Mary Billingsley, CSE President
Dear CSE Colleagues,
Next week is our Annual Meeting, the first in-person event CSE has hosted since 2019. This conference, Phoenix Rising: Adapting, Collaborating, and Learning in Scholarly Publishing, is the result of a year-long effort led by Program Committee co-chairs Kelly Hadsell and Heather Stains. Together with the Program Committee, Kelly and Heather have created an engaging educational program and a lively and welcoming schedule of events, and I am so thrilled and thankful to have had the opportunity to work with them. From the keynotes to the concurrent sessions, new and familiar expert presenters will speak on a mix of tried-and-true topics of universal interest to editorial offices, journals, authors, and reviewers, as well as lessons learned during the pandemic. Perhaps most of all, I am looking forward to spending time with my wonderful CSE colleagues.
My term as president ends next week. It has been a challenging year in what feels like a sea of challenging years, which I know is both an understatement and a truism, but I am so proud of what CSE and CSE members have and continue to accomplish, demonstrating the agility and resilience of our scholarly publishing community. Without question, the highlight of my presidency has been CSE’s amazing members. Someone once told me that a leader should never worry alone, and in that department, I have enjoyed a true embarrassment of riches: our Executive Committee and Board of Directors who have worked tirelessly over the past year to ensure that CSE continues to meet member needs in these challenging times; our committee chairs and members who have continued to produce programs, initiatives, and resources to support our field; and the new and returning members who are bringing their talents and insights to our industry and our organization every day. In particular, I would like to acknowledge Past President Carissa Gilman, incoming President Jennifer Deyton, and incoming President-Elect Shari Leventhal, who have spent countless hours with me sharing their considerable wisdom, expertise, and friendship. As president, as throughout my time with CSE, I have been surrounded and supported by awe-inspiring people who have taught me so much about scholarly publishing and about being a leader and a friend.
After passing the gavel to Jenn, my next CSE responsibility is to chair the Nominating Committee, so I have been thinking a lot about the CSE community, career development, and our pipeline of future members and leaders. If I were to offer one piece of advice, it would be to get involved in CSE. My volunteer work with CSE has been the most rewarding and best learning experience of my career to date. In this time of virtual meetings and fewer spontaneous opportunities to meet and greet, joining a CSE committee is an excellent way to expand your network, learn more about our industry, develop your talents and skills, and share your unique perspective. Developing an Annual Meeting session or webinar is a great way to workshop something you’re struggling with, connect with knowledgeable colleagues in that area, and provide a learning experience for others. Serving on the Marketing Committee is an opportunity to gain practical experience in designing and evaluating promotional efforts. Working with the Editorial Policy Committee can help you stay on top of the latest trends in our field and contribute to shaping industry guidance and best practices. These are just a handful of the openings available, and committee involvement is often a pathway to leadership opportunities: engaged and active members become chairs become candidates in future elections.
Ready to take the next step?
- Join a committee – any committee!
- Apply for the Mentorship Program, as a mentee to be paired with an experienced colleague or as a mentor to share your experience and knowledge with an early career colleague
- Attend a free CSE Connect event to engage in an active discussion with colleagues about key topics and challenges in our field
- Submit an article to Science Editor
- Apply for the Certificate Program to round out or update your education, experience, and industry knowledge
- Crowdsource a solution to a nagging problem by sharing it with the CSE listserv
Reach out
First and foremost, CSE is a community. If you’d like to connect with a board member or a committee chair with a question or to discuss an idea, please reach out directly or to cse@councilscienceeditors.org.
I hope to see many of you in Phoenix next week. Thank you for being part of our community and for your continued engagement with CSE.
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