Focus Issues in ECS Journals

ECS Focus Collections

ECS publishes virtual collections to highlight scientific and technological areas of current interest and future promise that are expanding rapidly or have taken a new direction.

A Focus Collection is a curated set of high-quality articles centered on a clearly defined scientific or technical theme. Collections may address an emerging topic, an established field taking a new direction, or a timely area of particular interest to the electrochemical and solid state science communities. A collection may also be developed in connection with a scientific meeting, conference, or community initiative; however, a Focus Collection is not a conference proceedings and should be designed to engage and attract contributions from the broader scientific community.

Focus Collections are led by the ECS Editorial Leadership in collaboration with Guest Editors with appropriate expertise in the proposed area. All manuscripts submitted to a Focus Collection are subject to the same editorial evaluation, independent peer review, publication standards, and research integrity requirements as other submissions to ECS journals.

Current and Future Collections

Journal of The Electrochemical Society (JES)

• JES: Focus Issue on Heterogeneous Functional Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage III –
  Submission deadline EXTENDED: November 30, 2026
• JES: Corrosion Science and Engineering for a Sustainable Future – Submission deadline: November 30, 2026
• JES: 2026 ECS Organic and Biological Electrochemistry Division Manuel M. Baizer Award – Accepting submissions: October 27, 2026

ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology (JSS)

• JSS: Ultra-Large-Scale Integrated Circuits vs Thin-Film Transistors  –  Accepting submissions: December 8, 2026

ECS Sensors Plus (ECSSP)

• ECSSP: Focus Issue of Collected Papers Presented at the 21st IMCS Meeting, Montréal, 2027 – Accepting submissions: July 6, 2027

ECS Advances (ECSA)

• ECSA: Electrochemical Innovations – Submission deadline: December 31, 2026

Proposing a Focus Collection Project for Consideration

ECS welcomes proposals from the scientific community for Focus Collections that highlight scientific and technological areas of current interest, emerging importance, or future promise.

Authors interested in proposing a Focus Collection may submit their proposal for consideration using the ECS Focus Issue Proposal Form.

Complete and thorough responses to the questions in the proposal form will provide ECS Editorial Leadership with the information needed to evaluate the collection’s scientific rationale, scope, editorial leadership, and proposed approach and determine whether the proposal will be approved.

Guest Editors

Serving as a Guest Editor for an ECS Focus Collection

Guest Editors play an important role in the development and success of ECS Focus Collections. They bring subject-matter expertise, current knowledge of the field, and meaningful connections to the research community the collection is intended to serve.

Serving as a Guest Editor provides an opportunity to shape a focused scholarly conversation, encourage high-quality contributions, support peer review, and strengthen engagement around a timely or emerging area of electrochemical and solid state science and technology.

Guest Editors collaborate with ECS Publications staff and the journal’s appointed Editorial Leadership throughout the development of the collection.

Why serve as a Guest Editor?

Help shape an important scientific conversation.

Guest Editors help define and refine the scientific scope of the Focus Collection and identify the questions, developments, and research directions the collection represents.

Because Guest Editors are expected to be active in the field, they are well positioned to help ensure that the collection reflects current scientific activity and addresses topics of meaningful interest to the research community.

Engage the research community.

Guest Editors help connect the collection with researchers whose work aligns with its approved scope.

This includes identifying prospective contributors, encouraging high-quality submissions, and helping build awareness of the collection through appropriate professional and scientific networks.

Contribute to peer review.

ECS Guest Editors may be asked to review manuscripts submitted to the Focus Collection when their expertise is appropriate, and no conflict of interest exists.

Guest Editors may also be asked to recommend qualified reviewers or provide scientific guidance related to the collection’s scope.

Gain additional scholarly publishing experience.

Guest Editors collaborate with ECS Publications and journal’s Editorial Leadership throughout the development and publication of the collection. This collaboration provides additional experience with scholarly communication, peer review, research integrity, and the development of a curated publication project.

Guest Editors are recognized alongside the Focus Collection for their contributions to its development.

Who should serve as a Guest Editor?

Guest Editors are identified as part of the Focus Collection proposal.

