ATGthePodcast 302 - A Conversation with Andrew Smeall, VP, Product Innovation, Sage

Today's episode features guest host Michael Upshall (guest editor, Charleston Briefings) who talks with Andrew Smeall, VP, Product Innovation at Sage. Andrew is a leader in digital scholarly publishing. He began his career in publishing, and became interested in media and technology, while working at the Center on US-China Relations, which he describes as a "think tank" that produces research on US-China environmental relations and US-China economic relations, where he worked to organize research projects, make their white papers more interesting  and to make that research more discoverable using WordPress sites or flash sites.  He joined Hindawi while working towards his MBA, where he learned about open access and led the redevelopment of its publishing platform, eventually becoming Chief Digital Officer.  Now at Sage, he builds technology strategy for their research business and journals business, helping to decide what platforms to build and which to buy, whether to develop a technology in house or work with a vendor who supplies it, and deciding how best to provide these needed services to researchers.  In this conversation, Andrew also delves into some challenges facing current publishing models and provides some interesting viewpoints.  The video of this interview can be found here: https://youtu.be/oCXaZSwAU9U LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mupshall/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/smeall/ Keywords: #Science #OpenScience #Research #ResearchWorkflow #OpenResearch #ResearchPublishing #Metadata #DigitalTransformation #ResearchIntegrity #ResearchCulture #ScientificPublishing #HumanitiesPublishing #PublishingTechnology #Discovery #LibraryTechnology #Innovation #career #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication #libraries #librarianship #LibraryNeeds #LibraryLove #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #publishing #LibrariesAndPublishers #podcasts

Today's episode features guest host Michael Upshall (guest editor, Charleston Briefings) who talks with Michele Frison, Postdoctoral Research Assistant at the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit at the University of Cambridge. Michele is originally from Italy and completed his PhD at UCL in England with a focus on cell biology. He defines himself as a cell biologist and biochemist, and much of his current research specializes in cell and mitochondrial biology, aging and disease.  The Mitochondrial Biology Unit is part of a larger infrastructure that runs clinical trials for rare diseases. Michele says the process is very slow, taking up to a decade or so, but that he has been fortunate enough to have made a recent discovery that could well lead to clinical trial: the protein target that he's worked with is actually a target for drugs that have already passed phase one clinical trials and are now passing phase two for Parkinson's disease. If the research he has done in models replicates in humans, then it could well lead to a drug for diseases that affect one in 8,000 humans. Michele also talks about the disconnect between the public understanding of science and scientific practice, research culture and competition, open science and the review process, and the vast amount of literature that scientists have to keep up with, as well as his views on the use of AI and social media in his field. The video of this interview can be found here: https://youtu.be/ri_djNwi1jw Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mupshall/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mkfrison92/ Twitter: Keywords: #UniversityOfCambridge #MBU #LifeSciences #OpenScience #BiomedicalResearch #Research #OpenResearch #ResearchCulture #CellBiology #MitochondrialBiology #PostDoc #ScientificPublishing #PeerReview #LibraryTechnology #Innovation #career #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication #libraries #librarianship #LibraryNeeds #LibraryLove #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #publishing #LibrariesAndPublishers #podcasts

The following interview is part of the 2025 Charleston Conference Leadership Interview Series. In this series, we sit down with leaders and innovators who are making a real difference in scholarly publishing, libraries, and the broader information world. Each conversation is a chance to hear firsthand how these decision makers tackle new challenges, rethink traditional models, and collaborate across sectors. Today's episode features the next conversation from the 2025 Charleston Conference Leadership Interview Series.  Meg White, Senior Consultant, Delta Think, and a Conference Director, who talks with Judy Russell, Former Dean of Libraries at the University of Florida. Judy has had a long, distinguished career. She served as Superintendent of Documents at the US Government Printing Office and as Deputy Director for the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science and just completed 18 years as the first dean of university libraries at University of Florida, before recently retiring. In this conversation, she talks about her journey into librarianship and her professional development along the way, playing an important role in the transition from print to digital information in her work with electronic government information.  She plans to continue her important work in accessibility with groups in Panama after her retirement. Judy says she believes in the durability and resiliency of libraries, despite the ongoing challenges. The video of this interview can be found here: https://youtu.be/navZwS3ddmE Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megmorelandwhite/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/judithrussell/ Twitter: Keywords: #CharlestonConference #AgainstTheGrain #AnnualReviews #LeadershipInLibraries #InnovationInLibraries #TeamWork #Team #ConferenceEvolution #LibraryCommunity #Librarianship #ProfessionalDevelopment #LibrarianJourney #LibraryEducation #InformationAccess #LibraryCommunity #libraries #librarians #libraryCareer #librarySchool #LibraryLove #academic #AcademicPublishing #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication  #learning #learnon #information #leaders #leadership #2024ChsConf ##career #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication #libraries #librarianship #LibraryNeeds #LibraryLove #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #publishing #LibrariesAndPublishers #podcasts  

