ACRT Rising Star 2025: Supporting the Next Generation of Open Science Researchers

The AI, Computer Science and Robotics Technology (ACRT) journal, led by Editor-in-Chief Timothy Sands, is proud to launch a new edition of the Rising Star initiative — first introduced in 2015 to support the next generation of scientists. 

In 2025, the initiative introduces a new focus on open science, encouraging transparency, collaboration, and reproducibility.

Rising Star welcomes contributions across Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science and Robotics, accompanied by openly shared data. The initiative is open to PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career faculty (within five years of earning their terminal degree).

Submissions are open until 30 September 2025, and candidates may apply directly or be nominated by peers.

Participants will benefit from:

• Free publication in ACRT for selected top papers
• Expert feedback from an international team of Ambassadors and guest editors, including: Timothy Sands (Cornell University, USA),  Afaque Manzoor (McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University, USA), Lulu Wang (Reykjavik University, Iceland), and Polat Goktas (UCD School of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Ireland), with additional ambassadors to be announced
• Visibility and promotion through author interviews and social media channels
• Complimentary offprints for authors of top-selected papers
• Hands-on experience with open science practices, including open data sharing, transparent methodologies, and reproducible research workflows

Full details and the submission form are available via the dedicated ACRT Rising Star 2025 landing page. 

This new edition not only reinforces our longstanding commitment to early-career researchers but also complements the Rising Stars Hub — IntechOpen’s platform dedicated to empowering the next generation of scientists through storytelling. 

While the Hub features reflections from Nobel Laureates, renowned academics, and leading experts — highlighting the value of mentorship and the importance of supporting researchers at the start of their academic journeys — ACRT Rising Star 2025 offers young scientists a hands-on opportunity to grow, increase the visibility and dissemination of their work, and publish in line with open science practices.

We look forward to discovering the next generation of leading voices in AI, Computer Science, Robotics, and beyond.