| Posted: March 16, 2010 |
American Institute of Physics opens office in Beijing |
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(Nanowerk News) The American Institute of Physics (AIP) announced today that it is opening a new office in Beijing, China-- the first part of a multi-phase plan to expand globally. An official grand opening of the new China office is planned for June.
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Beijing was the logical first step in this global expansion, say AIP officials, because China is second only to the United States as the largest source of scientific papers submitted to many top physics journals. AIP is a major publisher of international scientific journals and is an umbrella organization for 10 physical science societies representing 135,000 scientists and engineers worldwide.
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"With the rapid rise of China as a major force in science and technology, AIP has been considering ways to partner and engage with China's scientific community in the many aspects of scholarly publishing and the broader distribution of scientific knowledge in all forms," said John Haynes, AIP Vice President for Publishing. "I am extremely pleased with this latest development." China is only the first step in the planned line of expansion, Haynes added, and AIP views its presence in China as a key component of its global publishing strategy.
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The new AIP office is located in the Haidian District, in the center of the "Golden Triangle" of Beijing (comprising Tsinghua University, Peking University, and several major Institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, including the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences). The office will be headed by Xingtao Ai, a Ph.D. physicist with six years of experience at Science in China Press, a top Chinese publishing house. A graduate of the prestigious Tsinghua University and the University of Science and Technology in Beijing, Ai enjoyed a successful research career in China, Germany, and Canada prior to her career in scientific publishing.
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Ai will promote AIP publications, products, and services to Chinese scientists and engineers in universities, government-sponsored research institutes, and other scientific organizations. "One goal is to increase the number of scientists from China who serve on the editorial boards of our journals," said Mark Cassar, the Publisher of Journals and Technical Publications at AIP. "We want to support important research in physics and related fields that is taking place in China by providing better access to our journals and by giving more exposure to this research in our journals," Cassar said. In addition, AIP seeks potential relationships with key academic and government organizations and expects to explore joint publication development; provide marketing; offer seminars to Chinese scientists on how to get published in Western journals; and keep a finger on the pulse of emerging opportunities due to new trends in Chinese research.
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AIP's Beijing office is very close to the heart of Chinese science both physically and psychologically, said Wang Enge, the dean of the School of Physics at Peking University. "It will provide a window for better understanding and communication between American physicists and Chinese physicists and witness the growing science development in China," Enge said. "Chinese scientists are also very appreciative for AIP's excellent professional services and for popularizing the advance of science and technology in the world."
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"We are delighted that our efforts to launch the first of our international offices are culminating successfully," added Fred Dylla, AIP Executive Director and CEO. "We look forward to many years of rich scientific exchanges and discoveries with our scientific peers in China."
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