University of Arkansas professor William F. McComas has been named the new editor of the award-winning journal, The American Biology Teacher, published by the National Association of Biology Teachers.

McComas holds the Parks Family Professorship in Science Education in the College of Education and Health Professions.

McComas will serve a five-year term as the 12th editor of the journal.

“We are very excited to have William McComas at the helm of the ABT,” said Jaclyn Reeves-Pepin, executive director of the association. “His scholarship, extensive experience with academic publishing, and most importantly, his vision for the journal, all make him well-suited for this role. We look forward to seeing the ABT continue as the premier journal for biology and life science teachers under Bill’s stewardship.”

McComas joined the U of A faculty in 2006. He was previously a biology and physical science teacher in suburban Philadelphia and a professor at the University of Southern California. He has served in other leadership roles with the National Association of Biology Teachers and with the National Science Teachers Association, the International History, Philosophy and Science Teaching Group, and the Association for Science Teacher Education.

McComas received the Outstanding Evolution Educator and Research in Biology Teaching awards from National Association of Biology Teachers and the Ohaus award for Innovations in College Science Teaching and the Outstanding Science Teacher Educator award from the Association for Science Teacher Education.

He has written and edited several books including The Nature of Science in Science Education: Rationales and Strategies and The Language of Science Education, numerous book chapters and articles. He has given more than 100 keynote speeches, workshops and presentations at public events and professional meetings in the United States and in more than a dozen other countries. Recently, he was a Fulbright Fellow at the Centre for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning at Dublin City University, Ireland.

As longtime member of National Association of Biology Teachers and frequent contributor to the American Biology Teacher, McComas is familiar with the components that make the journal a powerful resource for classroom educators. He also recognizes emerging areas where the journal can evolve and improve. McComas will usher in a number of changes to the publication, including an online submission platform f or manuscripts and a web-based version of the journal available in late 2014.

“I am delighted to be a part of the ABT team and appreciate the confidence expressed in me by the members of the NABT board and executive director,” he said. “As a teacher, I looked forward to receiving the journal and used it frequently to guide my classroom practice. As a university science educator, the American Biology Teacher has been an important outlet for many of my scholarly contributions and photographs. I am therefore very pleased to find myself in this new role and look forward to it with excitement and anticipation. The journal belongs to the members of the National Association of Biology Teachers and I look forward to working with readers and authors alike to build on the past 75 years of successful publication and move forward together to build the ABT of the future.”