High five to the future of chemistry!

Welcome to part 1 of Trends in Chemistry's special anniversary double issue! It seems five is the magic number this year; not only are we celebrating the fifth anniversary of our journal, but also the very special milestone of 50 years of Cell Press. In 1974, the journal Cell was launched and half a century later, Cell Press continues to publish ground-breaking and influential research and commentary across its portfolio. Trends in Chemistry is proud to play its part, with 5 years of concise and authoritative reviews and opinions from leaders working in every area of chemistry. A key feature of a Trends review is the future focus in each article, with authors putting forward new ideas and highlighting new directions. Cell Press is also championing this as part of their year-long celebrations: 'showcasing science that inspires'i. Whilst many often look to past giants to find that spark of inspiration, there is something exciting in looking to the future. For our anniversary, we are amplifying new voices aiming to innovate with an impact, solve real-world problems, and become inspiring leaders themselves. So many of us remember that time of life, post-PhD, trying to plan for and make some huge decisions to define the trajectory of our careers and our place in the chemistry community. There is no denying, however, that getting those jobs, grants, and promotions nowadays requires out-of-the-box thinking, multidisciplinary projects, and an existing track record to prove to the deciding panel (and the rest of the world) that what you are proposing is not only novel and unique, but worthwhile. Whether you are a PhD graduate vying for coveted industry positions, or a postdoctoral researcher on the job market for that elusive faculty position, making these moves in today's climate requires a perseverance, endurance, and self-belief like no generation before. Since the first issue of the journal was published in 2019, things have changed quite dramatically for scientists in every corner of the world. The scientific community endured and continued through the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but the lasting effect this has had on what should have been ordinary career milestones for early-career scientists should not be minimised 1. Yan W. Early career scientists at critical career junctures brace for impact of COVID-19. Science. 2020; (Published online April 7, 2020. https: //doi. org/10. 1126/science. caredit. abc1291) Google Scholar, 2. Dursch T. J. Apart, together: reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic. Trends Chem. 2021; 3: 987-989Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (0) Google Scholar, 3. Rakeshwar Bandichhor A. S. In support of early-career researchers. Inorg. Chem. 2023; 62: 2489-2493Crossref PubMed Scopus (0) Google Scholar, 4. Carr R. M. et al. Academic careers and the COVID-19 pandemic: reversing the tide. Sci. Transl. Med. 2021; 13: 584Crossref Scopus (67) Google Scholar, 5. Rodrigues Lopes N. Act now to support early-career researchers. Chem. World. 2021; (Published online September 28, 2021. https: //www. chemistryworld. com/opinion/act-now-to-support-early-career-researchers/4013799. article) Google Scholar. As universities, colleges, companies, and charities faced financial and operational challenges, projects were paused, progress slowed, and job markets evolved to become even more uncertainii, iii 6. Guha S. et al. Chemical industry and chemist's jobs after the COVID-19 pandemic. Voice Publisher. 2020; 6102672Crossref Google Scholar. With inequalities exposed; women, parents, and under-represented minority researchers disproportionately bore the impact 7. Krukowski R. A. Academic productivity differences by gender and child age in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic. J. Women Health. 2021; 30: 341-347Crossref PubMed Scopus (191) Google Scholar, 8. Myers K. R. et al. Unequal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on scientists. Nat. Hum. Behav. 2020; 4: 880-883Crossref PubMed Scopus (485) Google Scholar, 9. Sarju J. P. Nothing about us without us – towards genuine inclusion of disabled scientists and science students post pandemic. Chem. Eur. J. 2021; 27: 10489-10494Crossref PubMed Scopus (20) Google Scholar, 10. Leigh J. S. et al. Managing research throughout COVID-19: lived experiences of supramolecular chemists. Chem. 2022; 8: 299-311Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Google Scholar. For those who had already taken their first steps towards an independent career, the challenge of balancing their scientific responsibilities, of managing a team, teaching and mentoring, professional committees, travel, grants, and proposals, with their personal ones of health, family, and relationships, increased exponentially. The current focus on big global challenges combined with the recent rise of technological innovation, automation, and data science only increases the need to rapidly adapt to an evolving interdisciplinary landscape. Despite all these challenges, it is obvious that some of the most exciting chemistry (and science!) is happening right now in the hands and laboratories of early-career faculty members and research scientists across the globe. They are working on fascinating new ideas with a global outlook, fostering wider collaborations across the breadth of the field, and sharing their scientific findings with the world in unique and accessible ways. In addition, they are changing the culture of chemistry by promoting healthier standards of working, helping others along the path they are travelling on, trailblazing in their authenticity, and being more open about who they are. For Trends in Chemistry, I knew this double anniversary celebration would be the perfect time to celebrate and show support to these emerging leaders in chemistry. Trends articles have always focused on front-line topics and cutting-edge advances across industry and academia, and this double special issue will be no different. The aim of this initiative is to promote rising stars who are making their mark in chemistry, to highlight the fields that they're working in and the exciting developments occurring and still to come. All of the Forum, Opinion, and Review articles over the next two issues have all been written by authors that were nominated as future leaders of their respective fields by past authors, reviewers, and our esteemed Academic Advisory Board. I am so pleased to be able to profile these scientists alongside their articles in a TrendsTalk piece accompanying each issue, and I am sure their enthusiasm and honesty will help to shine a light on the person behind the name. These profiles pair perfectly with our front-matter pieces, highlighting some of the main issues and topics that come up in early-career researchers' scientific lives, such as mentorship and navigating academia as a woman, with practical advice and lessons learned from the author's perspective. From the Americas to Asia, Africa, and Australia, these scientists have overcome all of the hurdles and obstacles placed in their paths to become the inspiration for tomorrow, and I am honoured that Trends in Chemistry can play a small role in raising their profiles in the chemistry community. A huge thank you to everyone from the Trends in Chemistry Advisory Board and community who took the time to share their nominations, to the reviewers for sharing their time and expertise during the peer review process, and, of course, to the nominees and their teams for sharing such insightful and informative articles with the journal. The journal has been supported by many authors and reviewers over its 5 years; the past and present team are so grateful for your contributions to the cutting-edge of chemistry. Here is to many more years of science that inspires. Jessica iwww. cell. com/cell-press-50? utmₘedium=homepage iiwww. amrc. org. uk/news/pandemic-threatens-future-of-research-as-early-career-scientists-look-to-leave iiihttps: //cen. acs. org/careers/employment/Coronavirus-dims-chemistry-job-market/98/i18