Scott Miller to lead the Journal of Organic Chemistry

Scott J. Miller, the Irénée du Pont Professor of Chemistry at Yale University, has been named the new editor-in-chief of the ACS peer-reviewed publication, the Journal of Organic Chemistry, which focuses on the theory and practice of organic chemistry.

Miller will succeed Dale Poulter, who has led the journal since 2001 and substantially expanded the scope of the publication to include perspectives, synopses, and special issues. Miller will begin his appointment on Jan. 1.

“Scott is an outstanding organic chemist,” says Poulter. “He’s widely known in the community, he has a major research program, he publishes absolutely outstanding work, he’s very visible in the community, and he’s energetic and enthusiastic.”

“Dr. Miller’s ability to engage and inspire researchers, his impressive scholarship and unparalleled passion for organic chemistry, and his prior experience as a senior editor at Accounts of Chemical Research will ensure JOC remains at the forefront of the field,” says James Milne, senior vice president of ACS Journals Publishing Group.

Miller’s research focuses on the development of chemical synthesis using the architecture and design principles offered by biologically relevant structures and professes to seek to discover new reactions and apply new principles to the selective synthesis of complex molecules.

“I’m very excited to contribute to a field that I feel so passionate about and that I find so fascinating,” Miller says. “One of the triumphs of organic chemistry has been its impact on a lot of interdisciplinary sciences, but at the same time, I think that some of the excitement in the interdisciplinary impact creates new opportunities to explore the fundamentals.” He says he also plans on highlighting the interdisciplinary work at the crossroads between industry and academia.

Miller praised Poulter for his contributions to the journal. “He has done an outstanding job making the Journal of Organic Chemistry a great place for really deep scholarship in the field,” Miller says.