Proposed Guest Editors are expected to:

• be actively engaged in research or scholarship within the scientific or technical area covered by the collection;
• have demonstrated subject-matter expertise relevant to the proposed scope;
• be active participants in the research community the collection is intended to serve;
• be able to identify and engage researchers who may contribute high-quality manuscripts;
• demonstrate professional conduct consistent with accepted research integrity and publication ethics standards; and
• be prepared to participate actively throughout the development and publication of the collection.

A strong Guest Editor team collectively provides the expertise needed to support the breadth of the proposed topic. Proposal teams also consider disciplinary, institutional, geographic, career-stage, and other relevant forms of representation when identifying proposed Guest Editors.

Being named in a proposal does not constitute appointment. All proposed Guest Editors are subject to review and approval by ECS Publications and the applicable journal’s Editorial Leadership.

What does active Guest Editorship involve?

Guest Editorship is expected to represent an active commitment to the project rather than an honorary designation.

Guest Editors are expected to contribute meaningfully to the development and success of the collection. Depending on the needs of the project, this may include:

• helping define and refine the collection title and scope;
• identifying relevant scientific themes;
• identifying and engaging prospective contributors;
• supporting a realistic contributor and submission pipeline;
• helping promote the collection to the appropriate research communities;
• serving as a peer reviewer when requested and appropriate;
• recommending qualified reviewers when needed; and
• providing scientific guidance related to the collection when requested.

The level of activity may vary over the life of the collection, but all named Guest Editors should be prepared to participate rather than serve in name only.

Editorial responsibility

Guest Editors provide scientific expertise and peer-review support, but they do not replace the journal’s established Editorial Leadership.

All manuscripts submitted to an ECS Focus Collection are evaluated under the journal’s standard editorial, peer-review, research integrity, and publication requirements.

Final editorial decisions remain with the journal’s appointed Editorial Leadership.

Guest Editors are also expected to disclose conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from any manuscript for which their independence could reasonably be questioned.

Before agreeing to serve, prospective Guest Editors should be prepared to:

• commit time to the development and promotion of the collection;
• participate in peer review when appropriate;
• engage actively with prospective contributors and the broader research community;
• support the approved scope and objectives of the collection; and
• follow applicable ECS and IOP Publishing journal policies and ethical requirements.

Authors submitting to an approved Focus Collection must comply with the same journal submission instructions and publication policies that apply to regular journal submissions.

Review ECS Journal Submission Instructions and Publication Policies here.

Additional information

Detailed information regarding proposal review, submission access, contributor expectations, meeting and conference relationships, conflicts of interest, collection timelines, promotional requirements, and other operational questions is available in ECS Focus Collections Frequently Asked Questions.

FAQ

ECS Focus Collections: Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ECS Focus Collection?
An ECS Focus Collection is a curated group of articles centered on a clearly defined scientific or technical theme of current interest, emerging importance, or future promise within electrochemical and solid state science and technology.

A Focus Collection may address an emerging research topic, an established field taking a new direction, or a theme associated with a scientific meeting, conference, symposium, or research community.

Focus Collections are intended to bring together high-quality work around a coherent topic and make that research more visible and accessible to the broader scientific community.

Who may propose a Focus Collection?
Researchers, members of the ECS community, ECS Divisions, symposium organizers, conference organizers, journal Editorial Board members, and other qualified scientific leaders may propose a Focus Collection.

Proposals are expected to represent a developed publication project rather than an initial topic idea. ECS expects proposers to demonstrate that the collection has a clearly defined scope, an active research community, appropriate Guest Editors, and a credible pool of prospective contributors.

How are Focus Collection proposals evaluated?
ECS evaluates each proposal based on the information provided in the Focus Collection proposal form.

The review considers, among other factors:

• the scientific significance and timeliness of the topic;
• alignment with the scope of the proposed ECS journal;
• the ECS Topical Interest Area(s) represented;
• evidence of active research in the proposed area;
• the qualifications and engagement of the proposed Guest Editors;
• the anticipated contributor pool;
• realistic expectations for manuscript submissions;
• ECS Division or meeting support, where applicable;
• connections to external meetings or events;
• whether the collection will be open or restricted;
• the proposed timeline and promotional plan; and
• the overall readiness and viability of the project.

