Meet IST’s Editor-in-Chief
Mr JP Ashton-Kinlin MSc FIScT
Hello, I’m John-Paul, better known as JP, and it’s a pleasure to introduce myself as Editor-in-Chief of the Institute’s publications.
One of the greatest privileges of my professional life has been the opportunity to serve the Institute of Science & Technology in a variety of roles over the past decade. Throughout that time, I have been fortunate to work alongside some truly inspiring volunteers and members who continue to make this Institute such a supportive and welcoming professional community.
My editorial journey began in 2020 when I joined both the Editorial Board as an Editor, serving under the Chairmanship of Ian Moulson. From the very beginning, Ian’s guidance, encouragement and willingness to share his knowledge helped shape not only my editorial skills but also my confidence to take on greater responsibility. I will always be grateful for his tutelage, along with the support of every member of the Editorial Board, whose encouragement has been both humbling and inspiring. Around this time, I had the opportunity to develop and launch The Tech Magazine in response to feedback from our members. The publication was created to provide an accessible platform for early career technicians to share their experiences, showcase their work and begin their publishing journey within the Institute. In 2021, I was honoured to become Chair of the Editorial Board, before being appointed Editor-in-Chief in 2023.
Over the past six years, I have progressed from Editor to Chair of the Editorial Board and ultimately Editor-in-Chief, taking responsibility for maintaining editorial quality, managing peer review, editing and proofreading articles, supporting authors, and ensuring consistency of style and publication standards. Alongside extensive practical experience, I remain committed to my own professional development and continue my membership and development through the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the role is working with our members. Whether someone is submitting their very first article or is an experienced technical author, I genuinely enjoy helping authors develop their ideas, refine their writing and share their expertise with the wider scientific and technical community. Every article tells a story, and being able to support members in bringing those stories to publication is a privilege.
My editorial experience is also underpinned by earlier work reviewing research. Between 2015 and 2018, I served as a lay panel member for the NHS, reviewing patient research proposals and publications to ensure they were accessible, meaningful and reflective of the patient perspective. This early experience gave me a valuable appreciation of constructive peer review, research quality and communicating complex information to wider audiences; skills that have continued to shape my editorial approach today.
Alongside my editorial responsibilities, I serve as an Executive Member and have lead the Institute’s marketing and development since 2024. In this role, I oversee the Institute’s marketing activities, creating everything from editorial copy and press releases to social media campaigns, video production, graphic design and promotional materials. My aim is to ensure the Institute continues to raise its profile, celebrate the achievements of our members and promote the value of professional registration across science and technology.
My involvement with the Institute actually began much earlier. Since 2016, I have served as an advisor to the Institute, primarily supporting branding, marketing strategy and social media engagement. I have also been proud to support the organisation and delivery of the Institute’s annual Conference since 2016, working behind the scenes to help make it a valuable and enjoyable event for delegates year after year.
Outside of the Institute, my career has been wonderfully varied and has provided me with experiences across research, healthcare, business and leadership.
My career began in 2013 during an industry placement as a Junior Technician, where I worked with prosthetic limb manufacture and microbiological sample testing. In 2014, I joined the University of Sheffield as a Research Technician, supporting several research laboratories before becoming Network Coordinator for an interdisciplinary science and social science project exploring epigenetics. I later specialised as a Facility Research Technician, supporting drug screening and behavioural analysis research.
Alongside my technical roles, I became heavily involved in technician advocacy at the University. I served on the Technicians’ Network Committee, co-chairing the network during my final two years, and represented technical staff on the University’s Technician Commitment Group during my final year. Supporting the recognition and professional development of technicians has always been something I care deeply about.
In 2017, I joined the National Technician Development Centre as a Project Manager and Business Consultant, managing on the development of an CPD recording platform and continuing to advise the Centre on technician development initiatives and professional practice.
Shortly afterwards, I took on what became one of the biggest challenges of my career.
In 2018, I became Director of a medical services company before becoming a shareholder in 2019. Over the following years, I was involved in almost every aspect of the business, including recruitment, operations, finance, human resources, training, compliance, business development and client management. At the point I left the company, we had grown to an annual turnover of more than £500,000, employed around 150 regular staff (including more than 50 medical and healthcare students) and had established strong relationships with our clients, including endorsement from Sheffield City Council. It was an incredibly rewarding experience that taught me invaluable lessons in leadership, resilience and building successful teams.
Following my departure from the company, one of our clients approached me with an unexpected opportunity. They asked whether I would consider retraining to become a Deputy Safety Officer at Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. I gladly accepted the challenge and am currently completing my Level 4 qualification in Spectator Safety Management, with just one final observation remaining. Alongside this, I also took on the role of Medical Manager at the stadium, helping provide continuity across medical services, ensuring regulatory compliance and, most importantly, helping to keep supporters, staff and visitors safe.
Alongside my employed roles, I also run two businesses.
The first is a professional support consultancy, providing administration, finance, marketing, graphic design, business support and professional training, including First Aid training delivered in accordance with Health and Safety Executive standards.
The second is something of a personal passion: property development. I often describe myself as an apprentice property investor, as there is always something new to learn. We have successfully completed our first renovation project in Sheffield, which was fortunate enough to feature on Homes Under the Hammer, a particularly exciting milestone, and we are currently working on several further developments.
While I enjoy keeping busy, one of the biggest lessons life has taught me came in 2022 when my brother sadly passed away.
His loss changed my perspective completely. It reminded me that while work is important and achieving our goals matters, nothing is more valuable than the people we love. Since then, I have made a conscious decision that family will always come first. I firmly believe everyone should feel able to prioritise their loved ones, celebrate life’s important moments and make time for the people who matter most.
Finally, I simply want to say thank you.
The support I have received from the Institute over the years has been overwhelming. From members of the Executive, colleagues on our various committees and boards, to members from across the United Kingdom, I have been incredibly fortunate to work alongside people who have encouraged, challenged and supported me throughout my journey. Many of you have become not only colleagues but lifelong friends, and I will always be grateful for your kindness, trust and belief in me.
As Editor-in-Chief, I look forward to continuing to work with our fantastic members, celebrating your achievements, sharing your stories and encouraging new voices to contribute to our publications. Whether you’re an experienced author or considering writing your very first article, I hope you’ll feel encouraged to get involved.
I look forward to hearing from you – and I can’t wait to see what we create together.