May 24-27, 2021 | Virtual Meeting

Charting a New Course from Chaos to Innovation

Without dwelling on the tumultuous events of the past year, we recognize their impact, igniting—and sometimes forcing—innovation to meet changing demands. We will explore the many new paths that materialize if we are willing to embrace the unexpected. The structure of the meeting will reflect our changed world. What new insights and strategies have been discovered and implemented? What are the possibilities that have yet to be realized?  As we move from reacting to adapting, how will our responses change the future of scholarly communications? And how should our responsibility to the larger academic ecosystem during this extraordinary time shape those responses?

Adopting some of the lessons learned, the meeting will be “virtual first” and include the ability for attendees to fully participate from their homes or offices. However, the option of in-person coordinated events is being evaluated, if both safe and practical, to complement the online educational sessions. 

Join the vibrant community of publishers, librarians, academics, service providers, funders, technologists, and others with a stake in how research is shared as we chart a new course, and embrace the chaos to ignite innovation.

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Meeting Highlights

Keynote Speakers

How Journalists, Scholars, and Publishers Can Amplify Knowledge in a World of Misinformation

Dr. Laura Helmuth

Editor in Chief of Scientific American

Laura Helmuth is the Editor in Chief of Scientific American. She has previously been an editor for The Washington Post, National Geographic, Slate, Smithsonian, and Science’s news section. She serves on the boards of High Country News, Spectrum and SciLine, and she is a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication. She is a past president of the National Association of Science Writers. She has a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience from the University of California, Berkeley, and attended the U.C. Santa Cruz science writing program. She is a birder and active on Twitter at @laurahelmuth. 

Fighting Racial Inequity in the Publishing Industry: Closing the Intention-Behavior Gap

Dr. Joseph M. Williams

Associate Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Virginia

Joseph Williams is an Associate Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Virginia. His primary research line focuses on resilience-based interventions and policies at the micro and macro levels that neutralized or offset the detrimental effect of racism and poverty on the academic, personal/social, and career development of K-12 students. Besides publishing scholarly articles and book chapters in these areas, he also develops, implements, and evaluates training and workshops in the profit, nonprofit, and public education sectors. His most sought-after workshops address issues of racism, anti-racism, microaggression, implicit bias, privilege, intersectionality, and prejudice. In 2019, he started Affirm Consulting, LLC to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts and engage people in productive dialogue and action. Dr. Williams received his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in Education and his M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Minnesota State University.

Educational Sessions

Eighteen educational sessions over 4 days led by top industry experts complementing two insightful keynote speakers are the heart of the SSP Annual Meeting. Wrapping up the meeting, the Scholarly Kitchen Chefs will lead a wide-ranging discussion picking up on the themes presented throughout this year's Annual Meeting and looking into the future. Sessions will include live Q&A with the speakers and will be accessible on demand after the initial broadcast.

Networking

We’re pulling out all the stops when it comes to networking at the meeting. Real-time chat, persistent discussion forums and integrated 1:1 video calls enable attendees to build real relationships. Attendees can network informally with fellow attendees in the REMO platform, moving through the interface to interact via video with different groups, easily seeing who else is at the table before joining. Small Group Discussions enable attendees to choose from a predetermined topic or join an open table and start their own discussion. Guided networking sessions will provide an opportunity for attendees to interact with one another, discuss shared interests and meet new people. Attendees can also join a Community Group with regular check-ins to discuss trending topics, share experiences, ask questions, or act as a sounding board.

Poster Sessions

Virtual posters will be available for viewing throughout the meeting. Accompanying each poster is a 5-minute video presentation. During the Poster Session, you can text and video chat in real time with presenters as you browse the various posters.  

Industry Breakout Sessions

Industry thought-leaders share advice, case studies, expertise and the latest market solutions in these 20-minute presentations. Live chat with presenters during the sessions. 

Career Coaching

Schedule a time with an experienced scholarly communications professional for a one-on-one coaching session to discuss potential career paths or receive feedback on your resume/CV.  Each 20-minute session is confidential and by appointment only. 

Marketplace Gallery

Meet with exhibitors and sponsors and see what new innovations are being offered by industry service providers. The Marketplace Gallery is accessible throughout the duration of the meeting, but exhibitors will be available for text and/or video chat during designated times.

Previews Session

This "lightning round" plenary offers the chance to learn more about the industry's newest and most innovative products, platforms, and/or content in 5-minute, back to back presentations. Attendees will leave with exposure to a wide breadth of content on new and updated products of interest to the scholarly publishing community.