Faraday Discussions

Faraday Discussions is a scientific journal publishing original (primary) research papers and comments presented at a long-running, world-renowned series of conferences on physical chemistry, chemical physics and biophysical chemistry which are also called Faraday Discussions. The journal was originally published by the Faraday Society. Since that society merged with the Chemical Society (founded in 1841), the Society for Analytical Chemistry (founded in 1874) and the Royal Institute of Chemistry (founded in 1877) in 1980 to form the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), it has been published by the RSC. From 1972 to 1991, while merger discussions were proceeding, it was known as the Faraday Discussions of the Chemical Society.

The papers presented at a Faraday Discussion meeting are published in a corresponding volume of Faraday Discussions together with a record of the discussion contributions (comments) made at the meeting.

Normally three Faraday Discussion conferences (and therefore three volumes of the journal) are published annually by the RSC.

Philip Earis is the editor of Faraday Discussions and the present chairman of the Standing Committee on Faraday Conferences is Colin Bain, Professor of Chemistry at Durham University.

The latest (2006) impact factor of Faraday Discussions is 4.731.^[1]

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History of Faraday Discussions meetings and publications

The Faraday Division is particularly well known for its Faraday Discussions, which have formed the basis of the RSC's work from the very beginning. They are held each spring, summer and autumn, usually in the UK but sometimes overseas.

Proofs of the 20-25 invited and contributed selected papers at each Discussion are circulated to delegates well in advance of the meeting taking place. Since each paper has been read in advance, the actual meeting is able to concentrate on genuine fruitful debate. The whole of the proceedings is subsequently published including submitted Discussion remarks which include those that 'the contributors said, or think they said or wished they had said'. Many of the Discussions have become landmarks in the development of physical chemistry.

The Faraday Division traces its origins to 1903 when the Faraday Society was founded. In 1972 the Society relinquished its autonomy to become the Faraday Division of the Chemical Society, and subsequently the RSC, following a merger with the Society for Analytical Chemistry and the Royal Institute of Chemistry.

There are well established links with a number of European Societies, including the Division de Chimie Physique of the Société Française de Chimie, the Deutsche Bunsen Gesellschaft in Germany and the Associazione Italiana di Chimica Fisica. Joint European meetings are now held annually and there are international relationships worldwide both at Divisional and Specialist Interest Group level.

Subject coverage

Faraday Discussions meeting cover all topics relevant to physical chemistry, chemical physics and biophysical chemistry. Previous topics covered by Faraday Discussions include:

Atomic Transport and Defect Phenomena in Solids

Chemical evolution and astrochemistry

Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Molecular Wires and Nanoscale Conductors

Atmospheric Chemistry

The Dynamics and Structure of the Liquid-Liquid Interface

Self-organising Polymers

Non-Adiabatic Effects in Chemical Dynamics

Applications of Spectroscopy to Biomedical Problems

Nanoparticle Assemblies

Quantum Inorganic Chemistry

Non-Equilibrium Behaviour of Colloidal Dispersions

Time-Resolved Chemistry: From Structure to Function:

Article types

Faraday Discussions publishes the following types of articles: Research Papers (which contain original scientific work that has not been published previously); and Comments (which are discussion remarks submitted at the meeting that 'the contributors said, or think they said or wished they had said')

Audience/readership

Research workers in the fields of physical chemistry, chemical physics and biophysical chemistry in both academic institutions and industry.

References

1. ^ Journal Citation Reviews, 2007