With this cross-journal Collection, the editors at Nature Communications, Communications Materials, and Scientific Reports invite manuscripts that highlight advances in the synthesis, design, fabrication, and real-world testing of OSCs.

In this Collection we aim to bring together Molecular and materials design for high-efficiency organic solar cells, Device engineering and Scalable fabrication strategies, for both single-junction and tandem (including hybrid) photovoltaic architectures and invite Commentary from experts.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

• High-performance donor–acceptor molecular design
• Morphology control and structure–property relationships
• Interfacial materials and contact engineering
• Charge-transfer, recombination, and energy-loss mechanisms
• Ultrafast spectroscopy and operando photophysics
• Tandem architectures
• Flexible, stretchable and wearable OSC
• Semi-transparent and building-integrated OSC
• Scalable coating and printing methods
• Green solvents and sustainable fabrication
• Large-area module design and fabrication

We welcome the submissions of primary research that fall into any of the above-mentioned categories. All the submissions will be subject to the same peer review process and editorial standard as regular Nature Communications, Communications Materials, and Scientific Reports articles.

However, the available literature suggests that these emergency fiscal measures tend to offer only temporary relief and have limited long-term effectiveness. Studies show that certain tax-based interventions—such as boiler bonuses rather than broader fiscal incentives for energy efficiency—have produced unsatisfactory results.

Given the current international economic tensions, governments may once again resort to extraordinary fiscal measures to mitigate the impact of potential shocks, particularly on vulnerable families and sectors. Yet, economic analysis in this area remains underdeveloped, and the effectiveness of fiscal measures in addressing energy poverty is still an open and pressing research question.

Energy poverty is increasingly recognised as a multidimensional challenge that affects social equity, climate policy, and macroeconomic stability. While long-term strategies, such as subsidies for energy efficiency or infrastructure investments, have been formulated, many governments rely on short-term fiscal levers (e.g., reduced excise duties, direct bonuses) to mitigate shocks. These measures, however, often fall short of delivering sustained improvements or equitable outcomes.

This Collection seeks to address the urgent and evolving intersection of fiscal policy and energy poverty, a critical issue amid recent international crises, climate transition imperatives, and rising energy costs.

We welcome submissions on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Fiscal and tax policy instruments targeting energy poverty and vulnerability
• Comparative analyses of short-term vs. long-term fiscal interventions in the energy sector
• Evaluation of subsidy schemes, social energy bonuses, and targeted support mechanisms
• Distributional and equity impacts of energy-related fiscal policies
• The role of energy taxation in promoting affordability and sustainability
• Interactions between fiscal policy, climate policy, and energy transition goals
• Macroeconomic and fiscal implications of energy price shocks
• Regional and national case studies on policy responses to energy crises
• Policy design for just and inclusive energy transitions
• Measurement frameworks and indicators for assessing energy poverty mitigation through fiscal tools

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

• AI in crime prediction and prevention: Applications of machine learning for predictive policing, crime mapping, offender risk assessment and resource allocation.
• Surveillance, analytics and big data in policing: AI-driven systems such as drones, CCTV analytics, licence plate readers and integrated sensor technologies, and their role in crime detection. Use of data mining on large datasets (e.g. social media, communications) for investigative insights.
• Legal and ethical governance: Development of laws, policies and ethical frameworks for AI in law enforcement and criminal justice. Topics include human oversight, ethics boards, community consultation and international governance principles.
• Quantum computing and public safety: Implications of quantum computing for cybersecurity, encryption protocols and law enforcement capabilities. Exploration of quantum algorithms for complex problem-solving and the associated ethical considerations.
• Interdisciplinary approaches and case studies: Evaluations of pilot programmes, governance models and comparative studies across jurisdictions (e.g. EU, US, China) on AI regulation in public safety.
• Public trust and community engagement: Societal impacts of AI on trust in justice institutions. Public perceptions of algorithmic policing and strategies for transparency and accountability, such as citizen review boards and media oversight.

We invite interdisciplinary research on AI applications in public safety, including areas such as predictive policing, crime forecasting, law enforcement and governance. In the spirit of exploration, we particularly welcome empirical submissions that bridge disciplinary boundaries. These should foster collaboration across criminology, sociology, computer science, law and criminal justice policy, and address diverse analytical levels and empirical contexts.

Please note: theoretical contributions from computer science will be considered out of scope.