A compelling scientific topic alone is not sufficient for approval. ECS must also be confident that the proposal is sufficiently developed and likely to generate a meaningful body of high-quality submissions.

How long does the proposal review process take?
Focus Collection proposals undergo a thorough review by ECS Publications and the applicable journal’s Editorial Leadership.

The review process generally requires 10–14 business days.

Additional time may be required if information is incomplete, clarification is needed, Guest Editor suitability requires further review, or other elements of the proposal need to be resolved before a decision can be made.

Does submitting a proposal mean the Focus Collection is approved?
No.

Submission of a proposal begins the review process and does not constitute approval of the collection, its Guest Editors, scope, timeline, promotional materials, or any associated meeting or conference relationship.

Proposers may not announce the collection as approved, issue formal calls for papers on behalf of ECS, or promise publication opportunities until written approval has been provided by ECS Publications.

What are the possible outcomes of a proposal review?
Following review, ECS may:

• approve the proposal as submitted;
• approve the proposal subject to modifications or additional requirements;
• request additional information or further development; or
• decline the proposal.

ECS may recommend changes to the title, scope, Guest Editor team, access model, submission dates, contributor strategy, or other elements when necessary to strengthen the project or align it with journal requirements.

Guest Editors

What is an ECS Focus Collection Guest Editor’s role?
Guest Editors provide scientific expertise and help support the development, promotion, peer review, and overall success of the Focus Collection.

Guest Editors are expected to participate actively in the project. Their responsibilities may include:

• helping define and refine the collection scope;
• identifying relevant scientific themes and research questions;
• identifying prospective contributors;
• encouraging manuscript submissions;
• promoting the collection within appropriate scientific communities;
• recommending qualified reviewers;
• serving as peer reviewers when appropriate;
• advising whether manuscripts fit the approved collection scope; and
• providing scientific guidance when requested by ECS Publications or journal Editorial Leadership.

Guest Editorship is an active responsibility and should not be considered an honorary designation.

How are Guest Editors selected?
Proposed Guest Editors are identified as part of the Focus Collection proposal.

Guest Editors are established or emerging researchers who:

• are active in the scientific field covered by the collection;
• have appropriate subject-matter expertise;
• are engaged with the research community the collection is intended to serve;
• demonstrate appropriate standards of research integrity and professional conduct; and
• are prepared to participate actively in the development and peer-review support of the collection.

All proposed Guest Editors are subject to review and approval by ECS Publications and the applicable journal’s Editorial Leadership.

Being named in a proposal does not constitute appointment.

How many Guest Editors may be included?
The Focus Collection proposal form allows up to nine Guest Editors to be identified.

The appropriate number of Guest Editors depends on the scientific breadth and needs of the collection. Additional Guest Editors may be considered following proposal approval when a demonstrated need for additional expertise arises.

Are Guest Editors expected to review manuscripts?
Yes.

ECS Guest Editors may be asked to serve as peer reviewers for manuscripts submitted to the Focus Collection when their expertise is relevant and they have no conflict of interest.

Guest Editors may also be asked to:

• recommend qualified independent reviewers;
• provide additional scientific expertise;
• advise on whether a manuscript fits the collection’s scope; or
• provide input when additional subject-matter expertise is needed during peer review.

Guest Editors provide objective, constructive, and timely reviews when asked to participate.

Do Guest Editors make acceptance or rejection decisions?
No.

Guest Editors support the scientific and peer-review process, but final decisions regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection remain with the journal’s appointed Editorial Leadership.

Guest Editor involvement does not replace or supersede the journal’s established editorial process.

Can Guest Editors submit manuscripts to the Focus Collection?
Yes, when appropriate.

Guest Editors may author or co-author manuscripts submitted to the collection, but appropriate conflict-of-interest protections must be maintained.

A Guest Editor must not participate in the editorial evaluation, reviewer selection, peer review, or decision-making process for their own manuscript or any other submission involving a conflict of interest.

Guest Editor manuscripts are subject to the same editorial, peer-review, research integrity, and publication requirements as all other submissions.

Are Guest Editors recognized for their service?
Guest Editors are identified in association with the Focus Collection and recognized for their contribution to the project.

