Insights Xchange: Conversations Shaping Academic Research
Welcome to the Insights Xchange podcast, brought to you by Cactus Communications (CACTUS). Hosted by Nikesh Gosalia, this podcast is your guide to the world of research and academic publishing. Tune in to hear lively discussions with experts from the academic and publishing realms.
Earlier known as All Things SciComm, the new series covers a variety of topics, from the latest trends in academic publishing to critical issues faced by researchers in an increasingly AI-driven world. Join us for insightful conversations and expert perspectives that will help you navigate the exciting world of academia. Whether you're a researcher, publisher, or just curious about academic insights, this podcast hopes to be your go-to source for understanding the evolving landscape of academic publishing.
Stay ahead, stay informed, and let's explore the fascinating world of research and knowledge together!
Episodes
59 episodes
From Output to Experience: Why Content Retention Matters in Publishing
In this episode of Insights XChange, Nikesh Gosalia is in conversation with Oliver Cocks, who works at the intersection of editorial strategy, product thinking and author experience at Springer Nature. Together, they explore how content retenti...
Scholarly Publishing at Scale: Balancing Growth, Trust, and Sustainability
In this episode of Insights XChange, Nikesh Gosalia is in conversation with David Crotty, Executive Director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. They discuss how scale, consolidation and evolving business models are reshaping scholarly publ...
What Comes Next for Academic Libraries?
Doug Way, Dean of Libraries at the University of Kentucky, joins Nikesh Gosalia to unpack how academic libraries are evolving rethinking collections, metadata, AI and equity to better serve researchers, students, and communities in a time of co...
AI Readiness at Scale: Skills, Systems, and Strategic Leadership
Tim Flagg, CEO of the UK AI Council, joins Nikesh Gosalia to unpack what AI readiness really means from everyday AI literacy and apprenticeships to leadership mindset, ethics, governance and the UK’s narrow window of opportunity to lead in 2026...
Building Adaptive Learning Ecosystems: Where Human Wisdom Meets Artificial Intelligence
Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, Director of IIM Kozhikode, joins Nikesh Gosalia to explore how AI is transforming higher education from teaching and learning to research to leadership and ethics. With a blend of global experience and philosophical i...
The Next Chapter in Scholarly Publishing: Building an Equitable Open Access Future
In this episode of Insights Xchange, Mandy Hill, Managing Director of Academic Publishing at Cambridge University Press, reflects on three decades in publishing and the accelerating shift toward open access. She discusses the Cambridge Open Equ...
The Open Access Movement: Are We Truly Prepared for a New Paradigm in Scholarly Communication?
A candid, clear-eyed look at open access with Colleen Campbell about how libraries are shifting from paying for reading to funding open publishing and why equity, transparency and author rights must anchor the transition. Soc...
As AI Redefines Research and Users Demand More, Can Scholarly Publishing Platforms Become Strategic Allies?
In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Will Schweitzer, CEO of Silverchair, to explore the rapidly changing landscape of scholarly publishing platforms. With decades of experience spanning product leadership, publishing strategy, a...
Human-AI Collaboration in Editorial Workflows: A Framework for Responsible Innovation
AI is rapidly changing the landscape of scholarly publishing—from detecting image manipulation and plagiarism to assisting with reviewer matching and assessing statistical rigor. But as these tools become more embedded in editorial workflows, t...
Responsible Peer Review: Building Systems That Work
This episode of Insights XChange dives deep into the evolving landscape of peer review and the responsibility publishers carry in building systems that are fair, fast, and future-ready. Guest Lucy Threadgold, Peer Review Manager at Emerald Publ...
Rethinking Science Communication: Beyond Technology Trends
This episode unpacks the complex relationship between technology, innovation, and trust in scholarly publishing. With decades of experience and candid insight, Joy Moore and Kent Anderson call out some of the most pressing contradictions facing...
The Metadata Behind the Manuscripts: Ed Pentz on the Future of Scholarly Infrastructure
Every day, over 8,000 scholarly articles are published—but how do they become discoverable, citable, and connected across journals, databases, and platforms?The answer lies in the invisible infrastructure of scholarly publishing: metadat...
