How can preprints transform your research trajectory? For Prof. Fahmi, it began with a single upload—and led to a series of academic breakthroughs. He shares how direct experience opened doors to new collaborations, higher visibility, and a stronger network. What possibilities might your own hands-on work with preprints uncover?
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the views of Preprints.org. As part of our mission to share early research quickly, openly, and globally, we encourage open dialogue and welcome diverse perspectives. Section headings have been titled to reflect the questions asked.
About Prof. Fahmi
Prof. Fahmi is the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and a Professor in Electrical Engineering at Universitas Sumatera Utara(USU). He earned his Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, followed by a Master’s in Sensor System Technology from FH Karlsruhe, and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the Universiteit van Amsterdam. He has been actively involved in the development of USU Hospital in Medan and has held leadership roles at USU, including Head of the Electrical Engineering Study Program, member of the Academic Senate, and member of the Board of Trustees.
From Passive Trial to Active Advocacy: Prof. Fahmi’s Preprint Journey
Prof. Fahmi’s first encounter with preprints came from a journal editor’s suggestion—to share his manuscript on a preprint server during the peer review process to gather early feedback. What began as a casual experiment soon revealed the “hidden benefits” of preprints:
Enhanced Visibility for Targeted Academic Reach
Sharing his research as a preprint allowed Prof. Fahmi to bypass a common dilemma. Instead of his work getting overlooked in broad-scope journals, it was noticed by editors of specialized journals that closely aligned with his field. This visibility made it easier for him to identify suitable publication venues and ensured his findings reached the most relevant audience.
Increased Citations and Growing Academic Influence
As a key metric of scholarly impact, the H-index is closely watched by researchers. Prof. Fahmi observed that manuscripts shared as preprints sometimes attracted more citations than those submitted directly to journals. The reason is simple: preprints make findings visible earlier, avoiding the “publication delay” caused by lengthy review cycles and allowing earlier recognition and referencing by peers.
Beyond “Early Release”: The Deeper Value of Preprints
In Prof. Fahmi’s view, the value of preprints extends far beyond speeding up dissemination—they also act as catalysts for research training and academic collaboration.
For Students: Avoiding Redundancy and Protecting Innovation
Prof. Fahmi emphasized that preprints can serve as key references for undergraduates, while helping graduate students “dodge duplication”. He illustrated this with an example: a graduate student might devote significant time to a study, only to find similar work has already been published. By checking preprints, students can keep up with the latest developments and adjust their direction in time, safeguarding the novelty of their work. He also pointed out that what may appear as “borrowing” ideas is sometimes unintentional, stemming from information asymmetry when results are not yet published. Preprints can mitigate this issue, and he encourages faculty to guide students in using these platforms proactively, rather than placing blame after the fact.
For Collaboration: Breaking Geographic Barriers and Building Global Networks
With the decline of in-person conferences post-pandemic, cross-border and inter-institutional collaboration has become more challenging. Prof. Fahmi believes preprints can serve as “collaboration icebreakers”. Researchers who discover relevant work on a preprint server often reach out via email to propose joint projects. This enables scholars in Indonesia and beyond to connect with like-minded peers, expanding their academic networks beyond existing circles and integrating into the global research community.
The State of Preprints in Indonesia: Challenges and Pathways Forward
Despite their advantages, preprint adoption among Indonesian scholars remains limited. Based on his observations, Prof. Fahmi highlights the following challenges and offers practical suggestions:
The Main Hurdle: Misunderstanding the Value
Many researchers still see preprints as just “another repository”, overlooking their potential to increase citations and foster collaboration. Others perceive posting preprints as an “extra step” after journal submission.
The Way Forward: Prof. Fahmi recommends more promotion through real-world cases to visually demonstrate the long-term returns and shift mindsets.
Platform Experience: Usability and Version Tracking
As a preprint user, Prof. Fahmi values two functions: ease of discovery and clear links between preprints and their final published versions. However, some platforms still have cumbersome interfaces and lack version-tracking mechanisms, which discourages use.
The Way Forward: Platforms should streamline design and submission processes, and implement systems that clearly track the status of a paper from preprint to final publication.
System Silos: Lack of Publisher Integration
Prof. Fahmi notes that closer integration between preprint platforms and publishers—enabling a seamless “submit-preprint-publish” workflow—would greatly reduce authors’ repetitive efforts. However, local platforms such as RINarxiv (formerly INA-Rxiv) currently lack such partnerships.
The Way Forward: Encourage platform-publisher collaboration to build one-stop workflows. For example, authors could transfer manuscript data automatically from a preprint server to a partnered journal.
The Future of Preprints: From Optional to Essential
Although preprints are not yet part of academic assessment in USU, Prof. Fahmi believes they can significantly raise institutional visibility. As more scholars discover research from his university via preprints, the institution’s academic brand and influence will grow. As Dean, he supports incorporating preprints into the research evaluation framework, transforming them from an optional tool into essential academic infrastructure.
About Researcher Voices
“Researcher Voices” is an interview series showcasing how preprints influence research today. Through interviews with scholars, we highlight real experiences using preprints. As well as their role in open science and diverse engagements with open science.
