Editor’s Note: Today’s post is by Stephanie Lovegrove Hansen. Stephanie is the Director of Marketing at Silverchair.

This year marks the return of the in-person format for the Society for Scholarly Publishing Annual Meeting, which will be held June 1-3 in Chicago, Illinois. The theme, fittingly, is “Building a More Connected Scholarly Community” and will offer educational sessions centering on the ways our content, data, and collaboration enable connections, while also serving as a venue to connect face-to-face with friends and colleagues. The Early Bird registration deadline is approaching on April 22, so in case you’re on the fence, we asked members of our community to share:

“What are you most looking forward to about attending the SSP Annual Meeting in person?”

Damita Snow, Senior Manager, Publishing Technologies, American Society of Civil Engineers

I’m looking forward to:

• Seeing SSP DEI Committee members to thank them in person for the continuous work that they do in the effort to make the scholarly publishing community more diverse, inclusive, and equitable for those historically excluded from particular spaces
• Discovering how we can continue to engage those that cannot attend in-person meetings for various reasons
• Chicago pizza…I’m a native NYer but I do like Chicago pizza. Note the word ‘like’ not love.

Lauren Kane, CEO, BioOne

The great ideas sparked by in-person discussions — be they in sessions, receptions, or at one of Chicago’s many great haunts. Can’t wait to reconnect with friends and colleagues (often synonymous in this great community!).

Michael Groth, Director of Marketing, KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.

After over two years of digital-only interaction with our community, I am beyond excited to reconnect with customers, colleagues, and scholarly publishing friends this June in Chicago. As a longtime member, exhibitor, committee co-chair, and occasional presenter, SSP is my primary network and despite some excellent virtual programming in 2020-21, I probably don’t have to tell you that it never quite replicated the experience of face-to-face interaction and casual connections of the in-person meeting. The entire time I’ve co-chaired the Marketing & Communications Committee, I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting the committee members in person, and that is one aspect I am looking forward to the most. That and real Chicago deep dish pizza!

Catherine Holland, Director, Global Publisher Business Development, Digital Science

I am looking forward to being able to collaborate and exchange ideas in person. The energy and enthusiasm that comes from in person discussions is unique and this has become very clear to me after two years of only virtual meetings.

Paul Gee, Vice President, Digital Product Management and Development, The JAMA Network

There’s nothing more exciting to me than the opportunity to see old colleagues and meet new colleagues face to face!

Jennifer Regala, Director of Publications/Executive Editor, American Urological Association

I am so excited to get to Chicago for SSP 2022! First and foremost, I want to see my dear friends and committee colleagues and my entire network. These people have sustained me through the dark days of the last two years, helped me to thrive in a new job I started during a pandemic, and provided guidance and input on a multitude of work-related questions. I am also super excited to co-moderate a panel with Alexa Colella, ‘It Takes a Scholarly Publishing Village.’ The group we are working with is phenomenal and so knowledgeable on the topics that are important to all of us today. This session will be collaborative and largely unscripted, and I look forward to the conversation we will have. Of course, I also look forward to meeting new connections and building those relationships in the years to come. Come to Chicago, everyone, if you are able. I will save you a seat!

Will Schweitzer, Chief Product and Customer Success Officer, Silverchair 

I’m looking forward to reconnecting! There are industry friends, colleagues, and partners I haven’t seen in ages. Also, Chicago dogs and tiki cocktails.

Michael Casp, Director of Business Development, J&J Editorial

Over the last two years I feel like I’ve become more engaged and connected with the SSP community than ever before. The SSP committees I serve on became something of a lifeline for me while I was stuck at home. Now that the in-person meeting is back, I’m thrilled about the opportunity to see my friends and colleagues face to face again!

Melanie Dolechek, Executive Director, Society for Scholarly Publishing

While I’m grateful that I’ve been able to interact with our members online over the last two years, I’m really excited about seeing everyone in-person again! There is just something about the buzz and excitement of the Annual Meeting that creates a sense of community that just can’t be matched in the virtual environment. The Annual Meeting Program Committee has an impressive group of speakers and sessions lined up and we’ve added a few fun extras as well this year—be sure to check out the Improv sessions on Thursday! We figured everyone’s profile picture is a bit out of date, so we’re bringing back the Professional Headshot Studio. Networking is such an important aspect of the SSP Annual Meeting, so we’ve included plenty of time for structured and unstructured networking for attendees to meet up with colleagues and make new connections.

For me, I’m looking forward to the energy I get from connecting with colleagues from the SSP committees I serve on, from clients, and from partners in a setting outside of the Zoom boxes and familiar backgrounds I’ve come to know them through. I’m also looking forward to the incredible and varied program offerings and engaging in discussions around those sessions. I’ll be manning a booth in the exhibit hall, which I love for the incidental connections one can make there. My last in-person SSP meeting was in Chicago, so this has an especially strong feeling of homecoming for me. I recently found myself digging out my notes on restaurants from that trip, and I can’t wait to add to it.

Whether virtual or IRL, a presenter or an exhibitor, a first-time attendee or an old hand, we hope to see you there—we’ll save you a seat.

Learn more and register here.