EDGE of Growth & Maturation (EGM) is meant to provide communication between scientists and between scientists and the curious public on issues related to child growth and maturation.
Communication between scientists is due to reflect the rapid evolution of the Internet and mobile devices, the abundance of information and data‐sharing websites, blogging platforms and social networks. It seems that scientists are the last group to use the power of the Internet and social networks to express ideas, experience, and observations.
Traditionally researchers present their ideas among themselves. Here we opt to use also the wisdom of people who do not engage in research; many have insights that could lead to scientific advancement. At EGM we adopt the concept of EDGE.Org [https://www.edge.org/] for communication between scientists and the public. This is a blog platform set out in an informal non-technical style of a conversation among peers.
We aim to go beyond the model of information transmitted from a science author to science readers. We appreciate the fact that science is a social activity; many hypotheses come not from single individuals but from groups of individuals at different career stages and with diverse interests. We therefore encourage here an online dialogue among peers and the interested public.
The group was initiated by the Editorial Board of pediatric endocrinologists, who decided to focus on child growth and the endocrine system. Yet, we recognize the fact that thinkers from other disciplines, as well as those from the humanities, have related interests, and they are welcome to join us.