Editorial

Let me begin by wishing all of you a very happy and prosperous new year. I am proud to have been appointed editor of this journal, and I wish to take this opportunity to share with you my thoughts on the directions the journal is headed, issues to be resolved, and future challenges to be overcome—call it editorial rambling if you like.

This journal began 127 years ago as a collection of 17 papers on energy conversion technology in 1880 with Vol. 1 of Transactions of the ASME, and last year's Vol. 128 published around 110 papers in 956 pages. The high quality of published papers and diverse subject matter under the broad area of “Power and Energy” has sustained and enriched this journal for over a century. JEGTP is successful because it is a one-stop place to find authoritative research literature in gas turbines and power, and the “journal as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” “Excellence is eternal” and this journal, like its parent ASME, sets the standard. Today, the journal has global outreach and a world-class stature and reputation—credit must surely go to its readers, authors, ASME staff, reviewers, associate editors, and past editors.

A succession of editors and the ASME have led the journal through changes that were essential to keeping up with the demands of the rapidly changing technical publication and production processes. For example, on July 1, 2004, the journal completely switched over to the use of the ASME Journal Tool for submission of papers.¹ Past editor Professor Lee Langston and editorial assistant Liz Langston aptly handled the challenge of transition to a completely electronic media, at the same time maintaining the quality and steady growth of the journal. Lee and Liz deserve our special appreciation for their volunteerism, leadership and hard work. Also, I express my deep gratitude to all the outgoing associate editors who persevered during the ongoing improvements in the journal tool.

JEGTP covers a wide range of topics such as Gas Turbine Technology, Power Generation, Nuclear Engineering, Internal Combustion Engines, Fuels and Combustion, and Advanced Energy Systems. The quality and mix of published papers is excellent. Thus, my goal is to build upon these strengths and expand the journal without sacrificing quality.

The future promises a rapid growth in all of the above areas embraced by JEGTP. Thus, my first challenge during 2006 was to secure ASME's approval for my nomination of six new outstanding individuals as associate editors. They are: Gas Turbine Combustion and Fuels, Dr. Nader Rizk (Rolls Royce Inc.) and Professor Thomas Sattelmayer (Technical University of Munich); Gas Turbine Structures and Dynamics, Dr. Jaroslaw Szwedowicz (ABB Turbo Systems Ltd.) and Dr. David Walls (Pratt & Whitney); and I.C. Engines, Professor Christopher Rutland (University of Wisconsin) and Dr. Thomas Ryan III (Southwest Research Institute). My congratulations to all these individuals for their selection, and I am looking forward to working with them.

All journal editors have a common goal of ensuring that the submitted papers are reviewed, selected, processed and published in a fair and expeditious manner. Its global outreach and world-class stature continues to grow JEGTP to the point that the journal is “bursting at its seams.” This makes me proud, but at the same time concerned because an excessive publication backlog is unhealthy for any journal. During the past six months, I analyzed this situation and concluded that: all areas of JEGTP have experienced a steady growth over the last two decades; the journal has simply not kept pace with this growth; and finally, there appears to be no downturn, but only sustained future growth. I made my findings known to ASME and urged them to find a permanent solution. I am pleased to inform you that effective January 1, 2007, ASME has approved a permanent increase in journal pages by 350 or approximately 40 additional papers, thereby significantly reducing the backlog.

What great news to begin the new year. Now, your help is necessary in ensuring that JEGTP receives high-quality research papers to sustain its steady growth.