcher with over 10 patents. Prof. Yan wanted to partner with Cell Press on Nexus because, after collaborating with staff on other projects, he saw “it’s a place where new things happen quickly and efficiently,” he says.

To contact the editor-in-chief or for inquiries about the journal, email nexus.polyu@polyu.edu.hk. Sign up for content alerts at https://info.cell.com/nexus-registration.

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