In this interview, Dr. Yang shares his vision for the journal, his passion for research, and his thoughts on how young scientists might approach their research.
ACS Publications is excited to welcome Wanli Yang, Ph.D., as the inaugural Editor-in-Chief of Photon Science, a new open access journal focusing on studies of chemical transformation and energy materials based on photon, electron, and neutron facilities.
Dr. Yang is a Senior Staff Scientist in the Advanced Light Source division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA. He has been recognized for his seminal works on identifying and quantifying reaction centers in electrochemical systems through resonant soft X-ray inelastic scattering. His research interests include both technical innovations in spectroscopy and sciences in energy and quantum materials.
We recently caught up with Dr. Yang to learn more about his vision for the journal, his passion for research, and his thoughts on how young researchers might approach their research.
What does it mean to you to be the founding Editor-in-Chief of Photon Science?
The launch of Photon Science presents a significant opportunity for me to contribute to an exciting interdisciplinary field: chemical and biological transformations characterized in modern large-scale facilities with big data.
Over the past three decades, facilities based on photon, neutron, and electron sources have experienced rapid growth in their applications, extending from fundamental physics to chemical, materials, and biological studies. The driving force behind facility developments and upgrades has increasingly shifted towards meeting the scientific needs driven by societal interest in materials. Additionally, due to the inherent nature of multimodal techniques and high-efficiency data generation, facility science offers unique opportunities for developing, training, and employing AI models for scientific discoveries.
Therefore, I feel the need of Photon Science to address this evolving landscape of facility science. I am honored to be the founding Editor and will dedicate myself to fostering in-depth discussions and communications among scientists and engineers involved in facility developments and applications across chemistry, physics, materials, life, and computing sciences.
What is your vision for Photon Science?
In my vision, Photon Science is the epicenter of open, fair, and diverse discussions about all aspects of facility science. This encompasses both scientific discoveries and technical advancements within large research facilities. I anticipate the journal will evolve into the premier platform for publishing groundbreaking scientific findings and technological innovations derived from modern research facilities utilizing photon, neutron, and electron sources.
Photon Science specifically invites discussions in chemical and biological transformations, energy and other technological material discoveries, fundamental photon science and technical instrumentation, perspectives and future directions of facility science, as well as computing methodologies for interpreting facility data.
Why should researchers in the field consider submitting their next best manuscript to the journal?
Photon Science is a journal with a uniquely defined scope, dedicated to utilizing, promoting, and developing facility science and methodology for chemical, materials, and biological research. It covers a wide range of manuscripts, from scientific studies to technical developments, with a focus on facility science and techniques. In addition to the many benefits of publishing in an ACS journal, researchers will find Photon Science to be the premier information center for all facets of facility science and will contribute to the valuable and inspiring discussions that drive progress in the field.
What are you looking for in the manuscripts you receive?
For scientific studies, beyond the significance and impact of the findings, I expect the key results of the manuscript to be based on or relevant to photon, neutron, and electron facility techniques.
For technical developments in either hardware or software, I look for their long-term impact on facility science and their broad applications for scientific discoveries.
What excites you about your current research?
We live in an era marked by numerous societal challenges, particularly in the realms of the environment, energy, and healthcare. In the meantime, we are witnessing a knowledge and technology explosion, ranging from fundamental discoveries, scientific facility commissioning, to AI applications. What excites me most is the opportunity to employ and develop state-of-the-art scientific tools and methodologies to address these pressing issues. This is also why launching the Photon Science journal is equally exciting, as it embodies the same mission of advancing solutions for societal challenges.
What advice would you give to young researchers entering the field of photon science today?
The field of facility science is constantly evolving. At this time, new facilities and upgrades are under construction worldwide; novel techniques involving both hardware and software are emerging; new research directions and collaborations are forming; and new methodologies based on data and AI models are becoming readily accessible.
In such a rapidly changing field, my suggestion to our young research fellows is to build a solid, deep foundational understanding of facility techniques, rather than focusing on shallow and quick applications. The beauty of science often lies in its underlying fundamentals, and I believe this approach will offer you a broad and promising future for research and collaborations in any field of your interest.
What about your life outside of research—how do you wind down and relax?
Backpacking in the wilderness has been an important part of my life outside of research for many years, alongside other activities with family and friends. I seek mental calm and relaxation from pure nature through solo backpacking trips deep into the mountains. By hiking and living in cold, hot, wet, and other uncomfortable conditions, I challenge my comfort zone, which makes me appreciate more what nature and our society offer. While enjoying nature, backpacking teaches me the importance of stopping and changing, and it trains me to abandon seemingly important things (like hiking gear) to focus on the essentials.
Photon Science is Now Open for Submissions
Photon Science is a peer-reviewed, open access journal published in partnership between ACS and ShanghaiTech University. The journal publishes photon-based scientific research and technical innovations. Read the full Aims & Scopes statement here.
Photon Science is now accepting submissions. The journal offers introductory no-fee open access publication. Article publishing charges (APCs) will be automatically waived for all articles submitted by December 31, 2027, if they are accepted following the robust peer review expected of every ACS Publications journal.
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