Shaping a Global Research Landscape: Trust, Equity, Inclusivity, and Knowledge Communities
This episode explores the role of trust, inclusivity, and accessibility in global research publishing today. It highlights how biases in editorial boards exclude underrepresented voices and the critical role publishers play in fostering equity....
AI, Academic Libraries, and the Future of Research: The Librarian’s Perspective
In this episode of Insights XChange, host Nikesh Gosalia speaks with Alyssa Grimshaw, a research and education librarian at Yale School of Medicine. Alyssa shares her insights on the evolving role of librarians in fostering research collaborati...
The Expanding Influence of AI in Academic Research: Benefits, Pitfalls, and Future Opportunities
In this episode of Insights XChange, host Nikesh Gosalia speaks with Avi Staiman, founder and CEO of Academic Language Experts and co-founder of SciWriter.ai. They explore the impact of AI on scholarly publishing, discussing its potential benef...
Redefining Open Access: What Do Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Truly Mean in Research?
In this episode of Insights Xchange, host Nikesh Gosalia engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Godwyns Onwuchekwa, a social justice advocate and Head of Communities at eLife. The conversation dives deep into integrating justice, equity...
Lauren Kane, CEO of BioOne, on Innovation, Non-Profit Collaboration, and Collective Impact in Scholarly Publishing
In this episode of Insights Exchange, host Nikesh Gosalia interviews Lauren Kane, CEO of BioOne, about the transformation of nonprofit scholarly publishing over the past two decades. Lauren discusses the pressures faced by nonprofits due to tig...
Combining AI and Knowledge Management in Academia: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Potential
In this insightful episode of Insights Exchange, host Nikesh engages in a fascinating conversation with Mitja Alexander, a leader in academic publishing. He emphasizes the crucial role of AI in revolutionizing the accessibility and impact of re...
The Changing Face of Academic Publishing: Transformational Agreements, Interdisciplinary Research, and Evolving Technologies
In this episode of Insights XChange Dr. Guido F. Herrmann, Managing Director at Wiley, joins Nikesh to discuss the evolving landscape of academic research, AI, and scientific publishing. Dr. Herrmann shares insights on maintaining research inte...
Scholarly Communication in Mental Health Research: The Editor’s Perspective
In this episode, Joan Marsh, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet Psychiatry, joins Nikesh Gosalia for a thought-provoking discussion about issues in academic publishing and mental health research, highlighting the fight against predatory jou...
Mental Health Awareness in Scholarly Publishing: Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion
In this episode of Insights XChange, Nikesh engages in an insightful conversation with Randy Townsend, President of the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP). Randy dives into the crucial topic of mental health in academia, sharing his experie...
Technology, Integrity, and Open Access: The Future of Academic Publishing
In this episode of Insights Xchange, Dr. Harsh Jegadeesan, Chief Publishing Officer and Member of the Management Board at Springer Nature Group, discusses with Nikesh Gosalia the evolving landscape of the academic publishing industry, the vario...
Engaging Diverse Audiences, Building Trust, and Embracing Uncertainty: How Can Scientific Research Be Best Made Accessible in Today's Dynamic Media Landscape?
Meagan Phelan, Communications Director, Science Family Journals, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) joins Nikesh Gosalia for an insightful discussion about the myriad challenges in science communication. They explo...
Shaping the Future: Technology, Diversity, and Open Access in Scholarly Publishing with Heather Staines
In this episode, Nikesh Gosalia engages in conversation with Heather Staines, Director of Community Engagement and Senior Consultant at Delta Think and a veteran in scholarly communications and academic publishing. They discuss the evolving rol...
Higher Education: Remote Learning, AI, Research, and THE University Rankings with Phil Baty
In this episode, Nikesh Gosalia interviews Times Higher Education's (THE) Chief Knowledge Officer Phil Baty to talk about the importance of transparency in ranking systems, key trends in university rankings, and the consultancy services offered...