try to get auto-commit to work better

.github/workflows/get_pubs.yml

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ permissions:
     # Give the default GITHUB_TOKEN write permission to commit and push the
     # added or changed files to the repository.
   contents: write
+  pull-requests: write
 
 jobs: 
   build: 
@@ -28,10 +29,11 @@ jobs:
         - name: Execute Python Script 
           run: |
             python3 collect_pub_files.py
-        - name:  commit updated files
-          run: | 
-            git config user.email "[email protected]"
-            git config user.name "Catherine Walsh"
-            git add "_data/pub_list.csv"
-            git commit -m "update publication list"
-            git push
+        - name: Create PR for new change 
+          uses: peter-evans/create-pull-request@v7
+          with: 
+            commit-message: Update publications
+            title: Update publications
+            body: New publication was added, update the CSV 
+            branch: update-pubs
+