PASA Editorial Board - Call for Applications

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia (PASA) is an ISI-listed, fully-refereed journal for new and significant research in astronomy and astrophysics. PASA invites suitably qualified astronomers to fill two vacancies on its Editorial Board at the level of Associate Editor. Both appointments will be for three-year terms. A suitably qualified candidate may also apply to take on the role as Deputy Editor-in-Chief, also for three years.

Position descriptions, including responsibilities and expectations relevant to each role, are below.

Applications can be made by sending a statement of strengths and suitability (up to 2 pages) and a brief CV (up to 2 pages) to Ms Debra Gooley ([email protected]), by 5pm AEST (=0600 UTC) on 31 July 2022.

Informal queries should be directed to the PASA Editor-in-Chief, A/Prof Stas Shabala ([email protected]), and Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Dr Ivo Seitenzahl ([email protected]).

About the Journal

PASA publishes research papers, review papers and special series on topical issues, making use of expert international reviewers and an experienced Editorial Board. As an electronic-only journal, PASA publishes paper by paper, ensuring a rapid publication rate. There are no page charges. PASA's Editorial Board approve a certain number of papers per year to be made available without a paywall or subscription to the journal. All papers are indexed by the NASA ADS database; the ISI impact factor for PASA is currently 5.57 which places the journal in the top quartile of international astronomical journals. PASA is published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Astronomical Society of Australia (ASA).

Information for Candidates

The PASA Editorial Board

PASA maintains an Editorial Board of seven members (currently chaired by A/Prof Stas Shabala). The main duties of the Editorial Board are to select referees for submitted papers, to make final decisions based on those reports, to solicit papers for submission, to be an advocate for the Journal, and to contribute to improvement in editorial processes. Detailed duties are outlined below.

There are currently two vacancies on the Editorial Board, which we are seeking to fill. Both new appointments will serve as Associate Editors (details below).  A new Deputy Editor-in-Chief will also be appointed from within the Editorial Board. Appointments to the Editorial Board are for a period of three years. An honorarium is paid annually, currently at the level of AU$3750 per year (pro rata). Members of the Editorial Board are selected on the basis of their standing in the community, the breadth of their knowledge, and their specific areas of expertise. Applications are sought from candidates with expertise in any areas of astrophysics. Expertise in areas including cosmology, gravitational waves, galaxy evolution, data science and machine learning applications in astronomy, space missions, and radio astronomy would complement the expertise of current Editorial Board members. We particularly encourage applications from members of traditionally under-represented demographics.

Application Process

Interested candidates should send a brief CV and a statement of their suitability for the position by 31 July 2022 to Ms Debra Gooley ([email protected]). A decision on the appointment will be made by the ASA Council shortly following this closing date. Note that ASA Council members may apply, but if selected are not eligible to receive an honorarium. We encourage prospective candidates to discuss their application with the Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Editor-in-Chief beforehand.

PASA Associate Editor Responsibilities

Members of the Editorial Board (alternatively known as Associate Editors) of PASA are appointed by the ASA Council. The ASA also appoints a Chair and Deputy Chair from among the seven Editorial Board members. The Editorial Board is responsible for the overall scientific success of the journal in the international astronomical community. Measures of success include number and quality of submissions, rejection rate, citations and impact factor, and timeliness of peer review. Individual Editorial Board members contribute to this by:

1. Attracting submissions of quality research papers to the journal.
2. Organising peer review of submitted manuscripts in a timely fashion, using Cambridge University Press' electronic submission and peer review system. Key components of this process are:
   1. Assessing a manuscript's suitability for review, including identification of possible cases of plagiarism using the results of automated plagiarism-checking software provided by the publisher. 
   2. Selection of suitable reviewers, to be undertaken within 3 days of receipt of a manuscript.
   3. Delivery of a recommendation for publication/revision/rejection based on reviews, to be completed within 3 days of receipt of a review.
3. Other duties and responsibilities of Editorial Board members are to:
   1. Act fairly, courteously, and without personal bias in all dealings with authors and reviewers.
   2. Immediately declare to the Chair of the Editorial Board any personal involvement or potential conflict of interest that may arise for any manuscript or in any component of the review process.
   3. Be a public advocate for the Journal, including the identification of one "special issue" or topical series of articles per year.
   4. Enhance the standards and scope of the Journal.
   5.  Ensure that refereeing guidelines are adhered to and comprehensively considered by referees.
   6. Provide strategic advice to the ASA, to the Chair of the Editorial Board, and to the publisher on current directions in relevant research disciplines that can be used to the benefit of the Journal, its subscribers and its readers. To this end, the Editorial Board meets quarterly by teleconference.

PASA Deputy Editor-in-Chief responsibilities

In addition to Associate Editor responsibilities outlined above, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief also serves as an acting Editor-in-Chief (EiC) whenever the EiC is conflicted or unavailable. In accordance with the ASA constitution, the Deputy is appointed for a three year term. Under normal circumstances the Deputy is expected to succeed the Editor-in-Chief at the end of the latter’s term(s). The Deputy vacancy has arisen due to Dr Ivo Seitenzahl’s transition to Editor-in-Chief, effective 1 January 2023.

Candidates wishing to apply for the Deputy Editor-in-Chief position should indicate this clearly in their application, and provide evidence of suitability. Current PASA Associate Editors are eligible to apply for this role, however we also encourage all suitable applicants to apply.