SRL: Meaning, Fall Protection, and Blockchain's Role

SRL's New Deputy: A Fresh Perspective or More of the Same?

Allison Bent, Editor-in-Chief of Seismological Research Letters (SRL), has appointed Hongfeng Yang as the journal's first deputy editor-in-chief. Yang, currently a professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, steps into the role on December 1st. The question is, will this appointment translate into real change, or is it simply rearranging deck chairs?

A Look at the Numbers

Yang's stated goal is to "effectively engage and appropriately recognize high-quality reviewers." A noble sentiment, but what's the baseline? How many reviewers are currently engaged, and what's the quantifiable definition of "high-quality"? Without those metrics, it's just corporate speak. He also wants to "cultivate strong author communities and broaden the journal’s readership." Again, specifics are lacking. What's the current author retention rate? What's the demographic breakdown of the readership, and what specific groups are being targeted for expansion?

Yang's background is solid enough. He served as an editor for Earthquake Science and an associate editor for Earthquake Research Advances, plus time on the editorial boards of several other publications. He's been an associate editor at SRL since 2018. (Five years; a reasonable tenure.) So, he's not an outsider. This isn't some radical shakeup.

His research interests – earthquake source physics, subduction zone dynamics, fault zone structure and evolution, and induced earthquakes – are all core areas within seismology. He's not some fringe academic pushing alternative theories. This suggests a degree of stability. But stability isn't always progress.

The Reviewer Recognition Problem

Yang identifies a key challenge: recognizing reviewers in an increasingly crowded publishing landscape. This is real. Reviewing is often a thankless task. The incentives are misaligned. Researchers are judged on publications, not peer review contributions. The time spent reviewing is time not spent publishing. How does SRL plan to address this? Will they offer monetary compensation (unlikely, given academic publishing economics)? Will they implement a formal recognition program? Will they publicly acknowledge reviewers in the journal itself?

He mentions balancing reviewer motivation with author development and audience expansion. It’s a three-legged stool, and each leg needs to be strong. But, and this is the part of the report that I find genuinely puzzling, what specific strategies will he employ? Saying you want to "balance" things is not a strategy. It's a wish.

It's also worth noting the increasing pressure on academics to publish. The "publish or perish" mentality creates a flood of submissions, overwhelming the peer review system. This leads to reviewer fatigue and potentially lower quality reviews. How will SRL navigate this rising tide? Will they increase the number of associate editors? Will they implement stricter submission criteria? The answers to these questions will determine whether Yang's appointment is a genuine step forward or merely a symbolic gesture.

Yang also expresses interest in SRL paper submissions that include “new observations and methods in seismology, as well as applications of seismic and geophysics methods in fields out of seismology." This suggests a desire for interdisciplinary work, which is positive. Seismology doesn't exist in a vacuum. It intersects with geology, physics, engineering, and even computer science. Encouraging submissions that bridge these disciplines could lead to innovative research and a broader readership. But again, how will this be actively encouraged, not just passively welcomed?

Yang's affiliations are extensive: SSA, American Geophysical Union, the Chinese Geophysical Society, the Seismological Society of China, and the Asia Oceania Geosciences Society. He's well-connected. He's also an executive board member of the Seismological Society of China. This could be a significant asset for expanding SRL's reach within the Chinese scientific community.

More Data Needed Before a Verdict

So, what's the takeaway? Yang's appointment is a potentially positive development. He brings experience, a solid research background, and a recognition of key challenges facing academic publishing. But the devil is in the details. Without concrete plans and measurable goals, his appointment risks becoming just another line on a press release. We need to see the data before we can judge the impact. SRL welcomes first Deputy Editor-in-Chief