Scientific publishing is a multi-billion dollar industry, yet little of that money is reinvested in the scientists conducting the research. Paywalls for those looking to access information, and price tags for authors attempting to keep their research open, can impede scientific progress. As one of the last independent scientific publishers, ECS has developed a business-model-changing initiative called Free the Science (FTS, http://freethescience.org/) that will make our research freely available to all readers, while remaining free for authors to publish. ECS currently publishes its journals under an Authors’ Choice Open Access program, with an extensive APC waiver program; and plans to completely open access to the entire ECS Digital Library by 2024.<br/><br/>ECS believes that open access—especially in electrochemistry and solid state sciences—is an important goal for scientific and technological development, especially as these sciences are critical to addressing issues of the sustainability of our planet. Ensuring that everyone working on these issues—wherever they are in the world, and for whomever they work—has access to the latest research is in our best interests as a nonprofit professional society supporting researchers, and in the best interests of all the sciences. Yet even in today’s digital environment, many scientists around the world struggle to access quality, reliable research.<br/><br/>The FTS plan is ambitious and requires that ECS reach a $40 million fund-raising goal by 2024. The good news is that the FTS initiative has already accrued $8M through operating surpluses and donations. ECS is using a combination of actions to reach this goal: (1.) a broad and creative fundraising campaign; (2.) a growth strategy that aims to expand membership and meetings; (3.) prudent management of operations to generate a surplus and support other programs such as student travel grants; and (4.) appropriate portfolio investments.

Free the science: Innovations and business model for scientific publishing

253rd National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.