Insights Xchange: Conversations Shaping Academic Research

Cactus Communications (CACTUS)

Welcome to the Insights Xchange podcast, brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Hosted by Nikesh Gosalia, this podcast is your guide to the world of research and academic publishing. Tune in to hear lively discussions with experts from the academic and publishing realms.


Earlier known as All Things SciComm, the new series covers a variety of topics, from the latest trends in academic publishing to critical issues faced by researchers in an increasingly AI-driven world. Join us for insightful conversations and expert perspectives that will help you navigate the exciting world of academia. Whether you're a researcher, publisher, or just curious about academic insights, this podcast hopes to be your go-to source for understanding the evolving landscape of academic publishing.

Stay ahead, stay informed, and let's explore the fascinating world of research and knowledge together!

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Episodes

Technology, Integrity, and Open Access: The Future of Academic Publishing
Feb 29 2024
Technology, Integrity, and Open Access: The Future of Academic Publishing
In this episode of Insights Xchange, Dr. Harsh Jegadeesan, Chief Publishing Officer and Member of the Management Board at Springer Nature Group, discusses with Nikesh Gosalia the evolving landscape of the academic publishing industry, the various disruptions taking place within it, and the ocean of opportunities in digital publication. Dr. Jegadeesan underscores the delicate balance between tradition and innovation, stressing the importance of embracing the latter to cater to the needs of the newer generation of researchers and elevate their research experience. He also talks about the mechanisms in place to ensure research integrity in scholarly publishing, and the increasing role of AI in various stages of the research cycle.  Additionally, the conversation explores the ongoing dialogue surrounding open access and open data practices, alongside strategies for nurturing global collaboration within academia.Social media linksNikesh Gosalia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikeshgosalia/https://twitter.com/NikeshGoDr. Harsh Jegadeesanhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/harshjegadeesan/https://twitter.com/harshjegadeesan Show notes:Thank you for listening! Here are links to some of the things that Dr. Harsh Jegadeesan and Nikesh discussed in the podcast. We would love to hear from you, so feel free to drop a line at insightsxchange@cactusglobal.comSpringer Nature | https://www.springernature.com/gp SAP | https://www.sap.com/india/index.html Nature | https://www.nature.com/ R Discovery | https://discovery.researcher.life/ Curie | https://www.aje.com/curie/ Nature Research Intelligence | https://www.springernature.com/gp/products/nature-research-intelligence Snapp | https://www.springernature.com/gp/snapp Nature Masterclasses | https://masterclasses.nature.com/ Nature Careers | https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/ Research Communities by Springer Nature | https://communities.springernature.com/ GitHub | https://github.com/ State of Open Data Report 2023 | https://www.springernature.com/gp/researchers/campaigns/state-of-open-data Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Engaging Diverse Audiences, Building Trust, and Embracing Uncertainty: How Can Scientific Research Be Best Made Accessible in Today's Dynamic Media Landscape?
Feb 5 2024
Engaging Diverse Audiences, Building Trust, and Embracing Uncertainty: How Can Scientific Research Be Best Made Accessible in Today's Dynamic Media Landscape?
