About Our Membership Community

The Journal of Zoological Research membership program connects researchers, educators, and conservation practitioners who share commitment to advancing zoological science through open-access publishing. Members join a vibrant community spanning every continent, representing diverse expertise from invertebrate taxonomy to large mammal ecology, from behavioral ethology to molecular phylogenetics.

Our membership tiers accommodate researchers at every career stage, from graduate students beginning their publishing journey to established professors with extensive publication records. Each tier offers distinct benefits designed to support your research dissemination goals while contributing to sustainable open-access publishing that benefits the entire scientific community.

Membership Tiers

Supporting Open Science

Membership contributions directly support our mission of barrier-free scientific publishing. Funds sustain editorial operations, peer review coordination, technological infrastructure, and outreach programs introducing open-access concepts to researchers in developing countries where subscription barriers have historically limited participation in global scientific discourse.

We invest membership revenue in improving author services, expanding indexing coverage, enhancing manuscript discovery through optimized metadata, and developing tools that help zoological research reach conservation practitioners who can apply findings to species and habitat protection. Your membership strengthens the entire ecosystem supporting open zoological communication.

Community Engagement Opportunities

Beyond publication benefits, members access exclusive engagement opportunities. Participate in reviewer training workshops led by experienced editors, attend virtual symposia discussing emerging zoological research areas, and contribute to discussions shaping editorial policies for specialized manuscript types including taxonomy, behavioral observation, and conservation assessment papers.

Active members may be invited to join editorial advisory panels providing guidance on journal development, special issue topics, and community outreach initiatives. These volunteer roles offer professional development while contributing to advancing zoological publishing standards.

How to Join

Enrollment is straightforward through our membership portal. Select your preferred tier, provide professional information, and complete secure payment. Institutional memberships require brief coordination with your research office to establish billing arrangements. Benefits activate immediately upon enrollment confirmation, with welcome materials and login credentials arriving via email within one business day.

Professional Networking and Collaboration

Membership opens doors to invaluable networking opportunities with zoological researchers across specializations and geographic regions. Our member directory connects taxonomists, behavioral ecologists, conservation biologists, and physiologists, facilitating collaborations that span institutional and national boundaries. Many significant research partnerships and coauthorships have emerged from connections made through our community platforms and events.

Virtual symposia bring together members discussing cutting-edge research, methodological innovations, and emerging conservation challenges. These events feature presentations by leading zoologists, panel discussions on publication ethics and open science, and networking sessions enabling direct interaction between established researchers and early-career scientists seeking mentorship and collaborative opportunities.

Educational Resources and Training

Members access exclusive educational content supporting research development and publishing success. Tutorial webinars cover manuscript preparation, statistical analysis best practices, species identification techniques, and effective science communication strategies. Archive recordings remain available for members to review at their convenience, building a comprehensive resource library supporting continuous professional development.

Writing workshops address common challenges authors face, including structuring complex arguments, presenting statistical results effectively, and responding constructively to reviewer critiques. Guest editors share insights into special issue development and thematic collection curation, helping aspiring editors understand pathways to editorial leadership within zoological publishing.

Recognition and Achievement Awards

We celebrate exceptional member contributions through annual recognition programs. Outstanding reviewer awards acknowledge members providing exceptionally thorough and constructive manuscript evaluations. Best paper awards recognize exemplary publications demonstrating scientific excellence, methodological innovation, or significant conservation impact. Early-career achievement awards support emerging zoologists making notable contributions to animal science.

Award recipients receive certificates, recognition in journal announcements, and invitations to present at member symposia. These honors enhance professional portfolios and demonstrate commitment to advancing zoological research through collaborative open-access publishing.

Sustaining Open-Access for Future Generations

Your membership investment directly supports our mission of maintaining permanently accessible zoological research and expanding open-access opportunities worldwide. Member contributions fund infrastructure improvements, outreach programs introducing open publishing to underserved research communities, and initiatives reducing barriers for researchers from low-income regions.

By joining our membership community, you become part of a global movement transforming scientific communication, ensuring that valuable zoological discoveries remain freely accessible to conservation practitioners, educators, policymakers, and researchers who need this knowledge to protect Earth's biodiversity for future generations. Together, we advance animal science through collaborative, barrier-free scholarship that advances our collective understanding of the animal kingdom and biodiversity conservation challenges worldwide.