2024 has been a busy and productive year for App State’s Open Journal Program.
We’ve added a new journal with a long history, migrated a journal from its previous location on OJED to its new home on Appalachian’s instance of OJS, and revamped a title to reflect the evolution of the program it represents. We’ve published the second issue of a data-driven journal devoted to applying data to real world solutions, and watched with awe and appreciation as our two long-standing student-run journals continue to independently operate as well-oiled machines, each publishing their 21st volume of undergraduate research.
All in all, our hardworking journal editors have produced six new issues to showcase, so working our way backwards, let’s revisit the year’s output.
Cold Mountain Review Fall/Winter 2024 – Volume 52, Volume 1
CMR, an App State literary institution, was founded in the seventies, and we're honored to add it to the open journal program, beginning with this retrospective issue that features poetry spanning the decades, as well as an essay by acclaimed Chickasaw poet and author Linda Hogan.
Editor Kathryn Kirkpatrick's vision for the future of Cold Mountain Review sees the journal charting new territory while remaining rooted in its rich history, and continuing to beckon readers, writers, everyone: "Come join us as we create the serious mischief of cultural change.”
Journal of Trauma Studies in Education – Vol. 3 No. 2 (2024): Fall 2024
Executive Editor Dr. Jason Lynch, at the helm since the launch of JTSE in the spring of 2022, exhibited vision, patience and perseverance in proposing and overseeing the migration of the Journal of Trauma Studies in Education from one version of OJS to its new home, while simultaneously producing the latest issue of his stellar publication.
AppWell Journal - Volume 4: Healthy Play and Exercise
This year, Dr. Gary H. McCullough, Editor of the Journal of the Blue Cross NC Institute for Health and Human Services (JIHSS), passed the torch to Dr. Gavin Colquitt, Executive Director of the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness.
Under Editor Colquitt’s direction JIHSS has become the Journal of the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness (AppWell Journal). As Dr. Colquitt explains in his introduction to the first issue of journal published under its new name, “This change reflects our commitment to serving the Appalachian region of northwestern North Carolina, aligning our work more closely with the needs of the communities we support."
Data & Analytics for Good – Issue 2
Data & Analytics for Good was conceived in 2020, as a collaboration between Appalachian's Walker College of Business, the University of Arkansas, and SAS Institute and designed as data-driven journal with a focus on supporting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This summer, Editors-in-Chief Ron Freeze, Ph.D, and Joseph Cazier, Ph.D, oversaw the publication of Data & Analytics for Good’s second issue.
History Matters: An Undergraduate Journal of Historical Research - Volume 21
First published online in 2004, History Matters was created by App State’s Eric Burnette with support from fellow-student Matthew Manes, under the advisement of Dr. Michael Moore. A publication of the Department of History at Appalachian State, the journal accepts submissions from all undergraduates nationwide and internationally. Production of History Matters, Volume 21, was overseen by Editor-in-chief, David Roberts with support from Faculty Advisor Dr. Scott Relyea.
Impulse – Volume 21, Issue 1
Impulse, the first international, online neuroscience journal for undergraduate publications, was founded in January, 2003, by a small group of sophomores at the University of South Carolina. The journal moved to Appalachian State in 2009, and operates under the oversight of faculty advisor Dr. Mark Zrull, with a rotating editorial team of students, who handle every aspect of the production process from peer review to publication.
Based on tradition, this year’s Editor-in-Chief Jacob Clapp passes the reins along to the incoming Rylee Souders and Jana McManus, which illustrates a foundational strength of this pioneering journal in undergraduate research.
It’s been a pleasure to work with the editors of these journals to produce high quality open access content throughout 2024. We look forward to another productive year in 2025 with plans in place to explore and pursue the addition of a few more exciting titles to App State’s Open Journal Program, while providing our existing journals increasing exposure.
Cover of CMR featuring a painting of two birds.
Perch #12, 2016 Mixed Media on Canvas, Courtesy of Basil King and the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts