Dr Darren Tianye Zheng, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR

Dr Darren Tianye Zheng is a postdoctoral researcher at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, focusing on electrode materials of rechargeable batteries, battery health
monitoring, and real-time battery sensing. His articles Lithium aluminum alloy anodes in Li-ion rechargeable batteries: past developments, recent progress, and future prospects in Progress in Energy, and Insights into the Sodiation Kinetics of Si and Ge Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries in Journal of the Electrochemical Society, were published under the transformative agreement between IOP Publishing and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

How would you describe the process of publishing through a transformative agreement with IOP Publishing?
“Smooth” would be the first word that popped up in my head after reading this question. It makes no difference from a regular submission.

What do you think are the advantages of publishing through a transformative agreement?
There are many! The OA publishing has made the works highly visible. My review paper has been downloaded more than 2400 times after nine months, which is surprising. We also received several e-mails from experts working in the same field. From a societal perspective, as a scientist working in a public university, it is my obligation to ensure that all taxpayers in Hong Kong have the opportunity to access and benefit from my research.

Did the transformative agreement make it easier to publish open access?
Certainly! The APC is often quite expensive in my opinion as an early career researcher. I often need to seek approval from my advisor or department office to cover the OA cost prior to submission, which is often a painful process. With the TA, it is no longer a problem.

Do you have any words of advice for other authors interested in publishing open access through a transformative agreement?
I’d say go for it and be strategic in publishing your works. Maximizing the exposure of your work could be a wise step if you are at the early stage of your scientific career. In general, OA papers attract more reads, downloads, and citations.