Where appropriate, Guest Editors may also be invited to contribute an introductory or concluding editorial that places the collection and its published articles in scientific context.

Submissions and Peer Review

Do Focus Collection manuscripts follow a different peer-review process?
No.

All manuscripts submitted to an ECS Focus Collection are evaluated according to the same editorial standards, peer-review requirements, research integrity policies, and publication expectations that apply to regular journal submissions.

Focus Collection status does not guarantee peer review, acceptance, or publication.

Does an invitation to submit guarantee publication?
No.

An invitation indicates that the proposed manuscript may be relevant to the collection. It does not guarantee that the manuscript will be sent for external review, accepted, or published.

Every submission must independently satisfy the journal’s scope, scientific, ethical, peer-review, and publication requirements.

Must authors comply with normal ECS journal submission requirements?
Yes.

Authors submitting to a Focus Collection must comply with all applicable ECS journal submission instructions and publication policies in effect at the time of submission.

Official ECS journal instructions and policies are available here.

Guest Editors and proposers are expected to direct prospective authors to the official journal requirements rather than provide alternative interpretations of submission or policy requirements.

Scope and Contributor Access

Are Focus Collections open to the broader scientific community?
In most cases, yes.

An open Focus Collection allows researchers from the broader scientific community to submit manuscripts that fall within the approved scope of the collection.

ECS generally encourages broad participation where appropriate because this supports scientific diversity, increases the potential contributor pool, and allows the collection to represent developments across the research community.

Can a Focus Collection be restricted to invited authors or event participants?
Yes, in limited circumstances.

A restricted Focus Collection may be approved when there is a clear scientific or programmatic rationale for limiting eligibility to a defined group of contributors, such as invited researchers or eligible participants in a specific conference, symposium, or event.

Restricted collections must have a clearly identifiable contributor pool.

For external events where ECS does not have access to participant records, the proposer must provide a complete list of eligible contributors before the collection proceeds.

What information is required for a restricted contributor list?
The list should include, at minimum:

• first name;
• last name;
• email address; and
• primary institutional affiliation.

A restricted collection cannot proceed unless the eligible contributor population has been adequately identified.

Viability and Expected Submissions

How many prospective contributors should a Focus Collection have?
As a general benchmark, ECS expects a viable proposal to demonstrate an identifiable pool of approximately 10–15 prospective authors or author groups who have expressed a credible intention or strong interest in submitting a manuscript.

This is intended as evidence of project viability rather than a guarantee of eventual volume publication.

Not every prospective contributor will ultimately submit, and not every submitted manuscript will be accepted.

Why does ECS ask about prospective contributors?
ECS uses this information to determine whether the proposal represents a developed publication project with a realistic contributor base.

A topic may be scientifically interesting without being sufficiently developed to support a Focus Collection.

The ability to identify prospective contributors helps demonstrate that the proposing team understands the relevant research community and has a credible plan for generating submissions.

Why does ECS ask for existing published articles and keywords?
This information helps ECS evaluate whether the proposed collection represents an active and identifiable area of research.

Existing articles demonstrate the scientific foundation and ongoing research activity surrounding the proposed topic.

Keywords help ECS assess the scope, identify related research communities, support discoverability, and determine how the collection should be positioned and promoted.

ECS Divisions, Meetings, and External Events

Does a Focus Collection need ECS Division endorsement?
Not necessarily.

However, endorsement by an ECS Division can provide useful evidence that the proposed topic is relevant to an established ECS scientific community and has sufficient interest and support.

Where Division endorsement is indicated, ECS may request written confirmation from the Division Chair or authorized Division leadership.

Can a Focus Collection be connected to an ECS biannual meeting symposium?
Yes.

A Focus Collection may be developed in connection with an ECS meeting symposium when there is a clear scientific relationship between the symposium and the proposed collection.

However, a Focus Collection is not conference proceedings.

Presenting at an ECS meeting does not automatically guarantee eligibility for publication, peer review, acceptance, or inclusion in the Focus Collection.

Can a Focus Collection be connected to an external meeting or conference?
Yes.

ECS may consider Focus Collection proposals associated with external scientific meetings, conferences, symposia, workshops, or other events.

