Gratitude and Farewell from the Editor-in-Chief of Soil Science Section

Dear colleagues, contributors, and readers,

It is with a mix of gratitude and emotion that I announce my decision to step down as Editor-in-Chief of Air, Soil and Water Research. This marks the end of a deeply rewarding chapter that began quite unexpectedly back in 2018.

That year, shortly after completing my first PhD, I was invited to publish an article in a journal I did not yet know well—Air, Soil and Water Research. At that time, the journal was indexed in Scopus and was open access, which I saw as a great opportunity to share my work more broadly. The Editor-in-Chief then was Professor Carlos Alberto Martínez-Huitle, and the journal manager was Bree Sundling.

After publishing my article, I learned that there was an open position for an Editor in the Soils section. I decided to apply, went through an interview process and a trial period, and was fortunate to join the editorial team. Around that time, the Editor-in-Chief stepped down, and we transitioned to a new structure with three Editors-in-Chief: Erick Bandala, Mohd Talib Latif, and myself.

Together, we worked tirelessly—four colleagues united by passion and dedication—to strengthen the journal’s visibility and quality. In 2023, our efforts were rewarded when Air, Soil and Water Research reached Q2 status and achieved a very solid Impact Factor. I want to sincerely highlight the professionalism, kindness, and generosity of Professors Bandala and Latif throughout this journey.

My heartfelt gratitude also goes to Bree Sundling, who believed in me from the very beginning, taking a chance on my candidacy but always with unwavering support and trust. Even during challenging moments for the journal—after she had moved on from the team—she was still ready to assist and encourage us. My warmest appreciation to her.

I would also like to thank my team of Barbara Rattner, Lara Sindelar, and Ahir Gouri, who, though I have shared less time with them as journal managers, have been truly supportive and responsible colleagues, helping make the demanding editorial work much lighter and more enjoyable.

My appreciation also goes to the members of the Associate Editorial Board, as well as to all reviewers and authors who have contributed their time, expertise, and trust to this journal. Their dedication to rigorous, high-quality, open-access science has been the foundation of Air, Soil and Water Research’s success.

After 7 years as Editor-in-Chief, I step down with deep gratitude and respect. I wish the very best to the journal, my colleagues, my successor, and to SAGE Publications, whose trust and freedom allowed us to introduce changes and improvements, and to grow without pressure in the highly competitive ecosystem of scientific publishing.

Editing Air, Soil and Water Research has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my academic life, and I will always carry with me the lessons and friendships it has brought. I remain confident that the journal will continue to thrive as a multidisciplinary, reliable, and solid publication that promotes excellence in open-access research.

With my warmest regards and best wishes