Council of Science Editors 2026 Annual Meeting

Communicating Science for a Sustainable Future

CSE is a vibrant community of editorial professionals committed to the responsible and effective communication of science. KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. (KGL) looks forward to connecting with industry colleagues at the 2026 CSE Annual Meeting in Durham, NC, May 3–5.

KGL ’s people-centered, technology-enabled global team delivers outstanding quality and efficiency. With decades of experience supporting hundreds of journals, KGL brings leading-edge knowledge of industry best practices and a deep commitment to ensuring your journal delivers the best possible service to your editors, authors, and reviewers.

Connect with us at CSE to explore how we can help you:

• Automate submission checks, surface integrity risks, and streamline decisions on Smart Review^™
• Publish faster with Smart Publish^™ editorial and production tools
• Ensure early detection of threats including image manipulation, paper mills, and AI-generated content with our Research Integrity services
• Improve journal portfolio performance
• Elevate your publishing platform with PubFactory

Read on to learn about our short courses and sessions that you won’t want to miss. Or click below to schedule a meeting and reimagine your publishing workflow!

We also hope you will join us at the CSE sessions in which KGL is presenting:

Short Course on Publication Management
Sunday, May 3, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Kevin Lomangino, Director, KGL Consulting
Amanda Ferguson, Director, Scientific Journals, Institute of Food Technologists
Alexandra Kahler, Director, KGL Editorial
Martha Keyes, Content Editor, Wolters Kluwer Health
Mark Paalman, Senior Manager Publishing Ethics, Wiley

The Short Course on Publication Management is designed to address the wide-ranging role of managing editors and publication managers as well as the daily challenges they face. This is the fundamental course for those newer to journal management. This year’s experienced faculty will reinforce efficient and effective methods for managing a journal by focusing on such topics as communications and personnel management; navigating relationships with editors-in-chief, Societies, and publishing partners; peer review processes and tools; journal production workflows; essential metrics; ethical best practices; and effective leadership. Attendees are encouraged to bring specific questions from their own experience for discussion by faculty and other attendees. Active participation and exchange of ideas are encouraged.

Safeguarding Research Integrity: Editorial Perspectives on AI, Author Identity, and Trust
Monday, May 4, 2:30–3:30 PM

Confronting Bias Where It Is: Fostering Diversity Across the Physical Geographies and Digital Platforms of Peer Review
Monday, May 4, 4:00–5:00 PM

Chad Sensing, Head of Technology, PREreview
Chirag Jay Patel, Head of Sales and Business Development, Americas, Cactus Communications
Chhavi Chauhan, Executive Director, Open Pathology Education Network (OPEN) and Founder & President, Samast AI
Kylie Yui Dan, PhD Candidate, University of Maryland
Denise Kuo, Executive Managing Editor, KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.
Chris Wilkinson, Head of Technology, PREreview

Peer review is widely viewed as the gold standard for assessing research quality, but does it truly level the playing field? Evidence suggests that people show favoritism towards submissions from their own regions and a resistance to moving past the status quo of other systemic prejudices in peer review. This session will examine how diversifying reviewer pools, fostering cross-regional editorial collaboration, and creating awareness of implicit biases can reshape the research landscape and also provide a case study of inclusive community co-design in developing online features and platforms for open peer review.

From Vision to Action: Strategic Planning in an Era of Change
Tuesday, May 5, 10:30–11:30 AM

Amanda Ferguson, Director, Scientific Journals, Institute of Food Technologists
Thomas Heffron, Senior Director, American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Safwan Badr, MD, MBA, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine
Kevin Lomangino, Director, KGL Consulting

What does the future hold for your journals program? Don’t just sit by and wait for it to happen—develop a roadmap to help achieve your vision! Writing and implementing a well-defined strategic plan is crucial for the sustainability and success of any journals program. In a time of rapid industry change—driven by new technologies, evolving researcher expectations, and shifting funding and policy environments—strategic planning must be an ongoing process of adaptation and renewal. A clear and flexible plan helps journals stay focused, resilient, and ready to seize new opportunities. This session will guide you through the process from research to plan development, from tactical implementation to success measurement over the life of the plan. Learn best practices to secure buy-in from editors, staff, and senior leadership and to communicate your progress.

Strategies for Coping with Burnout for Science Editing Professionals: Sustaining Resilience and Well-Being
Tuesday, May 5, 1:00–2:00 PM

Patty Baskin, Deputy Chief, Publications at American Academy of Neurology
Erin Landis, Founder and CEO, Landis Editorial Consulting
Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell, Director, Duke Center for Health Policy & Inequalities Research
Randy Townsend, Senior Advisor, KGL Consulting

In today’s demanding professional environment, burnout is becoming the norm among knowledge industries, including in science editing and publishing. This panel session will bring together three experts to explore causes, manifestations, and solutions to battle burnout. The session will be structured around three subtopics: systemic workplace stressors, emotional exhaustion and mental health, and the blurring of work-life boundaries in a digital age. Attendees will leave with strategies, practical tools, and a renewed perspective on how to foster personal well-being and create supportive work environments.

State of the Publishing Job Market
Tuesday, May 5, 1:00–2:00 PM

Heather DiAngelis, Publications Manager, Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society
Denise Kuo, Executive Editor, KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.
Meagan Phelan, Communications Director, ScienceFamily of Journals, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Layoffs, furloughs, forced retirements—such is the grim reality of the 2025 job market, in which a large swath of industries and sectors have faced reductions in force. The scholarly publishing field is no exception, whether non-profit, corporate, or government. This is in stark contrast to the so-called “Great Resignation” of 2021 to 2023, when millions of Americans quit their jobs for greener pastures. Now, as the pool of unemployed workers grows, many of those with employment are facing job insecurity and increasingly stressful working conditions. How are employees treading these rough waters, and how are employers maintaining morale and keeping their ships afloat? In a job market that feels hopeless to some, what can we actually control? This session will explore recent trends in the scholarly publishing job market and provide insights for employees, employers, and job seekers.

DON’T TALK IN RIDDLES: Best Practices for Optimal Communications in a Commercial Publisher-Society Marriage
Tuesday, May 5, 2:15–3:15 PM

Kevin Lomangino, Director, KGL Consulting
Miranda Walker, Associate Director, Wolters Kluwer
Christine Beaty, Senior Director, Journal Operations, American Heart Association
Martha Keyes, Content Editor, Wolters Kluwer Health

Explore effective collaboration between professional society publications teams and their publishing partners. Participants will examine how aligned communication, shared expertise, and clear role definition can strengthen publication programs, address common challenges, and support strategic goals. Through practical discussion and real-world perspectives, the session highlights how strong society–publisher partnerships ultimately enhance value for society members and the communities they serve. 

Educational Poster: Editorial Triage of AI Use in Manuscript Submissions to Support Research Integrity

Katie Murphy, Executive Managing Editor, KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.