Integra Launches Upstream by Integra, a New Podcast Exploring the Future of Scholarly Publishing

18 Jun 2026

Chennai, India

Integra today announced the launch of Upstream by Integra, a new podcast series exploring the ideas, technologies, challenges, and leadership shaping the future of scholarly and educational publishing.

Hosted by Ashutosh Ghildiyal, the series brings together senior leaders, innovators, and practitioners from across the publishing ecosystem for candid, substantive discussions about the issues that matter most to publishers, researchers, scholarly societies, and the communities they serve.

At a time when scholarly publishing is undergoing profound transformation, Upstream by Integra aims to create a forum for thoughtful dialogue around the forces reshaping the industry—from artificial intelligence and research integrity to operational transformation, evolving business models, and changing researcher expectations.

“Scholarly publishing is undergoing profound transformation while simultaneously confronting a fundamental value challenge,” said Ghildiyal. “The industry is navigating significant change—from artificial intelligence and research integrity to evolving business models and researcher expectations. Through conversations with some of the sharpest minds in the field, we hope to better understand where the industry is headed and how organizations can continue to create meaningful value for the research community.”

Unlike conventional promotional interviews, Upstream by Integra is designed as a forum for honest dialogue and thoughtful reflection, featuring leaders who are actively navigating change, confronting difficult questions, and helping define the future of scholarly communication.

“At Integra, we have had the privilege of partnering with publishers and scholarly societies around the world for decades, helping them navigate periods of change and innovation,” said Sriram Subramanya, Founder, Managing Director and CEO of Integra. “The launch of Upstream by Integra reflects our commitment to supporting the broader scholarly communications community—not only through technology and services, but also by fostering meaningful conversations about the future of research, publishing, and knowledge dissemination. We believe the industry benefits when leaders openly share their experiences, perspectives, and ideas, and we are excited to create a platform that enables those conversations.”

Inaugural Episode: Dawn Melley, IEEE

The first episode features Dawn Melley, Senior Director of Publishing Operations at IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional society. Melley oversees a portfolio of more than 200 IEEE journals, including many of its flagship publications, and brings more than two decades of experience in scholarly publishing—spanning multiple waves of industry change.

The episode reflects the central mission of Upstream by Integra: to better understand where scholarly publishing is headed by learning from the leaders helping to shape its future.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Ghildiyal and Melley explore leadership, organizational transformation, publishing operations, and the evolving expectations of researchers and institutions. They discuss how publishers and scholarly societies can continue to create and demonstrate value while maintaining trust, quality, and relevance in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing research ecosystem.

“Dawn was an ideal inaugural guest,” said Ghildiyal. “She brings both deep operational expertise and a clear-eyed strategic perspective. Our conversation examines not just the challenges facing the industry today, but the real opportunities for publishers and societies to strengthen their role in advancing research and scholarship.”

Future episodes will feature senior executives and thought leaders from across scholarly communications, covering artificial intelligence, research integrity, peer review, publishing operations, open research, content discoverability, organizational transformation, and the evolving role of publishers and societies in the research ecosystem.

By providing a platform for meaningful conversations with industry leaders, Upstream by Integra aims to contribute to the broader dialogue about the future of scholarly communications and help stakeholders better understand the forces shaping the next chapter of publishing.

Upstream by Integra is available now. Publishers, researchers, librarians, technology providers, and others invested in the future of scholarly communication are invited to listen, share, and join the conversation.

To listen, visit: Upstream by Integra

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About Upstream by Integra

Upstream by Integra is a podcast exploring the future of scholarly and educational publishing through conversations with senior leaders, innovators, and practitioners from across the publishing ecosystem. The series examines the trends, technologies, challenges, and leadership decisions shaping the future of scholarly communication.

About Integra

Integra is a trusted partner to publishers, scholarly societies, and content-driven organizations worldwide, providing technology-enabled content and publishing solutions that support the creation, management, enrichment, and dissemination of high-quality scholarly content. By combining deep domain expertise with innovative technology, Integra helps organizations accelerate research communication and deliver greater value to their communities.

Media Contact:  
Sruthi Santhakumar  
Marketing Manager, Integra  

Sruthi.Santhakumar@integra.co.in  
Chennai One – IT Park,  
Floor 2, Module 8  
200 Feet Road, Thoraipakkam  
Chennai – 600 097, India 

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