The ALPSP Impact Award 2026
Now in its fourth year, our award, sponsored by PA EDitorial, celebrates significant initiatives, projects or collaborations within scholarly communication and academic research that are making a positive difference. The impact can be on society, attitudes, education, equality, diversity, inclusion, the environment or any area making a significant difference to people. It can be within scholarly publishing or the wider community but still within the broad area of academic scholarly research and study.
The Judging Process
The awards panel will review all submissions and draw up a shortlist. The shortlist will be confirmed in June and the finalists will be asked to give a 15-minute virtual presentation to the judges in July. ALPSP may publish a list of submissions and the statements of innovation and impact. All other information within the applications will be treated in strictest confidence.
The Judging Panel
Alexandra Winzeler, Digital Science
Alice Meadows, Independent Consultant
Athena Hoeppner, University of Central Florida
David Smith, Publishing Technology Consultant
David Sommer (Chair), Kudos
Emma Vodden, British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery
Jill Emery, Portland State University
Louise Russell, Tutton Russell Consulting
Maggie Simmons, Geological Society
Richard Gedye, Scholarly and Professional Publishing Consultant
Steve Sharp, Sheffield Hallam University
ALPSP Impact Award Winner 2025
Frontiers for Young Minds
“Science for kids, edited by kids!”
Frontiers for Young Minds don’t just publish top-quality science that everyone can read – they go further. By engaging kids aged 8-15 directly in our peer review process, with science experts appointed to guide and coach them, they foster curiosity, both in and out of the classroom, and create the next generation of scientists.
Industry value goes beyond open access: they bring intellectual access, creating science literacy and building lifelong trust in scholarly communication. Frontiers for Young Minds believe the “man in the street” – the kid in the street – must understand today’s research, to change the world tomorrow.
Highly Commended
Atom Grants
Atom bridges a critical gap between researchers and funders by using AI to translate researcher language into funder logic. This improves access to funding, particularly for early-career researchers, underrepresented groups, and smaller institutions that lack robust research support infrastructure. It also empowers administrators to manage complex portfolios more effectively. Atom is the first solution to combine semantic understanding, automation, and engagement into a single platform tailored to academic grants.
