Interview with Dr. Joyce David Martin—Winner of the Systems Travel Award

The Systems Travel Award was launched in 2018 and is presented every year to encourage junior scientists to present their latest research at academic conferences in the field of systems, helping them to expand their profiles as scholars. The application process is open every year from July to March of the following year, and the winners are announced by the end of May of the following year.

Recently, we had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Joyce Martin, the 2026 winner of the Systems Travel Award. In this interview, she shares with us her main research work, her plans for conference participation, and her views on the Systems (ISSN 2079-8954) journal and open access publishing.

1. Congratulations on winning the Systems Travel Award. Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?
Thank you. My name is Joyce David Martin. I have an educational foundation in engineering and a great interest in the broad, interdisciplinary nature of systems engineering. My PhD research was focused on systems of systems (SoS). SoS embrace complexity through the orchestration of collaboration of independent systems. Understanding such orchestrations opens possibilities for improved decision support and system designs. My research on SoS explored a wide range of topics, including understanding core concepts such as SoS missions and capabilities, exploring capability configurations, and understanding the SoS problem through a systems thinking lens. Overall, my work sought to develop a conceptual understanding of SoS, and the ways in which SoS complexity can be explored and approached.

2. Could you share your feelings after receiving this award?
Thankful. I was glad and thankful to the collaborators of this research work and to MDPI’s Systems for seeing the value of this research and the need to support researchers. Receiving this award is not only a recognition of research progress, but it also offered good support towards participation in a conference.

3. Could you briefly describe the conferences you plan to attend with the funding from this award? What significance do you think participating in such conferences has for expanding your international collaborations or enhancing your academic influence?
With this support, I attended the IEEE Systems of Systems Engineering (SoSE) 2026 conference, themed “the world as systems of systems,” held in June–July 2026 in Kongsberg, Norway. The SoSE conference is a great avenue to see progress and emerging themes in general systems engineering research and practice, and to network with researchers and practitioners. Notably, I was also fortunate to join the conference’s organizing committee; thus, this participation was both a window to disseminate research outcomes and an important opportunity to establish further collaborations that positively contribute towards expanding one’s network and international visibility.

4. As a recipient, how do you view the role of open access journals (such as Systems) in academic communication? Would you consider reviewing or submitting papers to them in the future?
Open access journals are good avenues for research communication as they are readily available to the public and therefore open the research themes for further discussion.
Yes, I would consider reviewing/submitting to open access journals. It is an opportunity to contribute to the working of the academic community, learn of developments in the field, and expand one’s network.

5. What suggestions do you have for academic journals and publishers to further support young researchers and the academic community?
Making deliberate efforts to support young researchers and the academic community through different means, such as mentorship, facilitating their inclusion in reviews, facilitating greater accessibility through reduced costs and grants, and overall supporting good open science with thorough peer reviews and reasonably fast responses. This is especially important for early career researchers, helping them grow, accumulate experience, and build confidence within the academic community, thereby laying the foundation for the sustainable development of the academic community.

6. What suggestions do you have for the journal Systems?
I do not have any suggestions, but rather an appreciation of the journal’s holistic view towards advancing theory, methodologies, and practices in different core areas, and its support for a wide range of topics that address socio-technical issues and foster interdisciplinary research.

We would like to thank Dr. Joyce Martin for taking time out of her busy schedule to participate in this interview with the Systems Editorial Office, and for her affirmation and support of Systems’ development. We sincerely wish Dr. Joyce Martin every success on her research journey.

Call for Systems 2027 Travel Award Applications:
We are pleased to announce that the Systems 2027 Travel Award is now open for applications. We invite eligible researchers to apply for an opportunity to present their research through an international platform. The application deadline is 31 March 2027.

For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/systems/awards/4251.