PREreview is excited to welcome two new fantastic members to our Advisory Committee. Please join us in welcoming Aurelia Muthoni Munene and Christopher Steven Marcum!
Aurelia Muthoni Munene is a dedicated leader and scholar, known for her impactful work in research mentorship and education across Africa. As the Founder of Eider Africa, she leads initiatives aimed at cultivating critical, responsible, and collaborative researchers. Aurelia serves as a board member for the Association of Faculty Enrichment in Teaching and Learning, where she advocates for transformative teaching methods like open peer review. Additionally, Aurelia is an Associate and Research Steward with INASP (AuthorAID), supporting mentorship programs for early career researchers and ensuring course alignment with Gender Responsive Pedagogy guidelines.
Beyond her academic endeavors, Aurelia is deeply engaged in international development consulting and research, focusing on critical areas such as social policy, gender-based violence, and sexual reproductive health. With 17 years of experience, she has authored numerous reports, book chapters, and journal articles, showcasing her expertise.
About joining PREreview's Advisory Committee Aurelia says,
PREreview’s work aligns with my deep commitment to promote social justice, contextualize practices and promote inclusive open scholarly infrastructures and ecosystems. I will support the organisation to expand its work on promoting equitable, inclusive and open scholarly communication practices.
Dr. Christopher Steven Marcum is a prominent figure in science policy and open science advocacy. Currently serving as Senior Statistician and Senior Scientist in the Office of the Chief Statistician of the United States within the Office Management and Budget of the Executive Office of the President, Dr. Marcum's work focuses on crucial areas such as data access, science and information policy, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. He holds the role of Senior Advisor to the Federal Statistical Research Data Centers and leads on matters concerning scientific integrity and research security.
Prior to his current position, Dr. Marcum played a significant role in the Biden-Harris Administration as the Assistant Director for Open Science and Data Policy in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). During his tenure, he spearheaded transformative science policies, resulting in key initiatives such as the 2022 OSTP Public Access Memo, the 2023 Federal Scientific Integrity Framework, and the declaration of 2023 as the Year of Open Science by the White House.
About joining PREreview's Advisory Committee Christopher says,
Preprint review is a critical component of the evolving landscape of scholarly communication;I’m excited to be joining the PREreview team to help advance reforms of the academic incentive structure for participating in open review.
Aurelia and Christopher join an existing Advisory Committee composed of Daniela Saderi (Chair), Samantha Hindle (Secretary), Monica Granados (Co-chair), Kristen Ratan, and Sarah Greaves. Read more abouot the team and their full bios in our People page.
A little about our search and selection process
Last fall, our team engaged in an internal evaluation process of our governance. With help from Dr. Kari Jordan who we hired as a consultant, we clarified our decision making processes and the roles and responsibilities of our Advisory Committee (AC) members.
As part of that effort, we recognized the necessity of expanding our Advisory Committee (AC). Approximately two months ago, we reached out to our broader community, inviting individuals to apply for a three-year term as AC members (read our call for applications blog post). Within a span of three weeks, we received a total of twelve applications. Notably, three of these applications came from individuals whom current AC members had identified as potential candidates, prompting us to extend direct invitations to apply.
All twelve applications underwent thorough review by the PREreview Leadership Team and were assessed based on a predetermined rubric. Our primary objective was to identify two candidates who: a) exhibited strong alignment with our organization's values and a dedicated commitment to our mission, and b) offered the greatest potential to bring fresh perspectives and expand our network beyond our existing connections. Additionally, we actively sought a Treasurer, a position for which none of the applicants had expressed interest.
If we had the capacity to accommodate all twelve applicants for our AC, we would have gladly done so. It was evident to us that each applicant possessed a deep commitment to open scholarship and a genuine eagerness to contribute their time and expertise toward advancing our organization's mission. We were truly humbled by the overwhelming response and extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who applied.
Our next round of recruitment will begin next fall to replace two members of our current AC and possibly to add one more. In this round, we did not succeed at recruiting a Treasurer. If you believe you are a good fit for this position, please contact us at contact@prereview.org.
In the meantime, please join us in welcoming Aurelia and Christopher!
