Having served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology since 1993, I am extremely grateful for having been part of its successful launch. I have watched the Journal grow from being Sumio Sakka’s inspired creation to being the official voice of the sol-gel community. Over the course of the 16 years, the reputation of the journal has risen to one of the top journals in the materials field, emphasizing glass and ceramics. So, it is safe to say that it has survived its teenage years. As with children who grow up to adults, one breathes a sigh of relief when they reach that point when they graduate high school. Early on, it was necessary to solicit articles for the journal, and topical issues were organized to have a critical mass of content. However, the need for soliciting articles soon disappeared, once a self-sustaining flow of submissions developed. Clearly, the journal caught on. The Journal now serves as the official archives of the International Sol-Gel Society, a truly interdisciplinary society, bridging the sciences and engineering, from fundamental studies to commercial developments.

My thanks go to the professional staff at Kluwer–Springer for all the help they have provided over the years. I recall the smooth transition from paper-based reviewing to on-line reviewing. The publisher and their staff handled this without a moment of hesitation. I have found their dedication to this Journal to be exceptional.

As the community of sol-gel science has become global, the volume of papers has increased in all parts of the world. To reflect this expansion, the Editorial Board is gaining some new faces and losing some old faces. I am leaving the Editorial Board with the confidence that the Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology is in good hands and that it will endure. I am proud to have been a part of the history of this Journal, and I hope in some small way I have contributed to its success.