Editor’s note: The call for proposals for the 48th Annual Meeting is open until November 3. As we gear up for the main event, the annual meeting planning committee co-chairs (Jessie Slater, Greg Fagan, and Marianne Calilhanna) reflect on how this year’s program is coming together.
In planning SSP’s 2026 Annual Meeting, the Annual Meeting Program Committee held spirited discussions as to what the theme should be. Given the myriad issues and challenges scholarly publishers are currently facing, e.g., cuts to U.S. funding in medical and scientific research; shrinking academic library budgets; huge growth in proposals and publications; the effects of AI on content creation; continuing strains on the peer review process; etc., it was difficult to coalesce around a unifying theme. So we made the bold decision not to have one.
Not having a theme doesn’t mean that we don’t want to see all these issues covered, however. In fact, it means exactly the opposite. Because we consider all these topics to be consequential, we want to encourage submissions touching on all the topics we expect, along with those we don’t. What we’re truly hoping to accomplish is to create an Annual Meeting program with compelling topics that affirm scholarly publishing’s essential function of serving humanity by delivering truth and increasing knowledge.
To that end, we asked Rebecca McLeod, SSP’s current president, a few members of the Annual Meeting Program, and an SSP mentee to share their thoughts as we gear up for the 2026 Annual Meeting.
Rebecca McLeod, President SSP
HDSR Managing Director, Harvard Data Science Initiative
What makes the SSP Annual Meeting such a cornerstone event for the scholarly publishing community?
The SSP Annual brings together a diverse range of professionals from across the scholarly publishing ecosystem to exchange ideas, share best practices, and address the critical issues facing our industry. The breadth of the meeting program ensures that everyone — regardless of their role or number of years in scholarly communications — can find valuable and relevant content, making it our community’s essential event for networking, learning, and professional growth.
Michelle Urberg, Annual Meeting Planning Committee
Client Success Manager, LibLynx
In what ways has the SSP Annual Meeting shaped meaningful conversations that impact your job?
I was an SSP fellow during the height of the pandemic, 2020-2021. Everything was topsy-turvy, but the annual meeting in person in Chicago in 2022 really cemented my connection to the scholarly publishing industry. In the years since, the meeting has been a place of rich conversation with clients and industry partners. The annual meeting continues to help me connect with ideas and people that help me drive innovation.
What kind of sessions or presentations would you like to see at the 2026 Annual Meeting?
I would love to see some how-to sessions, for example, how to imagine a good user experience with manuscript submission; how to make content usage meaningful; how to make the most of communications plans…the sky is nearly boundless.
David Turner, Annual Meeting Planning Committee & Highlights Meeting MC
Director of Publishing Automation, Digital Transformation, and Content Technologies, Data Conversion Laboratory
What are you looking forward to with the Highlights Meeting (SSP’s virtual event that takes place about 2 weeks after the annual meeting)?
SSP Highlights opens the door for those who can’t attend the Annual Meeting in person — whether due to geography, budget constraints, role, or whatever. It also provides a great recap of the Annual Meeting for those who did get to attend in person! Either way, Highlights can help you connect to the SSP community, engage with current publishing topics, and be part of the broader conversation. After hybrid attempts in previous years, the 2025 Highlights Meeting was like a thoughtful reset — and I’m excited to see how it will get even better in 2026!
Jennifer Regala, Annual Meeting Planning Committee
Associate Director, Publishing, Wolters Kluwer Publishing
What kind of sessions or presentations would you like to see at the 2026 Annual Meeting?
I love two kinds of presentations the best. The first is a practical to-do session where I can write an actionable to-do list and then go back to the office and make an immediate difference in my workplace based on what I’ve learned. The second is a presentation that is unexpected. The 2025 Shark Tank-style session is a perfect example – engaging, interesting, interactive, and fun while being informative. I also love any session where there is a new speaker I’ve never met or heard from before, I always appreciate the efforts made by the AMPC to introduce us to these fresh voices.
What makes the SSP Annual Meeting such a cornerstone event for the scholarly publishing community?
