JABES is on the rise; from new initiatives to the constant outstanding quality of the Associate Editors, the journal is gaining credibility and prestige with each issue.

First and foremost, JABES will host an invited session at the Joint Statistical Meetings 2012 that Associate Editors Brian Reich and Murali Haran have organized based on a JABES special issue dedicated to the topic “Computer models and spatial statistics for environmental science.”  Additionally, there is a newly announced session to look forward to at the Eastern North American Region (ENAR) 2012 Spring Meeting.  The JABES showcase will be based on the upcoming special issue “Climate Change and Health”, with guest editors Roger Peng (JohnsHopkinsUniversity) and Bo Li (PurdueUniversity).  The ENAR invited session will focus on the impact of climate change on human health.   The specific date and time of this session has yet to be announced, but stay tuned for details. Earning these invited sessions is a huge honor for the journal and one not taken lightly. This will increase visibility for the journal, and the specific articles and authors.

Another component adding to the success of JABES is the continual access to the highest valued Associate Editors with the top-quality knowledge on the subjects at hand. Their turnover is prompt, about 50 days on average, which adds to the proficient and successful nature of the journal. To assist the Associate Editors, IBS, one of the journal’s sponsors, is re-activating the Prose Editing Project. This project helps non-English speakers with their manuscripts.  A group of editors will look at manuscripts before submission to help with English grammar, syntax, etc.

As for the next issue of JABES due out in September 2011, there will be a total of eight articles with relevant applications in atmospheric, plant, and animal sciences.  Three articles will investigate new methodology in spatial statistics with use of autoregressive modeling, independent component analysis, and Bayesian inference.  Two articles will address improving abundance and occupancy modeling and estimates.  The final three articles will introduce advanced statistical methodology for categorical data, capture-recapture studies, and multiphase experiments, respectively.

Starting next issue a new Book Review section will be included in the journal. Relevant books to the journal will be evaluated for different aspects such as statistical analysis, knowledge of the subject, and effectiveness in conveying ideas. This will add a new dimension to JABES that will prove to be very informative and useful to all.

JABES is eager to share this new issue with you, and will continue to publish superior articles in agricultural, biological and environmental statistics.  Consider submitting your own applicable work to JABES as new and innovative work is always being sought after; it will not only improve the journal but increase your own visibility and prestige as the journal continues to emerge into one of the top statistical journals.

The Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics contributes to the development and use of statistical methods in the agricultural, biological, and environmental sciences. Published quarterly, the journal’s articles are of immediate and practical value to applied researchers and statistical consultants in these fields