Honoring Stephen Long

Stephen Long passed away on 9 September 2025. Following his death, there have been a number of tributes to Steve, honoring him as a visionary scientist with unlimited energy and ideas. His contributions to plant science and to the mentoring of young scientists are second to none. In addition to those aspects of his career, Steve served as a senior editor for Plant, Cell & Environment for 20 years—from 2000 until 2020, and this special issue of the journal is dedicated to him in recognition of those years. We were fortunate enough to serve as senior editors along with Steve for 16 of those years. It was both a successful time for the journal and a memorable time for us. The cooperation and collegiality we shared as editors during that time made the job interesting and enjoyable while moving the journal forward. Steve's personality and creative thinking were a huge part of this. Steve loved a good discussion, both in meetings and outside of them. He was always willing to step into the nearest good pub to start or continue a debate over a beer. Indeed, many of our best ideas for the journal were hatched in an Oxford pub on the evenings before the official editorial meeting with the publisher. During these sessions, we came to appreciate Steve as a deep and strategic thinker. Although soft-spoken and modest, his ideas and innovative thinking often dominated our discussions, and his humor and ability to convey quiet disagreement in a non-confrontational manner set the tone for some very productive debates and some very pleasant memories. We remember Steve fondly as typically dressed in black, and when not in a meeting or otherwise working, usually either leaving for, or returning from, a run. But most of all, we remember his friendship, collegiality, thoughtfulness, and his contributions to Plant, Cell, & Environment.