SEISMICA: OPEN SCIENCE AND COMMUNITY BUILDING IN A NEW DIAMOND OPEN ACCESS JOURNAL

Seismica, a new diamond open access journal in Seismology and Earthquake Science, launched in July 2022. Seismica is an independent journal, designed and built by a global community of researchers with the aim of making scientific research freely available, with no publication or subscription fees.

Beyond traditional research articles, Seismica publishes an innovative set of peer-reviewed reports including fast reports, null results/failed experiments, software reports, and instrument deployment/field campaign reports. Seismica accepts papers within the very broad scope of fault slip and earthquake source phenomena, earthquake records, imaging the Earth, theoretical and computational seismology, beyond Earth-tectonic applications, techniques and instrumentation, earthquake engineering and engineering seismology, and community engagement, communication, and outreach.

Seismica is led by an international team of over 40 people spanning these disciplines, including experts in open science and data; equity, diversity and inclusion; outreach and communication; and digital media and branding. These volunteers cover traditional editorial roles as well as the journal’s full-time management and operation (including technical support, copy editing, branding and communications). Seismica values their labor and service by crediting reviewers, authors, and other contributors.

This talk will discuss the evolution of Seismica, both as a journal and as a community dedicated to transparency in science, and supporting not not only open access articles, but also a fully open research process. It will cover the work involved in starting up a new journal, including: partnerships with external organizations, funding considerations, a mentorship program for editors and reviewers, practical application of open science workflows, and ultimately how we are rethinking and meeting the challenges of creating, recording and sharing open geoscience information while responding to community needs.