Many geographical areas have been dealing with natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis for centuries and have long-entrenched policies for mitigation and management. However, more modern considerations such as ensuring adequate aid for people with physical or mental disadvantages and catering for issues such as economic disparity have added extra layers of complexity to existing strategies. Additionally, the changing weather patterns and extreme weather events instigated by climate change are now seeing previously untroubled territories having to invest vast amount of resources to develop and instigate new policy and contingencies in order to meet the demands of increasingly frequent events such as heatwaves, floods and violent weather.

This Collection seeks research that examines how societies anticipate, prepare for, and respond to disasters, and how governmental policies shape – and are shaped by – existing or outdated strategies, new threats, and health, gender or racial inequalities.

Original research and reviews are invited on a range of themes, including but not limited to:

• Knowledge and improvement of existing disaster preparedness frameworks
• Suggestions for new strategies for mitigation and management of emerging at-risk areas
• Indigenous knowledge and community-led preparedness
• Financial considerations and resource allocation, including improper usage and corruption
• Policy analysis of national and international disaster management strategies
• Communication, early warning systems and influencing public perception of disaster risk
• Gender, race, disability and class in disaster vulnerability and planning
• Short term and long term recovery policies

Submissions that examine a specific example of a natural disaster without focusing on mitigation or management policy will be considered to be out of scope for this Collection.

• Museum Pedagogy and Learning: Theories and practices of museum education; gamification; dialogical and participatory approaches.
• Archives in Education: Using archival materials in teaching; digital archives and open access for learners.
• Curriculum and Collaboration: Partnerships between museums, schools, and universities; co-created educational programs.
• Inclusivity, Accessibility and Community-Centred Education: Strategies for engaging diverse audiences; addressing barriers to participation.
• Digital Dimensions: Virtual exhibitions, immersive technologies (VR, AR and MR), online learning platforms, social media, AI, and the role of technology in museum education.
• Critical and Decolonial Approaches: Challenging dominant narratives; integrating marginalized voices into educational programming.
• Sustainability and Climate Education: Museums, archives and Education for Sustainable Development (SDG).
• Creative Practices: Artistic interventions and storytelling as educational tools in museums and archives.

Critically, these challenges are not experienced equally. The professional journeys of ECRs are deeply shaped by structural inequities across socio-economic classes, gender, race, and geography. As Altbach (2004), Kovalenko & Richards (2023), and Cunningham et al. (2024) highlight, stark global disparities in research resources and institutional infrastructure limit access to mobility, collaboration, and visibility for scholars based in under-resourced systems. These asymmetries reproduce exclusion within academic networks, reinforcing global hierarchies of knowledge production.

Moreover, mental health challenges disproportionately impact ECRs navigating such constrained systems. Empirical studies document high levels of anxiety, burnout, and isolation among postgraduate researchers (Levecque et al., 2017; Evans et al., 2018). These are often exacerbated by uncertainties in career pathways, limited mentoring, and the emotional strain of meeting institutional performance expectations. The result is a system that risks undermining the diversity and resilience of the academic profession at its foundation.

Simultaneously, shifting academic norms require ECRs to embrace new expectations, including interdisciplinary research, global collaboration, public engagement, and knowledge translation. Jacobs & Frickel (2009) and Bates et al. (2023) emphasise that while interdisciplinary work can be a site of innovation, it also presents epistemic and institutional challenges, particularly for early-career scholars navigating unclear disciplinary boundaries and reward systems.

Policy reforms and institutional strategies aimed at addressing these issues are emerging, but remain fragmented and unevenly implemented across contexts. Doctoral education, career development, and research governance systems continue to evolve, yet often lack comparative and theoretically grounded perspectives on how best to support early-career researchers.

This Collection therefore aims to generate a comprehensive, interdisciplinary exploration of the evolving conditions of doctoral and early-career research. It will examine how systemic structures, institutional environments, and individual strategies intersect to shape ECR experiences and outcomes. Rather than imposing a fixed analytical lens, the Collection encourages multi-level, context-sensitive investigations, ranging from comparative policy analysis to ethnographic accounts and institutional case studies.

By bridging micro-level experiences and macro-level dynamics, this Collection seeks to build conceptual frameworks and actionable insights that support sustainable, equitable, and inclusive academic career development. In doing so, it aspires to open space for transformative conversations and collaborative reform across research communities, institutions, and regions.

We welcome contributions from all relevant disciplines, including education, sociology, policy studies, science and technology studies, and gender studies, that examine the conditions shaping doctoral and early-career research. We particularly encourage submissions that adopt comparative, interdisciplinary, or underrepresented perspectives.

