Dear Reader,
Just two short years ago, Forbes and Fifth began as an uncertainty, a bold undertaking with the goal of uniting seemingly resistant poles: art and science. How strange it feels to celebrate our second birthday, as our past seems to stretch much further than our four short semesters. We have watched with giddy exhilaration as Forbes and Fifth has evolved and shifted from a dream into a commanding publication. Molded by loving and anxious hands, we have come to this very page—the overture of our fourth issue.
Forbes and Fifth has unearthed a newfangled niche in academia: the collection of scientifc, imaginative, colorful, and poetic writers under a sweeping and welcoming umbrella. Our publication is an experiment in understanding and collaboration among writers and readers, and among artists and scientists. It is an example of the power in connections and open minds, both of which so often begin in confusion. But confusion leads to curiosity, and as a whirlwind two years has taught us, curiosity is catching. Our niche, nestled safely within the University of Pittsburgh, has grown to accept international submission and recognition, an extraordinary scope made possible by the devotion of our contributors, the dedication of our readers, and the enthusiastic obsessions of our writers.
With each issue, we are given the opportunity to traverse at our writers’ sides through their research, exploration, and understanding. Their originality and breadth of insight forms the spine of our endeavor. Our writers never cease to surprise us, and we revel in their passion.
It is our hope that in this construction of interdisciplinary synapses, dear reader, that you discover the value of each domain that university has to offer. Your support of Forbes and Fifth is critical for our success, and we are infnitely grateful for your collaboration. We invite you to share in our writers’ fervor; to take part in their inspiration.
Before you turn the page, prepare to unleash your curiosity. We encourage you to give your mind and self fully to the capable hands of our writers, and stumble with faith into their worlds. Prepare to encounter the unexpected. Let your curiosity get the better of you.
Hail to Pitt.
- The Editors