UCL CAREERS
MEDIA WEEK
Get into Publishing
Tuesday 1st December, 17.30 – 19.30
Dr. Nina Buchan
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/nina-buchan-phd-50027b75
In 1999, I embarked upon a BSc in Anatomy and Developmental Biology at UCL. After graduating with a 2:1 in 2002, I
wanted to pursue a master’s degree in science communication at KCL, but could not fund the course. While deciding
my next step, I did an internship on Zebrafish somitogenesis at Cancer Research UK, then worked in an animal facility
supporting the Zebrafish research community at UCL. In 2003, I began a PhD in Zebrafish gastrulation at UCL.
Concurrently, I acted as a demonstrator, amanuensis, and mentor to undergraduate students, assisted students with
experimental projects in our laboratory, and wrote articles for science and creative writing competitions. After
completing my PhD in 2007, I left scientific research, and retrained to become the Assistant Editor of The
Obstetrician & Gynaecologist journal, a quarterly reviews journal published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists. I became a self-employed freelance scientific and medical editor after the birth of my son in 2009. I
have over 6 years’ experience editing for a range of clients based in several different countries, and specialise in
preparing the work of non-native English speakers for submission to European and American journals.
Allie Collins, Collins Editing
http://www.collinsediting.net/
I graduated from King's College London in 2003 with a BA in English Language & Literature and began my publishing
career at Piatkus Books, starting off as receptionist before working my way up to editorial assistant and assistant
editor. I then moved to John Blake Publishing where I spent six years as editor, senior editor and then editorial
director, working on their range of non-fiction titles with a particular focus on sport and celebrity
biography/autobiography, including bestselling books by Jade Goody and rugby player Sean Long. In 2014 I took the
decision to go freelance and I now have a portfolio of clients including Little, Brown, DK, Carlton and Hachette
Children's, working on various copy-editing and proofreading projects. I have also recently branched out into writing,
contributing content for a magazine called The Line which is new to my local area.
Marta Kowalewska, Sage Publications
www.sagepub.co.uk
After finishing a BA degree in English Language & Linguistics at King’s College London, I did a number of internships
at various trade publishers including Transworld, Headline, and Little, Brown. I then worked as a temporary digital
marketing assistant at Hodder & Stoughton for a few months, where I embarked on what I refer to as an
‘organisational project’ regarding image licensing. This landed me a permanent position as picture researcher and
administrative assistant in the art department. I held this role for over a year, after which I returned to university to
complete a MA degree at UCL SSEES. I continued working as a freelance picture researcher for Hodder throughout
my degree. Upon finishing my MA about 3 months ago, I was offered a position as editorial assistant for Humanities
and Social Sciences journals at SAGE Publications, where I currently work on the politics, international relations,
gender studies, theology and music education lists.
Alison Major, UCL Press
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ucl-press
Alison Major is a UCL graduate with a degree in Linguistics and Phonetics. After finishing her degree, she worked
briefly in B2B magazine publishing, followed by a longer stint in as a Marketing Assistant at professional publishers
Informa. She then spent 8 years at the STM publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (part of Wolters Kluwer),
where she worked on a wide range of educational and professional books, online resources and teaching and
learning aids. During her time at LWW, she held a variety of positions, covering areas within the international
marketing department, covering the majority of international territories outside of the US and Canada. Alison is
currently Marketing and Distribution Manager for UCL Press, the UK’s first fully open access university press. Since
the launch of its inaugural titles earlier this year, the Press has published books and journals across a wide range of
topics including architecture, egyptology, urbanism, art history, Jewish studies and geology.
Claire Palmer
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/
I am an editor with seven years’ experience in publishing, currently working for HarperCollins, one of the world’s
leading English-language publishers. I work on a wide range of bestselling commercial women’s fiction authors
including Josephine Cox, Kimberley Chambers, Freya North and Barbara Erskine. HarperCollins UK publishes around
1,000 books a year, from prize-winning contemporary fiction and non-fiction to many of the world’s most trusted
education and reference brands, with offices all over the world.