Why You Should Publish Your Article in an AEE Journal

ABSTRACT

Journal articles are beneficial to readers. They offer continuing education, technical insights, lessons learned, and more to the reader. However, writing and publishing journal articles offers many benefits to the author, as well. This article presents and discusses several benefits that serve the authors who write articles for journal publication. The author-reader relationship may not be that different from the mentor-mentee relationship. It is clear how mentoring benefits the mentee—they gain insights, lessons learned, experience, guidance, and confidence (to name a few). This is similar (albeit different) to how a reader benefits from the author of written publications. However, ask any mentor and they will admit how they also benefit from the mentoring process. Similarly, most writers can expand on how they also benefit both from the writing process, as well as the publishing process. The author of this article hopes to entice readers into writing their own articles and seek publication of those articles, preferably in a journal published by the Association of Energy Engineers.

INTRODUCTION

There are some careers known for “publish or perish.” Publishing makes sense for academia. Publishing technical articles is also very common for research organizations (I worked 23 years at a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory) and non-governmental organizations (NGO). What many may not know is that publishing articles offers many benefits to many other professions, particularly energy managers and energy consultants. In other words, many members of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) can benefit directly or indirectly by writing and publishing journal articles.

AEE supports, publishes, and distributes three technical journals for the benefit of its worldwide membership. The journals publish original articles detailing engineering, maintenance, operations, policy, and planning approaches to energy management, energy efficiency and sustainability. All published articles are of a practical nature deemed appropriate for and relevant to practicing energy managers and other AEE members. In general, the journals do not publish basic research or academic articles. Most articles published in AEE journals are written by AEE members for AEE members. The purpose of this article is to address some of the personal and professional benefits to authors who write and publish articles in AEE journals.

好处

The following is a list of benefits of writing and publishing an article in a professional publication, such as one of the journals published by the Association of Energy Engineers.

• Career Advancement
• Professional Credibility
• Better Wages
• Earning Potential
• Get Promoted and Boost Your Salary
• Career Flexibility
• Increase Knowledge and Skills
• Personal and Professional Development
• Continuing Education
• Increase Confidence
• Networking Opportunities
• 行业认可
• Competitive Advantage
• Increased Clientele
• Better Job Security
• Professionalism

I recognize that many of the benefits in this list overlap or otherwise are not mutually exclusive. In fact, many can be seen as cascading—like dominos in a row (the first gives you the second, which hits the third, nailing the fourth, etc., etc.). However you look at it, writing an article is a win-win-win (for the author, reader, and AEE).

Career Advancement

Those who advance are the people who continue to study and train. Writing is a form of continued education and we all like to believe that continuing education will lead to some form of career advancement. As you write an article, your thoughts clarify, which helps you write a better article and also gives you new insights into the subject as the article develops.

Professional Credibility

Let’s face it, if you have published an article on a specific subject, the article demonstrates your professional credibility in that subject matter. It shows you have experience in the topic. In fact, the more papers you publish, the more credibility you will appear to have. Having professional credibility (in a subject) results in employer confidence in the skill set of its employees; supports client confidence in the organizations it partners with to accomplish goals; and supports company confidence in the contractor companies it contracts with to implement key projects.

Once you begin to publish, others will look to you as a competent resource, someone to seek out to address industry challenges, solve problems, or provide market insights. Many companies (and clients) want to associate with individuals who have specific credentials.

Going a step beyond credibility, publishing an article on some topics may also provide instant authority on the subject matter. Becoming a subject matter expert (SME) or industry expert will frequently entail prolific writing and publication.

Better Wages

Writing shows a form of commitment to personal and professional development. Most companies reward career development with increased wages. Publishing supports career growth, which in turn, can lead to higher wages.

Looking for new employment? Publications on your résumé or curriculum vitae (CV) document your prior experience and demonstrate your applied skills. A potential employer will recognize this, which can lead to being hired at a higher position with higher pay.

Earning Potential

Most clients understand the higher costs associated with higher skill sets and specialized training. Many are willing to pay to achieve a better outcome. Published articles take time, trouble, and effort, but the results document your accomplishments, which can lead to greater prospects.

Get Promoted and Boost Your Salary

I’m not going to guarantee that if you write an article, you are going to get a promotion and a raise. However, there are some AEE members who say that their publishing did play a positive role in their advancement. It clearly did not hurt.

