Meet the Editors | Interview with Prof. Dr. Ruud Weijermars—Section Editor-in-Chief of “Geo-Energy” in Energies

Section: “Geo-Energy”

Editor-in-Chief: Prof. Dr. Ruud Weijermars

1. Could you tell us a bit about your background? 

My principal research interests are in petroleum engineering. Recently, we have developed new tools and methods to quantify and visualize (1) fluid flow in porous media, and (2) propagation of hydraulic fractures. Prior to joining KFUPM in 2021, I worked at Texas A&M University and the Bureau of Economic Geology, UT Texas at Austin—and I was a postdoc at ETH Zurich in the late 1980s. 

2. What led you to become Section Editor-in-Chief of “Geo-Energy”?

After having been an author and reviewer for Energies, I was asked to consider becoming Section Editor-in-Chief. This is an important task to help further improve the quality of the journal and set direction. Geo-energy is a pre-eminent field of research because we need to make the transition to renewables while sustaining our planet's environment in the quest for affordable and secure energy supplies. 

3. What advice would you offer to a new editor of a journal? 

Make sure the submissions fit within the scope of the journal. The impact factor needs to go up so that Energies becomes a Q2 or even Q1 journal. Keeping the subject focus and limiting the content to high-quality papers are key to achieving that goal.   

4. In terms of the research you publish, what are you on the lookout for, and what would attract authors to want to publish in Energies?

Original work presented in an efficient, concise format is what we are looking for. We have some surprisingly good works submitted and that work can be published fast. But there is also still some less impressive work. The poorer papers put a high burden on editors and reviewers, but these are chores we have to accept and perform diligently.  

5. Which Energies paper for you has been the most significant, or is simply your favorite?

The quality of Energies papers is steadily rising, and there are many excellent papers. My hope is the impact factor will get another boost soon, thanks to more and more high-profile authors publishing in Energies.