Former Editorial Staff

Wendy Plotkin, H-URBAN co-Founder

Founding H-URBAN editor Dr. Wendy Plotkin has resigned as Editor-in-Chief, as well as her other roles in H-URBAN, effective December 31, 2011. We want to take this opportunity to reflect on and applaud her enormous and exemplary contributions to H-URBAN since its inception in 1993. We do so with admiration and gratitude, as well as the wish that she may find time to complete her book, engage in other professional pursuits, and personal interests.

• Dr. Plotkin has been ahead of her time regarding the use of the Internet for scholarly communication, as evidenced by her ideas articulated in the Digital Humanities Quarterly in Fall 2010: "History, People, and Informatics: A Conversation with Wendy Plotkin." http://digitalhumanities.org/dhq/vol/4/2/000086/000086.html

• Setting the standard for many online discussion groups, Dr. Plotkin’s attention to detail, such as effective and consistent keyword use and full bibliographic information in all queries, has shown a librarian’s rigor, organizational skill and clarity.

• Ambitious for the highest level of scholarship and teaching among urban historians, Dr. Plotkin has tirelessly sought and recruited volunteers to serve as list, web, and teaching editors for H-URBAN.

• As a trainer for new editors, Dr. Plotkin developed systematic guidelines and documented practices with admirable thoroughness. This level of training has led to excellence in posts and reviews, promoting the list as a forum for scholarly discussion.

• Dr. Plotkin’s selfless service means that she leaves H-URBAN in good shape in terms of trained editors and expectations of quality.

• She continues to offer innovative suggestions that could help financially-constrained organizations such as H-NET thrive; in fact, a number of her suggestions have been adopted to good effect.

• Because of her leadership and foresight, H-URBAN has served as a "lifeline" for many busy, far-flung, and diverse scholars around the world.

While one brief list of notable contributions can hardly do justice to her years of dedicated, indeed passionate service, we nevertheless want to state our unequivocal personal support for Wendy Plotkin and collectively thank her for her many vital intellectual contributions at an incomparable level of commitment.