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FCT – NOVA and Nature Group partner to launch new scientific journal

npj 2D Materials and Applications is the new online Nature journal published in partnership with Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa (FCT-NOVA) and supported by the European Materials Research Society (E-MRS).

The idea to create a top-tier interdisciplinary journal emerged three years ago when FCT-NOVA participated in the workshop “Frontiers and Materials: Spintronics” organised by E-MRS and Nature Group. This meeting highlighted, on the one hand, the remarkable work of Portuguese research units in areas such as advanced materials, nanotechnologies and applications, and, on the other, the absence of an interdisciplinary platform to share and raise awareness of 2D materials research.

Recognising this opportunity and the prestige and experience of the FCT-NOVA research centres CENIMAT/I3N and CEMOP – both from the Department of Materials Science of the University – the Nature group challenged the Portuguese institution to lead in setting up a new online journal entirely dedicated to materials research, and also to involve European researchers and academics in the project. The challenge was immediately accepted by FCT-NOVA, which thus became the first Portuguese institution to partner with the internationally renowned journal Nature.

2D Materials research is a relatively young scientific area, but since the isolation of graphene in 2004, it has grown in profile and funding secured. This rapid development has led to the discovery of a range of 2D materials. The E-MRS Meeting and exhibition held in France revealed that a growing amount of research is being conducted to deliver new applications for these materials, from intelligent interactive surfaces with outstanding electronic and optical properties, to building new types of multifunctional, intelligent and interactive devices and systems.

With npj 2D Materials and Applications all partners aim to promote 2D materials research and applications, and also to create a interdisciplinary platform for scientists to share the most impactful new findings and developments taking place in this domain.

Online-only and with open access, the journal will be published weekly, focusing on original high quality papers, review articles and short communications, using the nature.com platform to widely disseminate its contents.

On the side of FCT-NOVA the project is led by Rodrigo Martins, researcher and head of CEMOP / Uninova, in the field of applications, and also by the Elvira Fortunato, head of the centres working in electronics and nanotechnology. The international editorial body includes another Portuguese researcher, Luis Pereira, working in CENIMAT/I3N/CEMOP, who will become the first Portuguese scientist nominated to hold editorial functions in the Nature Group.

In 2016, the Department of Materials Science of FCT-NOVA celebrates 40 years of existence and the Materials Science unit has gained a widespread international reputation. The partnership with the Nature Publishing Group and E-MRS recognises the prestige of the institution and the excellence of the activity of its units in fields such as microelectronics, advanced functional materials, material science and engineering.