Meagan Phelan, Communications Director, Science Family Journals,  American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) joins Nikesh Gosalia for an insightful discussion about the myriad challenges in science communication. They explore the balance between media coverage and scientific accuracy, the role of alternate formats in simplifying complex ideas, and the importance of building public trust in the face of rising fraudulent practices. Meagan discusses strategies to improve communication between researchers and policymakers, along with the need to embrace uncertainty in scientific research. She also talks about the importance of authors engaging with global media groups to increase their visibility, and how their expectations are changing in response to the shifting media landscape. The conversation concludes with practical advice for researchers and industry stakeholders.Nikesh Gosalia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikeshgosalia/https://twitter.com/NikeshGoMeagan Phelan:https://www.linkedin.com/in/meagan-phelan-b1860b4/https://twitter.com/MeaganPhelanShow notes:Thank you for listening! Here are links to some of the things that Meagan Phelan and Nikesh discussed in the podcast. We would love to hear from you, so feel free to drop a line at insightsxchange@cactusglobal.comAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science | https://www.aaas.org/Impact Science | https://www.impact.science/Science | https://www.science.org/journal/science Science Press Package | https://www.aaas.org/news/science-press-package Proofig (image checking tool) | https://www.proofig.com/ AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship | https://www.aaas.org/programs/science-technology-policy-fellowships The Conversation | https://theconversation.com/global Fulbright Scholarship | https://fulbrightscholars.org/Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Shaping the Future: Technology, Diversity, and Open Access in Scholarly Publishing with Heather Staines
Dec 11 2023
Shaping the Future: Technology, Diversity, and Open Access in Scholarly Publishing with Heather Staines
In this episode, Nikesh Gosalia engages in conversation with Heather Staines, Director of Community Engagement and Senior Consultant at Delta Think and a veteran in scholarly communications and academic publishing. They discuss the evolving role of technology in academics, the importance of diversity in academic content, and the challenges and opportunities in the open access space. Heather emphasises the need for supporting nonprofit initiatives and open infrastructure projects, ensuring their continued existence amidst changing funding landscapes. Additionally, the conversation reflects on the challenges faced by underrepresented voices, and explores various open access business models that contribute to a more inclusive academic environment. Nikesh Gosalia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikeshgosalia/\https://twitter.com/NikeshGoHeather Staines: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherstaines/https://twitter.com/heatherstaines Show notes:Thank you for listening! Here are links to some of the things that Heather Staines and Nikesh discussed in the podcast. We would love to hear from you, so feel free to drop a line at insightsxchange@cactusglobal.comDelta Think | https://deltathink.com/ MIT Knowledge Futures Group | https://www.knowledgefutures.org/ ProQuest | https://www.proquest.com/ Yale University | https://www.yale.edu/ Springer Nature | https://www.springernature.com/gp SIPX | https://law.stanford.edu/projects/stanford-intellectual-property-exchange/ Copyright Clearance Center | https://www.copyright.com/ American Library Association | https://www.ala.org/ Crossmark Working Group | https://www.crossref.org/working-groups/crossmark/ Hypothesis | https://web.hypothes.is/ Public Knowledge Project | https://pkp.sfu.ca/ Simon Fraser University | https://www.sfu.ca/ Michigan Publishing | https://www.publishing.umich.edu/ University of Minnesota Manifold | https://manifold.umn.edu/ Open Library of Humanities | https://www.openlibhums.org/ Declaration of Open Research Assessment (DORA) | https://sfdora.org/ STM Future Lab | https://www.stm-assoc.org/standards-technology/future-lab-committee/n Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Higher Education: Remote Learning, AI, Research, and THE University Rankings with Phil Baty
Nov 17 2023
Higher Education: Remote Learning, AI, Research, and THE University Rankings with Phil Baty
In this episode, Nikesh Gosalia interviews Times Higher Education's (THE) Chief Knowledge Officer Phil Baty to talk about the importance of transparency in ranking systems, key trends in university rankings, and the consultancy services offered by THE to help universities improve their reputation. They also discuss the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education, including the incorporation of remote learning and AI in education, and the global levelling up of university rankings with representation from less dominant nations. Nikesh Gosaliahttps://twitter.com/NikeshGohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nikeshgosalia/Phil Baty https://twitter.com/Phil_Batyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/philbaty/?originalSubdomain=ukShow notesWe would love to hear from you, so feel free to drop a line at insightsxchange@cactusglobal.com Time Higher Education | https://www.timeshighereducation.com/ Confederation of British Industries | https://www.cbi.org.uk/ UK Treasury | https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury Lambert Review | https://www.ncub.co.uk/insight/lambert-review-of-business-university-collaboration/  THE Connect | https://www.timeshighereducation.com/our-partners The Knowledge Partnership | https://www.theknowledgepartnership.com/ The World 100 Reputation Network | https://www.theworld100.com/reputation-network/ Research Excellence Framework | https://www.ref.ac.uk/ Dual support funding system UK | https://www.ukri.org/publications/explainer-dual-support-funding-for-uk-research-and-innovation/ OECD | https://www.oecd.org/  World Academic Summit | https://www.timeshighered-events.com/world-academic-summit-2023 Asia Summit | https://www.timeshighered-events.com/asia-universities-summit-2023 Leadership Summit | https://www.timeshighereducation.com/hub/leadership-and-management-summit Rashtrapati Bhavan | https://rashtrapatibhavan.gov.in/ Newcastle United | https://www.nufc.co.uk/Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Open Access: Myths, APCs, and Barriers to Adoption with Robyn Mugridge
Oct 27 2023
Open Access: Myths, APCs, and Barriers to Adoption with Robyn Mugridge
For journals, the shift to open access can feel like venturing into the great unknown, but is there a way to make this process easier? In this episode, Nikesh Gosalia speaks with Robyn Mugridge about the adoption of open access practices. Robyn debunks some common myths surrounding open access, talks about how paywalls could hold back scientific progress, and suggests what commercial publishers can do if researchers can’t afford the APCs. Robyn also shares her predictions for the future of academic publishing, such as the increasing popularity of short-form content and possibly even a TikTok for science. She thinks that the publishing industry is going to change from the siloed industry it is currently into being more collaborative, encouraging fluid team effort. She acknowledges the role of AI in publishing and how AI can be used to boost publishing quality without replacing human decision-making. Nikesh Gosaliahttps://twitter.com/NikeshGohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nikeshgosalia/ Robyn Mugridgehttps://twitter.com/mugspubshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-mugridge-8a461b86/ https://mugspubs.com/Show notesThank you for listening! Here are links to some of the things that Robyn Mugridge and Nikesh discussed in the podcast. We would love to hear from you, so feel free to drop a line at insightsxchange@cactusglobal.com  NHS      |     https://www.nhs.uk/  NIHR Journals Library     |     https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/#/ Springer Nature    |     https://www.springernature.com/gp Frontiers    |    https://www.frontiersin.org/ OSTP    |    https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/ Frontiers for young minds     |     https://kids.frontiersin.org/ Plan S     |     https://www.coalition-s.org/ ALPSP     |     https://www.alpsp.org/Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Automation, Algorithms, and Research Integrity: What does a Hybrid Human-Machine Future Look Like for Academic Publishing?
Oct 17 2023
Automation, Algorithms, and Research Integrity: What does a Hybrid Human-Machine Future Look Like for Academic Publishing?
This episode features Nikesh Gosalia in captivating conversation with Dr. Leslie McIntosh, Vice President of Research Integrity at Digital Science and Founder of Ripeta, a software and services company with a mission to enhance the transparency, reproducibility, and quality of scientific research. Together, they delve into the dynamic intersection of artificial intelligence and research integrity.Dr. McIntosh discusses how as AI evolves, distinguishing genuine discoveries from synthetic data becomes increasingly challenging. She urges us to contemplate how AI is transforming the essence of research and our ability to uphold its honesty. Dr. McIntosh also shares her vision for the future, highlighting the significance of recognizing researchers who epitomize meticulous and trustworthy science.Talking about her initiative, Dimensions Research Integrity, she underscores the power of leveraging tools for the common good while remaining vigilant against potential biases. Through engaging anecdotes and expert insights, Dr. McIntosh invites us to reflect on how we can ensure the ongoing transparency, trustworthiness, and authenticity of scientific research amid the AI revolution.Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the nuanced interplay between AI, research ethics, and the future of scholarly knowledge. Nikesh Gosaliahttps://twitter.com/NikeshGohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/nikeshgosalia/Leslie McIntoshhttps://twitter.com/mcintoldhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-mcintosh/ Show notesThank you for listening! Here are links to some of the things that Leslie McIntosh and Nikesh discussed in the podcast. We would love to hear from you, so feel free to drop a line at insightsxchange@cactusglobal.com Repata | https://ripeta.com/ Elisabeth Bik | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Bik  World Conference on Research Integrity | https://www.wcrif.org/  Washington University of Medicine | https://medicine.wustl.edu/  Retraction Watch | https://retractionwatch.com/  Frontiers | https://www.frontiersin.org/  Research Data Alliance | https://www.rd-alliance.org/  Harvard Institute for Policy (Shorenstein Center) | https://shorensteincenter.org/  ORCiD | https://orcid.org/  Archive | https://arxiv.org/  Digital Science | https://www.digital-science.com/  Dimensions | https://www.dimensions.ai/  Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Open Access, Inclusivity, and Pre-Prints: What's the Future of Academic Publishing?
Sep 29 2023
Open Access, Inclusivity, and Pre-Prints: What's the Future of Academic Publishing?
