A note from the JDS Communications Editor in Chief

I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, which, if you are not familiar with the location, is not exactly a major hub of dairy production. I didn't “meet” cows until my junior year of undergrad when a large-animal veterinarian I was shadowing encouraged me to get some experience with cows on her family's dairy farm. It took me about 20 min at an afternoon milking to realize I had found my passion, and I spent numerous hours milking cows, helping in the bottling plant, and learning about dairy production and processing. To this day, the McNamara Dairy (https://macsmaple.com/) makes, hands down, the best chocolate milk I have ever had.

After graduating from undergrad and following a 4-year stint as a cross-country ski racer, I enrolled in the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, gaining my DVM in 2007. I spent 2 years as an intern and resident in ambulatory and production medicine before completing my PhD, with a focus on epidemiology, in 2013. My first faculty position was in livestock medicine and population health at Colorado State University, and I returned to Cornell in 2014 as an assistant professor of ambulatory and production medicine. I am presently an associate professor in the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, and following my current sabbatical in Melbourne, Australia, I will return to chair the department. A diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Dairy Practice), I perform clinical service for the Ambulatory and Production Medicine Clinic, teach veterinary students in the classroom and on farms, and conduct applied research. My research program at the McArt Dairy Cow Lab (http://blogs.cornell.edu/jessmcartlab/) focuses on the identification, epidemiology, and economics of periparturient metabolic disorders of dairy cows. I like working at the interface of applied epidemiology, clinical dairy service, and extension of knowledge to students, veterinarians, dairy producers, and nutritionists. When I am not at work, I enjoy adventures with my partner (a pollinator health researcher) and daughters, and we are currently taking full advantage of Australia's geographic wonders as well as Melbourne's incredible food scene.

My first interaction with ADSA was humorously paradoxical to my current involvement with the organization. I was a second-year graduate student attending the 2011 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, and I showed up at the registration desk with my mom and 8-mo-old daughter, feeling very out of place. I was assigned the second-to-last oral presentation of the meeting, and since I attended without any other members of my lab, I remember being overwhelmed by all the different sessions, not knowing anyone, and not being brave enough to strike up a conversation. These “outsider” feelings changed in 2012 when I again attended the Annual Meeting, this time in Phoenix, Arizona. I was 7 mo pregnant, and I clearly recall waddling to the meeting one morning when it was 44°C outside. At this stage of gestation, I was difficult to miss, and this forced extroversion helped me find a sense of belonging within our organization. I had great conversations with scientists, those “oh my goodness, so-and-so just stopped by my poster and said my research was interesting” moments, chatted with other graduate students in the halls, and met international dairy scientists who have become great colleagues. It was through these and similar interactions at subsequent Annual Meetings and my research in the Journal of Dairy Science that initiated my involvement with and dedication to ADSA and our journals.

In my new role, I hope to foster a sense of belonging within our scientific journal community and engage a diverse group of readers and authors on topics that advance the science of dairy production and processing. Inherent to this process is the understanding that our members bring differing experiences and strengths, both scientifically and personally, and I challenge us all to question our assumptions when our thoughts differ from those of others. I represent a certain demographic (as outlined in my background), and as the Editor in Chief of JDS Communications, I will strive to better understand the needs of our scientific community and be transparent in my decision-making. To this end, I encourage constructive feedback on our journal and recommendations on how we can do better. I will lean on the McNamara Dairy as an example of transparency and community engagement: listed on their website is an invitation for anyone to come watch their afternoon milking shift or feeding of calves. Every week, they have people they have never seen before walk through their farm and ask questions, and through this engagement, they have created a positive sense of agriculture in their community. Although I am sure an afternoon spent watching our JDS Communications section editors and staff at their computers might not be the highlight of your week, please send us your questions and comments at jdsc@adsa.org. We learn from these interactions as much as you do!

JDS Communications publishes focused, hypothesis-driven original research studies, mini-reviews, short communications, and technical notes. This model encourages and supports the dissemination of hot topics and preliminary research that provide the foundation for further studies. Our shorter manuscript length results in a quick turnaround and faster time to publication, which allows our authors to share their findings more rapidly and our readers to stay at the forefront of dairy science research. Within the journal leadership, our JDS Communications section editors—MaryAnne Drake, Dairy Foods; Jennie Pryce, Genetics; Pamela Ruegg, Health, Welfare, and Behavior; John Roche, Nutrition and Farm Systems; and Matt Lucy, Physiology—have ideas to expand the impact of our science through the use of information collation via artificial intelligence, focused special issue topics, and cross-disciplinary collaborations that deliver the best outcomes for our consumers, cows, farmers, and the environment. We hope to tackle these ideas and additional challenges facing dairy science in the coming years.

I encourage you to join us as we grow our journal and impact on dairy science worldwide. There are many ways to get involved: Submit your manuscripts to JDS Communications or the Journal of Dairy Science, agree to provide a review in your area of expertise, attend a conference in 2024 to network with other dairy scientists (check out our ADSA Annual Meeting, the 46th ADSA Discover Conference, and the International Symposium on Ruminant Physiology [https://www.adsa.org/Meetings/Future-Meetings]), interact with us and your peers on social media (X: @jdairyscience, YouTube: @ADSANews, and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adsaorg/), and challenge us with your ideas.

I look forward to increasing my interactions with our dairy science community, and I hope to see many of you at the 2024 ADSA Annual Meeting from July 16 to 19 in West Palm Beach, Florida!

Cheers,

Jessica A. A. McArt, DVM, PHD, DABVP (Dairy Practice)

Editor in Chief, JDS Communications

Associate Professor, Ambulatory and Production Medicine

Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences

Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine

jmcart@cornell.edu | jdsc@adsa.org