A trend worth following
1
annual meeting [the second will take place in Nice (France) in June 2002]. And it is working to improve career opportunities for young scientists in Europe, providing a forum for grass-roots scientists to express their needs and lobbying the European Community and national governments for funding and policy change. At the moment, ELSO is particularly trying to find ways to help accomplished senior postdocs make the transition to independent junior group leader and to encourage women to stay in science beyond postdoctoral level and reach senior figurehead positions on the far side of the ‘glass ceiling’. If all this had been in place 10 years ago, who knows, I might still be in research! Being editor of Trends in Cell Biology marked a turning point in my life. It obliged me to develop new skills, gave me the confidence to explore different avenues and, ultimately, helped me find my own niche. Would I advise you to make a similar move? First, be sure of your motives. Have the courage to stay in research if you can. It is possible to be a successful scientist and lead a normal family life. Women can do it too. But, if you really want to try something new – allez-y! Carol Featherstone Editor-in-Chief, The ELSO Gazette (http://www.the-elso-gazette.org), rue Jean- Paul Laurens, 31450 Fourquevaux, France. e-mail: [email protected] Trends in Cell Biology (TCB) fell under my charge from 1996–1999. Working as a journal editor really is a wonderful opportunity for anyone with a broad interest in biology and a constant desire to learn about new aspects of it. Ever since I moved into publishing, I have always felt extremely fortunate to be given the chance to read and hear about so much interesting science – and then have the job of helping to disseminate it to a worldwide audience. One of the best ways for any editor to keep up with new developments is to attend conferences, and I was pleased to find that all the Trends editors were strongly encouraged to do this. I needed no second bidding. Probably the most enjoyable aspect of the job was hearing about new research and meeting the scientists in the community that the journal serves. In turn, many of the people I met were interested in what my job as a Trends editor involved. In fact, I often thought it would be a good idea to produce a short list of answers to the most frequently asked questions, to hand out at appropriate moments. As this article is intended to give my impressions of being the TCB editor, it seems a good place to discuss a few of the questions I was asked. Students and postdocs were mostly interested in how I got the job in the first place, and what made me want to do it. The answer to the first part is short – I applied. I didn’t have any special training, and very few journal editors do. My main motivations were my broad interest in many different areas of biology (a prerequisite for this type of position) and my preference for reading and writing about science rather than actually performing experiments. Moving to an editorial office was a huge change from being a postdoc. In a matter of weeks, I went from carrying out plasmid preps and spending long hours in the cold room to sending e-mails and reading all day, and trying to meet what seemed an endless stream of deadlines. I also moved from sunny southern California to Cambridge, UK, in February, which speaks volumes for my level of dedication to my new job! To my surprise, many people I spoke to assumed that each Trends journal was run by a small army of people each covering different areas and doing different jobs. In reality, the team was, and still is, tiny – an editor, an assistant or deputy editor, and administrators and production coordinators who are shared with other journals. I was amazed at how much everyone managed to achieve, and it was a pleasure to work with such dedicated colleagues. David Hatton, in particular, working in those days as my assistant editor, has contributed strongly to the ongoing success of TCB. Of course, the journal wouldn’t exist without the authors who contribute articles and the scientists who work behind the scenes reviewing the manuscripts. I was (and still am, in my current job) incredibly grateful to everyone who takes the time to give thoughtful and constructive opinions on submitted articles. This was particularly true of the TCB editorial board, who shouldered all my e-mails and requests with the utmost grace and were often a tremendous help. This also seems a fitting place to reflect on good and bad moments during my time at TCB. Choosing the most embarrassing moment is easy – it was putting a picture of myself in one of the first issues I edited. I cringe every time I think about it now and have trouble opening the relevant issue in case I happen to see it. There are of course a number of other amusing incidents (at least some of which involve conference discos), but that particular one stands out for me. On a more positive note, I think the most long-lasting effect of my editorship will be having got TCB listed on Medline. Although it might not say much for current reading habits, in this day and age a journal basically does not exist if it is not on Medline, so this visibility was vital for the ongoing success of TCB. Other highlights were special projects such as producing the first GFP In Motion CD and the December 2000 Millennium issue – particularly for the opportunity they provided to work with many talented and motivated people both within the Trends team and outside it. Now, Carol Featherstone’s baby has reached the ripe old age of 10. TCB recently underwent a successful makeover and is in good shape to move confidently into its adolescent years. Cell biology is an exciting field that is growing at a phenomenal rate, so the journal will have plenty to cover. I’m looking forward to its 20th birthday. Deborah Sweet Deputy Editor, Cell and Developmental Cell, Cell Press, 1100 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. e-mail: [email protected] TRENDS in Cell Biology Vol.11 No.12 December 2001 536 Forum A trend worth following http://tcb.trends.com 0962-8924/01/$ – see front matter © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S0962-8924(01)02177-8
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Transcript of A trend worth following
annual meeting [the second will takeplace in Nice (France) in June 2002]. Andit is working to improve careeropportunities for young scientists inEurope, providing a forum for grass-rootsscientists to express their needs andlobbying the European Community andnational governments for funding andpolicy change.
