Dear Readers,

On behalf of the Eukaryon editorial board, I would like to thank you for joining us as we present a decade of the very best undergraduate research in the life sciences at Lake Forest College. This journal began in 2004, and we are thrilled to welcome past Editors-in-Chief and alumni to celebrate with us. At the beginning of this academic year, the editorial board brainstormed a way in which to encompass this mile- stone. We reflected on where Eukaryon came from, where it is now, and where it is headed. I am proud to announce that the theme for this edition of the journal is “On the Origin of Eukaryon,” in reference to Darwin’s seminal work “On the Origin of Species”.

Before I take time to recognize the board and our accomplishments, I would like to briefly share my Eukaryon journey with you. You might be wondering how an English major found herself in the position of Editor-in-Chief of a life science journal. Well, during the spring semester of my freshman year, Dr. Shubhik DebBurman encouraged me to be a part of the Copy-Editing Board of Eukaryon. As my first-year studies advisor, he wanted to challenge me to get involved. I cannot thank him enough for his persistence and support throughout my college career. When my peers nominated and elected me as Editor-Elect, I was honored. The experience in working with students from different academic departments has been incredible, and I have learned so much from their research and work.

Once I began working with the executive board during this academic year, I began to feel the pressure of the tenth edition. As a group, we knew we had to set goals that would change the future of Eukaryon. How do people access Eukaryon? How do we want them to access Eukaryon? In the evolving digital world in which we live, we realized that the future presentation of Eukaryon would at some point claim a permanent address and presence online. We wanted to ensure that we would create a foundation for that new home. The Publications Board transitioned from formatting in Microsoft Word into using Adobe InDesign in order to produce the journal. As the work we accept and review becomes more and more impressive, we need to guarantee that its layout is just as professional. In order to highlight this, we have adopted a new design and typography theme, as well as Eukaryon’s first white cover. We hope that this deliberate distance in appearance from past years helps to showcase our vision for the journal as it moves into its next decade.

I have had the pleasure of working with a fantastic executive board. This journal would not be what it is without them. These members are my peers and friends, and they have dedicated so much of their time and creativity to the production of this journal. They encouraged the members of their boards to stay committed to the peer review process in order to honor this tenth anniversary of the journal. The leadership and responsibility exhibited by this group is unparalleled. With each of them as role models, the future of Eukaryon has never looked brighter.

When deciding whom we wanted to invite for this year’s inaugural speaker, we knew that we wanted someone special to commemorate our tenth anniversary. Little did we know that the keynote speaker we were looking for would be from Lake Forest College. Upon hearing the news of Dr. Anne Houde’s second publication in Nature, we knew that she would be the perfect choice not just because of the strength of her research, but also because of her historical connections with Eukaryon. Dr. Houde is the Foster G. and Mary W. McGaw Professor in Life Sciences at the College. Her presentation for the tenth Inauguration is entitled “Sex, Color and Mate Choice in Guppies.” Lake Forest College students have been working with Dr. Houde in her lab for twenty years. She believes that the greatest advantage of doing research at a small college is the hands-on experience and opportunity to be published. Dr. Houde remembers when Eukaryon began in 2004. We know that her students and colleagues are proud of her accomplishments.

I would like to thank Kellie Doyle, Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing, Lindsey Nemcek, New Media and Marketing Coordinator, and Dr. Dawn Abt-Perkins, Director of Writing Programs and Professor of Education, for their continued involvement with Eukaryon. We appreciate all of their support and guidance during the features writing process. I would also like to thank all of our alumni who have contributed their visions and commitment to the Eukaryon we see today. Your work has inspired us to develop fresh ideas while continuing to honor the academic excellence at the College. This year, Dr. DebBurman returned as our advisor, and we cannot thank him enough for his support and ability to challenge each and every one of us. I am excited to present the tenth edition of this journal with my peers. As we reflect on the origins of Eukaryon, we must also open our minds to what it may become in the next few years.

Sincerely,

Vicki Gerentes

Editor-in-Chief, Eukaryon, 2013-2014