What does “That Published Feeling” mean to you?
Publisher Daniel Jopling seeking inspirational stories behind moment that reflects “a belief in the value of their research”
“There’s a moment – quiet, but unforgettable – when an author receives the notification: Your article has been published. It’s more than a formality. For many, it’s a deeply personal and often emotional moment. It is often the culmination of years of hard work, personal sacrifice, and a belief in the value of their research. This is that published feeling.
To capture this special moment, IOPP has started to invite authors who have published a paper with us to share their experiences around that published feeling. Their stories convey the inspirational stories behind each paper.
As a publisher, I feel privileged to be part of that and being part of their journey. Publishing papers is just one little fragment of a long and often challenging process. It’s humbling to launch and develop journals and services that support the research community.
Take, for instance, Dr. Himanshu Narayan. After stepping away from formal academia due to personal circumstances, Dr. Narayan found himself navigating the margins of the research world – without a lab and without institutional affiliation. Working as a freelance Research Consultant and AI Language Trainer, he continued to supervise his PhD student and remained active in the scientific community.
Dr Himanshu Narayan told us: “Our experimental results were solid, but our manuscript kept facing rejection. I felt the lack of institutional affiliation was working against us.” Following a paper he published with us in 1999, Narayan returned to us with his independent research. He told us: “What I found in the submission process at Advances in Natural Sciences: Nanoscience and Nanotechnology was everything academic publishing should be – rigorous, fair, constructive. We weren’t judged by our job titles. We were judged by the science.”
Academic publishing isn’t just about formatting papers or managing submissions. It’s about supporting discovery. It’s about being the bridge between brilliant minds and the world that needs their insights. As a publisher, I can help authors find a venue to disseminate their work so that it can reach others and drive impact.
I have the honour of working with researchers at every stage – from early-career academics submitting their first paper, to seasoned scholars pushing the boundaries of their fields. And each time, I hear the same feedback. Metrics are important, but it’s not the h-index, citations, downloads or funding grants that drive researchers. It’s their believe in advancing science no matter how difficult that might be.
Recently, another researcher told us: “Returning to research after a 25-year gap is no small feat. I had left the lab a long time ago and wondered: Do I still belong here? Can I still contribute meaningfully? With guidance from my supervisor, I stepped back into the world of nanoscience. The moment I received the published version, I shared it with my family – they had seen the doubts, the late nights, the struggle. Holding the PDF wasn’t just about the data inside – it was about reclaiming a piece of myself. It proved that it’s never too late to dream again, to rebuild, to contribute. My publication is a symbol of that.”
As a publisher, I’m inspired by the resilience and tenacity of the researchers we work with – especially those who persevere against the odds. I’m lucky to support such amazing authors and to help bring their contributions to light.”
For more stories from authors about what it feels like to have their work published, visit: https://ioppublishing.org/that-published-feeling-author-testimonials/
Daniel Jopling is a senior publisher at IOP Publishing