There is a strong trend toward publishing scientific findings in open access journals, where the results are then freely available for other scientists or decision-makers rather than locked behind paywalls. Yet, there is no oversight of these journals, so “predatory publishing” has become a problem. A newly launched tool developed in part by UW researchers shows that open-access journals’ fees do not correlate particularly strongly with their influence, as measured by a citation-based index.
Read more »Hanford construction marred by resignations, allegations - Crosscut
Another high-level Hanford official has quit, after the Department of Energy ignored a memo he sent warning about potential meltdowns at the nuclear ranch’s waste treatment facility, currently under construction. Read more here.
Read more »Timber retention for sustainability - This week's CoEnv published research
Each week we share the latest publications coming from the College of the Environment. Over the holiday weeks, three new articles co-authored by members of the College of the Environment were added to the Web of Science or published online. 1. Title: A major shift to the retention approach for forestry can help resolve some global forest sustainability issues (Abstract only; subscription required for full text) Authors: Lindenmayer, D.
Read more »ScienceOnlineSeattle to discuss the deficit model, altmetrics
ScienceOnline comprises a community of people interested in discovering, discussing, and extending how science is done and shared online. This organization has an annual conference, which will be held this year on January 30-February 2. For those in town who aren’t able to make the conference, but are interested in the topic, ScienceOnlineSeattle will be hosting watch parties for two of the conference’s sessions.
Read more »The scientific dynasty of Bob Paine - Nature
Dr. Robert T. Paine, pre-eminent UW ecologist who developed the concept of the keystone species, was one himself, with a powerful effect on the field of ecology that has extended far beyond his own impressive work. Check out this story about the Paine “lineage” and how it has facilitated key perspectives on ecology, academia, and the role of science in policymaking.
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