We are happy to host an interview with Vasilis Nittas, the new Editor in Chief of our Young Researcher Editorials (YRE) series! Any comments? Share them below or directly with Vasilis on twitter ( @vasilis_nittas)
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I am Vasilis; Greek, or German (depending on the context and my mood), but mostly a healthy Greek-German mix. I am a (very) keen traveler, often solo and with a respectable level of sensation (I have been to North Korea), and passionate advocate social equity and LGBTQ+ rights. I love writing; academically or not – and even more so while traveling. I studied European Public Health in Maastricht and Evidence-Based Health Policy Evaluation in Oxford. I’ve spent part of my studies in Turkey and India – working on human rights and digital disease surveillance systems. I am currently in the third and final year of my PhD at the Epidemiology, Biostatics and Prevention Institute of the University of Zurich. My research has always been evolving around digital public health, the conceptualization and evaluation of digital health interventions, as well as their broader ethical implications. I enjoy dancing, I usually wear black (or dark blue), never leave the house without my sunglasses and could eat Sushi every single day. If academia wouldn’t have won my heart, I’d certainly be a Pilot.
How did you become involved with IJPH and the YRE?
I got to know the YRE series through SSPH+, which I am part of through my doctoral studies. I remember instantly loving the fact that a well-established journal decided to dedicate its resources to strengthen the voice of young researchers. I decided to write an editorial and a few months later I decided to apply for an editor position. One thing led to the next and I am now stepping up as the Editor in Chief and I do have big shoes to fill. I strongly believe that the scientific publishing world needs more “YRE-like” initiatives; which makes me very grateful for the chance to be a part of the process.
What will your priorities be as an Editor in Chief of the YRE?
My main priority is to continue the great work of the previous Editor in Chief, Apolline Saucy, and keep improving the review experience for our prospective authors and the editorial team. Our focus will remain on transparency, prompt communication and shorter turnaround times. My second priority is the promotion of YRE outside of Europe, hoping to attract a larger quota of submissions by PhD students from low-income settings. Considering that they often are on the front-line of pressing and emerging public health issues, I believe that their contributions will be of great value to our series and all of us. I aim to achieve that with calls targeting low-income settings and stronger YRE advertisements among research institutions in the developing world. Finally, my third priority will be to foster a stronger balance tradition and innovation, with calls on topics such as digital public health (or “e-public health”), personalized public health and public health ethics. Our field is facing multiple “small revolutions”, and I am convinced that early stage researchers have much to say about it.
Why should someone submit an editorial to the YRE series?
There are many reasons to submit an editorial with us, including:
- increased visibility
- experience in expressing your opinion and expertise concisely
- exposure to scientific publishing
And all that with professional support, copy editing services and absolutely no fees.
The most important reason of all is the opportunity to share your views (and ideally passion) with the world!
Apart from submitting an Editorial, how could someone get involved in the YRE?
A great way to get involved in the YRE is by joining the editorial team and get the first-hand experience of being an editor. We currently are a dynamic team of 6 PhD students; looking to be expanded by one more team member. If you interested in joining us, please send us an E-Mail to vasileios.nittas@uzh.ch, adding an updated CV and a short motivation letter (half page).