At the moment, ELSO is particularlytrying to find ways to help accomplishedsenior postdocs make the transition toindependent junior group leader and to
encourage women to stay in sciencebeyond postdoctoral level and reachsenior figurehead positions on thefar side of the ‘glass ceiling’. If allthis had been in place 10 years ago,who knows, I might still be inresearch!
Being editor of Trends in Cell Biologymarked a turning point in my life. Itobliged me to develop new skills, gave methe confidence to explore differentavenues and, ultimately, helped me findmy own niche. Would I advise you to make
a similar move? First, be sure of yourmotives. Have the courage to stay inresearch if you can. It is possible to be asuccessful scientist and lead a normalfamily life. Women can do it too. But, ifyou really want to try something new –allez-y!
Carol Featherstone
Editor-in-Chief, The ELSO Gazette(http://www.the-elso-gazette.org), rue Jean-Paul Laurens, 31450 Fourquevaux, France.e-mail: [email protected]
Trends in Cell Biology (TCB) fell undermy charge from 1996–1999. Working as ajournal editor really is a wonderfulopportunity for anyone with a broadinterest in biology and a constant desireto learn about new aspects of it. Eversince I moved into publishing, I havealways felt extremely fortunate to begiven the chance to read and hear aboutso much interesting science – and thenhave the job of helping to disseminate it toa worldwide audience.
One of the best ways for any editor tokeep up with new developments is toattend conferences, and I was pleased tofind that all the Trends editors werestrongly encouraged to do this. I neededno second bidding. Probably the mostenjoyable aspect of the job was hearingabout new research and meeting thescientists in the community that thejournal serves. In turn, many of thepeople I met were interested in what myjob as a Trends editor involved. In fact, Ioften thought it would be a good idea toproduce a short list of answers to the most frequently asked questions, to handout at appropriate moments. As thisarticle is intended to give my impressionsof being the TCB editor, it seems a goodplace to discuss a few of the questions Iwas asked.
Students and postdocs were mostlyinterested in how I got the job in the firstplace, and what made me want to do it.The answer to the first part is short – Iapplied. I didn’t have any special training,and very few journal editors do. My mainmotivations were my broad interest inmany different areas of biology (aprerequisite for this type of position) andmy preference for reading and writing
about science rather than actuallyperforming experiments. Moving to aneditorial office was a huge change frombeing a postdoc. In a matter of weeks, I went from carrying out plasmid prepsand spending long hours in the cold roomto sending e-mails and reading all day,and trying to meet what seemed anendless stream of deadlines. I also movedfrom sunny southern California toCambridge, UK, in February, whichspeaks volumes for my level of dedicationto my new job!
To my surprise, many people I spoke toassumed that each Trends journal wasrun by a small army of people eachcovering different areas and doingdifferent jobs. In reality, the team was,and still is, tiny – an editor, an assistantor deputy editor, and administrators and production coordinators who areshared with other journals. I was amazedat how much everyone managed toachieve, and it was a pleasure to workwith such dedicated colleagues. DavidHatton, in particular, working in thosedays as my assistant editor, hascontributed strongly to the ongoingsuccess of TCB. Of course, the journalwouldn’t exist without the authorswho contribute articles and the scientists who work behind thescenes reviewing the manuscripts.I was (and still am, in my current job)incredibly grateful to everyone who takes the time to give thoughtful andconstructive opinions on submittedarticles. This was particularly true of the TCB editorial board, who shoulderedall my e-mails and requests with theutmost grace and were often atremendous help.
This also seems a fitting place toreflect on good and bad moments duringmy time at TCB. Choosing the mostembarrassing moment is easy – it wasputting a picture of myself in one of thefirst issues I edited. I cringe every time Ithink about it now and have troubleopening the relevant issue in case Ihappen to see it. There are of course anumber of other amusing incidents (atleast some of which involve conferencediscos), but that particular one stands outfor me. On a more positive note, I thinkthe most long-lasting effect of myeditorship will be having got TCB listedon Medline. Although it might not saymuch for current reading habits, in thisday and age a journal basically does notexist if it is not on Medline, so thisvisibility was vital for the ongoing successof TCB. Other highlights were specialprojects such as producing the first GFPIn Motion CD and the December 2000Millennium issue – particularly for theopportunity they provided to work withmany talented and motivated people bothwithin the Trends team and outside it.
Now, Carol Featherstone’s baby hasreached the ripe old age of 10. TCBrecently underwent a successfulmakeover and is in good shape to moveconfidently into its adolescent years. Cellbiology is an exciting field that is growingat a phenomenal rate, so the journal willhave plenty to cover. I’m looking forwardto its 20th birthday.
Deborah Sweet
Deputy Editor, Cell and Developmental Cell,Cell Press, 1100 Massachusetts Avenue,Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.e-mail: [email protected]
TRENDS in Cell Biology Vol.11 No.12 December 2001536 Forum
A trend worth following
http://tcb.trends.com 0962-8924/01/$ – see front matter © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S0962-8924(01)02177-8
