In the world today, communicating science effectively is not just an option—it is arguably one of the most important prerequisites for constructively addressing fundamental problems that the planet we live on and society as a whole are facing. CSE members are uniquely positioned to be key contributors in identifying relevant issues, addressing them, and working toward solutions.

In recognition of those important roles, the theme of the 2013 CSE annual meeting is “Communicate Science Effectively: The World Depends On It!” The meeting will be held at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on 5–6 May 2013, immediately after the premeeting short courses on 3–4 May. Two outstanding keynote addresses will connect to the topic:

• On Sunday, 5 May, the keynote speaker will be Jeffrey Drazen, editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Dr. Drazen serves as the Distinguished Parker B. Francis Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and professor of physiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. He joined NEJM as editor-in-chief in July 2000. His editorial background includes service as an associate editor or editorial board member of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, and the American Journal of Medicine. His presentation is titled “Two Hundred Years of Communicating the Medical News” and traces the history of medical-event reporting over the 200 years of NEJM’s existence.
• On Monday, 6 May, award-winning New York Times blogger Andrew Revkin will deliver the plenary address. Mr. Revkin is the senior fellow for environmental understanding at Pace University’s Academy for Applied Environmental Studies and writes the award-winning Dot Earth blog for the Op-Ed section of The New York Times. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University. An author of several books, he has written extensively on communication and the environment and speaks to varied audiences around the world about the power of the Web to foster progress on a finite planet. He will speak on “The New Science Communication Climate”, examining the very rough path from research lab to journal to the public and policymakers, and exploring issues and opportunities as conventional science journalism shrinks and other means of exploring science online grows.

A number of the sessions in Montreal are built around bringing published work out of the academic world and into the wider world:

• “Transforming Journal Content for Multiple Audiences”, moderated by Christine Casey, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• “Informed Decisions: Sense about Science and Helping People Make Sense of Science and Evidence”, moderated by Julie Nash, of J&J Editorial.
• “Communicating Through Media: From Journal Page to Center Stage”, moderated by Tamer El Bokl, of Canadian Science Publishing, NRC Research Press.
• “Scientific Podcasts: Why, When, What, Everywhere”, moderated by Anna Jester, of eJournal Press.

Other sessions will be looking ahead to how the communication of science is evolving and how publishers need to adapt and change:

• “Evolution of the Article”, moderated by Barbara Meyers Ford, of Meyers Consulting Services.
• “New Standards in Science Publishing”, moderated by Tony Alves, of Aries Corporation.
• “Copy and Technical Editing in the 21st Century: Addressing Changing Conventions and Technology: Reader Needs and Preferences”, moderated by Ingrid Philibert, of the Journal of Graduate Medical Education.

CSE’s continuing focus on ethics, dealing with problematic editorial situations, and advances in technology will also be evident in a number of sessions at the meeting:

• “When the Business and Ethics of Publishing Collide: Avoiding Fatalities”, moderated by Kristi Overgaard, of the American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine.
• “CSE/COPE Joint Session: The Life of a Retraction”, moderated by Heather Goodell, of the American Heart Association.
• “Advances in Publishing Technology from Authoring to Content Delivery”, moderated by Mike Friedman, of the American Meteorological Society.

In addition, a number of other sessions relevant to the global publishing enterprise are planned, covering such topics as challenges facing “Eastern” authors publishing in “Western” journals, translations, and improving review quality and referee engagement. There really will be something for everyone at the 2013 Annual Meeting, so clear your calendars and plan to attend.

The Program Committee members and cochairs are not only excited about the diverse speakers and broad scope of the program but looking forward to being in Montreal in the spring! We encourage you to take full advantage of the several walking tours and events that are being planned to help you discover the beauty, history, and famous hospitality of Montreal. We’re eagerly looking forward to a wildly successful annual meeting and hope to see you there!