WARRENDALE, PA—The Materials Research Society (MRS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Elizabeth A. Kócs, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) as the newest editor-in-chief of its digital journal, MRS Energy & Sustainability—A Review Journal.
Kócs works at the cutting edge of the energy and urban sustainability sectors in her roles as adjunct assistant professor, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at UIC, and as director of programming and outreach at UIC’s Energy Initiative.
Kócs is well acquainted with the Materials Research Society, having served on the Advisory Board for MRS Bulletin’s Energy Quarterly and on the MRS Planning Group for Materials for Sustainable Development.
“The success of Kócs’ candidacy is underscored by her vision for the journal and as demonstrated by her unique professional success in building relationships with diverse sets of audiences, including regional, national, and international communities that straddle both research and policy groups in materials science, energy, and sustainability,” said MRS President Oliver Kraft. “It is this type of an engaged, diverse audience that we hope will become the journal’s following.”
Kócs replaces outgoing Editor-in-Chief Sally Benson, Stanford University, who was instrumental in the highly successful launch of the new journal in 2014—offering thought-provoking and diverse perspectives in the areas of sustainability. Kócs will work alongside current and founding co-editors David S. Ginley, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and David Cahen, Weizmann Institute of Science.
MRS Energy & Sustainability—A Review Journal publishes reviews on key topics in materials research and development as they relate to energy and sustainability. Appealing to a broad readership, topics include new R&D in both established and ground-breaking areas— from fracking to methanol fuel cells.
“To maintain the Journal’s progress and its focus on emerging energy opportunities and their integration into society, it should concentrate on reaching out to a wide horizon of authors and articles that go beyond a traditional materials focus,” said Kócs. “These articles will be especially useful to graduate students and early-career scientists and engineers who, as the next generation of energy professionals, must increasingly integrate systems thinking, multidisciplinary contexts, and societal impacts of new energy technologies into their strategic vision.”
Read the latest issue of MRS Energy & Sustainability—A Review Journal here.
About the Materials Research Society
MRS is an organization of over 13,000 materials researchers from academia, industry and government worldwide, and a recognized leader in promoting the advancement of interdisciplinary materials research and technology to improve the quality of life. MRS members are students and professionals hailing from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering—the full spectrum of materials research. Headquartered in Warrendale, Pennsylvania (USA), MRS membership now spans 90 countries, with approximately 45 percent of members residing outside the United States.
MRS serves and engages members across generations to advance their careers and promote materials research and innovation. The Society produces high-quality meetings and publications, assuring that members of all career stages can present and publish their most important and timely work to an international and interdisciplinary audience. MRS continues to expand its professional development portfolio, as well as promote diversity and inclusion in the scientific workforce, with career services for researchers worldwide. The Society advocates for the importance of scientific research and innovation to policymakers and the community. And the MRS Awards program honors those whose work has already had a major impact in the field, as well as those whose work shows great promise for future leadership.
For more information about the Materials Research Society visit
mrs.org and follow
@Materials_MRS.