The following interview is part of the 2025 Charleston Conference Leadership Interview Series. In this series, we sit down with leaders and innovators who are making a real difference in scholarly publishing, libraries, and the broader information world. Each conversation is a chance to hear firsthand how these decision makers tackle new challenges, rethink traditional models, and collaborate across sectors. Today's episode features the next conversation from the 2025 Charleston Conference Leadership Interview Series.  Meg White, Senior Consultant, Delta Think, and a Conference Director, who talks with Kathleen McEvoy, Senior Policy Fellow, EveryLibrary Institute. Kathleen is a senior communication executive with expertise in public relations, crisis communications, and public affairs. In this conversation, Kathleen talks with Meg about her professional journey from broadcast journalism to public relations to now her work with EveryLibrary. Kathleen also describes the dual role of EveryLibrary with their work to help libraries build local, state and national support as well as secure funding, and EveryLibrary Institute, which is public education on the role and value of libraries in American society. In the past 13 years, EveryLibrary has insured $2 billion in library funding through their efforts. The video of this interview can be found here: https://youtu.be/pW2f5w45HY0 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megmorelandwhite/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleenmcevoy/ Twitter: Keywords: #CharlestonConference #AgainstTheGrain #AnnualReviews #LeadershipInLibraries #InnovationInLibraries #TeamWork #Team #ConferenceEvolution #LibraryCommunity #Librarianship #ProfessionalDevelopment #LibrarianJourney #LibraryEducation #InformationAccess #LibraryCommunity #libraries #librarians #libraryCareer #librarySchool #LibraryLove #academic #AcademicPublishing #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication  #learning #learnon #information #leaders #leadership #2024ChsConf ##career #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication #libraries #librarianship #LibraryNeeds #LibraryLove #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #publishing #LibrariesAndPublishers #podcasts  

The following interview is the first in this year's Charleston Conference Leadership Interview Series. In this series, we sit down with leaders and innovators who are making a real difference in scholarly publishing, libraries, and the broader information world. Each conversation is a chance to hear firsthand how these decision makers tackle new challenges, rethink traditional models, and collaborate across sectors Today's episode features Meg White, Senior Consultant, Delta Think, and a Conference Director, who talks with Roger Schonfeld,  Managing Director of JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services. Roger is very prolific in the scholarly communication industry, both as a leader and as an innovator, with a large part of his career having been devoted to advancing and supporting the work of libraries. In this conversation, Roger talks with Meg about his background in librarianship and how he came to ITHAKA SNR over 20 years ago. He also talks about the new initiative that he's working on since recently becoming Managing Director of Digital Stewardship Services, which is a platform that helps libraries and archives generate discovery and impact and maximize access for their special and distinctive collections, working with all kinds of different materials- archives, photographs, rare books, oral histories, videos- with a goal to modernize the category to better help libraries manage their digital and digitized distinctive special collections, and bring together the core functionalities of a digital asset management system. The video of this interview can be found here: https://youtu.be/qVdwkX-QbSQ https://www.linkedin.com/in/megmorelandwhite/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerschonfeld/ Keywords: #CharlestonConference #AgainstTheGrain #AnnualReviews #LeadershipInLibraries #InnovationInLibraries #TeamWork #Team #ConferenceEvolution #LibraryCommunity #Librarianship #ProfessionalDevelopment #LibrarianJourney #LibraryEducation #InformationAccess #LibraryCommunity #libraries #librarians #libraryCareer #librarySchool #LibraryLove #academic #AcademicPublishing #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication  #learning #learnon #information #leaders #leadership #2024ChsConf ##career #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication #libraries #librarianship #LibraryNeeds #LibraryLove #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #publishing #LibrariesAndPublishers #podcasts  

Today's episode features guest host Michael Upshall (guest editor, Charleston Briefings) who talks with Ross Mounce, Director of Open Access, Arcadia, a family philanthropy. A paleontologist, Ross has a PhD in evolutionary biology. When he began his PhD research at the University of Bath, he realized the lack of access to research papers and the data, and he believed researchers need to be more open and transparent with their work. Ross began working with Acadia around 8 years ago. Since 2002, Arcadia has awarded $1.3 billion to organizations around the world. Arcadia funding areas include conserving and restoring nature, recording cultural heritage and promoting open access. In this interview, Ross talks about the Arcadia funding model, and how it is managed.   Ross says "We love to see practical change in the world. So, that doesn't always mean commissioning people to do research. It means really commissioning people to do things that will change the world." Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mupshall/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmounce/ Keywords: #Arcadia #OpenAccess #OpenScience #OpenKnowledge #OpenResearch #ResearchTransparency #AcademicTools #OpenSource #ResearchImpact #metadata #OpenResearch #DigitalLibrary #DigitalTransformation #LibraryTechnology #Innovation #career #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication #libraries #librarianship #LibraryNeeds #LibraryLove #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #publishing #LibrariesAndPublishers #podcasts

