June 15, 2022 – The Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP) recognized the efforts of six deserving individuals during the society’s 44th Annual Meeting, held in Chicago, IL, June 1–3.
“To all of our award winners, thank you for your tremendous contributions to SSP and the community at large. We are better for your talents and energies,” said Lauren Kane, Past President and chair of the Nominating and Awards Committee who presented the awards at a luncheon during the Annual Meeting.
Appreciation Award
The SSP Appreciation Award recognizes the work of one or more members whose work has benefited SSP and the scholarly communication field over a short term (under three years). This year, SSP awarded three members whose contributions to the organization have had a substantial impact:
- Yael Fitzpatrick, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Dr. Haseeb Muhammad Irfanullah, Center for Sustainable Development (CSD), University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh
- Jennifer Regala, American Urological Association
Yael Fitzpatrick has dutifully served as co-chair of the Annual Meeting Program Committee for the last four years. This is a herculean task in any year, but given the challenges of the past two years, in particular, has meant a heavy load of ensuring that “the show must go on!” including pivoting last year to a fully virtual meeting. Beyond her contributions as AMPC, Yael is known to many as a consummate SSP supporter – thoughtful, supportive, and always willing to help when there is a need. Her talents are considerable, and we are grateful that she considers SSP her volunteer home.
Dr. Haseeb Muhammad Irfanullah has quickly become one of the most resonant voices on The Scholarly Kitchen, contributing to subjects such as “making research a global enterprise,” scholarly publishing ethics in the context of sustainable development, and accessibility and equity in open research. The Kitchen Cabinet has been lucky to have his perspective as have the community of readers. Beyond The Scholarly Kitchen, Haseeb has been a willing volunteer in training sessions, webinars, and facilitating dialogue with early career researchers, in Bangladesh and beyond.
Jennifer Regala is one of SSP’s warmest and most welcoming ambassadors. These skills were especially critical over the last two years when we could not be together in person. As part of the virtual networking pilot and with the assistance of co-chair Karen Stanwood, Jennifer provided an opportunity for everyone to process the current times in a supportive environment. As MarComm liaison to the Career Development Committee, her reach to early-career individuals has also been considerable, making sure that people who are new to the community benefit from her sharp counsel and warm smile.
Emerging Leader Award
This award, established in 2012, recognizes an SSP member, working in the scholarly communication field for ten years or less, who has demonstrated their potential through outstanding service and contribution on an SSP committee or task force and has made innovative contributions to their field.
- Ryan Farrell, American Gastroenterological Association
- Vanessa Fairhurst, Crossref
Ryan Farrell was nominated by Erin Landis of Origin Editorial. Erin notes, “It was obvious to me from the start of Ryan’s career that he was a rising star.” Over the past eight years, he has considerably contributed his keen understanding of the issues facing scholarly communications to not just the American Gastroenterological Association, but also the International Society of Managing and Technical Editors, ALPSP, and of course, SSP. At SSP, his list of activities and contributions is considerable. He is co-chair of the Early-Career subcommittee, on the Washington DC regional planning committee, an SSP mentor, and a frequent moderator and speaker at SSP educational events. In particular, Ryan has demonstrated a commitment to advancing the voices of early-career individuals both in SSP and in the community at large. Anyone who has worked with Ryan is thankful for his thoughtfulness, work ethic, and willingness to volunteer his time and energies.
Vanessa Fairhurst was nominated by Ginny Hendricks of Crossref. Ginny describes Vanessa as “doggedly pursuing initiatives that help and support our community.” Over the last five years, she has contributed enormously not just to Crossref, but to SSP and the community at large. In particular, Vanessa is dedicated to geographic inclusion, initiated by her time working with emerging publishers in developing countries at INASP. She is a facilitator of the forthcoming PLACE project, or “Publishers Learning and Community Exchange”, an online forum and resource center in cooperation with OASPA, COPE, and DOAJ. Vanessa is always willing to take on new challenges and volunteer roles and is such a champion as co-chair of the Community Engagement Committee and organizer of regional UK events for SSP as well. Ginny notes – “Vanessa is the kind of leader we need more of in scholarly communications – one who is trying to reduce barriers and broaden connections.”
Distinguished Service Award
This award is given to a member for their work over an extended period (more than three years) on behalf of SSP and the field of scholarly communication:
- Adrian Stanley, General Manager of JMIR Publications
With a storied career at Charlesworth, Digital Science, and now as General Manager of JMIR Publications, Adrian Stanley has focused on leading scholarly publishers into new markets, with new technologies, and with increased access to research materials. A member of SSP for 18 years, there is hardly a program or a person that this individual has not impacted in some small way. His service history runs 61 lines – with time on nearly every SSP committee, including some time capsule ones like “Wiki Coordination Committee” in 2007. He has been a Board Member, an SSP President, and a leading force for the Mentorship Program and International Strategy Task Force.
Whether as SSP President, Board member, committee chair, or just as an extremely active community member, Adrian has mentored numerous individuals over the years both formally and informally. This culminated in his introduction of the Leadership Academy in 2019 to the Career Development Committee, a standout program that creates opportunities for new connections and education between seasoned leaders and the next generation of leaders. Adrian is known for his commitment to ensuring a diverse range of voices are heard and has long fostered a vision for SSP which is global in nature.
“Congratulations to these exceptional individuals,” said Melanie Dolechek, Executive Director of SSP. “Our volunteers never cease to amaze me. These dedicated and talented members contribute countless hours to ensuring our community thrives. We look forward to seeing all the wonderful ways you’ll continue to contribute to SSP and scholarly communications at large.”
The Society for Scholarly Publishing is proud to congratulate the award winners for their time, leadership, and expertise.
About the Society for Scholarly Publishing The Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP), founded in 1978, is a nonprofit organization formed to promote and advance communication among all sectors of the scholarly publication community through networking, information dissemination, and facilitation of new developments in the field. SSP members represent all aspects of scholarly publishing—including publishers, printers, e-products developers, technical service providers, librarians, and editors. SSP members come from a wide range of large and small commercial and nonprofit organizations. They meet at SSP’s annual meetings, educational seminars, and regional events to hear the latest trends from respected colleagues and to discuss common and mutual (and sometimes divergent) goals and viewpoints.
Contact Melanie Dolechek, Executive Director | info@sspnet.org | 303-422-3914
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