University of Michigan
IN-2: Innovation 2

Sustainability problems are by their nature interdisciplinary. They often require innovations that integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines, including the social sciences, natural sciences, and policy fields. Yet, establishing lines of communication among scientists, practitioners, and policymakers in different disciplines can be challenging, as they may use very different frameworks and terminologies. The Michigan Journal of Sustainability aims to foster transdisciplinary communication by publishing timely, innovative, stimulating, and informative articles that translate scholarly research on systemic sustainability problems into useful formats for practitioners and policy makers. The Journal focuses on three areas: (1) sustainable freshwater systems, (2) livable communities, and (3) responses to climate variability and change. We encourage submissions that address these research areas, both locally and globally, as well as projects that bridge them. The Journal is designed to appeal to readers from a broad range of specialties and backgrounds, and papers are edited to be comprehensible to those reading outside of their own area of expertise. Founded and overseen by University of Michigan graduate students, the Journal is sponsored by the Graham Sustainability Institute at the University of Michigan. Peer Review Process and Open Access Policy: Manuscripts submitted to the Journal undergo a double-blind review process. They are read by an infield reviewer, an out-of-field reviewer, and a member of the Editorial board for accuracy, quality, and relevance to the Journal’s focus. In addition, articles are rated in three areas to determine acceptance: (1) potential for idea transfer and development across fields; (2) immediate use for practitioners and policy makers; and (3) clarity and readiness for print. The Journal provides open access to all content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. Such access is associated with increased readership and increased citation of an author’s work. Management of the indexing process falls under the auspices of MPublishing at the University of Michigan.