A fond farewell

JEM © The Rockefeller University Press $8.00 Vol. 203, No. 8, August 7, 2006 1833 www.jem.org/cgi/doi/10.1084/jem.20061544 1833 Jennifer Bell, a superlative Executive Editor for the JEM for nearly 3 years, has decided to return to her home and family in Scotland. Jen will be sorely missed, but will continue as a consultant to the JEM, so many of you will see her at meetings and will continue to work with her on commentaries, meeting reports, and other articles. Despite the demands of her position, Jen was always upbeat in her eff orts to enrich the Journal and its service to the readership and authors. She set out her mission in an editorial upon arrival (JEM 198:1131) and wasted no time in implementing her goals. During Jen’s tenure at the JEM, the editorial board was expanded to broaden its expertise, including the appointment of two international editors (Anne O’Garra and Jean Laurent Casanova), who participate in weekly editorial meetings via teleconference. The Journal’s advisory editors were given a broader role and have become more actively involved in the editorial process. Review times for manuscripts were kept low under Jen’s leadership, despite an increased submission rate, and the quality of publication was continually elevated (JEM 199:1293; JEM 201:1). Other improvements implemented during Jen’s tenure include expanded access to the contents of the JEM, which is now provided free of charge to 142 developing nations. The entire scientifi c community also has free access to JEM articles 6 months after publication. A fond farewell