2024 Annual Report of Soft Science
The year 2024 has been a period of rapid growth and remarkable achievements for Soft Science (SS). The journal has made significant strides in expanding its academic influence and strengthening reader engagement. These milestones would not have been possible without the dedication and support of our editorial board members, young editorial board members, authors, reviewers, and readers. The editorial team extends its heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the journal's success.
1. Indexing
SS was successfully indexed in ESCI in 2024, a significant step toward earning its first Impact Factor in June 2025. The journal is also indexed in prestigious databases such as Scopus (CiteScore 2024: 7.5), CAS, CNKI, Dimensions, ResearchGate, Lens, and J-Gate. This growing visibility enhances the global reach and impact of the research published in SS.
Figure 1. Soft Science officially included in ESCI (July 2024)
2. Publications
In 2024, SS published a total of 4 issues. Each issue's cover featured one original research article selected from the published articles (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Covers of published issues in 2024
As illustrated in Figure 3, SS published 44 articles in 2024, a 10% increase from the previous year. The published articles include 25 review articles (56.8%), 10 research articles (22.7%), 8 opinion articles (18.2%), and 1 commentary article (2.3%). Looking ahead to 2025, SS aims to attract more high-quality original research submissions to enrich academic discussions and expand the journal's influence in the field of flexible science.
Figure 3. (a) Total annual publications, 2021-2024; (b) Categories of the articles published in 2024
Figure 4. Comparison of manuscript processing speed between 2023 and 2024
The average time from submission to initial decision (completion of peer review) in 2024 was 42.1 days (Figure 4), an increase compared to the previous year, reflecting the editorial team's rigor and comprehensiveness in manuscript quality assessment and review. The time from acceptance to publication was reduced to 22.9 days, effectively accelerating the dissemination of research findings. The entire process, from submission to publication, remained stable at 101.9 days. In 2025, the publisher upgraded the submission and review system, aiming to provide authors with a more convenient and efficient submission experience. This upgrade is also expected to enhance manuscript processing speed, contributing to improved academic communication services.
Article views and downloads are important indicators of scholar engagement. As of 2024, the journal's articles have garnered 188,103 views and 72,160 downloads, an outstanding performance. The top five most viewed and downloaded articles, listed in Table 1, explore cutting-edge fields such as wearable electrochemical sensors, electronic skin, flexible devices for nerve stimulation, and self-powered wearable sensors based on triboelectric nanogenerators. These achievements not only demonstrate innovative applications in wearable technology and flexible electronics but also provide new perspectives and solutions for the development of related technologies.
Table 1. The top 5 most viewed and downloaded articles published in 2024
3. Journal Impact
3.1 Citation Performance
In 2024, the total number of citations for all articles reached 783 on Google Scholar and 671 on Web of Science (WoS). Among these, articles published from 2022 to 2023 received 501 citations in 2024 (WoS). Since the journal's inception, the average citation per article is 8.2, with a self-citation rate of 8.9%. For articles published during 2022-2023, the average citation per article was 10.82, with a self-citation rate of 1.92%. Data source: Citation report (as of December 31, 2024).
Figure 5. Citation data of the journal in various databases (July-December 2024)
3.2 Social Media Engagement
In 2024, SS leveraged social media platforms such as WeChat, WeChat Video Channel, and Twitter to continuously promote the latest articles and updates to readers. The official WeChat account (SoftScience) published 88 articles, reaching a follower count of 4108, an increase of 64.71% compared to 2023 (2494), and garnered a total of 125,278 views, with 32 articles exceeding 1,000 views. On Twitter (@OAE_SoftScience), 265 articles were published in 2024, attracting the attention of scholars worldwide and enhancing the journal's visibility.
4. Editorial Board
In 2024, SS underwent a significant transition in its editorial board, marking a new stage in its development. Prof. YongAn Huang from Huazhong University of Science and Technology succeeded Prof. Zhifeng Ren, the founding Editor-in-Chief, to become the new Editor-in-Chief of SS. Alongside this leadership change, the journal welcomed four distinguished Associate Editors: Prof. Jun Chen, Prof. Guoying Gu, Prof. Junwei Gu, and Prof. Liqiang Mai. Their professional expertise and academic influence have endowed the journal with high academic authority, helping SS achieve in-depth expansion and frontier breakthroughs in key disciplinary fields.
