In this episode of SSP’s Early Career Development Podcast, host Meredith Adinolfi (Cell Press) speaks to Rebecca McLeod, current SSP President and Managing Director of the Harvard Data Science Review at the Harvard Data Science Initiative. They discuss Rebecca’s career journey and vision for leading scholarly publishing through turbulent times.

Rebecca reflects on her long career in scholarly publishing as a “zigzag” approach, with each transition teaching her new skills, from peer review management to strategic account sales, and how lateral moves can be as valuable as vertical advancement

In her SSP presidency, Rebecca acknowledges that this is a time of unprecedented attacks on research and academic freedom. She has encouraged SSP to support advocacy “with a small a” — for example, issuing joint statements with other industry organizations and mobilizing task forces, but not going as far as a lobbying organization.

Rebecca strongly encourages early-career professionals to contribute their perspectives and mentions a few resources for staying up to date in the industry, listed below. Her advice is straightforward: try new things, prioritize mental health, avoid comparisons, and stay active in SSP. She stresses the organization’s inclusive nature, which welcomes professionals at any career stage, providing a safe space to build confidence and relationships during uncertain times.

Resources from this Episode:

• “Journalology” from James Butcher, a newsletter to help editors and publishing professionals keep up to date with scholarly publishing
• “The Brief” from Clarke & Esposito, a monthly newsletter covering professional and scholarly communication

Background on this podcast series

SSP’s Career Development Committee launched this podcast series in 2019 to offer advice and discussion on how early career publishing professionals can add to their skill sets, develop networks, and take advantage of new opportunities. The series presents interviews and insights from experienced professionals on how to navigate one’s career in a diverse and ever-changing landscape of scholarly communications. If you have any feedback for the hosts, creators, or for future episodes, please email info@sspnet.org