Fab Lab Quarterly (proposal)

Publication

• create a steady stream of peer-reviewed scholarly publications on Fab Labs
• publish them (continuously?) as an online, open access journal

Quarterly

• publish quarterly 'extended editorials' with a different focus each
• focus could be eg. "practical projects / operations / impact / applications" or "projects / research / community / operations" or "principles / practices / applications / implications"
• an 'extended editorial' would introduce and review all papers published in Fab Lab Quarterly that fall under said focus. Additionally it would also review publications in other journals (preferably OA) pertinent to that focus

Special Issues

• members of the community are invited to guest edit special issues with a specific focus (e.g. 'wireless communication', 'open source cnc controls', 'adult education and re-integration', ...)

Governance

• suggested editorial team (positive reactions to initial mail sent out): Chris Wilkinson <ctwilkinson@mac.com>, Sherry Lassiter <lass@cba.mit.edu>, Betty Jo Barrett <bb1@illinois.edu>, Kelly Zelesnik <kzelesni@lorainccc.edu>, Matt Norris <mnorris@tekhnofolio.com>, Tomas Diez Ladera <tomasdiez@iaac.net>, Chris Jackson <C.Jackson@massey.ac.nz>
• shepherding: Peter Troxler <trox@fabfolk.com>
• quarterly skype calls to review progress and discuss plans
• editorial team initially to review submitted papers with a view to develop a board of reviewers

Roadmap

• call for pre-papers for Fab8 (ongoing)
• call for papers for Fab9 (8-12 months in advance)
• informally announce Fab Lab Quarterly to friends and colleagues
• launch Fab Lab Quarterly at Fab9 by inviting promising papers from Fab9 submissions (maybe even Fab8 submissions)