The annual meeting is more than just a meeting. It is home. Believe it or not, I didn’t attend my first SSP until 2018. I will never forget the immediate feeling of belonging when I showed up at that meeting. I hardly knew a soul, but I felt like I belonged. The intent of this meeting and of our SSP community is to embody our core values at all times, and whether you’re a first-time attendee or a long-timer, you are going to be with people who care about what you have to say and the work that you do.
How does the SSP Annual Meeting capture the pulse of change in scholarly publishing each year? How does attending the SSP Annual Meeting help us see where the industry is headed next?
SSP’s annual meeting is focused on lots of time for organic interaction, interspersed with sessions that touch on the ever-changing opportunities and threats in our community today. The sessions are extremely timely and fulfilling, but I also get an equal amount of education from networking. Last year, I was able to stop by almost all the booths in the exhibit hall to learn about new offerings from our amazing exhibitors and sponsors. Meals, breaks, and receptions offer lots of time to hear from publishing friends old and new about what’s keeping them up at night. I leave this meeting feeling like I know exactly the vibe of scholarly publishing and how I am going to push through to finish the year strong. And even if I don’t know exactly where we are headed next, I have myriad contacts from the meeting whom I can call on for support.
How does the SSP Annual Meeting continue to serve as a forum for advancing innovation and collaboration within the scholarly communications community?
I love the opportunities focused on innovation. I participated in an event last year that was a speed dating/lightning round format for AI innovations. The buzz in that room was contagious. It was so invigorating to see the knowledge and problem-solving skills of my peers.
In what ways has the SSP Annual Meeting shaped meaningful conversations that impact your job?
I fully credit SSP for where I am today. SSP membership has given me the network I need to be confident in the job I do. I tell my team I know what I’m doing 10% to 20% of the time, but with my SSP network, I can find an answer 100% of the time. The conversations that I have at the SSP annual meeting bolster this confidence and empower me to be the best Jennifer Regala I can be. SSP has given me not only a very rewarding career but also some of the best friends I’ve ever had.
Ana Lewis, SSP Mentor Program
Managing Editor, JVIR, Society of Interventional Radiology
What kind of sessions or presentations would you like to see at the Annual Meeting?
I’d love to see more sessions geared toward early-career professionals that offer practical guidance from experienced members of the scholarly publishing community. Topics like how to network effectively, especially for those of us who grew up in the digital age, would be invaluable. Sessions on adaptability and soft skills would also be useful, particularly in navigating relationships across different professional communities, such as scientists, clinicians, and publishers. It would be great to see more career development presentations that highlight what various paths in scholarly communications can look like, whether linear or dynamic, to help early-career attendees envision their professional trajectory.
What makes the SSP Annual Meeting such a cornerstone event for the scholarly publishing community?
The SSP Annual Meeting feels like a cornerstone because of its community, the way everyone comes together to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and advance a shared mission. When professionals at every career stage and from diverse backgrounds have access to the same conversations and insights, the entire field is elevated. That sense of collective growth comes through not only in the sessions and networking opportunities but also in moments like the Epic Awards, where the hard work behind each publication, platform, and innovation is celebrated. The meeting feels almost like a rite of passage, a touchpoint that reminds us why this community thrives on collaboration and shared purpose.
How does the SSP Annual Meeting capture the pulse of change in scholarly publishing?
The Annual Meeting captures the pulse of change by staying deeply attuned to what’s happening across the broader scholarly communications landscape. SSP leadership and the program committee do an excellent job of identifying emerging topics (whether through trends in research, technology, or community dialogue) and bringing in subject matter experts and thought leaders to explore them in meaningful ways. The keynotes and closing sessions in particular often tie together current developments with forward-looking insights, creating a sense of continuity from year to year. I also think the enthusiasm of the community, the willingness to engage, contribute, and adapt, keeps the meeting vibrant and relevant.
Inspired?
We hope so! Please be sure to submit your speaking proposal for the 2026 Society for Scholarly Publishing 48th Annual Meeting today!
