Rigor and Representation: Leading the Next Five Years of <scp>JRST</scp>

Science Education research and its impact on theory and practice are critical levers for creating a more just and engaging science education experience for all learners. As we begin our five-year editorial tenure, the Journal of Research in Science Teaching (JRST), like so many academic journals, faces both challenge and possibility. We are honored to serve as Co-Editors-in-Chief of NARST's flagship journal, to uphold this publication's long tradition of excellence by increasing participation, contributions, and readership from a global community. We extend our deep gratitude to Dr. Felicia Moore Mensah and Dr. Troy Sadler, whose thoughtful leadership over the past five years strengthened JRST's commitments to equity, diversity, and rigorous open science, and whose proactive measures established the journal's initial policy on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in research and publication. Their work has positioned JRST to navigate a rapidly changing scholarly landscape while remaining grounded in the enduring values of transparency, integrity, and inclusivity. Our editorial team—Dana Vedder-Weiss (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev); Edna Tan (University of North Carolina at Greensboro); and Matt Kloser (University of Notre Dame)—is joined by an outstanding managing editor, Elif Ozulku, as well as editorial assistants Irit Vivante and Gur Arie Livni Alcasid, who bring methodological and theoretical expertise as well as technical skill to the daily work of the journal. Together with a diverse group of Associate Editors, on whose shoulders so much of the labor falls and for whom excellence of the journal is shared, and Editorial Board Members who commit to reviewing 10–12 papers a year, we aim to uphold JRST's status as the leading international venue for research on science teaching and learning. We inherit a strong foundation and therefore have the responsibility to not only preserve the journal's standards of excellence, but also elevate its reputation and adapt to transformational shifts in research and publication. Our transition, like so many other editors of journals and academics in the field, coincides with broader disruptions to the research ecosystem. Reductions in funding for agencies in the USA, such as IES, NSF, and NIH, threaten the infrastructure that has long sustained education research—from longitudinal data collection to funding diverse streams of research. At the same time, political extremism and war across the globe pose threats to scholarly work in education, weakening the evidence that guides national policy and impoverishing the development of young scholars in the field. In light of such, JRST's mission is more vital than ever as it can be a source for rigorous, trustworthy, and hopefully increasingly accessible research that advances both scientific understanding with practical implications for what happens in schools and classrooms around the world. We are optimistic about the future of JRST as our vision is anchored in two intertwined commitments: Rigor and Representation. First, we will uphold the rigor that has long defined the journal by publishing studies that withstand methodological critique, advance theory, and contribute meaningfully to the field. Second, we will expand representation across all dimensions of authorship, review, and hopefully readership, reflecting the global community of science education researchers that is reflected in our professional organization, NARST. Of course, these goals can ring hollow if not operationalized and sought intentionally throughout our term. Knowing the quickly changing landscape of publishing, we enter our term knowing that we must address two important mechanisms in order to pursue this vision: (1) expanding JRST's reach and inclusivity through new publication formats, mentoring, and recognition of scholarly service, and (2) strengthening the research quality with guidance for open access and AI. In both domains, equity is not an adjunct value, but a guiding principle wherein excellence and justice are mutually reinforcing. JRST's enduring strength is connected, at least in part, to its diversity of research—methodological, theoretical, and geographic. During our term as editors, we seek to sustain this breadth of scholarly work while providing other means of visibility for our community. We plan to recognize exemplary reviewers who are key to moving the field forward. We aspire to develop mentoring opportunities for graduate students and early-career scholars through webinars and in-person conference sessions and workshops, providing a behind-the-curtain view of the publication process that may help demystify it for members of the community. We also plan on expanding the journal's formats to include policy briefs, “notes to the field” in the form of commentaries, as well as to encourage more dialogues where some manuscripts are accompanied by a brief response and rejoinder from another scholar and the original author, respectively. These innovations are designed to extend JRST's impact both within and beyond academia—connecting research with the work of teachers, policymakers, and communities and, when available through Open Access, viewable by a wider range of stakeholders. We will also continue expanding participation across geography, generation, and institution type, seeking more opportunities for voices from the Global South, early career researchers, and practitioners who at times may have been underrepresented in science education research. We have started this work by cultivating a diverse Associate Editor team, and we encourage submissions that span the continuum from early childhood through higher education across multiple methodological and epistemological traditions. Few developments have altered the research landscape as rapidly as AI. AI tools and conversations about AI tools seemingly dominate every corner of education and educational research. From questions about its use in science classrooms to how it can or should shape data analysis, the writing process, and peer review, demand openness, vigilance, and the ability to pivot to new processes and measures throughout our term as co-editors-in-chief. As a commentary in this very issue points out (Chatzichristofis 2026), AI need not be positioned at either pole—a panacea that should be left to its own devices nor an end to human intellectual endeavors. This tool has the potential to assist in synthesizing large literatures, identifying methodological gaps, and supporting authors whose first language is not English. At the same time, it has the potential to mask false claims, make up evidence and data, and generate questionable manuscripts at a rate that could paralyze the review and publishing process, raising significant questions about authorship, transparency, and intellectual integrity. JRST's existing AI policy, developed under the previous editorial team, provides a strong foundation for this work. We continue to require authors to disclose any use of AI tools in their research design, analysis, or writing; increasingly, we are requiring authors to include this information in the methodology section of their manuscript. We see this disclosure not as punitive but as an ethical scholarly obligation aligned with our field's broader commitment to integrity. Additionally, we are continually reviewing our processes and policies, working with the NARST AI Task Force to consider strategies and policies for ensuring the highest quality of research and the highest quality experience for authors. As we begin our term, having worked with manuscripts for the past year, we have encountered the very real challenge of transitioning to a new digital publishing infrastructure; Research Exchange has replaced ScholarOne. Wiley has been a longstanding and valued partner of JRST and NARST, and we are grateful for the resources, visibility, and professional expertise that this partnership brings to the journal. At the same time, the migration to updated systems and processes—intended to improve standardization and future capabilities related to AI-detection—has required us to rebuild and refine several workflows and create long-term work-arounds. Our vigilance in continuing to push for technical improvements is grounded in a deep respect for the journal's contributors and readers and in a shared belief that continued collaboration with our publishing partners will strengthen JRST's capacity to lead in an evolving landscape of research and publishing. The present moment makes clear to us that the value of research is both fragile and essential. As funding contracts and data infrastructures weaken, our ability to understand and improve educational systems is at risk. However, high-quality research is always worth the effort, not only for advancing knowledge, but in supporting democratic participation, responsible environmental stewardship, and human flourishing. JRST must continue to serve as a home for rigorous inquiry that makes visible and addresses problems related to science education, policy, and practice. Ultimately, pursuing this mission depends on what has always been the heart of JRST—a vibrant community of scholars, reviewers, and readers. Therefore, great hope abounds. We invite you to join us in shaping the journal's continuing impact by submitting your ambitious work, serving as thoughtful reviewers, and participating in conversations that extend beyond the pages of an issue. We also welcome your feedback as we continue to refine our processes and policies. We are grateful to NARST, to the JRST advisory board, the associate editors, the managing editor and editorial assistants, editorial board members, reviewers, and to all scholars whose collective efforts sustain this flagship journal. Together, we will continue to ensure that JRST remains a forum for research that shapes the science education landscape for the greater good.