In conversation with Ryan Richards

Ryan Richards, an associate editor for RSC Applied Interfaces, shares his insights on how researchers can effectively communicate the importance of their work to gain recognition. He also provides advice for authors aiming to capture the attention of his editorial team and discusses the skills necessary for scientists to thrive in the coming decade.

When evaluating new manuscripts, Richards emphasizes the importance of a well-crafted cover letter and abstract that clearly articulate the manuscript's significance and its place within the existing body of knowledge. He also examines the conclusions, focusing on the hypotheses tested and whether alternative explanations for the observed results were considered. Finally, he assesses whether the data adequately supports the discussion and conclusions, and how easily understandable it is for a broad audience.

For researchers aiming to publish in RSC Applied Interfaces, which connects fundamental research with real-world applications, Richards suggests presenting findings in a way that appeals to both fundamental and applied researchers. This can be achieved by explaining the work's significance in simple terms that are accessible to a wider audience.

To build a strong publication record, especially in interdisciplinary fields like interface science, Richards advises researchers to identify the most important result of each study and the audience that will find it most relevant. He also stresses the importance of clear hypotheses, rigorous testing, and data that supports the conclusions. Furthermore, he suggests strategically dividing research findings into logical units that will be most useful to the scientific community.

Richards acknowledges that rejection is a common experience in research, whether it's for grants, papers, or job applications. He advises researchers to learn from rejection and to recognize it as an integral part of the peer-review process, which, despite its imperfections, remains the best system available.

Looking ahead, Richards is particularly excited about emerging research areas such as high entropy oxides and high entropy materials. In addition, he is interested in applied topics like PFAS decomposition and light-driven catalysis. He encourages submissions in RSC Applied Interfaces that explore these groundbreaking areas.

Richards's interest in science has evolved over many years, driven by his curiosity and a desire to address fundamental understanding gaps and application challenges.

Regarding impactful research, Richards found a paper on carbon-based catalysis by Naccache and co-workers particularly surprising due to its novel approach to a known problem.

In today's information-saturated world, Richards recommends publishing in journals that reach the intended audience and promoting work on social media to increase visibility. He was impressed by the effectiveness of RSC's promotion of a recent article from his own research group.

As for the future of science, Richards believes that researchers should focus on developing strong skills in creating compelling graphics and figures that can capture attention and convey information effectively.

Finally, Richards advises early-career researchers to dedicate time to developing their writing skills and creating effective figures. He also recommends reading landmark manuscripts multiple times, paying close attention to both the science and the writing style.