In this episode of Insights Xchange, Nikesh Gosalia hosts a compelling conversation with Ashley Farley, of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Together Nikesh and Ashley explore the transformative landscape of academic research, delving into open research, the shift towards open access, sustainable publishing models, and the evolving role of AI in academic publishing. Advocating for inclusivity and addressing gaps in academic publishing, they discuss the potential of pre-prints and stress the importance of re-evaluating academic evaluation systems. Ashley shares success stories and emphasizes the need for global collaboration, highlighting the colonial roots of academic publishing. The episode urges researchers to own the distribution of their work and emphasizes a move towards a more collaborative and transparent research world. Nikesh Gosaliahttps://twitter.com/NikeshGo https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikeshgosalia/ Ashley Farleyhttps://twitter.com/ashleydfarley https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyfarley/   Show notesThank you for listening! Here are links to some of things that Ashely and Nikesh discussed in the podcast. We would love to hear from you. So do feel free to drop us a line at insightsxchange@cactusglobal.com The Gates Foundation 2023 Report  https://www.gatesfoundation.org/goalkeepers/report/2023-report Seattle Public Library https://www.spl.org/  The Nelson Memo https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/08-2022-OSTP-Public-access-Memo.pdf  Coalition-S and Plan S https://www.coalition-s.org/  OA Works https://oa.works/  F1000 https://f1000research.com/ Gates Open Research https://gatesopenresearch.org/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=sem&utm_campaign=JRF29311&gclid=CjwKCAjwmbqoBhAgEiwACIjzEA8ggZj6RdFS-QrXfGFxbeDzTFuP7demO9AZL8m8xHYzsQ2DJIRUjRoCCv4QAvD_BwE  SPARC – Open Con Community Calls https://sparcopen.org/event/coapi-community-call/  Open Research Funders Group https://www.orfg.org/  Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Scientific Misconduct, Paper Mills, and Social Media with Elisabeth Bik
May 22 2023
Scientific Misconduct, Paper Mills, and Social Media with Elisabeth Bik
Nikesh Gosalia and Elisabeth Bik continue their conversation on scientific misconduct, starting with the role played by research institutions in combating research misconduct. Elisabeth talks about the organized crime of research fraud: paper mills, which are companies that produce fake research papers and sell their authorship position to researchers. She also discusses the downsides of being a scientific integrity volunteer, such as legal threats, personal attacks, and even death threats, and how she deals with these issues. Elisabeth shares her thoughts on the double-edged sword of social media: it can be a powerful tool to expose scientific misconduct, but it is also a potent medium for spreading misinformation, and she mentions her concerns about the lack of moderation on some platforms, such as Twitter. In line with this, she discusses her strategy for vetting the trustworthiness of sources. Finally, Elisabeth talks about what motivates her to keep going in her battle against scientific fraud and shares her advice for listeners interested in becoming science misconduct volunteers.Dr Elisabeth Bik is a science integrity consultant and microbiologist. With a PhD in microbiology, she has worked in academic publishing as a science editor and director of science. Featured across multiple mainstream media outlets, Elisabeth received the 2021 John Maddox Prize for her work on exposing threats to research integrity. She can be reached on Twitter.Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Fake Photos, AI Tools, and Research Fraud with Elisabeth Bik
May 15 2023
Fake Photos, AI Tools, and Research Fraud with Elisabeth Bik
Research fraud is increasingly common these days. Will AI tools just make this worse or can they help combat fraud? Nikesh Gosalia talks to Elisabeth Bik about research fraud, starting with the plagiarism incident that inspired Elisabeth to become a full-time research integrity volunteer. She talks about the main factor pushing researchers to commit scientific fraud: the pressure to publish. Despite the high volume of papers being published these days, Elisabeth feels that quantity doesn’t always reflect quality. She discusses the development of AI tools and their effect on scientific fraud, such as the use of AI tools to create fake photos. Conversely, there are tools to detect fraudulent elements, but their limitations mean that human input is still needed. She also shares her techniques for detecting research misconduct, from examining duplicated photos to questionable animal ethics. Finally, Nikesh and Elisabeth touch on issues surrounding open science and research misconduct. Elisabeth thinks the adoption of open science will help reduce fraud in academic publishing.Dr Elisabeth Bik is a science integrity consultant and microbiologist. With a PhD in microbiology, she has worked in academic publishing as a science editor and director of science. Featured across multiple mainstream media outlets, Elisabeth received the 2021 John Maddox Prize for her work on exposing threats to research integrity. She can be reached on Twitter.Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
ChatGPT: The New AI Rubber Duck with 67 Bricks
May 8 2023
ChatGPT: The New AI Rubber Duck with 67 Bricks
