“My Time as Editor – Why on Earth am I Leaving?”
Brian Goldie has recently retired from his role as Editor for Corrosion Management magazine, the leading journal for corrosion prevention and control. We’re sorry to see him go, and wish him well for the future. Before his last hurrah, we caught up with him to learn about his experience as an editor, which spans around 25 years, with seven years as editor of Corrosion Management.
Brian’s journey to editorship started just a ‘few’ years ago…
Foundations in R&D
After gaining a degree in Chemistry from Glasgow University, Brian joined a major oil company in its regional R&D department. Focussing on researching new catalysts for High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) polymerisation, it was here that Brian first learned about the need for accuracy.
“My responsibilities included report writing for management and patent applications. There’s no room for ambiguity,” Brian says. “Not only was the research rigorous, so too was the writing. At the time this part of the job was more than a little challenging. Looking back, I realise just what a concrete foundation the experience and learning gave me. A solid start to a career that morphed a few times over the years.”
Careering into Corrosion Protection
Brian continued working in R&D, though a departmental move and change of business forced a change of focus in his career.
“Though still in R&D, the business change brought about the first major step-change in my career. From concentrating on catalysts and polymerisation, I was now looking at resins and pigments for coatings. Initially, this was for marine hull coatings, but this progressed to corrosion protection systems,” Brian tells us. “This became the focus of the rest of my career.
“What appealed most to me about corrosion protection was its very varied nature and the scope this gave me to explore many aspects of this and on many different structures and equipment.”
A Role Taking on Greater Writing Focus
Brian’s role was becoming increasingly biased toward communication. His responsibilities included writing technical articles for learned journals and preparing presentations on the technologies he and his colleagues had developed.
“Those lessons I had learned so early in my career proved to be exceptionally useful. I found myself at the communication sharp end. Writing articles and presenting, myself or as a team, around the world in conferences and targeted presentations to paint manufacturers,” Brian reminisces.
“Giving presentations also helped me to make many good contacts, and this has proved invaluable when recruiting articles for the magazines I’ve edited.”
Experience and opportunity lubricated the next career move
“Though it didn’t seem like it, I had been in the oil industry for 25 years when I decided to make a move,” Brian says. “I left to become a consultant in the surface coatings industry. It was during this phase of me career that I discovered a gap in the market.”
The discovery that Brian had made he still finds perplexing to this day.
“There was only one technical journal that met the needs of this market based in the USA. Serendipity allowed me to meet the owner of this journal, and it seemed we had joint interests in working in the market in Europe.”
The result?
“I morphed again. I became an editor, a role I have fulfilled for the last 25 years,” Brian says. The publications that Brian has edited for include the Journal of Protective Coatings and Linings (JPCL), Protective Coatings Europe (PCE), and a company in-house magazine.
The allure of Corrosion Management Magazine
So, here was the big question. Why did Brian want to be editor of Corrosion Management?
“Because of my career as a corrosion professional, I had been a member of the Institute of Corrosion for many years. Consequently, I’d been reading the Corrosion Management magazine for a long while,” Brian begins. “But the magazine seemed to have lost some of its relevance to our market. It had ceased to highlight important advances in the science and technology of corrosion and corroisn control.
“The magazine was a major benefit of membership of ICorr. That benefit had been eroded – or perhaps I should say corroded!”
Not one for holding back, Brian decided to approach the President at the time John Fletcher, and suggest a new approach to reinvigorate the publication.
“I’m not one to not blow my own trumpet,” Brian jokes. “I was asked to give a presentation to the Council outlining what I thought I could change and do better. The rest is history.”
Why put your red pen in the ink well?
To anyone who meets Brian, it’s clear that he not only has a flair for editing, but that he is also passionate about the accuracy of the written word. Which brings us to our last question: why on earth have you decided to put your editor’s pen back in the ink well?
“If you’ve paid attention to my story, you’ll see I’m getting on a bit!” Brian chuckles. “I feel that it is now time for me to relax in the sun – or at least what sun we get in South London. I want the time to enjoy my grandchildren as they grow up.”
We can’t blame him. After so many years of dedicated service to the industry and as editor of Corrosion Management, Brian does deserve more time for himself and his family.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong,” says Brian. “You’re not getting shot of me completely. I’ll still be taking an active interest in ICorr, and I’ll be very pleased to pass on my experience and the lessons I’ve learned along the way to younger members, and, of course, to the incoming editor of Corrosion Management.”
Brian, we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Where to now for Corrosion Management magazine?
Brian has been helping Dr Shagufta Khan settle into the role of Consultant Editor.
Dr Khan brings more than a decade of experience in the corrosion industry to the table. She has published 15 research papers on steel research and corrosion management in international journals and conferences, and has presented worldwide, including invited lectures, on topics like asset integrity, corrosion management and steel research.
While sorry to see Brian leave the role, we are happy to welcome Shagufta into it. Onwards and upwards!