Publication and Presentation Policy – Neuromatch Scholars Programs

Last updated: February 26, 2026
Neuromatch is committed to open science, transparency, and equitable access to knowledge. We support early-career researchers in producing rigorous, responsible, and impactful research, and in disseminating their work in ways that prioritize openness, reproducibility, and broad accessibility. 
This policy applies to all Neuromatch Scholars Programs, including but not limited to:
  • Impact Scholars Program (ISP)
  • AI Sentience Scholars (AISS)
  • Future Neuromatch scholar initiatives
While publication or presentation beyond required program outputs is not required, many scholars or scholar groups choose to further develop their work beyond the programs and submit it for peer-reviewed publication, conference presentation, or public dissemination. To support these efforts and align with Neuromatch’s values, we have outlined the following publication and presentation policy and recommendations.

1. Program Outputs

Each Scholars Program defines required outputs appropriate to its structure and goals.

Impact Scholars Program

  • A peer-reviewed micropublication
  • A summary accessible to a general audience
  • A seminar presentation outlining the project’s findings

AI Sentience Scholars Program

  • A written research output (e.g., report, preprint, or conference proceeding)
  • A recorded seminar presentation
  • Participation and presentation in a cohort convening (virtual or in person)
Future scholar programs may define additional or alternative outputs consistent with their objectives.

2. Commitment to Open Science and Suggested Journals

Neuromatch is committed to open and equitable access to scientific knowledge. We strongly encourage all scholar groups pursuing publication to make their work publicly accessible, either by:
  • Submitting to open access journals under a CC-BY licence, or 
  • Uploading to preprint servers, such as:
  •  arXiv 
  •  bioRxiv 
  •  EarthArXiv 
  •  Zenodo Neuromatch 
To support scholars in selecting suitable venues, we recommend the following open access journals relevant to the research fields within the program:
Neuroscience
Climate Science
AI, Consciousness & Ethics
For other options, scholars are encouraged to consult the  Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) .

Publication Fee Waivers and Discounts:
We encourage scholars to explore publication fee waivers and discounts offered by many open access publishers, especially those operated by non-profit organizations. Most progressive and non-profit academic journals provide full or partial waivers for authors based at institutions in low- and middle-income countries. Scholars can browse directories like the  Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)  or explore the  list of non-profit academic publishers  for options.
In addition, scholars should check with their institution’s library, as many universities have agreements that cover or reduce article processing charges (APCs) for select publishers.
For example, Wiley offers full or partial fee waivers for corresponding authors based at institutions in low- and middle-income countries. This applies to publications in Wiley’s fully open access journals. More information is available here:  Wiley Waivers and Discounts .

3. Affiliation Guidelines

All authors and presenters are encouraged to include a Neuromatch affiliation in their publications, posters, and presentations to acknowledge the infrastructure, mentorship, and community support that made their work possible.
Neuromatch may be listed alongside an author’s primary institutional affiliation, or as the sole affiliation if the author does not hold a current institutional appointment or chooses not to list another affiliation.
Examples:
Greco, V., Neuromatch Academy, Neuromatch
Greco, V., Climatematch Academy, Neuromatch
Greco, V., AI Sentience Scholars Program, Neuromatch
Greco, V.¹²
¹ University of X
² AI Sentience Scholars Program, Neuromatch
Affiliation formatting may vary depending on the specific Scholars Program.

4. Acknowledgment Statement

Publications and presentations should include an acknowledgment section that recognizes the support of the relevant Scholars Program, as well as contributions from individuals who do not qualify for authorship (e.g., scholars who contributed during the early stages but did not complete the project).
For Impact Scholars:This work was supported by Neuromatch Academy [or Climatematch Academy] through the Impact Scholars Program. We thank all members of our project group for their contributions, especially those involved in the early stages of the project. In particular, we acknowledge [Name(s)] for their valuable input during the initial planning and exploration phases.
For AI Sentience Scholars: This work was supported by Neuromatch through the AI Sentience Scholars Program, funded by Longview Philanthropy. We thank our mentor(s) and fellow scholars for their valuable feedback and contributions. In particular, we acknowledge [Name(s)] for their valuable input in...

5. Authorship and Contributions

All scholars should follow fair and transparent authorship practices such as the  CRediT taxonomy , which defines roles like conceptualization, methodology, software, and writing. Authorship decisions should:
  • Be discussed openly and collaboratively
  • Reflect actual contributions
  • Be revisited regularly as the project evolves
Mentor contributions should be acknowledged appropriately based on their level of involvement.
Presenters are encouraged to recognize collaborations and contributors in their talks and posters appropriately, where appropriate.

6. Responsible Communication

Scholars are encouraged to communicate their work responsibly and accurately in publications, presentations, and public-facing materials.
This includes:
  • Avoiding overstatement of findings
  • Clearly communicating methodological limitations
  • Distinguishing empirical results from speculative interpretation
  • Supporting transparency and reproducibility where feasible (e.g., sharing code, data, or analysis details)
  • Exercising care in public or media-facing communication
This is particularly important in emerging and societally sensitive research areas.

7. Communication and Visibility

Scholars planning to submit a manuscript or present their work publicly (poster, talk, blog post, etc.) are encouraged to inform the relevant Scholars Program coordination team. This allows us to:
  • Track scholar progress and program outcomes
  • Promote your work through Neuromatch’s platforms
  • Offer support on open licensing and authorship
  • Celebrate your success within the Neuromatch community and beyond
We kindly request that all submitted and accepted manuscripts as well as upcoming presentations or posters originating from Scholars projects be shared with us at the time of submission or acceptance. When notifying us, please include the following details:
  • Title
  • Author list
  • Abstract
  • Submission or acceptance status
  • Journal name, conference/event name and links if applicable
To make it easier to share your work, we provide a  Communications Kit  with templates and guidance for posters, presentation slides, and printouts. The materials are based on the latest UX research and are optional but they make it easier to get started and help ensure consistent recognition of Neuromatch and your collaborators.

Additional Considerations (for Impact Scholars Program only)

  • Mentorship Beyond the Program: Mentors are compensated for their guidance during the official Impact Scholars Program period. If a mentor chooses to continue supporting a group beyond the program, this continued involvement is entirely voluntary and unpaid.
  • Colab Pro Subscriptions: Scholars who received a Colab Pro subscription through the program should note that their access will expire before the start of the next Academy. Unfortunately, we are unable to extend existing subscriptions or provide new Colab Pro subscriptions beyond the program period.

Contact

For publication-related questions or notifications, please contact the relevant program team:
  • Impact Scholars:  impactscholars@neuromatch.io 
  • AI Sentience Scholars:  aischolars@neuromatch.io 
Future scholar programs will provide dedicated contact details as applicable.