The Collection invites empirical, conceptual, and reflective papers on the following themes:

Challenges in professional development

• Navigating competitive academic environments
• Dealing with job insecurity, performance pressures, and precarious funding

Opportunities for growth and innovation

• Leveraging mentorship and supportive policy frameworks
• Engaging in international collaboration and open science practices
• Fostering innovative trajectories and global engagement

Formation of core competencies

• Developing interdisciplinary communication, leadership, and responsible research conduct
• Understanding how institutions support or hinder skill development

Structural inequities and inclusion

• Examining the influence of race, gender, socio-economic background, and geographic location on opportunities
• Highlighting strategies for fostering inclusive academic ecosystems (Altbach, 2004; Kovalenko & Richards, 2023; Cunningham et al., 2024)

Mental health and career resilience

• Addressing psychological pressures of early academic life
• Promoting well-being, work-life balance, and sustainable engagement (Levecque et al., 2017; Evans et al., 2018)

Policy and institutional pathways for success

• Evaluating doctoral training systems and career development schemes
• Assessing national or institutional reforms shaping the research profession globally

By foregrounding the interconnected challenges and opportunities across career stages and systems, this Collection seeks to build a nuanced, evidence-based understanding of how early-career researchers can be better supported in building meaningful, impactful, and sustainable research careers.

Recent scholarship has highlighted how educational systems often reproduce structural inequalities, even as they are positioned as tools for empowerment and development. Research on refugee education, inclusive schooling, non‑formal learning, and community‑based pedagogies has shown the diverse ways in which marginalised groups navigate, resist, and reshape educational spaces. At the same time, international organisations, NGOs, and states deploy competing models of educational provision ranging from emergency schooling to digital learning platforms, each carrying its own assumptions about citizenship, belonging, and the purpose of education.

Education is not only a fundamental human right; it is also a political arena in which identities, futures, and power relations are negotiated. For displaced and marginalised populations, access to education can determine livelihood opportunities, social integration, and political recognition. Yet educational interventions can also reinforce dependency, cultural erasure, or exclusion when they fail to account for local knowledge, agency, and lived experience. Understanding these dynamics is essential for addressing global inequalities and imagining more just and sustainable educational futures.

This Collection invites critical, interdisciplinary contributions that examine the politics, practices, and possibilities of education for marginalised or displaced populations. We welcome empirical, theoretical, and methodological work from education studies, sociology, anthropology, political science, development studies, migration studies, human geography, history, and related fields. By bringing diverse perspectives together, the collection aims to interrogate dominant paradigms, amplify marginalised voices, and explore transformative approaches to educational justice.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Educational access, equity, and rights for refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons
• Schooling and social inclusion for ethnic, linguistic, or religious minorities
• The role of international organisations, NGOs, and humanitarian actors in shaping educational provision
• Community‑based, indigenous, or non‑formal educational practices
• Digital learning, remote education, and technological inequalities
• Education in conflict zones, fragile states, and protracted displacement contexts
• Gender, disability, and intersectional barriers to education
• Curriculum, language policy, and cultural identity in marginalised communities
• The politics of accreditation, certification, and recognition of prior learning
• Youth agency, aspirations, and resistance within constrained educational environments
• Historical perspectives on exclusion, segregation, and educational reform
• Climate change, mobility, and the future of education for displaced populations

We particularly encourage submissions that foreground the experiences and knowledge of marginalised communities, challenge dominant policy frameworks, or propose innovative pathways toward inclusive and equitable education systems.

We invite papers that engage with topics including (but not limited to):

• Pedagogies and practices of music education: Approaches to teaching and learning music in schools, higher education, and informal settings; embodied, experiential and participatory methods.
• Access, inequality and inclusion: Socioeconomic, racial, gendered or geographical disparities in access to music education; disability and inclusive pedagogies.
• Curriculum, canon and decolonisation: Whose music is taught and valued; efforts to diversify repertoires; critiques of Eurocentric traditions and institutional frameworks.
• Music, identity and community: The role of music education in shaping individual and collective identities; community-based and intergenerational learning.
• Digital transformations: Online learning, virtual performance, social media and new technologies in music teaching and participation.
• Policy and the value of the arts: Educational policy, funding decisions, and the positioning of music within broader curricular priorities.
• Music education and wellbeing: Emotional, social and cognitive dimensions of music learning; music as a tool for expression, resilience and care.

We particularly encourage interdisciplinary work, research that bridges theory and practice, and contributions that foreground underrepresented musical traditions, educational contexts or learner communities.