Please introduce yourself:

My name is Theresa Kueckmann, and as Publisher, I lead a team that works on a portfolio of chemistry journals published in cooperation with society partners in Asia. I am originally from the US, but completed my graduate education in Germany (Berlin and Frankfurt). I started at Wiley-VCH as an in-house assistant editor in 2007, immediately after finishing my PhD in inorganic chemistry. Early in my career, I worked primarily as associate editor for Angewandte Chemie, handling manuscripts for peer review and copy editing. In 2012, I moved to Chemistry – An Asian Journal as Editor in Chief, where I gained experience in journal development. The portfolio grew to include journals with both in-house and external (academic) editors, and I took on additional responsibility for the relationship with the societies behind the journals. I was promoted to Publisher in 2017. Since 2020 I have additionally returned to Angewandte Chemie as part of the Executive Committee.

What is/was your relationship with Wiley-VCH?

Since I left university, I have spent my entire career at Wiley-VCH. Although I have considered alternatives now and again over the years, I always come back to the company slogan from my early days, that Wiley is “the place to be” – at least for me! I love the friendly, helpful attitude in the office and the mix of people from around the world that I get to work with both as colleagues and clients.

Why did you choose to work in academic publishing?

As I was nearing the end of graduate school, I attended a talk by Wiley-VCH on careers for chemists, and I knew it was for me. I was fascinated by the idea of bringing together my passion for science and my interest in language, and in helping to advance scientific knowledge without the gruel of experimental work.

What was your most remarkable situation or exciting experience during this time? (For long-time employees, in addition: How has working at Wiley-VCH changed over time?)

Conference trips in different parts of the world have brought many memorable moments, like the traffic in Bangkok during monsoon season, when it took two hours on a chartered bus for a two kilometer journey, or ice skating at a conference banquet in Melbourne in July (the Australian winter!). The most remarkable, though, was the return trip from a conference in New Orleans in 2018, when an east-coast snow storm had cancelled our return flight. A combination of good luck and determined companions ended with an upgrade to first class for the trip back to Germany. I’ve never slept better on an airplane!

What are you most looking forward to in this anniversary year?

A COVID-19 vaccination and seeing colleagues in the office again, and maybe even going to a conference in person!

Please complete this sentence: 100 Years of Growing Knowledge is…

...just the beginning.