Transitions
As winter transitions into spring there is always a bustle of activity on campus. For some the approach of warmer days will bring with it the start of a new life after commencement, and for others the season brings them one step closer to completing their educational goals (along with a well-deserved break from the rigors of academia). For those of us here at The Tower, this month will bring the selection of our new Editor-In-Chief, and, subsequently, the selection of individuals to fill the remaining editorial board positions. As a founding editor of our journal, the prospect of leaving the journal's editorial board after commencement in May marks an important milestone in the history of The Tower.
When I was asked to join the steering committee for developing an undergraduate research journal at Georgia Tech, the concept was simply a glimmer in the eye of a few ambitions research-loving students and supportive faculty and staff. From nothing, this group worked ceaselessly to conceptualize and develop what I believe in several years will become one of the premiere undergraduate journals in the country. My predecessor Mark Youngblood used his extensive skills and knowledge of student government to ensure that we were initiated properly as a serious student organization with all of the proper responsibilities and rights that would support our endeavor. Mark also was instrumental in selecting the group of individuals that would comprise our founding editorial board - a group that has made enormous strides to evolve the journal closer to reality. After Mark's graduation last December, it was my honor to take the foundation that was then given the name The Tower and construct the inaugural issue.
After a successful round of submissions, several rounds of creative design ideas, a new website that is expanding every day, and an incredible amount of enthusiasm generated from the students and faculty, it is now my duty to turn over the reins of Editor-In-Chief to the student who will be responsible for taking the bones of this journal and putting them together to finish our inaugural issue. Mark and I were clearly the founding editors of this journal, but the very lucky person who is selected as Editor-In-Chief to succeed me after my commencement in May will be the one who will enjoy the responsibility and honor of revealing our inaugural issue to the Georgia Tech community this coming fall semester. This event will represent a significant accomplishment for everybody involved.
In a few weeks you will begin to see advertisements from the Student Publications Office soliciting applications for next year's publication leaders. I encourage anyone with a strong research background and interest in leading an academic publication to apply for the Editor-In-Chief position. At the same time we also will be opening the application process for our other editorial board and selection-based positions. Joining The Tower staff is a unique opportunity to get involved in an activity that will truly be a part of Georgia Tech history.
I will cherish the time I have spent starting the journal, and look forward to watching the publication grow in the coming years. Good luck to all who apply!
Sincerely,
Dianne Palladino
Editor-In-Chief
Show Your Support!
Now that we're all settled into our spring semester routines, it's time for us to focus on the long-term sustainability of The Tower. We've worked hard to build a strong review team with a great mix of experience, a talented young production team, and a strong succession plan for the Editorial Board. As our submission process comes to an end, our focus is now on fundraising.
A strong treasury will allow us to develop a strong brand, recruit the best students through more frequent and creative publicity, and, most importantly, to cover our expenses for a print version of the journal. Every organization has ongoing printing, copying, and postage expenses, and we'd also love to be able to hold a one-time release gala to celebrate our inaugural issue next fall. None of these things will be possible without your donations.
We are in the process of developing a donation system that will make donating to the future of our undergraduate journal easy and painless. Even the smallest donations will add up and show Georgia Tech that The Tower has your support. Soon, many of you will hear from a member of our publicity staff suggesting that you or your organization donate to The Tower. We hope that you will show your support, and join us in the satisfaction that you played a part in the development of a world-class research journal. More details on our donation structure will be posted soon, but if you or your organization would like to make a donation in the meantime, please contact our Business Manager Brent Hitchcock at business at gttower dot org.
Thanks for your support!
Warmest Regards,
Dianne Palladino
Editor-In-Chief
On behalf of the Editorial Board, I welcome you to the official website of The Tower - Georgia Tech's new interdisciplinary undergraduate research journal scheduled to be released in the Fall of 2008. The goal of the journal is to showcase the research accomplishments of undergraduates in all disciplines available on campus. By launching a research journal at Georgia Tech we will join the ranks of other top universities in the country and provide the university a medium with which to communicate the high quality and compelling nature of our undergraduate research. A major goal of the journal is diversity and balance, which we hope will also communicate the wide variety and interdisciplinary nature of scientific discovery at Tech.
Much work was necessary to launch an ambitious project with such a short timeline, and I'd personally like to thank the members of the Steering Committee who have guided the journal through the planning stages and provided invaluable advice, hard work, and knowledge to the process. Some were involved from the beginning and others for only a short time, but for over a year all of them had a profound effect on keeping the momentum going.
Dr. Michael Allen, Assoc. Professor, History, Technology, and Society
Arish Alreja, ECE
Dr. Rosa Arriaga, CS
Dr. Ron Broglio, LCC
Dr. Rebecca Burnett, LCC
Dr. Amy D'Unger, History, Technology, and Society faculty
Amaris Guiterrez-Ray, STAC
Dr. Karen Harwell, Director, Undergraduate Research
Marlit Hayslett, Program Manager, Office of Policy Analysis and Research, GTRI
Dianne Palladino, PSYC
Julie Griffin Speer, Librarian
Christopher Van Acker, STAC
Dr. Tyler Walters, Associate Director for Technology & Resource Services, Library
Dr. Lisa Yaszek, Associate Professor & Coordinator, Science, Technology and Culture
Mark Youngblood, ECE
In addition, thank you to everyone who has shown enthusiasm for this project since we started our recruitment process. It has been highly encouraging to see the buzz start around campus, and I assure you that our staff is doing everything possible to provide a journal of which Georgia Tech can be proud.
Please feel free to contact me with any comments or questions regarding The Tower. This journal is for us all, and there are always opportunities to get involved.
As we begin a new year I wish everyone in the Georgia Tech community a very happy, healthy, and prosperous new year.
Warmest Regards,
Dianne Palladino
Editor-In-Chief
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