Emerging Talents in Circular Economy and Sustainability: Next-Generation’s Research for a Sustainable World

The transition to a circular economy (CE) has moved from a niche concept to a structuring principle of sustainability science and policy alike. Across scales, from individual firms and urban systems to national economies and global value chains, researchers are grappling with how to redesign production and consumption patterns that remain fundamentally at odds with planetary boundaries. Interdisciplinary by nature, CE research draws on environmental economics, industrial ecology, management science, law, and the social sciences, reflecting the systemic character of the challenge it addresses. Yet this intellectual breadth also makes the field demanding to enter: meaningful contributions require command of multiple literatures, methodological pluralism, and the ability to translate findings across disciplinary boundaries.A critical resource for this transformation is, paradoxically, underutilised: the original research produced by the next generation of sustainability scholars. Every year, students across the globe conduct high-quality empirical, theoretical, and computational work as part of their undergraduate, Master’s, and doctoral programmes. The vast majority of this work never reaches peer-reviewed journals, not because of insufficient quality, but because the path to publication can appear opaque and daunting for early-career researchers with limited exposure to academic writing and the review process.This Research Topic, “Emerging Scholars in Circular Economy: Next-Generation Research for a Sustainable World,” directly addresses this structural gap. Building on the established Frontiers ‘Emerging Talents’ series, it creates a dedicated, mentored publication pathway for student researchers working across the full breadth of circular economy science. Topic Editors, internationally recognised scholars in CE and sustainability, will provide constructive, hands-on guidance through Frontiers’ collaborative peer-review process. A dedicated webinar will be offered to all submitting students, providing unique insights into how peer review works in practice and how to prepare manuscripts that meet international publication standards.By surfacing and amplifying student-generated knowledge, this series enriches the global scientific record, builds research capacity at a critical early-career stage, and foregrounds the perspectives of those who will be responsible for implementing the circular transitions of the coming decades.Scope and Thematic Coverage:We welcome original research articles, systematic and scoping reviews, mini-reviews, case reports, data reports, hypothesis and theory pieces, and perspectives, both empirical and computational, covering, but not limited to, the following themes:▪ Circular Business Models, Innovation, and Investment▪ Circular Cities, Regions, and Urban Metabolism▪ Circular Design, Materials, and Product Longevity▪ Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)▪ Circular Production, Consumption, and Waste Management▪ Circular and Sustainable Supply Chains▪ Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Design: Material Health, Eco-Effective Product Design, and Biological/Technical Nutrient Cycles▪ Digital Technologies as Enablers of Circular Economy▪ Education, Awareness, and Stakeholder Engagement for Circularity▪ Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy, and Energy from Waste▪ Legal Frameworks, Policy Instruments, and Green Public Procurement▪ Life Cycle Thinking, Resource Efficiency, and Green Accounting▪ Regenerative Economy: Restorative Business Models, Biomimicry, and Circular–Regenerative Synergies▪ Social Dimensions: Equity, Behaviour Change, and Just Transition▪ Risks, Barriers, and Enabling Conditions for CE TransitionsPeer Review and Editorial Support:At Frontiers, peer review is collaborative, transparent, and constructive by design. For early-career researchers, this model is especially valuable: authors engage directly with reviewers and editors, receiving substantive guidance rather than opaque verdicts. All students submitting to this Research Topic will benefit from:▪ Hands-on manuscript guidance from Topic Editors committed to the development of emerging research talent.▪ A dedicated pre-submission webinar covering the peer-review process, manuscript structure, and common pitfalls for first-time authors in sustainability science.▪ Constructive reviewer feedback aimed at improving both the manuscript and the author’s broader research communication skills.▪ Full open-access publication, ensuring that student-generated research reaches the widest possible global audience.Eligibility:To be considered for inclusion in this Research Topic, at least one of the following conditions must be met at the time of manuscript submission:▪ The first author is a currently enrolled undergraduate or postgraduate (Master’s or PhD) student.▪ The corresponding author is a currently enrolled undergraduate or postgraduate students▪ The first or corresponding author has completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree within the past 12 months.▪ The manuscript includes a co-first author who satisfies any of the above criteria.Note: Senior researchers, faculty supervisors, and established scholars are warmly encouraged to serve as co-authors and to support the submission of student work. The eligibility requirement applies to the lead student contributor, not to the full author team. Topic editors: Nikos Kalogeras, Melanie Jaeger-Erben, Konstantinos P Tsagarakis Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84630/emerging-talents-in-circular-economy-and-sustainability-next-generations-research-for-a-sustainable-world