— Ch. 1 · Founding And Early Years —
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
The first issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences appeared in 1915. This publication emerged from an organization founded three years earlier by a private group chartered by Congress. The goal was to investigate and report on any subject of science or art. Before this journal existed, the academy published only organizational transactions filled with meeting minutes. PNAS began as a channel for members to share brief announcements of their research contributions. For decades, the pages served primarily as a communication tool for insiders rather than a broad scientific forum.
Evolution Of Submission Policies
December 1995 marked a turning point when the journal opened submissions to all authors. Previously, researchers needed sponsorship from a member of the National Academy of Sciences to publish. Members could still communicate up to two papers from non-members each year. These contributed papers underwent anonymous review where referees remained hidden from authors. The editor selected these reviewers without public input. By eliminating the requirement for member sponsorship, the journal shifted toward direct submissions. Today ninety-five percent of papers arrive through open channels while five percent use the older contributed system.Digital Transformation And Access Models
January 2019 brought the end of print issues for the journal. It became online-only though physical copies remain available upon request. An embargo period of six months previously delayed free access to articles. Authors could bypass this wait by paying an open-access fee. Since September 2017, many articles carry a Creative Commons license allowing broader reuse. This shift reflected changing norms in how science reaches its audience. The transition required significant logistical changes for editors and staff managing the archive.