Join host Nikesh Gosalia in a conversation with Sami Benchekroun, co-founder of Morressier. Sami talks about the circumstances that led him to Morressier, a combination of his natural penchant for network structures and existing inefficiencies in academic conferences. Growing up with scientist parents who came from poorer countries, Sami was inspired to create Morressier to improve global accessibility to knowledge. Sami shares insights based on his experience with running Morressier (like the one thing people should never do while hosting online conferences). He discusses possible networking solutions in the absence of face-to-face encounters. While Sami emphasizes the need to incorporate current online networking tools into virtual conferences, he thinks that the future leans towards a hybrid model.

Sami Benchekroun is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Morressier, a virtual and hybrid conference platform geared towards the scientific community. He has significant experience in virtual conferences and scholarly publishing, and has achieved a Master of Science from ESCP Europe. A man of many hats, Sami is the founding member of the Edtech Founders Club, a guest lecturer at the Technische Universität Berlin, and a polyglot proficient in 4 languages. Sami can be reached via his LinkedIn or Twitter.

Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us:

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In the second part of the podcast with Dr Elodie Chabrol, hosts Nikesh Gosalia and Jayashree Rajagopalan dive deeper into a discussion peppered with personal anecdotes and eye-opening metaphors. Dr Chabrol talks about the geeky scientist stereotype, overcoming these clichés through her science communication work, and how revealing scientists to be real multifaceted people could inspire a greater public interest in science. The conversation then covers Dr Chabrol’s experiences running Pint of Science festivals, from the top-down approach of Pint of Science talks to the “big picture” benefits for researchers involved in the festivals. Relevant to today's concerns, Dr Chabrol addresses the impact of the pandemic on Pint of Science and shares personal anecdotes to illustrate the process of shifting an informal in-person festival into the online space. Finally, she talks about the need for science communication training among scientists, particularly with regards to social media, and shares ideas on how societies and publishers can address this lack of training.

Dr Elodie Chabrol is the International Director of Pint of Science, a freelance Science Communication Consultant, and co-founder of Beyond Research. With a PhD in Neurogenetics from Paris Descartes University, Dr Chabrol is passionate about helping scientists share their stories and spreading the love of science. She can be reached on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us:

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An essential part of being a scientist is sharing scientific findings with the general public. But is there a way to communicate science more effectively?

Join hosts Nikesh Gosalia and Jayashree Rajagopalan in a conversation with Dr Elodie Chabrol, International Director of the global science festival Pint of Science, as they discuss the fundamentals of conveying science to the public. Directionality is a core element of science communication, and Dr Chabrol addresses this by fostering two-way communication with strategies such as increasing the relatability of scientists and focusing on the human element. Dr Chabrol touches upon the main challenge in science communication – “getting people where they are” and how this can be tackled by bringing science communication activities into everyday life. Next, she shares her tips for research societies trying to boost public interest, from defining a target audience to experimenting with different content strategies to see what works. Finally, she reveals challenges unique to her work as a bilingual science communicator such as the judicious use of local languages over English.

Dr Elodie Chabrol is the International Director of Pint of Science, a freelance science communication consultant and co-founder of Beyond Research. With a PhD in Neurogenetics from Paris Descartes University, Dr Chabrol is passionate about helping scientists share their stories and spreading the love of science. She can be reached on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us:

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In the second part of the conversation with Martina Ribar Hestericová, hosts Nikesh Gosalia and Jayashree Rajagopalan dive deeper into the world of science communication by exploring concepts such as inclusivity in science communication and English as the global language of science. Martina talks about her ideas for nurturing a love for science among young people by using appealing and age-appropriate language, starting early in elementary school, and teaching science as a way of life rather than an academic subject. The discussion covers tips for running a successful science-based account on Instagram, Martina’s transition from academia into science journalism, and the benefits of a scientific mindset in enhancing our daily lives. Finally, Martina shares her strategies for staying updated with the latest developments in chemistry without getting overwhelmed by information.

Martina Ribar Hestericová is a Science Communications Manager for Lonza, freelance science journalist, and polyglot with a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Basel as well as several indexed publications under her belt. Featured on Forbes 30 under 30, Martina is involved in several science outreach projects, including Lonza's biotech podcast “A View On” and her popular Instagram account science_exercises.eu. Connect with Martina on LinkedIn. 

Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us:

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Join Nikesh Gosalia and co-host Jayashree Rajagopalan in this conversation with science communicator Martina Ribar Hestericová. As the creator of the popular Instagram account science_exercises.eu, Martina is on a mission to make science more accessible to everyone. Martina talks about giving back to society by communicating science, interacting with young scientists from other parts of the world, and bringing science communication into the mainstream. She shares a personal anecdote on how a frustrating lab session on a late Friday evening led to the creation of science_exercises.eu and made her realize the impact of eye-catching visuals. Martina also shares her views on women in STEM and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape of science communication.    

Martina Ribar Hestericová is a Science Communications Manager for Lonza, freelance science journalist, and polyglot with a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Basel and several indexed publications under her belt. Featured on Forbes 30 under 30, Martina is involved in several science outreach projects, including Lonza's biotech podcast “A View On” and her popular Instagram account science_exercises.eu. Connect with Martina on LinkedIn. 

Enjoyed this discussion and want to hear more from Martina? Tune in to Part 2 of the podcast.

Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us:

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere these days. The publishing industry is no exception. 

Clever use of AI could be the modern-day solution to the skyrocketing submissions. Join Nikesh Gosalia and Dr Marie Soulière as they discuss the ethical use of AI tools to maintain publication quality in journals. While AI can promote research integrity by identifying plagiarism and image manipulation, it needs to be strategically integrated into the journal workflow to improve efficiency without worsening the editor's workload. By drawing on specific strategies used by Frontiers' AI Review Assistant (AIRA), Nikesh and Dr Soulière cover the key points pertinent to AI tools in the world of publishing, such as fostering trust among users, incorporating feedback to improve accuracy, and keeping accountability with human editors. Dr Soulière also touches upon an increasingly relevant concern– sophisticated fraud due to excessive information sharing – and shares tips on keeping up with new AI developments in publishing.

Dr Marie Soulière is the Head of Publishing Projects with Frontiers. She has a PhD in Chemical and Computational Biology, 12 publications, and several presentation awards. With her 10 years as a manager in the publishing industry and position as COPE Council member, she is a well-established figure in open access publishing. She can be reached at LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-souliere/  

Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us:

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Has a recent spate of article retractions got you concerned? Join host Nikesh Gosalia as he speaks to Dr Marie Soulière on the nitty-gritty of article retractions and research integrity. In this conversation, they explore the different perspectives to article retractions, alongside the implications of mass retractions, both financial and reputational, and the shifting taboos around retractions. Dr Soulière also shares a personal anecdote on the common pressure faced by academics worldwide – the pressure to publish – and how this ties in with producing ethical research. Finally, the discussion shifts to a key topic in the world of publishing – the use of tools to streamline publishing operations.

Dr Marie Soulière is the Head of Publishing Projects with Frontiers. She has a PhD in Chemical and Computational Biology, 12 publications, and several presentation awards. With her 10 years as a manager in the publishing industry and position as Elected COPE Council Member, she is a well-established figure in open access publishing. She can be reached at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-souliere/ 

Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us:

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In this episode, Nikesh Gosalia talks to David Worlock, who started one of the first online publishing services in the mid-80s. David gives his take on how different access to information is today and how it will evolve in the near future. David calls this “The Digital Revolution”. He explains how AI will help obtain information, how metadata is a critical factor, and what role “nanopublishing” will play.

David Worlock is a Cambridge History graduate. He was CEO of the pioneer development of EUROLEX (1980–1985), the UK’s first online service for lawyers. In 2013, the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) honored him with the George Henderson Award for lifetime achievement for his work in publishing and information marketplaces. He can be reached at:

• Website: https://www.davidworlock.com/  
• Blog: https://www.davidworlock.com/category/blog/ 
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/dworlock 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidworlock/  

Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us:

• LinkedIn /cactus-communications
• Facebook /CactusCommunications
• Twitter  @Cactusglobal
• YouTube @CactusCommunications 

In this episode, Nikesh Gosalia talks to David Worlock, who started one of the first online publishing services in the mid-80s. David gives his take on how different access to information is today and how it will evolve in the near future. David calls this “The Digital Revolution”. He explains how AI will help obtain information, how metadata is a critical factor, and what role “nanopublishing” will play.

David Worlock is a Cambridge History graduate. He was CEO of the pioneer development of EUROLEX (1980–1985), the UK’s first online service for lawyers. In 2013, the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) honored him with the George Henderson Award for lifetime achievement for his work in publishing and information marketplaces. He can be reached at:

• Website: https://www.davidworlock.com/  
• Blog: https://www.davidworlock.com/category/blog/ 
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/dworlock 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidworlock/  

Insights Xchange is a fortnightly podcast brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Follow us:

• LinkedIn /cactus-communications
• Facebook /CactusCommunications
• Twitter  @Cactusglobal
• YouTube @CactusCommunications