Last month in the President’s Page, I highlighted the great AsMA staff at our Home Office. This rendition casts the spotlight on a true jewel of our organization, the Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance (AMHP) journal. In writing such, I elicited historic input and assistance from our stellar AMHP Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Fred Bonato.
Our prestigious AMHP journal has a rich and illustrious history that traces its roots back to 1930. Originally launched under the name Journal of Aviation Medicine, its identity underwent several changes. By 1958, it was christened Aerospace Medicine, and in 1975, it evolved to Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine. It was as recent as 2015 that it settled on its present name. Commonly known by some as the “Blue Journal”, it is interesting to note that its very first cover was actually white, and it was not until 1963 that a blue background made its appearance on the journal’s cover.
The journal’s extensive archives provide a panoramic view of the dramatic evolution of air and space travel. It is a captivating historic journey seen through the dual prisms of medical advancement and human performance. The early editions had minimal content on the burgeoning commercial passenger travel and covered no information on jet-powered aircraft, a technological advancement that would make its debut in 1939. Articles on spaceflight were of course not part of the mix.
Fast forward to recent times, and the journal stands as a testament to the remarkable strides in aerospace advancements. The incredible development of human spaceflight over the past few decades is chronicled in ascent from humble beginnings, through the historic lunar missions, to the present-day stature as a robust and expanding scientific and exploration arena involving many nations. More recently the narrative is being written on commercial crew and private astronaut spaceflight. Other inspiring feats were documented, like the audacious Red Bull Stratos Project, where an intrepid human shattered the sound barrier in a freefall from a staggering altitude of 24 miles. Furthermore, in a display of its commitment to real-time relevancy, the AMHP journal swiftly pivoted to cover the multifaceted impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic in the realms of air and space travel.
Delving Behind the Scenes at AMHP
Citation: Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance 94, 12; 10.3357/AMHP.9412PP.2023
At the helm of our outstanding academic journal is Dr. Frederick Bonato, the seasoned Editor-in-Chief since 2010. He earned his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from Rutgers University. From 2013 until 2017, he served as the Associate Provost for academic affairs at Montclair State University, New Jersey’s second largest university. At Montclair he led the creation of the School of Nursing and the Center for Clinical Services. He currently serves as Executive Vice President and Provost for Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, NJ. An AsMA Fellow and IAASM inductee, he has published widely on topics such as sensory interaction, motion sickness, and training protocols for commercial spaceflight.
Dr. Bonato reviews incoming manuscripts, ensuring that content is both relevant and enriching for AMHP’s discerning readership. Every manuscript is meticulously evaluated to ensure it adheres to stringent formatting and documentation standards. For example, any research involving human participants must unambiguously display ethical clearance.
During the review process, Dr. Bonato actively seeks out the expertise of volunteer reviewers for each manuscript, reinforcing the journal’s commitment to academic rigor. Last year alone, over 120 individuals served as reviewers in a collaborative cadre of extensive ranging expertise. This essential review process, coupled with multiple rounds of revision and re-review for accepted manuscripts, ensures that only the most polished and high-caliber articles reach the level of publication.
As Dr. Bonato shared, “The journal and AsMA have been an important part of my life both career-wise and personally. What we do is so important, and it has been a privilege to be part of our mission.”
Citation: Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance 94, 12; 10.3357/AMHP.9412PP.2023
Integrating with Dr. Bonato is Sandy Kawano, who recently took up the mantle of Assistant to the Editor, succeeding Debra Sventek, whose support of AMHP was invaluable. Sandy performs a multifaceted role: from participating in preliminary reviews and highlighting critical issues to ensuring that authors submit the required documentation and guiding them throughout the rigorous editorial process. Additionally, she crafts valuable checklists for authors and acts as a bridge between authors and the editor, addressing diverse queries and concerns. A California native, she earned a B.A. in Liberal Studies from California State University (CSU), Northridge, and a multiple-subject teaching credential (K-8) from CSU, Fresno. Professionally, she retired from the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM) in 2019 after over 30 years as a technical writer-editor for both the Navy and Air Force, serving at locations in California, Japan, Texas, and Ohio. She currently volunteers as a technical editor for the Residency in Aerospace Medicine program at USAFSAM and edits FlightLines, the newsletter of the Society of U.S. Air Force Flight Surgeons. While at USAFSAM, Sandy became acquainted with the journal staff through her work as the Command’s technical editor, preparing articles written by researchers and Residents in Aerospace Medicine for publication in the “Blue Journal.”
As Sally notes, “I am excited to be on the journal staff and use my experience as a technical editor to add another layer of quality control to our review process. We are a great team, and I’m so proud to be a part of it and the AsMA community.”
Anchoring the operational side of AMHP at the AsMA Home Office is Rachel Trigg, who occupies the pivotal position of Managing Editor, a role previously expertly held by Pam Day. Alongside her is Stella Sanchez, serving as the Assistant to the Managing Editor, succeeding the role previously held by Rachel. Read more about Rachel and Stella in last month’s highlight on the Home Office [AMHP 2023; 94(11):805–806]. Their collaboration is instrumental post-manuscript acceptance, encompassing tasks such as meticulous typesetting, in-depth editing, and curating the sequence of articles. Their synergy with the publisher, Sheridan, ensures a seamless transition of articles from approval to publication, both in digital and print formats. Their roles extend to overseeing subscriptions, liaising with advertisers, and ensuring the journal’s global reach.
The dedicated AMHP editorial team has smoothly performed the remote working model for some time. Even as the world grappled with the pandemic-induced shift to remote work, this team continued their operations with the same efficiency and zeal they have demonstrated for years. However, they were not entirely insulated from the pandemic’s challenges, confronting issues like paper shortages and typesetting delays due to disrupted supply chains and workforce shortages. Yet, their unwavering commitment ensured that readers remained largely unaware of these internal challenges.
AMHP: A Beacon of Academic Excellence
Having steadfastly published since 1930, one important aspect that sets AMHP apart from many of its peers is the commitment to monthly publications. While numerous other journals may release bi-monthly or quarterly, AMHP’s consistent monthly editions underscore its dedication to timely and relevant content. This fact is in large measure due to the articles created and submitted by you, the AsMA members. Though several journals might venture into themes similar to those explored by AMHP, the "Blue Journal" stands tall as a beacon of academic excellence with a truly international footprint. A testament to its global appeal, AMHP annually attracts around 250 manuscripts with about half gracing its pages post rigorous review. These articles originate from a diverse array of over 70 countries, and just this year the journal has seen a tapestry of submissions from 26 distinct nations. The company that handles the AMHP downloads, IngentaConnect, has often placed the journal in the top 100 for article downloads among over 11,000 journals. During a few months in the past, AMHP was actually placed in the Top 10…an impressive honor!
I hope this highlight on AMHP and its awesome staff provides deeper insight into what takes place behind the scenes. When you read an article, realize it is not only the hard work of the authors creating their writings, but also the professionalism, skill, time, and passion of our AsMA journal team, and our member reviewers, which brings manuscripts to publication.
AMPH is indeed a Shining Star of AsMA…and we can all be very proud!
All the best.
Keep ‘em flying…and Full Steam Ahead!
Dr. Fred Bonato will be leaving the Editor-in-Chief position on December 31, 2023. We thank him for 14 years of dedicated leadership for the Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance journal. He will be replaced by Dr. David Newman, who will assume the Editor-in-Chief position on January 1, 2024. We welcome Dr. Newman as the Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance Editor-in-Chief and we look forward to working with him for many years. To learn more about him, please go to page 953.
