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Editorial |
Edinburgh, UK, November 2006
It is with both trepidation and excitement that I approach my term as Scientific Editor of the Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology (QJEGH). Trepidation when I think of the need to live up to the achievements of previous Scientific Editors; excitement given the challenge of shaping the journal for the future. Considering the position of the journal in this its fortieth volume I cannot help but wonder what the editors of Volume 1, Issue 1 in 1967 would think of the landmark achieved this year. This anniversary helps to define my challenge – namely ensuring that the journal continues to act as a showcase for issues, best practice and innovation in our profession while opening it up to a greater global market of both authors and readers.
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The journal clearly covers all aspects of engineering geology and hydrogeology. However, in the current climate it is perhaps worth exploring what is meant by this. We should not restrict ourselves to the detailed technical aspects of our subject. The broader scientific and technical context is also important: climate change, carbon usage and sequestration, and the need to actively manage waste resources spring to mind as issues that have an impact on our work in a broader sense. We should also consider related issues pertinent to the social, economic, historical, political and legal context within which our profession exists. To this end we publish papers, technical notes, photographic features, reviews and landmark papers. An excellent example of the latter is the series of high profile lectures given in memory of Mr R Glossop (who, incidentally, was the Chairman of the Engineering Group Editorial Sub-Committee responsible for publishing the first volume of the Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology, as it was then known) and organized by the Engineering Group of the Geological Society. Last year's Glossop Lecture was given at the IAEG Congress in Nottingham by Professor Robin Fell who joins an illustrious group of past Glossop lecturers – Professor Fell's written paper, rightly, takes pride of place at the beginning of this fortieth volume of the journal. We also publish review papers; while we have our own ideas on the reviews we would most like to see I would also be pleased to discuss other potential reviews with prospective authors.
Like many others I have been disappointed by the decline in the amount of discussion found in the journal over the last few years – a problem by no means confined to QJEGH. Recent volumes have shown that some subjects generate lively debate and I would like to reassure readers that we welcome discussion contributions. Indeed, I have already invited a number of written contributions on issues related to the broader context (see above) and which will, I believe, affect and challenge the profession over the coming decades. I hope that these will help to generate a series of constructive discussions in the journal and would welcome ideas for further such contributions. Feature issues and symposia in print also form part of the journal's contents and you will have seen two calls for papers in the previous issue.
Of course, all submissions must have an appropriate degree of geological content, but our subject and profession form a broad church and rather than specify what is appropriate I would simply like to encourage your submissions.
The journal runs a Young Author's Award to recognize the best annual contribution from an author under the age of 30 years at the time of submission. The award winner for 2004 was Dr Salvatore Martino of the University of Rome while the 2005 winner was Dr Nick Rosser of the University of Durham. Congratulations to both of these worthy winners.
Dr Martino was the first of our Young Author's Award winners to benefit from an invitation to join the Editorial Board for a year as part of their prize. I know that he has enjoyed his year on the Board; we have certainly enjoyed his contributions to our discussions as well as his company. I am sure that Dr Rosser will take up his appointment to the Board with as much enthusiasm and enjoyment.
For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of being involved with QJEGH has been the regular interaction with colleagues on the Editorial Board, so many of whom elicit my genuine admiration. However, in order to ensure a throughput of fresh ideas, terms of appointment are limited. This has prompted me to expend considerable effort since my appointment in ensuring that the excellent people that we have lost this year are replaced by an equally strong group. In addition, I am already considering appointments for 2008 and 2009 to ensure that the Board is at least as strong at the end of my term as it is at the start.
In closing I would like to thank those who leave the Board, not only on my own behalf but also on behalf of The Geological Society and its Fellows whom they have served so ably. Such thanks are particularly due to my immediate predecessor as Scientific Editor, Mike Packman. It is in no small part due to Mike's efforts that the journal has an average submission to publication time of 11 months, with many papers going through the system in less than six months – figures that compare very well with competing journals. At the same time I would like to welcome the new members of the Board and to emphasize how much I am looking forward to working with them.
I believe that a healthy journal containing high quality submissions that are discussed through critical debate is one of the most important manifestations of our profession. I look forward to receiving your contributions.
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