Tektonika: breaking barriers in scientific publishing one manuscript at a time

Science, without effective dissemination, has a very short life and little impact. Yet, most scientific research is hidden away behind exclusive and expensive paywalls imposed by traditional publishers. Tektonika is an Earth Science community-led diamond open-access journal (DOAJ: free for authors, free for readers) publishing peer reviewed research in tectonics and structural geology. It is a grass-roots initiative driven by the enthusiasm and devotion of a wide and diverse spectrum of Earth Scientists from around the globe, intended to help shape a new landscape for publishing in the geosciences. Since its debut at EGU2022, Tektonika has experienced steady growth, fueled by a consistent stream of manuscript submissions.  Tektonika’s success reflects broader trends among community-driven DOAJs, demonstrating their ability not only to survive but to flourish. The strong support of the Earth Science community has been instrumental—from authors entrusting their work to the journal, to individuals amplifying its reach via social media, and volunteers contributing to editorial tasks, peer review, and the formatting of accepted articles. Tektonika stands as a testament to the power of collective effort in transforming scientific publishing.