Career Flexibility

Authoring a published article clearly documents your skills and capabilities. Many of these skills and capabilities (organizing thoughts, written communications, other activities outlined in your writings, etc.) are likely transferable to other career paths. To use a different terminology, your publication can even benefit your brand enhancement.

Increase Knowledge and Skills

Writing an article provides testament that you have certain knowledge and skills. It assures your employer and client that you are prepared to perform certain skills in the future. This could open doors allowing you to progress further in the subject leading to more opportunities.

Skills are like rungs on a ladder—rung one will lead you to rung two, which will lead you to rung three, then on to rung four. Writing is one more thing that will help you increase your knowledge and skills.

Do you want to build new skills or expand your career in a new direction? Researching and writing about that new technology or new design method is one way to gain new knowledge or learn new skills. This approach could open new opportunities and lead in new directions.

Personal and Professional Development

Writing an article for publication takes time and effort, sometimes even more than pursuing and completing the project that may be the subject of your article. The process of writing will further develop your skills and understanding of the subject.

They say if you ever want to learn more about a subject you already know, try teaching it. Similarly, you will learn more about a project you just accomplished by documenting it. Writing an article about a project you just accomplished can teach you a great deal about that project (that you may not have fully realized). This leads to an even better understanding of the subject.

In the process, you will also learn more about researching, writing, editing, and other communication skills. These skills and experiences can be applied in many other places.

Continuing Education

Publishing a journal article awards the author professional development hours (PDH) and other forms of continuing education units (CEUs) toward recertification and licensures. AEE gives 2 credits toward recertification (e.g., certified energy managers [CEM]) for a published journal article.* For those with Professional Engineering (PE) licenses, each state is different, but as an example, in the state of Oklahoma “each peer-reviewed published, professional or technical paper or book in the licensee’s area(s) of competence” is worth 10 PDHs.† For renewing your Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has established “authorship is a credited contribution to a print or digital publication and is worth 3 continuing education (CE) hours per published article‡…”

There is no doubt that writing an article for publication takes time and effort. On the positive side, that time and effort have value when it comes to renewing professional licenses and professional certifications.

*AEE. Maintain your certification. Available at https://www.aeecenter.org/aee-certifications/im-certified-where-next/maintain-your-certification/

†Oklahoma State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. Continuing Education Rules, OAC 245:15-11. Effective November 1, 2020. Available at https://www.ok.gov/pels/Licensees/Continuing_Education/Continuing_Education_Rules/index.html

‡USGBC. Credential Maintenance Program Guide. November 2023. Available at https://www.usgbc.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/2023-CMP-Guide-101923.pdf

Increase Confidence

Having written and published an article will make you feel that you are more capable—possibly more than others who could otherwise compete with you professionally. This will make you more confident about your skills, capabilities and professional aptitudes.

Networking Opportunities

One of the key outcomes of publishing is that your name gets visibility (both internally and externally), as well as association with specific subjects (e.g., skills, technologies, capabilities, accomplishments). People will see your name and your accomplishments and reach out to network or explore opportunities. Internally, your network will grow. Coworkers may seek out your advice, and managers may seek your involvement in new opportunities. Externally, companies may see a fit between their needs and your capabilities. This will enhance your networking opportunities and the advantages that go with those. There is a reason articles end with a brief author biography and contact information.

行业认可

AEE journals are a benefit of AEE membership. When a journal is released, an email is sent to all AEE members worldwide announcing the release and its contents (article title and authors). AEE encourages its membership to read the journal. Further, AEE supports an annual award for the best journal article for each of its journals.

Publications may also lead to speaking engagements locally or even abroad. Local AEE chapters around the world are always seeking subject matter experts to speak on engaging topics during local chapter meetings. AEE (national and international) sponsors several conferences each year. While these events are seeking brief presentations, writing a paper to accompany and expand the presentation can be used to get your message out beyond the (few) people in the room. Your message can reach and impact significantly more people.

To take this benefit a step further, once your paper is published, it will be read by others as a result of their research. Having your paper referenced or cited by others is a benefit and shows further recognition of your work. The number of times an article has been cited by other articles is a popular metric for evaluating the research impact of an article. Granted, this metric means more in academia and research organizations (than the typical AEE member organizations), but it is still a benefit.

