The Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP) has announced the finalists for the 2025 Excellence in Publishing, Information Technology, & Communications (EPIC) Awards. Launching this year, the EPIC Awards highlight the achievements of individuals and teams who are advancing scholarly publishing through creativity, collaboration, and cutting-edge innovation.

Nominees have been selected across five categories, each with multiple subcategories to recognise the diverse ways organisations and individuals are pushing the boundaries of scholarly communication. Winners will be announced during the EPIC Awards Ceremony on May 29 in Baltimore as part of SSP’s 47th Annual Meeting.

“The EPIC Awards celebrate the bold ideas and meaningful progress happening across our community,” said Melanie Dolechek, Executive Director of SSP. “We are inspired by this year’s nominees and look forward to spotlighting their incredible contributions at our Annual Meeting.

“SSP extends its appreciation to everyone who submitted entries for the inaugural EPIC Awards. There were more than over 90 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 recognise a limited number of finalists, each submission contributed valuable perspectives on advancing scholarly communication. We invite the community to submit entries for the 2026 EPIC Awards in late 2025.”

Tools and Products Finalists – Celebrating technological innovations across the publishing lifecycle.

• Submission System FeatureRiver Valley Technologies – ReView 3.0: Next Generation Peer Review
  Springer Nature – Snapp
• Hosting Platform FeaturesResearch Solutions – Scite Smart Citations
  University of Michigan Press – Fund to Mission Program
• Author ToolsCactus Communications, Inc. – Paperpal
  Cassyni – Cassyni Author Seminars
• Integrity ToolsClear Skies – Oversight
  Wiley – Research Exchange Submission and Screening
• Other Tools And ProductsCharlesworth, An Enago Company – Gateway Notification Services for Global Messenger Apps
  Copyright Clearance Center – OA Intelligence

Publications Finalists

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

• JournalsAmerican Association of Critical-Care Nurses – Critical Care Nurse, December 2024
  Wolters Kluwer Health – American Journal of Nursing (AJN)
• BooksAmerican Academy of Pediatrics – The Trauma-Informed Pediatric Practice
  American Society for Nondestructive Testing – Nondestructive Testing Handbook: Thermal and Infrared
• Short Form ContentAAAS – ScienceAdviser
  Wolters Kluwer Health – ASA Monitor Today
• MagazinesFrontiers Research Foundation – Frontiers for Young Minds
  Wolters Kluwer Health – Brain & Life
• ReportsRTI Press – The Impact of Police Violence on Communities
• Student JournalsGWJEP, GW MPS in Publishing – GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing

Marketing Finalists

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

• Marketing CampaignsITHAKA – Eclipse Engagement in Prisons
  Wiley – Forward Bound For NextGen Researchers
• Social PresenceAAAS – Science, Instagram
  Wolters Kluwer Health – Brain & Life, multiplatform
• BrandingCell Press – 50 Scientists that Inspire
  De Gruyter Brill – De Gruyter Brill
• Media Kit / CollateralORCID – ORCID’s Community Trust Network
  Wiley – The Conversations

Media Finalists

Showcasing original multimedia projects that promote or disseminate scholarly content.

• Video / FilmImpact Journals, LLC – Longevity & Aging Series
  Springer Nature – Showcasing OA Research
• PodcastAAAS – Science
  ITHAKA – JSTOR Daily Conversations on Intellectual Humility
• Data VisualizationAmerican Society of Anesthesiologists – Infographics in Anesthesiology
• Narrative / Multidisciplinary Digital ProjectsCactus Communications, Inc. – Transforming Open Access Workflows with Editage

Initiatives Finalists

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

• Sustainable Development Goals ImplementationCFA Institute – Investment Innovations Toward Achieving Net Zero
  Integra – Water Conservation, Aquifer Recharge, and Private Forest Creation
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Or Accessibility InitiativesBrown University Library Digital Publications – Born-Digital Scholarly Publishing
  University of Split School of Medicine – Giving Voice Project
• Publishing Education And Training InitiativesGeorge Washington University – Student Journal Symposium for Literary and Research Publications
  IOP Publishing – Enhancing Reviewer Inclusion Through Co-Review