Thank you to the 386 attendees (108 of whom were first-time attendees) who joined us recently in Columbus for the 2019 CSE Annual Meeting. The meeting once again offered attendees a wonderful opportunity to network and learn from each other about the latest issues impacting scientific publishing. The meeting theme, “The Spirit of Scientific Publishing: Inclusion, Identity, Technology, and Beyond” was derived from Ms Jerrie Mock, first woman to fly solo around the world, and her red Cessna, the “Spirit of Columbus.”

This year, CSE introduced its new Code of Conduct to remind attendees explicitly of its commitment to “diversity and inclusivity, and to providing a safe and welcoming environment that allows for free expression of ideas and productive dialogue.” The Program Committee took this message to heart, encouraging moderators and session coordinators to seek out new voices and perspectives when recruiting speakers. To reinforce its commitment to inclusion, CSE offered a set of gender-neutral restrooms in the meeting space for the first time.

The preceding short courses were once again in the very capable hands of Nancy Devaux who  enlisted exceptional faculty to speak during the enriching and interactive short courses. This year’s courses included the brand new Advanced Publication Management Course and the following reoccurring courses: Publication Management Short Course, Short Course for Manuscript Editors, and the Journal Editors Short Course.

Following the business meeting on Monday morning, Marjorie Hlava gave a lively keynote presentation on her work in taxonomy and information systems. The next day, plenary speaker, Bernadette Melnyk, addressed the always-timely issue of work-life balance and self-care, encouraging everyone to move more and be mindful. Her colleague, Megan Amaya, moderated a panel discussion on work-life balance and wellness after the conclusion of the talk. Bernadette and Megan were both joined by the hotel’s most popular employee, Ollie, a wellness dog. Earlier that morning, yoga with a local instructor, a first for CSE, was a smashing (and energizing) success, allowing attendees to find time for themselves during the busy and fast-paced meeting.

We encourage you to check out the meeting reports written by volunteer attendees for a refresher on the session you attended and catch up on those you missed.

Thanks again for joining us in Columbus, and we look forward to seeing you next year in Portland, Oregon!

Mary K Billingsley and Shari Leventhal are Program Committee Co-Chairs for the 2019 CSE Annual Meeting. Mary is Managing Editor with the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Shari is Executive Editor with the American Society of Nephrology.