Nikesh Gosalia continues talking to Simon Epstein and Will Bailey from 67 Bricks. They delve deeper into the use of ChatGPT in research. Will thinks ChatGPT could increase global inclusivity in research despite its lack of insightfulness, and Simon suggests open access as a solution to the problems posed by ChatGPT. They also talk about using ChatGPT as a kind of rubber duck to talk ideas through and get feedback from. They discuss the future of language models like ChatGPT in the next few years, and Will emphasizes the need for publishers to reimagine their role as digital product companies. The conversation then shifts to Case Genie, which is an AI-powered search tool that can generate search results based on legal case briefs. Will thinks the approach used by Case Genie can also be applied in academic research. Finally, they share their own strategies for staying updated on new developments. Simon adopts a more traditional approach with news websites and YouTube resources, while Will talks to other technologists at 67 Bricks or conferences to find out the latest.67 Bricks is a technology consultancy company based in Oxford, England, that works with publishers to overcome the ongoing challenges of digital transformation in publishing. Simon Epstein is the Head of Technical Consultancy for Software Development at 67 Bricks. Will Bailey is the Head of Partnerships for Client Services. Connect with 67 Bricks on LinkedIn and Twitter.Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
67 Bricks on Large Language Models (LLMs) in Academic Publishing
May 1 2023
67 Bricks on Large Language Models (LLMs) in Academic Publishing
Big changes are afoot in the publishing world, with the creation of AI tools like ChatGPT. Nikesh Gosalia talks to Will Bailey and Simon Epstein from 67 Bricks about these developments and their impact on research. They start by sharing the origin story of 67 Bricks: the name was inspired by the number of post-its on a whiteboard during a meeting! Simon shares his perspective on using large language models to improve the efficiency of the publication process, and Will adds that AI models can help connect publishers to peer reviewers. They also talk about using AI to improve the discoverability of academic publications. Next, they discuss a common challenge faced by new technology—data privacy concerns, and Simon mentions the data security practices used by 67 Bricks. Simon also discusses ways for measuring the performance of an AI machine language model, and Will reiterates that AI tools are like all other tools in terms of impact measurement. They emphasize that 67 Bricks works on solving the underlying problem behind the customer brief. Finally, they touch on the pros and cons of AI tools, including ChatGPT and DALL E.67 Bricks is a technology consultancy company based in Oxford, England, that works with publishers to overcome the ongoing challenges of digital transformation in publishing. Simon Epstein is the Head of Technical Consultancy for Software Development at 67 Bricks. Will Bailey is the Head of Partnerships for Client Services. Connect with 67 Bricks on LinkedIn and Twitter.Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Barriers to Open Access Adoption with Robyn Mugridge
Mar 13 2023
Barriers to Open Access Adoption with Robyn Mugridge
In the second part of this episode, Nikesh Gosalia and Robyn Mugridge kick off their discussion by addressing the two main barriers that prevent societies from adopting open access — financial risk and differing mindsets. Robyn breaks down the concept of transformative agreements; these are contracts intended to ease the transition toward open access, but their effectiveness remains questionable. Next, Robyn shares her predictions for the future of academic publishing, such as the increasing popularity of short-form content and possibly even a TikTok for science. She thinks that the publishing industry is going to change from the siloed industry it is currently into being more collaborative, encouraging fluid team effort. She talks about the Frontiers for Young Minds program, a current effort by Frontiers to popularize science among the youth. Robyn also acknowledges the role of AI in publishing and how AI can be used to boost publishing quality without replacing human decision-making. Robyn then talks about her personal strategies for staying updated with changes in the industry, from real-life conferences to email newsletters. To wrap up, Robyn shares a key piece of advice for those starting out in publishing: find your niche. Robyn Mugridge is the Head of Publishing Partnerships at Frontiers in London. A strong advocate for open access, Robyn is a member of the ALPSP Education Committee. She has over 7 years of experience in the publishing industry with different organizations, including the Springer Nature Group and NIHR Journals Library. Reach her through Twitter or her blog mugspubs.com.Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Robyn Mugridge on Open Access: Myths, APCs, and Revenue Generation
Mar 6 2023
Robyn Mugridge on Open Access: Myths, APCs, and Revenue Generation