Figure 6. Editor-in-Chief: Prof. YongAn Huang; Associate Editors: Prof. Jun Chen, Prof. Guoying Gu, Prof. Junwei Gu, and Prof. Liqiang Mai
Figure 7. New editorial board members joined in 2024
SS is also honored to have invited 9 renowned scholars to join the editorial board as advisory editors and editorial members. Their inclusion not only expands the journal's academic resources but also provides strong intellectual support for future development.
As of December 31, 2024, the SS editorial board comprises 41 members from 9 countries, including the United States, China, South Korea, Italy, Canada, Germany, Australia, Japan, and Singapore. The board includes seven academicians and 16 members with an H-index greater than 70.
Figure 8. Editorial Board Members (excluding Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editors)
5. Editorial Board Meeting
On September 26, 2024, the first offline editorial board meeting of SS was successfully held in Wuhan, China. Prof. YongAn Huang from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Editor-in-Chief of SS, welcomed the editorial board members and thanked them for their long-term contributions. During the event, Prof. Huang presented the "Outstanding Editorial Contribution Award" and the "Special Young Editorial Contribution Award" to recognize their exceptional efforts. He also provided a comprehensive analysis of the journal's strengths and areas for improvement, encouraging the editorial board members to leverage their expertise to diversify the journal's content and enhance its overall quality.
Figure 9. The first offline editorial board meeting of SS
The meeting featured in-depth discussions and valuable exchanges among the editorial board members regarding the journal's development strategies. Their insightful suggestions and perspectives are expected to have a significant and lasting impact on the future growth of SS. The editorial office looks forward to continued collaboration with the board members as they work together to usher in a new chapter in the journal's development.
6. Journal Promotion and Collaboration
6.1 Attended Academic Conferences
In 2024, the SS editorial team participated in several conferences and forums, including the "2024 China Materials Conference and the 2nd World Materials Conference" in Guangzhou in July and the "5th Chinese Robotics Academic Annual Meeting" in Xi'an in August. These events provided valuable opportunities to promote the journal and enhance its visibility and influence within the academic community.
In September, SS co-hosted the 8th International Symposium on Flexible Electronics with Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Southern University of Science and Technology. This collaboration not only strengthened the journal's ties with the academic community but also opened new channels for future cooperation and development.
Throughout 2024, the journal participated in over 20 international academic conferences and industry forums, significantly raising its profile within the academic community. The editorial team expresses sincere gratitude to the editorial board members who made outstanding contributions to the journal's promotional efforts.
Figure 10. Editorial Team Promoting the Journal at Offline Conferences
6.2 Author Training Sessions
Figure11. Author Training Sessions
In 2024, SS successfully hosted author training sessions at Xi'an Jiaotong University, Zhejiang University, Chang'an University, and Shanghai University of Electric Power in September, October, and November. These sessions were designed to help students gain a deeper understanding of the academic publishing industry and master the basic processes and knowledge related to journal submissions.
6.3 Online Interviews
In 2024, SS launched the Academic Talk column, focusing on important figures and cutting-edge views in the academic community. The editorial team conducted online interviews with the new Editor-in-Chief, Prof. YongAn Huang, the new Associate Editors (Prof. Jun Chen, Prof. Junwei Gu, and Prof. Guoying Gu), Junior Editors (Dr. Manmatha Mahato, Dr. Jaehyun Kim, and Dr. Sungjune Park), and renowned scholar Prof. Ming Lei (Peking University).
Figure 12. Online scholar interviews
6.4 Webinars
On December 31, 2024, SS successfully hosted its 10th online academic webinar. The event featured Prof. Si-Hong Wang from the University of Chicago, who presented on the cutting-edge topic of "Polymer and Hydrogel Semiconductor Biointerfaces." Prof. Ting Lei from Peking University shared his team's latest research on "Semiconducting Hydrogels for Bioelectronics."
The webinar attracted scholars from seven countries and regions worldwide, with over 16,000 live viewers. This significant participation highlights the academic community's high regard for SS and demonstrates its important role in facilitating international academic exchanges. Through such academic activities, SS continues to promote knowledge sharing and innovative thinking in the field of flexible science.
Figure 13. The 10th SS Webinar
Summary
As we look forward to 2025, SS embarks on a new journey filled with opportunities and challenges. The editorial team remains committed to advancing innovation and development in the field of flexible science, striving to build a more impactful and high-quality academic exchange platform for researchers worldwide.
We eagerly anticipate working together in the new year to reach new heights and create even greater achievements!
Contact Information
Email: [email protected]
Editor: Inga Ren
Language Editor: Emma Chen
Production Editor: Ting Xu
Respectfully Submitted by the Editorial Office of Soft Science
