Since the writing of this article, the CSE Executive Board announced that the 2020 Annual Meeting would not be held on its originally scheduled dates due to the multiple extenuating circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Executive Board and the CSE Program Committee are working diligently to arrange for alternate methods of providing meeting content to CSE members and will release any relevant details as soon as possible. In the meantime, please visit the Annual Meeting home page at https://www.councilscienceeditors.org/events/upcoming-events/2020-cse-annual-meeting/ for the most up-to-date information.For years, the CSE Annual Meeting has served as a point of convergence for a broad spectrum of professionals within the field of scientific publishing, providing attendees with valuable opportunities for interaction, collaboration, and education. In 2020, CSE’s members will convene in a city that itself has a rich history of industry reciprocity, thus emulating the spirit and principles of any organization that strives to support and empower its constituents.
This year’s theme, “Advancing Science by Exchanging Knowledge,” was inspired by Portland’s status as a major hub of mercantile exchange, one where early 19th-century settlers, pioneers, and entrepreneurs could reliably obtain the resources they required for success and survival in the burgeoning Pacific Northwest. Similarly, the CSE Annual Meeting serves as a central source of indispensable experience, innovation, and expertise that provides CSE members with the tools they need to thrive in the ever-evolving, ever-expanding hinterland of scholarly publishing.
With this theme in mind, it’s difficult to envision a more appropriate keynote speaker than Brian Nosek, PhD. Dr Nosek is the Executive Director and cofounder of the Center for Open Science, an organization that enables open and reproducible scientific research practices worldwide, and offers incentives to encourage, tools to enable, and training to foster transparency and reproducibility in all areas of research. His talk, entitled “Improving Openness and Reproducibility in Scholarly Communication,” will address how failures in transparency and reproducibility—two core principles of scientific research—can hinder the dissemination of knowledge and impede advances in science.
We’re equally delighted about this year’s plenary speaker. Maryam Zaringhalam, PhD, is a Data Science and Open Science Officer at the National Library of Medicine’s Office of Strategic Initiatives and Senior Producer for the Story Collider, the latter of which presents true, personal stories about science through live shows and a weekly podcast. In her talk, “Storytelling for a More Equitable Open Science Enterprise,” Dr Zaringhalam will discuss how the age-old craft of storytelling can help bridge the gap between scientists and nonexperts by enabling the latter group to see the human side of science and establish greater trust in the products and process of research.
It wouldn’t be a CSE meeting without the perennial array of breakout sessions, which will once again feature dozens of speakers sharing their knowledge about a wide variety of timely topics. Whether you’re interested in hearing about alternative publishing formats, peer review recognition programs, social media boosting, style manual updates, or the latest initiatives in equity, diversity, and inclusion, there will be something for everyone. Also, are you an early career professional, remote worker, or editor in chief? If so, you can get a jump on the daily proceedings by attending any one of the roundtable breakfasts dedicated to these three member demographics.
If you want to tap into even more repositories of knowledge, we will once again be offering several short courses in the days just prior to the meeting. By enlisting faculty members who are experts in their respective fields, each course coordinator has created an interactive experience designed to equip participants with pertinent and invaluable tricks of the trade. The short courses kick off on Saturday with the Short Course for Journal Editors, a 2-day offering that provides editors-in-chief and their colleagues with a thorough, comprehensive overview of their roles and responsibilities. On Sunday, several 1-day courses will cover additional, essential aspects of journal publishing. The Short Course on Publication Management is a workshop for managing editors, production editors, and publication managers that addresses topics such as management and leadership, journal production basics, and metrics. For more seasoned publication managers, the Advanced Course on Publication Management helps participants understand and collaborate on effective solutions for both current and future challenges in the scientific publishing industry. The Short Course on Publication Ethics addresses the myriad ethical issues that can arise in the publication of scientific journals and offers strategies for investigating and resolving breaches of publication ethics. Finally, manuscript editors and copyeditors who want to acquire, enhance, or expand the skills they need for technical and language editing can enroll in the Short Course for Manuscript Editors.
Whether you’re arriving early to the meeting or just want to take a break during the proceedings, Portland is a dynamic and vibrant city with no shortage of cultural experiences—including world-renowned street food, several spectacular parks and gardens, and Powell’s City of Books, which is a 20-minute walk or a short cab ride from the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront. On Sunday, two CSE-sponsored excursions will be offered: a guided stroll through the Portland Japanese Garden and a leisurely cycling tour that makes pit stops at some of Portland’s famed food trucks.
We’re really excited about this year’s program—as well as its setting—but most of all, we’re looking forward to another opportunity to commune with, collaborate with, and learn from our esteemed peers in the exciting world of scientific publishing. We hope to see you in the City of Roses!
Emilie Gunn is Associate Director, Journals Editorial for the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and Peter J Olson is Senior Copyediting Coordinator for Sheridan Journal Services.