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  2. #3: In Conversation with Randy Townsend, Scholarly Publishing Director and DEI Advocate

#3: In Conversation with Randy Townsend, Scholarly Publishing Director and DEI Advocate

Jun 28, 2022

Randy Townsend, MPS, who lives in the DC area, has been director of publishing operations at the Public Library of Science (PLOS) since November 2021. Before that, he spent 16 years at the American Geophysical Union. Randy was also recently elected president-elect of the Society for Scholarly Publishing. 

At PLOS, Randy translates organizational vision and mission into clear priorities and practical goals to ensure alignment and collaboration. He has been a leader in policy implementation and journal strategy.

In June 2022, Randy finished his term on the AM&P Network’s Associations Council Advisory Board. He was also on the Executive Advisory Board of AM&P Network and chaired the organization’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Randy is also the inaugural editor-in-chief of the GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing and is an associate professor of the MPS in Publishing program in the College of Professional Studies at George Washington University in DC.

Topics covered:

  • What is scholarly publishing?
  • Why Randy took the position at PLOS after 16 years at AGU.
  • How Randy approaches scholarly publishing and aims to create a “happy path,” or a smooth journal and peer-review process.
  • What his recent election as president-elect of the Society for Scholarly Publishing will entail. 
  • Why Randy wanted to help college students launch George Washington University’s Journal of Ethics in Publishing (he’s the journal’s first editor-in-chief). 
  • Tips on launching a journal, including pulling together a strong editorial board. 
  • Why diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work is important to Randy. 
  • How he started to get involved in DEI in the workplace when he and others encouraged discussions around harassment, bullying and discrimination. 
  • The positive DEI efforts associations are undertaking. 
  • The need to protect people who speak out on DEI issues.

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