The proposal is expected to clearly describe the event, its scientific relationship to the proposed collection, and how the event contributes to a credible pool of prospective authors.

ECS may also consider whether the applicable ECS journal is being positioned as the exclusive journal publication opportunity associated with the event.

Does an event partnership guarantee publication of conference papers?
No.

An event partnership does not obligate ECS to publish manuscripts submitted by event participants.

Every manuscript must independently satisfy the journal’s scope, editorial evaluation, peer-review, ethics, and publication requirements.

Timing and Launch

When can an approved Focus Collection begin accepting submissions?
The proposal form allows proposers to identify a preferred submission opening date. Submit proposals no less than 90 days prior to an anticipated launch date.

That date is a planning request and is not guaranteed.

If the proposal is approved, ECS works with the Guest Editors and other relevant parties to establish a realistic launch date after the necessary setup is complete.

This may include:

• confirming the final Guest Editor team;
• finalizing the title and scope;
• establishing submission dates;
• creating the collection webpage;
• configuring the submission workflow;
• developing promotional materials; and
• coordinating contributor outreach.

How long does a Focus Collection remain open for submissions?
The appropriate submission period depends on the topic, contributor community, and project plan.

The final submission period is established by ECS in consultation with the approved Guest Editors and relevant journal leadership.

Submission deadlines may be adjusted when necessary based on project circumstances.

Can ECS close a Focus Collection before the announced deadline?
Yes.

ECS reserves the right to modify or close a collection when scientific, editorial, operational, integrity, or other circumstances warrant doing so.

Any significant changes are communicated to the Guest Editors and other relevant parties.

Promotion and Images

Are Guest Editors expected to promote the Focus Collection?
Yes.

Guest Editors are expected to help build awareness of the collection within relevant scientific communities.

This may include outreach through professional networks, meetings, institutional channels, social media, research communities, or direct communication with prospective contributors.

Promotional activity must accurately represent the status and scope of the collection and must not promise publication or preferential treatment.

Is a promotional image required?
Focus Collection proposals should include a high-quality image or graphic that appropriately represents the scientific theme of the collection.

The proposer must have the legal right or documented permission necessary for ECS and its publishing partners to use the image for promotional purposes.

ECS may request a replacement image or use an alternative visual treatment if the submitted image is not suitable.

Research Integrity and Conflicts of Interest

What research integrity standards apply to Focus Collections?
Focus Collections are subject to the same research integrity, peer-review, authorship, conflict-of-interest, copyright, permissions, and publication ethics requirements that apply to all ECS journal content.

Guest Editors and contributors are expected to comply with all applicable ECS and IOP Publishing policies.

What happens if a Guest Editor has a conflict of interest?
The Guest Editor must disclose the conflict and must not participate in the evaluation or peer review of the affected manuscript.

ECS Staff supports the independent handling of the manuscript through the journal’s established editorial process.

Can ECS remove or replace a Guest Editor?
Yes.

ECS may modify the Guest Editor team when necessary to protect the scientific, editorial, ethical, or operational integrity of the Focus Collection.

This may include circumstances involving conflicts of interest, inactivity, insufficient participation, research integrity concerns, changes in project scope, or the need for additional scientific expertise.

Closing a Focus Collection

What happens when the submission period ends?
After the submission deadline, manuscripts already under consideration continue through the journal’s normal editorial and peer-review process.

Accepted articles are published individually as they complete the publication process and are associated with the Focus Collection.

Once outstanding manuscripts have been resolved, the collection may be formally closed.

Will Guest Editors be asked to write an editorial?

They may be.

Depending on the collection, ECS may invite Guest Editors to prepare an introductory or concluding editorial that summarizes the scientific theme, highlights important developments represented in the collection, and places the published articles in broader scientific context.

Any editorial contribution is subject to applicable journal requirements and editorial review.

Additional Questions

Who should I contact with questions about proposing a Focus Collection?
Direct questions regarding Focus Collection proposals, Guest Editor expectations, journal alignment, or proposal requirements to ECS Publications Editorial Office at publications@electrochem.org

Before submitting a proposal, prospective proposers and Guest Editors are expected to also review ECS journal submission instructions and publication policies.