News


Biologists launch WeChat channel in China push


The Company of Biologists has


launched a WeChat channel, 生物学界CompanyofBiologists, in order to share research, best practice, and publishing advice with its Chinese audience. This popular Chinese social medium is used daily by many scientific researchers. The aim of the WeChat channel is to allow biologists to stay at the forefront of research, with selected articles and interviews from the company’s journals. With a growing number of submissions and readers from China, WeChat is expected to play an important role in the company’s ongoing engagement with its Chinese audience. Besides recent research, the


eLife funding to spotlight diversity in science


The non-profit organisation eLife is piloting a funding scheme to help authors from under-represented groups showcase their research. The Ben Barres Spotlight Awards will


support scientists in their efforts to strengthen their work, with opportunities for exposure and collaboration. It is named in honour of transgender neurobiologist and former eLife reviewing editor Ben Barres, from Stanford University, US, who died in December 2017. In line with Barres’ advocacy work for


greater equality in the scientific workforce, and eLife’s own goals of encouraging and recognising responsible behaviours in science, the organisation has created the funding scheme to help promote greater diversity. Awards are available to authors of


research articles published in eLife, who identify with one or more of the underrepresented communities addressed by the programme. These include scientists who are based in resource- scarce countries and/or are disadvantaged due to their gender, career stage, ethnicity or disability. eLife welcomes applications from eligible authors across the globe. Talking about the fund, Anna Akhmanova, eLife deputy editor, said: ‘Increasing diversity in science is a major challenge for the whole community, and many steps are necessary to achieve this goal. We hope that the new fund can make


www.researchinformation.info | @researchinfo


a difference for researchers in minority communities. ‘The funding comprises multiple awards


of up to $4,500. Anyone can apply, providing details of what they need the funding for and how it will help make a major improvement to their work. The first application deadline for the pilot fund is 1 August. Additional deadlines will be advertised later, subject to the availability of funding.’


The $4,500 grants will be available until


the total budget of $22,000 has been distributed. eLife community manager Kora Korzec, who is running the scheme, added: ‘We’re aware that this is a modest amount, far from the scale required to solve the challenge of inclusivity and intersectionality in science or scientific publishing. We hope the fund will be catalytic – both in helping to create a step change for the awardees we’re able to support directly, and in bringing attention to this complex issue and motivating other efforts to address it.’ Michael Eisen, eLife editor-in-chief,


concluded: ‘There are many scientists out there who are doing great work but encountering obstacles in communicating it, and we want to help them improve the process as much as possible. We hope our support will at least kick-start the necessary conversations about these barriers, so that researchers can start tackling them together.’


publishing in their journals, and news of grants, meetings and workshops. Claire Moulton, publisher at the Company of Biologists, said the move is intended to make its audience’s publishing experience more positive: ‘China plays an active and growing role in scholarly publishing. ‘We are very excited to be launching our WeChat channel and aim to use this medium to support biologists in China in various ways, be it by highlighting interesting research, reminding them of funding opportunities or providing them with general tips on publishing with us. We look forward to growing our relationship with Chinese authors, reviewers and readers.’


August/September 2019 Research Information 27


company will also share advice such as tips for success when


Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com


Eugene Lu/Shutterstock.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36