At the end of 2008, Prof. Lisa Klein from Rutgers University (USA) and Prof. Masayuki Nogami from the Nagoya Institute of Technology (Japan) resigned as Co-editors of the Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology (JSST) after long service to the journal and to the sol-gel community. We take this opportunity to express our gratitude to both retiring Co-editors for their excellent work and for their dedication in the handling of numerous manuscripts over many years. It has been our pleasure to work with these distinguished colleagues.

Since 2003, JSST has been the official journal of the International Sol-Gel Society (ISGS). According to the agreement between the publisher and the ISGS, the Board of the Society, in agreement with Springer, has appointed Dr. Kazuki Nakanishi, Associated Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University in Kyoto (Japan). Many contributions today originate from China. Therefore, we are also pleased to announce that Dr. Yunfa Chen, Research Professor and Deputy Director of the Institute of Processing Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing (China) and Deputy Director of The National Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complexity has agreed to serve as Co-editor as well. Both scientists are well- known in the “Sol-Gel” field and we thank them for having accepted this important but also time-consuming role. We are certain that they will assume their new responsibilities with diligence and dedication and hope that they will enjoy this commitment on behalf of the sol-gel community. Welcome to both of you!

Prof. Dr. M. A. Aegerter, JSST Editor-in-Chief

Dr. F. Babonneau, President of ISGS