Today's episode features guest host Michael Upshall (guest editor, Charleston Briefings) who talks with Herbert Van de Sompel, Researcher Fellow at Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) and Guest Professor at Ghent University. Although Herbert has spent the last 25 to 30 years working in libraries, he doesn't describe himself as a librarian but as what he calls an "infrastructure plumber."  With a background in mathematics and information science, he has done years of infrastructure work within the library to allow technology to be used to improve research communication. Starting with Ghent University Library, where he did his thesis, and which he says was behind in automation compared to other European libraries, he began with automation of administrative processes, but he says that he didn't then fully understand what automation in an academic library would be fully about. Herbert got to work with a vision- he didn't feel that library automation was catalog automation. It was about providing access to all kinds of other sources. In this conversation, we'll hear how Herbert worked to modernize library services at Ghent, propelling them from way behind to way ahead in automation and his contributions to developing SFX and the OpenURL framework. Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mupshall/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/herbertvandesompel/ Keywords: #OpenAccess #ResearchInfrastructure #AcademicTools #LibraryAutomation #OpenSource #OpenScience #metadata #OpenResearch #DigitalLibrary #DigitalTransformation #LibraryTechnology #Innovation #career #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication #libraries #librarianship #LibraryNeeds #LibraryLove #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #publishing #LibrariesAndPublishers #podcasts

This episode is sponsored by Moara.io and contains corporate sponsored content. All content is provided by Moara.io. The views, opinions, and content expressed during this sponsored episode are those of the participants, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast or the Charleston Hub. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any products, services, or statements made during the episode. Thank you to Moara.io for supporting ATG the Podcast and its mission to connect librarians, publishers, and vendors. Moara.io:  (a next gen literature review workflow tool), "Organize and review your research papers. Streamline your literature review process with guided workflows, seamless collaboration, and AI enablement." Today's episode features a conversation between John Frechette , CEO, moara.io; Adjunct Instructor, George Washington & Stevenson University; Ben Kaube, Co-founder, Cassyni; and Aaron Tay,  Head of Research & Data Services, Singapore Management University. This conversation explores how AI is reshaping the research process - from how papers are discovered to how findings are analyzed, shared, and rewarded. John talks with Ben and Aaron about the new realities of AI-driven search, publishing, and research workflows. Together, they discuss where automation helps or harms, how publishers and librarians are adapting, and what the rise of AI means for research quality and integrity. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jfrechette/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-kaube/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/aarontay/  Keywords: #Moara.io #Research #ResearchIntegrity #ResearchQuality #ResearchWorkflows #FutureOfResearch #AI #AITools #AIDriven #AIEthics #ResearchTools #AcademicTools #AcademicInnovation #PublishingInnovation #DigitalPublishing #OpenAccess #OpenSource #OpenScience #OpenResearch #Innovation #career #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication #libraries #librarianship #LibraryNeeds #LibraryLove #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #publishing #LibrariesAndPublishers #podcasts

Today's episode features guest host Michael Upshall (guest editor, Charleston Briefings) who talks with Adam Hyde, Founder, Coko (Collaborative Knowledge Foundation). Adam is known for innovating in publishing. In this conversation, he talks about an interesting career progression and how he transitioned into scholarly publishing. Born in New Zealand, he earned his master's in philosophy at Waikato, a small University. However, he began his career managing community radio in the 1990s, becoming manager of the station after applying numerous times for the position.  He built a recording studio, with a devoted community and events around it, being one of the few independent radio stations in the country, even starting a community TV station, right as the internet was taking off. Adam moved to Australia and began working for an IT Consultancy, where he was introduced to Linux and streaming. He then moved over to Europe as a media activist and artist and then worked for an independent internet service provider in Amsterdam.     He traveled around teaching workshops on media technology and promoting open-sourced software. Adam developed FLOSS Manuals and Book Sprints, and was eventually noticed by PLOS, where he helped design a new journal platform.    He applied for funding from the Shuttlesworth Foundation, and used this funding to found Coko, a nonprofit organization that builds open-source publishing tools for scholarly and scientific communication.    Social Media: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mupshall/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhyde/ Keywords:#CokoFoundation #AcademicTools #PublishingInnovation #DigitalPublishing #OpenAccess #OpenSource #OpenScience #OpenResearch #Innovation #career #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication #libraries #librarianship #LibraryNeeds #LibraryLove #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #publishing #LibrariesAndPublishers #podcasts

Today's episode features guest host Michael Upshall (guest editor, Charleston Briefings) who talks with Abel Packer, Co-Founder, SciELO. In this conversation, Abel talks about beginning his career in engineering and computer science, working on UN demographic data projects in Latin America and creating the early bibliographic system, DocPop. He then earned his Masters in Library Science and, in 1997, co-founded SciELO, a decentralized, open access platform, to improve both visibility and access to Latin American Scientific Journals. Beginning with only 10 journals, SciELO is now used across 17 countries. Abel feels that, despite the success, SciELO is often overlooked globally, possibly due to its Global South origins.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mupshall/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/abel-l-packer-2b29a540/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/scielo---scientific-electronic-library-online/posts/?feedView=all Twitter: Keywords: #SciELO #LibraryScience #OpenAccess #OA #OpenScience #GlobalSouth #GlobalLibraries #career #collaboration #Innovation #AcademicInnovation #KnowledgeEquity #scholcomm #ScholarlyCommunication #libraries #librarianship #LibraryNeeds #LibraryLove #ScholarlyPublishing #AcademicPublishing #publishing #LibrariesAndPublishers #podcasts