As noted in my previous editorial, this semester I've been adjusting to my new role as CDQ 's Editor-in-Chief. It has been rewarding working with Associate Editor Casey McArdle on our first issue together. In keeping with CDQ 's roots, Casey has been spearheading a comprehensive review of our in-house and public-facing documentation and streamlining our production processes. He also helped to shoulder the load associated with copyediting and producing the articles for this exciting issue. Later in this editorial, you'll hear more from Casey about generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), pedagogical trust, bridges between academia and industry, and accessibility as a core design competency. Meanwhile, I've been settling into my new role as Associate Professor and Chair of Professional and Public Writing at the University of Rhode Island, reconnecting with old friends, and making trips to the shore where I've observed firsthand how the coastline has changed. On clear days, it is now possible to identify windmills on the horizon offshore.

This article explores four different topics of conversation in technical and professional communication (TPC) scholarship that overlap and connect with contemporary issues in generative artificial intelligence (AI): process and iteration, theory and power, actors and activity, and the social justice turn. The authors offer four nonexhaustive reviews of these conversations, offering insight into key issues and texts that have animated discourse in the field and can directly or indirectly address the complex relationship between TPC work and generative AI.

Introduction: This article describes our work to build an undergraduate program in user experience centered on empathy, access, and humanism. About the case: This teaching case is focused on how we situated accessibility (a11y, a numeronym) at the core of our undergraduate degree. Based on our program values, industry experience, and market need, we aimed to build a program that focused on accessibility. Situating the case: Our work is situated in the literature of technical communication, specifically on accessibility as social justice design. Focusing primarily on issues of pedagogy, we discuss the market need for this work, both inside the academy and within industry. Methods/approach: Through our experimental work applied within the program's framework, we built a foundational course, launched an intensive short program (study away), and developed opportunities for student knowledge sharing on the local, regional, and national levels. Results/discussion: Focusing on accessibility gave our students a strong foundation and broader connections with outside partners focused on user experience. Conclusions: Placing accessibility at the center of the mission, scholars and practitioners alike can address these concerns and keep their commitment to creating user experiences centered on shared values of equity, sustainability, and usability. With the rising need for accessibility specialists in the workforce and structured programs in academia, this article describes how technical communicators can develop these foundations in their own organizations.