Longstanding executive editor of the Society’s three academic journals, Martin Owen, is stepping down after nearly 33 years in post.
Since the end of 1987, Martin has worked alongside the journals editors to publish the Society’s Series A, B, C and D (which was merged into the first three in 2004). He has worked under 17 RSS Presidents and five Chief Executives and had the pleasure of working with 63 editors, whose commitment over their four (and sometimes more) years’ tenure he describes as ‘truly astonishing’.
During Martin’s time at the Society he has seen it merge with the Institute of Statisticians in 1993, move from Enford Street to Errol Street in 1995 and launch Significance magazine in 2004. He has overseen hundreds of Journal issues and many Ordinary meetings (now known as Discussion meetings) and a growing number of Journal webinars. He was instrumental to the introduction of electronic submission and peer review, and online publication with Wiley.
Martin was given a socially distanced send-off at RSS HQ earlier this month by staff, with many former presidents, directors and journal editors dialling in to pay tribute to Martin’s work and thank him for his dedication to the Society over the past three decades and for not splitting any infinitives. Many spoke of Martin’s dry wit as well as his reliability and well-organised running of the journals; all wished him a long and happy retirement.
