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04.12.2019 | SSP News & Releases

Society for Scholarly Publishing Annual Meeting Focuses on Global Perspectives in Scholarly Publishing

The Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP) 41st Annual Meeting will be held at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina San Diego, CA USA, May 29–31, 2019. The theme for this year’s meeting is Shaping the New Status Quo: Global Perspectives in Scholarly Publishing.

“We are especially excited about this year’s SSP Annual Meeting,” said Ben Mudrak, one of the Program Committee co-chairs. “Drawing in new voices is critical as we consider how scholarly communication might change over the next few years. From the first keynote to the last session, this year’s meeting will fold in perspectives that haven’t always been front and center in discussions about the future of publishing.”

The SSP Annual Meeting includes timely and thoughtful keynote addresses and concurrent sessions featuring an international group of presenters from all areas of scholarly communications: publishers, service providers, librarians, funders, researchers, and more.

The meeting kicks off with a keynote address by Dr. Mariamawit Yeshak, Scholarly Publishing in Africa: Impact Factor vs. Societal Impact—on Wednesday, May 29, at 4:15 pm. Dr. Yeshak leads a research group called BaSIL (Bioactive Secondary Metabolites for Improving Life), which studies biochemical properties of medicinal plants. She also studies indigenous knowledge systems specifically the clinical applications of traditional medicine.

Dr. Yeshak’s address will be followed by the opening reception at 5:30 pm. Attendees will enjoy ample opportunities for connecting with colleagues and sharing ideas at evening receptions and interactive lunches, and our popular Exhibitors Marketplace provides a central area to learn about new products, programs, services, and solutions.

Betsy Beaumon, CEO of Benetech, has been announced as the keynote speaker on Thursday, May 31, at 9:00 am. Her presentation will be Why Inclusion Matters to Technology and Technology Matters to Inclusion. Betsy has served in executive leadership roles for both for-profit and nonprofit technology organizations, most recently as Benetech’s President, driving the development and growth of all Benetech initiatives including inclusive education, poverty alleviation, and human rights.

Opportunities for professional development abound at the meeting. A variety of half-day seminars on Wednesday, May 29, will offer in-depth discussions and practical advice to prepare attendees for the concurrent sessions. Topics include:

  • Charleston Trendspotting Initiative: Forecasting Changes on the Horizon of Scholarly Communication
  • Fact or Fiction? OASPA Lifts the Lid on Open Access Publishing
  • Open Source Bazaar: Owned by the Community
  • Journals Management Workshop: Whiteboards to Editorial Boards, and Everything in Between
  • Identifying and Responding to Microaggressions at Work

Sponsored sessions on Wednesday afternoon provide attendees to hear about the latest developments from leading industry suppliers and publishers. These sessions are free to attendees with a full meeting registration.

The SSP Annual Meeting offers something for everyone in the field of scholarly publishing. This year’s meeting features 35 concurrent sessions in six tracks over two days. Tracks include:  Inviting New Voices, External Pressures on Publishing, Going to Market, Tools and Technology, and Publishing on a Smaller Scale. The sixth track includes a variety of non-traditional formats.

“Every year the Annual Meeting Program Committee raises the bar a little higher,” said Melanie Dolechek, SSP Executive Director. “They have worked diligently to assemble a collection of speakers and sessions to cover the broad and increasingly diverse topics that are shaping our industry today. Professionals in scholarly communications will not want to miss this meeting!”

For more information and to register for the SSP 41st Annual Meeting, visit https://customer.sspnet.org/SSP/2019-Meeting/Event-Home/ssp/AM19/Home.aspx. Register by April 19 to take advantage of the early discount rate.

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