Yuhong Bai - 2016-17 SPIE Women in Optics Planner
Deputy Editor in Chief
Light: Science & Applications
Professor
Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, CAS, China
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Country of Birth: China
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Mariette DiChristina, Editor in Chief of Scientific American, inspired me to work in academic journalism. As an editor, half my time is spent travelling around the world to attend various international conferences and promote LSA’s internationalization strategy. The rest of the time I stay in my office. I have meetings with my staff, discussing what is hot and who is popular in the optics community. I spend a lot of time reading manuscripts. I coordinate with our topical editors around the world to control the quality of the journal. And although I don’t have time to do research anymore, I still find time to teach. I give lectures on how to publish a scientific paper or on journalism and communication in science.
I have stumbled upon challenges. This is why I changed my job from a full-time researcher gradually into a professional editor. I couldn’t accomplish the results I wanted in the given time, and I felt very frustrated. I questioned my talent as a researcher. Also I had some difficulties combining my career with my family – my son was young and I would travel for work quite often. I couldn’t sleep well for about a year, and eventually I made up my mind to find a way out. I am satisfied with my career now. I am very happy as a full-time professional editor, which is not only my job, but also my hobby.
Be yourself. In my opinion, successful female scientists as role models are the best way to attract young women into science. Society has already done a lot for female scientists. In CIOMP, senior female scientists have equal opportunities and the same retirement regulations as male senior scientists.