Wow, This is Great!

View Large Image Download to PowerPoint

Dean Ho, Ph.D. JALA Editor-in-Chief, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

I've been on the job as the JALA editor-in-chief for almost a year already, and one of the most satisfying things about it is how often I hear praise and surprise from colleagues to whom I introduce the journal. My day job takes me around the globe regularly, and regardless of whether I'm working with graduate students in our laboratory at Northwestern University, dining with colleagues at Taiwan University, making a presentation to scholars in St. Petersburg, Russia, connecting with nanodiamond specialists in Los Angeles, meeting dignitaries at the University of Beijing, or struggling with 100-degree heat and unreliable Internet connections in Singapore, I am always aware of the “other hat” that sits figuratively on my head—that of being JALA editor-in-chief.

With this other hat comes the duties of ambassador, ombudsman, and cheerleader. This is where things become fun. Almost without fail, when I introduce colleagues and other business associates to JALA, they are impressed and excited to discover such a unique and valuable resource. They eagerly seize its value, because they recognize that the integrative field of laboratory automation is continually evolving and influencing innovation throughout fundamental/basic/translational domains (academia and government) and being applied in the marketplace and in commercial practice (industry). With this in focus, JALA has no equal.

ALA and JALA are well known throughout many different circles and are steadily building a distinct scientific community of their own, and with this, the potential for even greater growth and strength expands daily. In some ways, JALA is a well-kept secret. As ALA actively reaches out to new international audiences through educational exchange programs and other cross-promotional arrangements, and as I and others take advantage of such opportunities through personal and professional travels, the consistently positive feedback fuels a plethora of possibilities. Every time I hear someone say “Wow, this is great, why didn't I know about this,” I smile. We may not be viral yet, but inch by inch, we're getting there.

Sincerely,

View Large Image Download to PowerPoint

Dean Ho, Ph.D.