Oceanography | June 2020
More than a few years ago, while juggling her young children and her
career, Carole King sang, “my baby’s in one hand, I’ve a pen in the other.”
Scientists who have been forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to abandon
laboratories and classrooms to work and teach from home would surely
nod in agreement, even if they might tweak the lyric to substitute a key-
board for a pen.
During the pandemic, Oceanography has largely been able to continue
operations as usual. The magazine was decades ahead of its time in adopt-
ing concepts such as “home office” and “distributed workforce”—before
those terms even existed—so unlike other enterprises, we didn’t need
to adjust to working remotely. The commitment of June issue authors,
reviewers, and guest editors, despite the great disruptions to their lives
since March, has allowed us to continue publishing, although on a delayed
schedule. Oceanography has compensated for the delay by putting all of
the special issue articles on its website as early releases as they were com-
pleted rather than waiting for full publication of the special issue. This
policy will continue indefinitely.
While the most visible short-term consequence for Oceanography has
been publication delays for special issues that were already in the works,
behind the scenes, the development of future special issues is at risk.
In-person conferences, workshops, and meetings—the venues where
special issues are often conceived and launched—are being canceled,
postponed, or conducted virtually. As a result, over the next year or two
at least, it is possible that we will publish fewer special issues based on
specific scientific themes or programs, the foundation of the magazine.
Shortened and/or delayed field seasons may also have an impact on the
timing of some potential future special issues. The long-term impact for
Oceanography of publishing fewer special issues is not yet clear.
The news isn’t all bad. There has been a healthy uptick in the number of
unsolicited manuscripts submitted to our regular issue feature and com-
mentaries sections. Right now, we are particularly interested in sharing
in Oceanography successful strategies for virtual classroom teaching and
laboratory activities (in the broadest sense) and for conducting virtual
workshops and meetings. Please consider submitting a short article to us
(author guidelines at https://tos.org/oceanography/guidelines).
I wish everyone good health in these challenging times.
Ellen S. Kappel, Editor
QUARTERDECK
Oceanography During the
COVID-19 Pandemic
Do you have an idea for a special
issue of Oceanography? Please send
your suggestions to Editor Ellen Kappel
at ekappel@geo-prose.com.
CALL FOR IDEAS!
Marine Biodiversity
Observation Network:
An Observing System for
Life in the Sea
Understanding the Effects
of Offshore Wind Energy
Development on Fisheries
GoMRI:
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
& Ecosystem Science
2010–2020
https://tos.org/oceanography
UPCOMING
SPECIAL ISSUES
Oceanography