Call for Papers

Cambridge Materials Journals themed collection on Policy Support and Development for Materials Science Innovation 

Deadline for submissions: June 30 2027 [2027.06.30]

We invite submissions to a themed collection of papers across the four journals of the Cambridge Materials series – covering Energy, Health, Water and Circularity - that will explore how materials science delivers societal impact through building out research into policy, innovation, and real-world application.

Progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals requires more than scientific excellence alone. Governments across the globe have adopted policies that are designed to achieve impact at various levels, from local to national. For example, internationally-coordinated trade regulations such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will set benchmarks for best practices - inspiring actions and support to influence global outcomes.

This collection of papers will aim to share knowledge and innovative pathways towards impact, including the translation of materials science and technologies into policies that lead to real-world outcomes for societal benefit.

We welcome contributions that focus on:

• Policy design and development informed by materials science, including how evidence, modelling, or lifecycle thinking underpins effective policy choices
• Translation of materials research into policy or regulation, including pathways from research and innovation to legislative, regulatory, or standards-based outcomes
• Evaluation of existing policies, regulations, or standards, including lessons learned, unintended consequences, or evidence of real-world effectiveness
• Materials science in regulatory decision making, such as risk assessment, performance metrics, environmental thresholds, or compliance frameworks
• Case studies where policy and materials innovation intersect, for example in circular economy implementation, resource efficiency, energy transition, or sustainable manufacturing
• International, national, or local policy frameworks that influence materials use, supply chains, trade, or environmental impact
• Policy alignment and coordination across sectors, including academia, industry, government, and civil society
• Forward looking policy perspectives, including recommendations for future regulatory approaches based on emerging materials technologies
• Traceability systems as an enabler of effective policy implementation;
• Interoperability and the intersection of domestic policy with the global nature of material and energy transition supply chains.

Submissions may draw on technical evidence, but should clearly articulate policy relevance, implications, and outcomes, and be written to engage readers beyond a purely academic audience.

We welcome a range of paper types including policy-themed research articles, analyses or reviews; regulatory or standards-oriented case studies; cross sector or government–industry perspectives; practice led or implementation focused studies

Guest Editors:

• Marie McNamara (MEM), Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), USA
• Dr. Sandile Mtetwa, Cambridge Zero, UK
• Dr. Samane Maroufi, UNSW Sydney, Australia

Ready to submit?

This themed collection will be published as part of the Cambridge Materials Journal series, and papers covering policy (and its support and development) across all four of the Journal scopes will be considered.

Note that all papers within the collection will be published in the Cambridge Materials Journal that author submits to (after being handled by that Journal’s editorial team). All papers will also be promoted as a full collection across all of the Journals in the Cambridge Materials series. 

Any questions, please contact us at: cambridgematerialsjournals@cambridge.org 

Instructions for submission

You can find details of the scope of each Journal here.

Please select the Journal that most aligns with the scope of your paper and submit to that Journal (see below links).

Cambridge Materials: Energy submission site

Cambridge Materials: Health submission site

Cambridge Materials: Circularity submission site

Cambridge Materials: Water submission site

Please select the “Special Issue: Policy Support and Development” during submission.