New Editor-in-Chief of Orbit
I have decided after serving as Editor-in-Chief of Orbit for the past 4 years that I will be stepping down on April 1, 2022. It is with great enthusiasm that I announce that Richard Cutler Allen, MD, PhD, FACS has been selected to become the new Editor-in-Chief. I cannot think of a more qualified person to assume this role. Dr. Allen is the Carolyn F Elles Professor of Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas and is known and admired both within the US and around the globe as an outstanding surgeon and educator. Dr. Allen is known to many as that guy that made all of the surgical procedure videos that we and our trainees have watched over the years. In addition to the more than 300 videos in this collection, he has published a large number of high-quality print articles, book chapters, and reviews. He is a leader in a number of oculoplastics societies, and is respected as a knowledgeable and stalwart colleague. He has been a valued member of the Orbit Editorial Board since he joined several years ago, and has been charged with promoting the journal on social media platforms.
It has been the one of the highest honors of my academic life to serve as the Editor-in-Chief of Orbit. During the past 4 years, I saw the number of manuscript submissions rise steadily at first and then very rapidly as the world shut down due to the COVID pandemic. Many clinicians found themselves with unexpected time to complete research projects and write manuscripts which resulted in a doubling of the number of submissions to the journal. This placed a significant burden on the Editorial Board and peer reviewers who volunteer their expertise to filter the knowledge that ultimately guides the readership in their practice of medicine. During these past 2 years, authors have contributed a large number of original articles describing their changes in practice patterns and observations of patients as a result of COVID-related illness. It has been an unprecedented time to practice medicine in the world and to also referee the publications arising from this. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have gained from reading all of the submissions and peer reviews. I value the friendships and relationships that I have made as a result of this role, and offer my most sincere gratitude to my editorial assistant extraordinaire, Margaret Searle, and also to each of the highly professional and helpful people that I have worked with over the years at Taylor & Francis. For all of this, I am eternally grateful.
Suzanne K. Freitag, MD