For journals, the shift to open access can feel like venturing into the great unknown, but is there a way to make this process easier? In this episode, Nikesh Gosalia talks to Robyn Mugridge about the adoption of open access practices. They start by discussing Robyn’s journey from an English lecturer to an open access proponent at Frontiers. Robyn debunks some common myths surrounding open access and talks about how society journals can transition into Gold Open Access through Frontiers’ Article Processing Charge (APC) model. Nikesh and Robyn discuss the drawbacks of the subscription model in publishing. Robyn talks about how paywalls could hold back scientific progress and reiterates that open access is the way forward. She addresses the issue of expensive APCs and what commercial publishers can do if researchers can’t afford the APCs. She also offers ideas on potential alternatives to APCs — value-added services that publishers can use to generate revenue. Finally, Nikesh and Robyn discuss the latest OSTP mandate that requires the results of taxpayer-funded research to be open access. They also briefly touch on the evolution of open access in Asian countries, with a focus on China and India. Robyn Mugridge is the Head of Publishing Partnerships at Frontiers in London. A strong advocate for open access, Robyn is a member of the ALPSP Education Committee. She has over 7 years of experience in the publishing industry with different organizations, including the Springer Nature Group and NIHR Journals Library. Reach her through Twitter or her blog mugspubs.com.Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Mark Hahnel on the Future of Open Science, Publishing, and Figshare
Jan 23 2023
Mark Hahnel on the Future of Open Science, Publishing, and Figshare
In the final part of their conversation, Nikesh Gosalia and Mark Hahnel talk about open science, but this time with an emphasis on the future. They discuss carrot-and-stick incentives that can encourage researchers to participate in open science. Mark shares his views on future developments in academic publishing, specifically on how machine interpretation of data can help detect publishing fraud and make scientific findings more understandable to the general public. Mark also shares his opinion on the biggest change needed in academia: paid peer review. Possibilities for the future are further explored as Mark addresses the future of Figshare and the constantly evolving nature of technology, which means that Figshare will have always something new to work on. To wrap up their discussion, Mark talks about his way of staying updated with new developments in open data and his personal mission for the science community. Mark Hahnel is the Founder and CEO of Figshare, the all-in-one repository for papers, FAIR data, and nontraditional research outputs. He is passionate about open science and its potential to bring positive change to the research community. Mark has acted as an advisor for the Springer Nature master classes and is currently on the advisory board for the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). He can be reached on Twitter or LinkedIn.Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
The Importance of Open Access and Technology with Mark Hahnel
Jan 16 2023
The Importance of Open Access and Technology with Mark Hahnel
Nikesh Gosalia and Mark Hahnel continue their discussion on making scientific data public, talking about the idea of publishing negative data and the unequal explosion of gold vs. green open access. Mark makes a strong case for keeping all data openly available in time-sensitive research fields such as COVID-19. He also discusses how open access could propel research to the next level: if all research data is available online, AI technologies could sift through it and detect trends that humans can’t. Keeping with the theme of technology, Mark touches on the role of blockchain in decentralized sciences and Figshare’s focus on building policy-compliant infrastructure to make resilient, long-lasting technology. He also shares his thoughts on collaborative efforts between humans and AI, citing the Google DeepMind project AlphaFold as an example of a successful project. Mark talks about some open science initiatives that have caught his attention, with a special focus on Cassyni, a company that uses technology to improve the impact of lectures. To end this episode, Mark shares his opinion on the factors that are preventing the mass adoption of open science. Mark Hahnel is the Founder and CEO of Figshare, the all-in-one repository for papers, FAIR data, and nontraditional research outputs. He is passionate about open science and its potential to bring positive change to the research community. Mark has acted as an advisor for the Springer Nature master classes and is currently on the advisory board for the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). He can be reached on Twitter or LinkedIn.Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
The Story Behind Figshare with Mark Hahnel
Jan 9 2023
The Story Behind Figshare with Mark Hahnel
Join host Nikesh Gosalia as he chats with Mark Hahnel from Figshare about the creation of the Figshare platform. Mark talks about his background in genomics and how a gap year spent travelling eventually led him to do a PhD in stem cell biology. As a PhD student, he experienced struggles while trying to publish his research findings, and this inspired him to build his own publishing platform, which is now known as Figshare. For Figshare’s 10th anniversary, Mark reflects on Figshare’s collaboration with Digital Science and how the visionary thinking of their CEO led to Figshare being created before open science became common practice. Mark talks about the different versions of Figshare, from the free figshare.com which is open to everyone, to purpose-built versions of Figshare meant for specific organizations. This ties in with the open science concept of “as open as possible, as closed as necessary”, where not all datasets should be publicly available for safety. Mark shares his thoughts on what academics want out of publishing: something fast, good, open, and possibly free. He also addresses some drawbacks of Figshare, such as quality control, lack of data curation, and content monitoring issues. Mark Hahnel is the Founder and CEO of Figshare, the all-in-one repository for papers, FAIR data, and nontraditional research outputs. He is passionate about open science and its potential to bring positive change to the research community. Mark has acted as an advisor for the Springer Nature master classes and is currently on the advisory board for the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). He can be reached on Twitter or LinkedIn.Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Jigisha Patel on ‘Publish or Perish’, Research Integrity, and Peer Review
