The Abstract: March 2021
Welcome to The Abstract - your monthly round up of all the latest news from Youth STEM Matters, our youth-led scientific journal.
March was a busy month here at Youth STEM Matters and included celebrating our first birthday, the publication of our first ever Review Article, an exciting executive appointment and the launch of our new Science Communication article styles!
Celebrating Our First Birthday!
17th March marked one year since the launch of Youth STEM Matters! We want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has got involved, volunteered their time or helped spread the word about the journal this year - we couldn’t have made the impact we did without your support. So far, Youth STEM Matters has created 71 volunteering opportunities for youth globally, given young people 430+ hours worth of skills development, and provided a platform for over 50 young people!
We celebrated by sharing the stories of some of our Volunteer Team members, and with a special reflection on the year by Editor-In-Chief, Adam Khan-Qureshi…
Physical Sciences Managing Editor Appointed
Following a competitive application process, we are pleased to announce that Connie Siu has been appointed as Youth STEM Matters’ new Physical Sciences Managing Editor! The role - which will see Connie join the Executive Team for the journal - steers the progress of the Physical Sciences branch of the Research Team and Connie will have key responsibilities for the quality of physical science Original Research and Review Article submissions, as well as the development of the team of Editors and Reviewers.
Connie’s appointment follows a year of much progress within the Physical Sciences Team, which was led by outgoing Managing Editor, Alex Kitchen. Alex is leaving to focus on his academic studies and future career in the British Army - the rest of the Youth STEM Matters Volunteer Team are grateful for his contributions over the past year, and are wishing him every success!
Here’s what Connie said about taking on her new role and what you can expect from the Physical Sciences branch of the Research Team in the coming months…
How do you feel to be taking on this new role, and what are you looking forward to about it?
“I’ve been an Editor for 8 months, and taking on this role is exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. So far, I’ve loved my experiences here in overlooking the peer-review processes, interacting with other team members, and being a part of panels. Physical Sciences is such a broad subject, and I’m honoured to be leading a young, talented, and diverse team with distinct backgrounds to tackle Physical Sciences related topics. I look forward to working with them to realise their full potential, help more young people publish their research, and create a better future for everyone.”
What are your aims in the role of Physical Sciences Managing Editor and what do you want to see the Physical Sciences Team achieve?
“With our new members, I aim to help the team develop the skills necessary in reviewing articles to make them the best they can be, as well as get to know more about the concept of scientific journals and the publishing process, all of which will prove useful in their educational and career journeys. Alongside our training and reviewing processes, I hope to see the team continuously develop teamwork skills, and build a supportive and friendly environment to learn from each other, and work together in publishing articles with maximum impact on the UN SDGs.”
“I look forward to working with the team to realise their full potential, help more young people publish their research, and create a better future for everyone.”
First Ever Review Article Published in Youth STEM Matters
We were delighted that March also marked an important publishing milestone for Youth STEM Matters - the publication of our first ever Review Article. A huge amount of work went into getting the article publication-ready, both by author Katie Molyneux, and by the Youth STEM Matters Volunteer Team, with particular recognition due to the Physical Sciences team, as well as those involved in copy-editing, typesetting and creating the graphical abstract for the article.
On the milestone, Editor-In-Chief Adam Khan-Qureshi said:
“I am extremely thrilled that our first review paper has been published! Katie’s paper sets the standard quite high for future review papers yet is a prime example of how young people are more than capable of achieving anything!”
Celebrating International Women’s Day 2021
To celebrate International Women’s Day, some of our Youth STEM Matters Volunteer Team members, Lily Tierney, Madeleine Perry, Éimear Stephenson, and Megan Ardis, as well as Youth STEM 2030 Founder & CEO, Mhairi McCann worked together to shine the spotlight on some incredible women who are changing the world through STEM.
“The International Women’s Day article was my first project as part of the Youth Stem Matters team. I saw it as a chance to immerse myself in the organisation and at the same time highlight incredible women and their invaluable contribution to STEM.”
“It was particularly important to us to discuss living women from a wide range of backgrounds who not only are a pioneer in their scientific field but are also paving the way for a more inclusive STEM community. Seeing the final article was an amazing sense of achievement and something I am enormously proud to have been a part of!”
New Science Communication Article Styles Revealed
We’ve got 4 brand new Science Communication article styles, and our existing News and Interview styles are here to stay, meaning there are now 6 different formats you can use to share your voice with the world!
March 2021 Volunteer of the Month Recognised!
Congratulations to Laura Maisvoreva who is the Volunteer of the Month for March 2021!
Laura was recognised for demonstrating an outstanding commitment to improving the quality of articles she has been writing and editing. In particular, she was recognised for her hard work to make her writing and editing even better over the past couple of months, ensuring each article is the best it can be. Laura has readily taken on additional responsibilities beyond her role as a Science Communication Editor, and has represented the journal excellently through a range of activities, most recently through attending events and writing an article about her experience on the team, as well as previously speaking at events! Well done Laura!
“I’m honoured and so thankful for the opportunities Youth STEM Matters has to offer. It’s an incredible experience being part of the team, and it’s such a heartwarming thing to know that I have something meaningful to contribute! Thank you so much for the recognition!”
Our team will be taking some time off from 12th-25th April, but article submissions remain open, and we can’t wait to keep working as a global community to share the research, ideas and innovations of youth to create a better world when we return on 26th April!
