It is with trepidation yet excitement and a strong sense of responsibility that I take on the Editor of Aphasiology baton from Chris Code. I most definitely have big shoes to fill! The pioneering vision of Chris and Dave Muller to create a bespoke journal for all cognate disciplines that serve aphasiology boosted the kudos of aphasia research among the wider scientific and clinical practice communities. Since its inception, Aphasiology remains a unique journal; the only one that exclusively serves aphasia research.
My first editorial experience was about 12 years ago when Henri Cohen (Université du Québec à Montréal), then Editor of the Journal of Neurolinguistics, replied positively to a request from Jane Maxim (University College London) and me to edit a festschrift of “Studies in honour of Susan Edwards”, my PhD supervisor and mentor. In 2015, Chris invited Faustina Hwang (University of Reading) and me to co-edit for Aphasiology a special issue on “Digital Technology and Aphasia”. Two years later, Charles Ellis (University of Florida) asked me to serve on his editorial board as a regular reviewer for the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research (JSLHR), a position I held for two years before Sean Redmond (University of Utah and then Editor-in-Chief of JSLHR) invited me to become an Editor for Language of JSLHR which I held until very recently. I would like to say a very big thank you to all these colleagues who afforded me such generous learning opportunities and enabled me to form a much more complete understanding of the peer review process beyond that of an author or reviewer.
A journal editor is a judge whose judgement is majorly assisted by a jury. This jury is formed by engaged reviewers as well as the journal’s editorial board and associate editors. I look forward to working with you all and especially with Heather Harris Wright, the North America Editor, and her many years of experience with Aphasiology.