Jing Wang, Associate Professor at Peking University, was appointed as the newest Science Editor for the AAS Journals, which includes the flagship Astrophysical Journal. In this new role, Wang will accept or reject submissions to the AAS Journal using an evaluation process that relies heavily on scientific reports by expert referees.
Wang is the first Chinese-nationality science editor at AAS, and the third AAS science editor affilicated at KIAA, after Prof. Luis Ho, Director of the KIAA and Science Editor of the AAS Journals and Deputy Editor of Astrophysical Journal Letters, and Prof. Gregory Herczeg, Professor at Peking University and Associate Director for Science of the KIAA. After Prof. Luis Ho and Prof. Zhanwen Han, Academician, Professor at the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory, she is the third Asian-born science editor for one of the three major astronomical journals: Astrophysical Journal, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, and Astronomy and Astrophysics. She is also the first female Asian-born science editor of these three journals.
Wang mainly serves in the Corridor of Interstellar Matter and the Local Universe, which is also her own primary research interests. While there are global efforts in developing large instruments observing the Interstellar Matter of the universe that is often best visible in the radio but invisible in the optical, China is leading or actively involved in several of them.
Wang's research career has been built heavily on many of these instruments including the FAST and SKA pathfinders. She is very excited about contributing to the science development of this field, by serving as science editor of a major astronomical journal. As Chinese astronomers contribute around one-quater of submissions to the AAS Journal, one of her efforts will be increasing the Chinese referee fractions, to achieve a better diversity and equality in the peer revewing process at the AAS Journal. Wang said, "I am very honored and humbled by the trust placed in me. Surely there is a lot for me to learn, and long way for me to improve on professionality as a science editor. Together with my science editor colleagues, I shall contribute effort toward making a scientifically equal, efficient, and impactful AAS Journal."
The Astrophysical Journal has a legendary history, founded in 1895 by George Hale. Past Editors-in-Chief include Edwin Hubble, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, and Rob Kennicutt, the current Chair of the KIAA Science Advisory Committee. The current Editor-in-Chief is Ethan Vishniac, most famous for so-called the Vishniac Instability in expanding blast waves.