Competitive Advantage

When you publish in your field, you are giving yourself a lead over your competition. This can be in the form of showing you have training/skills/experience your competitors do not. It shows that you have a demonstrated commitment to understanding and excelling in your profession. The published article can set you apart from the competition. In competitive markets, any advantage can make a difference.

Increased Clientele

Prospective clients are attracted to a solid reputation, expertise, and value. People do not do business with people they do not know and do not trust. Writing articles in your field or on previous projects helps establish visibility, credibility, name recognition, and trust. Put simply, published articles can attract new and existing clients. The visibility created through publication can create business opportunities without sounding like a sales pitch. Publishing about your successful projects and lessons learned can set you up for even greater opportunities in the marketplace.

Publishing makes your work more visible; more readers can learn about what you do. More readers can eventually lead to more clients.

Better Job Security

In almost any job environment, people are concerned with job security. Documenting your skills and accomplishments through publication is one more step in protecting yourself against unemployment. Employers do not like losing skilled and productive workers. Part of your competitive advantage can also take the form of improved job security.

Professionalism

Published articles demonstrate your commitment to professionalism, upholding professional standards, and continuing education. These merits to professionalism boost your credibility within your network, your current clients, and when pursuing new business opportunities.

CONCLUSION

This list of benefits to authors in this article is not complete, and as stated earlier, many of the benefits discussed in this article are overlapping. As a potential author, only you can determine the extent to which any of these potential benefits may apply to you. As for myself, I can say publishing about the projects in which I have been involved has seriously enhanced my career. The visibility that articles have provided me had a direct impact on how clients perceived my value. The articles I have published have sometimes been the reason my phone has rung and (in my opinion) influenced the projects in which I was invited to participate. Furthermore, I believe writing articles is a useful tool when applied to mentoring junior staff. I hope this article inspires you to give it a try—write an article and submit it for publication.

MORE ON AEE JOURNALS

The Association of Energy Engineers publishes three journals for the benefit of its international membership. The journals provide a peer-to-peer communication channel for practicing energy managers, engineers, academics, and sustainability professionals. All AEE journals use a continuously open call for papers.

国际能源管理杂志

Scope: Topics related to energy management, applied engineering, or analytical approaches to energy management, including (but not limited to) energy engineering, energy awareness, conservation, industrial, commercial, residential, transportation, renewable energy, high-performance buildings, commissioning, sustainability, utility-resource management, utility deregulation, and alternative financing. Any article of a practical nature appropriate for and relevant to practicing energy managers.

Guidelines:

国际能源管理杂志

Frequency: The journal is published 6 times per year.

Editor-in-Chief: Steven Parker, Email: [email protected]

国际战略能源与环境规划杂志

Scope: Topics related to strategic energy management issues such as management, corporate sustainability initiatives, or energy policy.

Guidelines:

国际战略能源与环境规划杂志

Frequency: The journal is published 6 times per year.

Editor-in-Chief: Stephen Roosa, Email: [email protected]

替代能源和分布式发电杂志

Scope: Topics related to state-of-the-art technological advances in cogeneration and distributed generation, solar, wind, biomass, and other green, renewable, and alternative energy sources.

Guidelines:

替代能源和分布式发电杂志

Frequency: The journal is published 4 times per year.

Editor-in-Chief: Stephen Roosa, Email: [email protected]

Author Biography

Steven Parker, CEM, is the editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Energy Management (IJEM), a bi-monthly journal of the Association of Energy Engineers. Steven has over 43 years of experience focused on energy management. Steven Parker is a Fellow and Past President of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), a member of the AEE Energy Manager’s Hall of Fame, a Certified Energy Manager (CEM), and is a retired Professional Engineer (PE). A life member of AEE, Steven also serves as chair of the CEM Exam Development Committee (EDC). He also served 4 years as editor-in-chief of the Energy Engineering journal and 8 years as editor-in-chief of the Cogeneration and Distributed Generation Journal for AEE and The Fairmont Press. Mr. Parker spent 23 years with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where he supported energy efficiency programs for various federal agencies. Steven began his energy management career in 1981 performing industrial energy audits. One of his more interesting jobs, Steven served several years as energy coordinator at the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll located in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Steven has also authored over 100 technical reports, articles, book chapters, and other professional publications on energy efficiency and energy management. Steven may be contacted at [email protected].