The 2010 meeting of the Council of Science Editors will be held on 14–18 May in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme of the meeting, “The Changing Climate of Scientific Publishing—The Heat Is On”, will be reflected in a program that includes plenary presentations, concurrent sessions, and CSE short courses.
Plenary Presentations
We are all aware of global climate change as a growing concern. The causes and implications of the phenomenon are open to debate, but few would argue the pertinence of the issue. Part of the 2010 program will provide a forum for constructive discussion of climate change from the perspective of our responsibility as science editors to disseminate research findings effectively and objectively. We have an outstanding slate of plenary speakers to inspire and guide the discussion.
The keynote speaker for the 2010 meeting will be J Marshall Shepherd, of the Department of Geography and Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Georgia. Shepherd is a distinguished researcher and lecturer in issues related to weather and climate, especially the effects of urbanization on climate change. An outstanding speaker in heavy demand, he often appears on network television as an expert in nanoscale meteorology and satellite remote sensing of weather and climate phenomena.
We will also have a plenary lecture by George Luber, associate director for global climate change at the National Center for Environmental Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Luber is a renowned epidemiologist whose research interests include the health effects of climate change, particularly heat-related illness and death, and the development of urban heat-response plans.
Michael Lemonick, a former senior science writer at Time magazine, will present another plenary lecture. Lemonick, who also teaches at Columbia University, is the author of several popular books, including Echo of the Big Bang and Other Worlds: The Search for Life in the Universe. He has a compelling perspective on how well professional publishers and scientists are communicating with peers and the broader public about climate change. Because climate change is one of the many scientific issues that can easily be politicized and subject to hyperbole, his perspective will be of great interest to attendees.
These are speakers whom you would not want to miss individually, and we will have them all at the CSE annual meeting in Atlanta!
Concurrent Sessions and More
As we are aware of the changing meteorologic climate, we also recognize a metaphoric change in the climate surrounding scientific publishing. As publishing professionals—whether manuscript editors, managing editors, scientific editors, science writers, or publishing executives—we encounter a changing climate in our jobs. The trend is a natural consequence of changes in technology, globalization, societal values, and economic conditions over which we have little control. The winds of change in publishing affect our daily work, our business models, our workplace environments, and the skills needed to do our jobs, and they command a worldview of our profession.
The program of the 2010 meeting will address those issues so that attendees— regardless of level of experience—take home useful knowledge that can be applied to their work and careers. Topics of planned concurrent sessions include optimizing the use of the Web and social media in publishing, best practices in hiring new editorial office staff, launching new journals, problems encountered in outsourcing, ethical concerns in journal publishing, developing international markets, the effect of climate change on scientific publishing, digital images and fraud, retaining editorial-office staff, the role of the managing editor, optimizing Internet tools, opportunities for freelance science editors and writers, and disaster planning.
Moreover, on Friday and Saturday, 14–15 May, we will offer CSE’s renowned premeeting short courses. (Please see page 70.) Early registration is encouraged to ensure enrollment in the course of your choice. For the latest information about the short courses and for registration information, please see www.councilscienceeditors.org/events/annualmeeting10/short_courses.cfm.
The Setting
Atlanta, a marvelous city, is an excellent setting for our 2010 meeting, and spring is a beautiful time to visit the “capital of the South”, with warm weather and gorgeous flowers blooming everywhere. The venue for the meeting is the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, a luxurious hotel in the heart of downtown Atlanta, which has seen an explosion of tourist attractions in recent years. The hotel boasts a 22-story atrium, newly designed guestrooms, and deluxe amenities. It’s a short stroll to the Peachtree Center, Georgia Aquarium, Georgia World Congress Center, and CNN Center. Atlanta is also the home of prestigious academic institutions, including Emory University and Morehouse College, and the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site. In addition, the city offers numerous world-class restaurants, cosmopolitan bars, luxury malls, unique boutiques, miles of hiking trails, eclectic neighborhoods, and seven professional sports teams. It will be a wonderful place to meet, make new acquaintances, renew old friendships, and expand your professional horizons.