FOCUS ON: Anianet

ALPSP members may be interested in a new service which seeks to connect Chinese scholars with their western counterparts.

Fellow ALPSP member Anianet (http://www.anianet.com/) is a professional network for Chinese researchers, professors, and other academic professionals interested in forging better connections with the west by creating free professional profiles on the Anianet network. These English-language profiles outline a member's research interests, institutional affiliation, publishing history, teaching experience, awards, collaboration histories, and other details of his/her professional accomplishments. The profiles are enhanced by including pictures, CVs, links to presentations, and so forth. In this manner, Chinese scholars can make themselves better known to western editors, reviewers, meeting organizers, and others who are beginning to use the network as a means to better understand who is doing what in the Chinese academic space.

The service provides a unique way to connect the Chinese scholars to the international research community, serving tailored feeds of western content from thousands of sources – news, announcements, abstracts, grant opportunities, etc. – tied to a member's specific subject area. In this manner, a Chinese organic chemist, behavioral ecologist, or macroeconomist can effectively keep abreast of international developments in his or her field. It looks like it could become an important tool in developing long-term relationships with Chinese researchers and research institutions and assist in the recruiting of Chinese Editors, Editorial Board members and authors.

Anianet officially launched in late July and already more than 1,600 Chinese scholars - in fields ranging from architectural design to zoology - have created Anianet profiles.