Winners to be announced at the EPIC Awards Celebration on May 28 at SSP’s 48th Annual Meeting

The Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP) is excited to announce the finalists for the 2026 Excellence in Publishing, Information Technology, & Communications (EPIC) Awards. Now in its second year, the EPIC Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of individuals and teams who are advancing scholarly publishing through creativity, collaboration, and innovative solutions.

Nominees have been selected across five main categories, each featuring multiple subcategories, to recognize the various ways organizations and individuals are pushing the boundaries of scholarly communication. Winners will be revealed during the highly anticipated EPIC Awards Ceremony on May 28 in Chula Vista, as part of SSP’s 48th Annual Meeting.

Tools and Products Finalists

Celebrating technological innovations across the publishing lifecycle.

• Submission System Feature
  • Silverchair: ScholarOne Gateway
  • Wiley: Research Exchange Editor-Driven Referral (EDR) 
• Hosting Platform Features
  • American Society of Civil Engineers: ASCE AMPLIFY
  • Silverchair: Oxford Law Pro
• Author Tools
  • CACTUS: SmartScreen, by Paperpal Preflight
  • Integra: EditorialPilot
• Integrity Tools
  • National Information Standards Organization: The Communication of Retractions, Removals, and Expressions of Concern (CREC) Recommended Practice
  • ReviewerZero AI: ReviewerZero AI
• Other Tools And Products
  • ChronosHub: ACS Publishing Center, Powered by ChronosHub
  • KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.: KGL AI Alt Text Generation Tool

Publications Finalists

Honoring exceptional journals, books, magazines, reports, and short-form content formats.

• Journals
  • American Society for Nondestructive Testing: Materials Evaluation Technical Focus Bioinspired NDT Issue
  • Cambridge University Press & Assessment: Public Humanities
• Short Form Content
  • Springer Nature: Partner Community Newsletter
  • Wolters Kluwer Health: ASA Monitor Today
• Magazines
  • Wolters Kluwer Health: Brain & Life
  • Wolters Kluwer Health: Neurology Today
• Reports
  • Frontiers: Unlocking AI potential: Advancing integrity, quality, and equity in scholarly publishing through responsible use of AI
  • Wiley: ExplanAItions 2025: The Evolution of AI in Research
• Student Journals – Literary
  • James E. Walker Library, Middle Tennessee State University: Engage: A Community Zine
  • University of Connecticut: UConn Literary Magazine: Long River Review
• Student Journals – Research
  • Challenger Research Journal at UC San Diego: Challenger Research Journal
  • Michigan Journal of Medicine: Michigan Journal of Medicine, Vol 8

Marketing Finalists

Recognizing outstanding branding, social media engagement, and other promotional efforts.

• Campaigns
  • American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery: The Talking Point
  • Cambridge University Press: Publishing futures: working together to deliver radical change in academic publishing
• Social Presence
  • AAAS: Science Magazine TikTok
  • Wiley: Establishing Wiley as a Strategic Leader in AI through Frankfurt Book Fair 2025
• Branding
  • Oxford University Press: Oxford Law Pro
  • Wiley: John Wiley & Sons 2025 Rebrand
• Student Publication Campaign
  • George Washington University: GWU Journal of Ethics in Publishing

Media Finalists

Showcasing original multimedia projects that promote or disseminate scholarly content.

• Video / Film
  • CACTUS: Voices of Discovery: AGU Author Video Series
  • Wiley: Chats: Tackling critical topics in scholarly publishing
• Podcast
  • American Veterinary Medical Association: Veterinary Vertex Podcast
  • Wolters Kluwer Health: Podcast: OncTimes Talk
• Data Visualization
  • FigureTwo: FigureTwo Preview
• Narrative / Multidisciplinary Digital Projects
  • Frontiers: Guardians of Science: unveiling the human force behind research integrity
  • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, 1933-1945 hosted on Project MUSE

Initiatives Finalists

Highlighting impactful programs advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility efforts, and educational initiatives.

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Or Accessibility Initiatives
  • American Geophysical Union: Community Science Exchange: A New Home For Participatory Science Research
  • Integra: Women at Integra: Growth and Success (WiNGS): Advancing DEIA
• Publishing Education And Training Initiatives
  • Sage: How to Do Research and Get Published
  • Silverchair: ScholarOne Summit & Community Engagement Initiatives

Learn more about each entry in the EPIC Awards gallery.

Coinciding with SSP’s Annual Meeting in Chula Vista, CA, from May 27 to 29, 2026, his highly anticipated celebration unites industry leaders, innovators, and emerging voices for an evening of recognition, inspiration, and appreciation.

“The EPIC Awards committee congratulates the 2026 finalists and extends our appreciation to the many organizations that submitted entries this year,” said EPIC Awards committee co-chairs Lisa Cunningham and Emma Hennessey. “We’re excited to celebrate these outstanding contributions to the scholarly publishing community during the SSP annual meeting!”

The EPIC Awards Celebration promises to be an unforgettable evening as we recognize those driving the scholarly publishing industry forward. Don’t miss the chance to celebrate excellence and connect with our community’s trailblazers! Tickets are available now!

SSP extends its appreciation to everyone who submitted entries for this year’s EPIC Awards. We received over 98 entries, and the quality of submissions across all categories was impressive, reflecting the innovation and dedication present throughout the scholarly publishing community. While we can only recognize a limited number of finalists, each submission contributed valuable perspectives on advancing scholarly communication. We invite the community to submit entries for the 2027 EPIC Awards in late 2026.