This issue of The Imaging Science Journal is the last one in my capacity as Chief Editor. After being Chief Editor for more than 10 years the time has come for me to step down and hand the journal on to a younger imaging scientist who is able to drive the journal in new directions. I am pleased that the Science Committee of The Society has decided that my successor should be Dr Robin Jenkin, the journal’s current Executive Editor, in whose safe hands its successful future is assured. Robin has been doing much of the hard work in the day-to-day running of the journal for 7 years. He has been assisted by a small team of assistant editors, together with excellent support from the staff of our publishers, Maney Publishing.
I have been Chief Editor since 1999, during which time I have seen the journal grow substantially in stature to its current position with a very healthy number of papers being submitted, the publication of occasional special editions and its expansion from four to six issues per year.
I should like to thank all those involved in the publication of the UK’s only specialist journal covering the wide remit of imaging science. It is interesting to note that during my editorship there have been dramatic and rapid changes in the nature of imaging. The move from chemical analogue systems to digital systems is now virtually complete and this is, of course, reflected in the journal’s changing content.
The fundamental optical aspects of imaging science remains the basis for image capture as do many of the analytical approaches used for evaluating the quality of the output. These are readily transferrable from the analogue to the digital domain. Entirely new are all the many and varied mathematical and computational aspects that have been opened up by the very nature of digital imaging. These range from image capture and processing to watermarking of images. Applications, made possible by modern digital science and technology, are being used extensively for solving many medical, industrial, and forensic problems. Modern digital science and technology has also changed the way in which the journal is edited and published. Thanks to our publisher we now have in place a web based editorial management system and the publication of the journal in an electronic form as well as hard copy. This has streamlined the publication process for the benefit of authors, referees and readers.
Who knows what changes will be seen in the next decade? Whatever they might be imaging science will continue to play a major part. This journal will be at the forefront in disseminating the science involved and in explaining their applications.
I can step down in the certain knowledge that the journal’s future is assured. I thank all those involved in its publication; authors, referees, editors, the editorial board and the support of The Royal Photographic Society and Maney Publishing, during my very enjoyable and challenging time as Chief Editor. I am delighted to have been asked to continue as a consulting editor which will enable me to remain in contact with the journal and contribute to its future development.
Professor Ralph Jacobson ASIS Hon FRPS
Chief Editor
