Journal publishes special issue in honour of Sussex ecologist
The Journal of Ecology has published a virtual issue in honour of its former editor, Emeritus Professor Mike Hutchings, a plant expert at the University of Sussex.
Professor Mike Hutchings
This is the first time that the 100-year-old journal has honoured a living ecologist in this way, with two previous virtual issues celebrating the work of eminent scholars after their deaths.
The virtual issue, published on the journal’s website, contains 19 of the 30 papers that Professor Hutchings had published in the journal between 1976 and 2012.
Professor Hutchings stood down as the journal’s Editor-In-Chief last year, ending an editorial connection dating back to 1985.
Richard Shefferson, Associate Editor of the Journal of Ecology, said: “Mike’s contributions to the Journal of Ecology have been immense over the years. Prior to serving as the Editor-In-Chief of the Journal from 2004 to 2012, he served as Associate Editor from 1985 to 1999 and as Editor from 1999 to 2004.
“His contributions to the Journal include not only nearly 30 years of editorial service, but also the publication of many of his most significant findings.
“Mike’s meticulous monitoring of how science is evaluated by scientists, lawmakers, stakeholders, and the public has led to substantive changes over the years that have made the Journal and its contents more accessible and relevant.
“Under Mike, the Journal has pushed ecology as a question-driven science, and has come to tackle more and more fundamental questions of interest to ecologists and managers. The Journal’s impact factor has grown, its papers are more widely cited, and the Journal has even grown to publish many more papers per year, all under his leadership.
“It is hard to imagine the Journal without him.”
Professor Hutchings, who joined Sussex in 1973, said: “Being honoured in this way by my scientific peers means a lot to me in terms of recognition of the contributions I have made in ecology.
“I have a sort of paternalistic regard for all of my papers!”