This fairly tacky lapel pin is actually pretty special. It’s a symbol of my membership of the Board of Editors of the Life Sciences. I’m now one of only 32 Australian editors certified by Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS).
BELS is a professional organization that awards credentials to exemplary manuscript editors in the life sciences (e.g. medicine, biology, agriculture). Individuals who demonstrate excellence in editing and an understanding of the ethical principles of publishing—both of which are assessed through a certification exam—are awarded the title Editor in the Life Sciences and may use the initials ELS after their names.