Sep 19 2022
Jigisha Patel on ‘Publish or Perish’, Research Integrity, and Peer Review
This is a special episode for Peer Review Week 2022 featuring research integrity specialist, Jigisha Patel! Hosts Nikesh Gosalia and Jayashree Rajagopalan talk to Jigisha about her career journey from being a medical doctor to a journal editor. She shares her observations on common research integrity dilemmas in publishing, from plagiarism to authorship disputes, and discusses an overview of industry efforts to overcome these problems and the possibility of using AI-based solutions. Jigisha also addresses the connection between research integrity and peer review, and how her role in the Peer Review Steering Committee has given her a more positive perspective of the peer review process. She talks about a challenge affecting the peer review process – peer review being used as a mere stamp of approval as the actual content of the reviews is sidelined. She touches on the ‘publish or perish’ culture that is pervasive in scientific research and the need to evolve current research culture into one that rewards research integrity.Jigisha Patel is an independent research integrity specialist and founder of Jigisha Patel Research Integrity Limited. After training as a medical doctor, she transitioned into the world of publishing with a special focus on research integrity, peer review, and medical research ethics. Jigisha is an elected member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Council. She can be contacted through her website or Twitter.Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Remote Learning, AI Tech, and Research Frameworks with Phil Baty
Sep 12 2022
Remote Learning, AI Tech, and Research Frameworks with Phil Baty
Is remote learning here to stay? In the second part of their conversation, Nikesh Gosalia and Phil Baty discuss changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and various other issues related to higher education. They start with the Research Excellence Framework, and Phil shares his thoughts on the importance of such frameworks and the controversy of universities gaming the system. They also explore the long-term impact of the pandemic on higher education — according to Phil, remote learning will be permanently incorporated along with in-person education to produce a hybrid learning model. Phil addresses the inevitable application of AI in higher education and the need for governance systems to ensure that AI usage remains beneficial. He also talks about the global leveling up of university rankings with greater representation from less dominant nations. To wrap up, Phil shares the most pivotal moments of his career.Phil Baty is an established expert in university performance and strategy. With 25 years of experience in global higher education, including a decade as the editor of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Phil is an award-winning journalist and highly sought-after speaker. He is also the creator of the THE’s World Academic Summit. Phil can be reached on Twitter and LinkedIn. Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications
Phil Baty on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings
Sep 5 2022
Phil Baty on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings
In today's episode, Nikesh Gosalia speaks to Times Higher Education (THE) Chief Knowledge Officer Phil Baty about university rankings. Phil talks about THE’s origins and his personal history within the company and delves into the THE World University Rankings and shares insider info on the inner workings of the rankings — he covers everything from performance indicators to the incorporation of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Phil addresses some controversies about ranking tools and reiterates the importance of transparency in creating beneficial ranking systems. Next, Phil discusses the key trends in university rankings, including the shift in power from the West to East Asia. He shares his tips for universities to improve their rankings and touches on the consultancy services offered by THE to help universities improve their reputation, including THE’s newly acquired business ‘The Knowledge Partnership’.Phil Baty is an established expert in university performance and strategy. With 25 years of experience in global higher education, including a decade as editor of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Phil is an award-winning journalist and highly sought-after speaker. He is also the creator of the THE’s World Academic Summit. Phil can be reached on Twitter and LinkedIn. Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us: LinkedIn /cactus-communications Facebook /CactusCommunications Twitter @Cactusglobal YouTube @CactusCommunications