What do you do at the CIC?
Most of my time is devoted to the Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, where I am the first point of contact for new content. I go through submissions and review them in detail, looking for things like formatting changes that might have to be done. Depending on what is needed, I may send a manuscript back to the author, who can change it accordingly. Once this first editorial pass is done, I move these documents over to the Journal’s editor-in-chief for even closer scrutiny. These articles make their way back to me later, if they’ve been accepted for publication, and I’ll do a thorough copy editing of the text. In addition to all this editorial work, I also coordinate CIC’s membership records and help develop the portfolio of awards we make every year.
How has your background led up to this work?
My editorial position with the Journal suits my background the best, I guess you could say, because I have a BA with a specialization in English literature and an MA in English literature as well. When I was in school, I loved the process of writing academic papers and the way that editing language and structure can really move papers from being great to excellent. So, in my role with the Journal, I really enjoy having the chance to work with our authors to polish their writing and help ensure that the language used in the paper really exhibits their research the best way possible.
What else should people know about CIC?
One of the organization’s primary roles is to recognize outstanding accomplishment and give people a chance to shine, which is why the awards ceremonies are the highlight of any CIC event. The list of different honours is extensive, and they are available to experienced professionals as well as students and others who may be at the beginning of their careers. I would encourage everyone to have a look at our website at the application/nomination requirements for these awards and take advantage of these opportunities. I would encourage students in particular to look through our list of student awards and scholarships because I know that after long, arduous hours of studying and researching, students deserve to be celebrated for their excellence.