SOCIETY NEWS BSA Welcomes Briana Gross as New APPS Editor-in-Chief Briana Gross recently took on the role of Editorin-Chief of Applications in Plant Sciences (APPS), the BSA’s first fully Open Access journal, publishing newly developed, innovative tools, protocols, and resources in all areas of the plant sciences. We spoke with Dr. Gross about her vision for the journal. What inspired you to apply to be Editor-inChief at APPS? I was lucky to be nominated by one of my mentors, Susan Kephart. I had seen the advertisements for the Editor-in-Chief position and considered applying, but I didn’t really dig in until being nominated. Once I gave myself time to think about it, I realized how excited I was about APPS and remembered how much I enjoy editorial work. This was also an ideal time in my career to take on this role, so I felt ready to commit. I am relaying the fact that I was nominated because I think it’s important for me (and others) to acknowledge the power of nominating others for positions that we think they are qualified for, and I hope that I can “pay it forward” in the future.
of the journal, even when decisions might not go in an author’s favor. At a broader level, it is the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief to be mindful of the direction of the journal and plan strategically for its success in cooperation with the editorial board and editorial staff. My objective in this capacity is to work to communicate our intentions transparently and create an environment where all our community members feel heard while still moving APPS forward.
How would you characterize your editorial philosophy? At an immediate, personal level, I want the authors, reviewers, and readers who interact with APPS to leave with a positive impression 4
Many organizations, including the BSA, have made it a priority to expand opportunities for people in underrepresented groups. How do you envision supporting and expanding diversity and inclusion in APPS? How do you view the opportunities and challenges of heading up an Open Access journal, while furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion?
