Introduction 

Cambridge University Press is delighted to partner with the DTNet+ research community to produce a special collection of articles deriving from its first Perspectives on the Societal Impact of Digital Twins Conference, which takes place at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, UK on 29-31 March 2026.

Selected authors will be invited to extend their abstract and submit a full paper for peer review and potential publication in one of three open-access journals at Cambridge University Press that explore the impact of data science on different domains. The journals are Environmental Data Science, Data-Centric Engineering, and Data & Policy which have all featured work on digital twins in the past.

Accepted articles will be published in the chosen and presented on the Cambridge Core website in a collection page dedicated to the Perspectives on the Societal Impact of Digital Twins, similar to a special issue.

Scope of the Conference and Collection

The Conference and related special collection at Cambridge University Press will aim to showcase work exploring how digital twin technologies shape society both positively and negatively and in particular, how we can amplify the benefits of digital twins while recognising and mitigating potential harms. It places particular emphasis on the work of Early Career Researchers (ECRs). 

Submissions on all topics related to the societal impacts of digital twins are welcome, including but not limited to:

• Cybersecurity, data governance, and privacy
• Healthcare and medical technologies
• Sustainability and environmental applications
• Urban planning, infrastructure, and transport
• Cultural heritage and the arts
• Education and digital learning environments
• Ethics, equity, and responsible innovation

Timetable

Authors must register for the conference and submit their 1000 word abstract via EasyChair.

• Abstract submission deadline: 16 November 2025
• Abstract decision notification: 20th December 2025
• Conference date: 29-31 March 2026

Invited authors will be encouraged to submit a fully developed version of the article to one of the participating journals after the conference with a final submission deadline of 30 June 2026.

How to submit 

Authors invited to participate are encouraged to explore the contents of each journal to decide which is the most suitable venue for their work.

Environmental Data Science

EDS (2024 Impact Factor: 1.7) is a venue dedicated to the use of data-driven approaches to understand environmental processes - including climate change - and aid sustainable decision-making.

Article types: EDS publishes three types of research article: Application Papers, Methods Papers and Data Papers. The journal also publishes shorter Position Papers that are an overview of an important issue for the field. 

Peer review: Articles are sent to two reviewers under a transparent peer review model, which results in the review reports being published alongside the accepted article.

Guest Editors:

• Fanta Camara, Research Fellow, Institute for Safe Autonomy, University of York
• Carol Lo, Postgraduate Researcher, Associate Lecturer, University of the West of England 

View the wider Editorial Board here.

How to submit: View the Article Preparation page of the EDS website. EDS provides LaTeX, Word and Overleaf templates. Articles must be submitted through the EDS ScholarOne site and authors should select ‘Perspectives on Societal Impact of Digital Twins’ in the dropdown question about special collections.

Data & Policy

D&P (2024 Impact Factor: 2.7) is dedicated to the impact of data science on governance, publishing research examining the use of data for policy, and contributions that explore how data can be used in an ethical, responsible and efficient manner. It is published in association with the Data for Policy community and conference series. 

Article types: We expect most authors to submit Research Articles, but D&P also publishes Translational Articles, Commentaries and Data Descriptor papers.

Peer review: Research Articles are sent to three reviewers (single anonymous review): typically two with relevant domain or data science expertise to assess the rigour of the paper, plus one providing an interdisciplinary or policy-specific perspective. All other article types are sent to two reviewers.

Guest Editors:

• Negar Ahmadpoor, Senior Lecturer, Anglia Ruskin University 
• Viviana Bastidas, Senior Research Associate, University of Cambridge

The wider Editorial Board can be seen here.

How to submit: View the Article Preparation page of the D&P website. D&P provides LaTeX, Word and Overleaf templates. Articles must be submitted through the D&P ScholarOne site and authors should select ‘Perspectives on Societal Impact of Digital Twins’ in the dropdown question about special collections.

Data-Centric Engineering

DCE (2024 Impact Factor: 2.8) is dedicated to the transformative impact of data science across all areas of engineering. Articles explore the benefits of data science methods and models for improving the reliability, resilience, safety, efficiency and usability of engineered systems

Article types: We expect most participating authors to submit Research Articles, but DCE also publishes Translational Papers dedicated to the downstream impact of data science, as well as Data Descriptor Papers and Tutorial Reviews. 

Peer review: Articles are sent to two reviewers (single anonymous review), with the aim of getting relevant engineering and data science expertise.

Guest Editors: 

• Carolina Fuentes, Senior Lecturer, Cardiff University
• Fanta Camara, Research Fellow, Institute for Safe Autonomy, University of York

The wider Editorial Board can be found here.

How to submit: View the Article Preparation page of the DCE website. DCE provides LaTeX, Word and Overleaf templates. Articles must be submitted through the DCE ScholarOne site and authors should select ‘Perspectives on Societal Impact of Digital Twins’ in the dropdown question about special collections.

Open Access

There are no financial barriers to publishing on an open-access basis in DCE, D&P or EDS. Any author can publish on an open access basis irrespective of their funding situation or institutional affiliation. There are no financial barriers to publication. Many articles are covered through the Transformative Agreements that Cambridge has set up with universities worldwide. If the corresponding author on an article is affiliated with a Transformative Agreement this effectively covers open access publishing costs. Authors not affiliated with these agreements who have grants that budget for open access publication are encouraged to pay an article processing charge (APC). However, if an author has no funding and no institutional agreement, the charge will be waived without question.

Open Materials

Authors are encouraged to make code and data that support the findings available in a recognised open repository such as Zenodo. All articles should contain a Data Availability Statement that describes where interested parties can access the data and code (providing the DOI or other permanent link) or alternatively explain why data and code could not be made open. Open Data and Open Materials badges will be displayed on published articles that link to replication materials, as a recognition of open practices. See the Research Transparency Policy for more details on what makes a trusted repository and some example Data Availability Statements.