Mary Beth Aberlin, Editor in Chief of the 2011 ASBPE Magazine of the Year award, discusses the magazine: The Scientist. The presentation was delivered at the 2011 ASBPE National Conference in Chicago.
1. The ScientistA Case Study MARY BETH ABERLINEditor-in-Chiefeic@the-scientist.com 5 August 2011
2. THE SCIENTIST MISSION Started as trade newspaper for scientists (October,1986) To report the latest news on outside-the-lab issues - policy funding jobs/salaries ethics technical advances book reviews
Controlled circulation magazineOur website reaches many more people who visit it not just for the magazine, but for up-to-date news coverage
While the mission of the magazine is essentially the same, how content is delivered has changed.
Here’s the evolution of our editorial team. Couldn’t resist.
Small staff that is expert at multitasking
Pretty standard
Sometimes an infographic is the best introduction to a topic.This spread introduced the feature section of a special-issue topic
This is the final image that was chosen by me, the editor, and the art director.We consider art selections our prerogative, not that of the author. But our authors are scientists and we usually run final pdf by them to make sure it is scientifically accurateThe downside: these authors reacted badly. Here’s the one we thought was final.
Still a lot of the same and a few new thingsNext few slides show some of the out-of-the lab and how-to columns our reader value.
In the feature well 6 times per year feature surveys and competitionsNot on slide is the Labby awards for best lab website or multimedia presentation. In September issue our 2nd annual.
Out of the lab advice of a practical natureEditor who wrote this had a baby right around this time
Another practical column: Interviews with users of technologyPros and cons of products
As I mentioned lots of web trafficThis is where readers comment
Used to cull comments on websitefor print, but we were always a month late.Decided to change the way we feature comments
On our newly redesigned website—launched just in June—we now present provocative “Featured Comments”Here’s what it looks like and an example.The comments all link to the article from which they are drawn.
Special anniversary issue in OctoberAnd on to another 25 years of engaging with the life-sciences community