The year 2021 marks the 50th year of publication for the Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data (JPCRD). JPCRD is a joint effort between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, which prior to 1988 was the National Bureau of Standards, NBS) and the American Institute of Physics (AIP). Today, NIST provides editorial expertise while the publication process is ably handled by AIP Publishing.
We are privileged to have an Editorial in this issue from David Lide, the founding Editor of JPCRD. Dr. Lide became the head of the NBS Standard Reference Data program in 1969 and quickly recognized that a more visible dissemination outlet was needed than the government-printed reports then being issued by NBS. This led to the launch of JPCRD, which began with Vol. 1 in 1972. David Lide shepherded JPCRD for its first two decades, retiring from the Editorship in 1993. He has continued...