From academia to industry: The inspiring journey of a scientific editor

Are you curious about what the world has in store for you beyond the walls of academia? Wonder no more! We've got an exciting series lined up to give you a sneak peek into what lies ahead, how the transition feels, and which valuable skills you'll be bringing with you.

At Editage, we've always championed researchers who have taken the road less traveled. That's why we're thrilled to bring you insights from our colleagues who, after completing their PhDs, made the leap to scientific editing. They now collaborate with researchers to help them succeed in the world of publishing. Get ready to be inspired!

Meet Shivnetra Saha! She has a PhD in Chemistry from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and specializes in molecular biology.  Now she plays the role of Editor as part of Editage, Cactus Communications.

Could you tell us a bit about your experience and your current role?

After working as a full-time researcher for almost a decade and publishing several papers as a first author in journals of international repute, I joined Cactus Communications in 2018. My journey since then has been great. I have edited many manuscripts in chemistry and materials science so far, and every day gives me an opportunity to keep myself updated with the latest developments and emerging concerns in more than one field, and not just my field of research. This gives me immense satisfaction. I am also involved in scientific reviews, providing peer review-like inputs to scientists for improving and publishing their research work, and I also train new editors.

What was it like to transition from being a full-time researcher to someone who helps researchers full-time?

Being in the field of research for almost a decade had already made me realize that communicating research work appropriately is as important as conducting research work diligently. For me, the transition from a full-time researcher to someone who helps full-time researchers was not difficult at all because, at the back of my mind, I knew that I was still (and I still am) contributing to the scientific community from behind the stage. Our intriguing results will lose their importance if they do not reach out to other researchers or make an impact in their minds!

Was the transition challenging and in what way?

Publishing papers is one of the biggest achievements a research scholar can look forward to, and the joy of seeing oneself as an “author” knows no bounds. Every struggle during my initial days of the doctoral course took me a step forward toward perfection, both in science and publishing, and in the course of my journey for publishing, I gradually developed a knack for communicating science. The transition was not challenging at all for me, because although I was not the one doing experiments, I could effectively share my knowledge and skills, say in the form of suggestions, to delight researchers. Considering how difficult science communication can be at times, I have always felt that I am genuinely helping the research community in my own way.

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Are there any skills or takeaways from your academic background that help you in your current role?

There are quite a few skills and takeaways that help me in my current role. My role gives me ample opportunities to share with authors the experience gathered during my doctoral tenure. Finding somebody benefitting from my research/writing tips gives me immense pleasure.