diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5d798581..3d323d8b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ about contributing to our website, our **Python Packaging Guide** and our
Have you decided to contribute? We use the [Jekyll framework](https://jekyllrb.org)
for creating this site. To set up a **development environment** and **run the site locally**, follow these steps:
-1. Install ruby and bundler on your machine. See [the Jekyll docs](https://jekyllrb.com/docs/installation/) for instructions, if needed.
+1. Install ruby and bundler on your machine. See [the Jekyll docs](https://jekyllrb.com/docs/installation/) for instructions.
2. Fork and clone this repository.
3. Run `bundle install` in the root of the cloned repository directory. This will
install the gems needed to run the site locally.
4. Run `bundle exec jekyll serve` to start the jekyll web server.
-NOTE: if you want the page to automagically reload use: `bundle exec jekyll serve --livereload`. this requires Jekyll 3.7 or higher.
+NOTE: if you want the page to automatically reload, use: `bundle exec jekyll serve --live reload.` This requires Jekyll 3.7 or higher.
5. Open your browser and navigate to `http://127.0.0.1:4000/`.
Please test your changes locally prior to submitting a pull request (PR).
@@ -43,6 +43,36 @@ If you are publishing a blog post with a date that is in the future, you can bui
`bundle exec jekyll serve --future`.
+### Images and webp
+
+We try to keep the image size of our graphics as small/compressed as possible. To enable webp on your system, you first need to install it:
+
+For MAC:
+`brew install webp`
+
+Linux:
+`sudo apt-get install imagemagick`
+
+You can convert a directory of PNG images associated with a
+blog post that you write using:
+
+`for file in *.png; do cwebp "$file" -o "${file%.*}.webp"; done`
+
+or a single image
+
+`cwebp input-image.png -o output-image.webp`
+
+Below is an example of adding a figure to a post that has both webp and .png formats to support older and newer browsers.
+
+```html
+
+
+
+
+
+
+```
+
## Contributors ✨
Thanks goes to these wonderful people ([emoji key](https://allcontributors.org/docs/en/emoji-key)):
diff --git a/_posts/2025-01-06-pyopensci-2024-a-year-in-review.md b/_posts/2025-01-06-pyopensci-2024-a-year-in-review.md
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@@ -0,0 +1,234 @@
+---
+layout: single
+title: "2024: A Transformative Year for pyOpenSci"
+excerpt: "2024 was a transformative year for pyOpenSci—we broke down barriers to open source participation with training events, collaborative tutorials, and peer review. Thanks to our incredible community, we’ve doubled our contributors, expanded our ecosystem, and created free educational resources for scientists worldwide. Learn more about our 2024 adventures and what's next for 2025."
+author: "Leah Wasser"
+permalink: /blog/2024-pyopensci-retrospective.html
+header:
+ overlay_color: "#666"
+ overlay_filter: 0.6
+categories:
+ - blog-post
+ - community
+toc: true
+classes: wide
+comments: true
+last_modified: 2025-01-06
+---
+
+## Introduction
+
+In 2024, pyOpenSci’s vibrant community led efforts to break down barriers to participation in open source scientific software. We empowered scientists to create, contribute to, and discover better software through beginner-friendly training events, collaborative tutorials, and peer review.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Looking back, I’m inspired and humbled by what we’ve achieved together:
+
+- We launched a new **Training Initiative** to empower open source newcomers and [explore what sustainability means](https://www.pyopensci.org/blog/pyopensci-funding-sustainability.html) for pyOpenSci.
+- We expanded our [**Software Peer Review Program**](https://www.pyopensci.org/about-peer-review/index.html), increasing its global impact.
+- We co-created a [packaging template](https://github.com/pyOpenSci/pyos-package-template) aligned with our [beginner-friendly Python packaging tutorials](https://www.pyopensci.org/python-package-guide/tutorials/intro.html) that we co-developed.
+
+As I reflect on an incredible year, I want to take a moment to celebrate these milestones and set the stage for an ambitious 2025. Here’s a look back at what we accomplished together in 2024 and where we're heading next.
+
+
+
+## Beginner-friendly content development: harnessing diverse expertise
+
+A defining strength of the pyOpenSci community is its commitment to creating accessible technical lessons for Pythonistas at all skill levels. In 2024, this commitment shone through in creating our tutorial, [**"How to Create a Python Package"**](https://www.pyopensci.org/python-package-guide/tutorials/intro.html). This tutorial provides an opinionated single way to create a Python package—a key step in making Python packaging more approachable and empowering for all.
+
+Our packaging tutorial is the product of a vibrant collaboration between developers, scientists, and beginners. Packaging tool maintainers and packaging experts worked alongside those newer to packaging to co-develop, review, and refine content that is accurate, thorough, and welcoming to newcomers.
+
+### **Collaborative learning in action: building together, learning together**
+
+Our co-development process brought contributors of all experience levels together to create a resource that:
+
+- **Blends expertise:** Developers and scientists shared insights while beginners shaped the content with fresh perspectives.
+- **Demystifies packaging:** Clear, precise explanations, reviewed by experts and tested by newcomers, break down complex steps for new users.
+- **Describes core concepts visually:** Custom graphics and step-by-step guides make technical concepts easier for visual learners to grasp.
+
+We're building both knowledge and community by publishing these lessons as free, open-access resources. This collaborative effort exemplifies the unique power of pyOpenSci to bridge expertise, foster learning, and strengthen the open source ecosystem.
+
+## Training events: empowering our global community
+
+In 2024, we launched the pyOpenSci [training initiative](https://www.pyopensci.org/blog/pyos-education-announcement.html) to lower barriers to open science for Pythonistas worldwide. Supported by the community, our events reached **180 participants** from over **18 countries**, both online and in person.
+
+### Event Highlights: Fall Festival
+
+Our first-ever [Fall Festival](#) featured inspiring keynote speakers like Rowan Cockett, who introduced participants to [MyST Markdown](https://mystmd.org/), Melissa Mendoça who discussed her personal pathway into open source from academia, and Eric Ma, who overviewed the importance of [reproducibility in science](/human-dimension-clean-documented-data-science-code.html).
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+The dynamic spatial chat platform fostered real-time collaboration and made learning interactive, personalized, and fun!
+
+{% include pyos-blockquote.html quote="I love the engagement…how people were attended to individually despite being in a group setting. I enjoyed that learning could happen in a personal and group setting." author="Workshop Participant" event="Fall Festival 2024" class="highlight purple" %}
+
+#### Volunteers who made it possible
+
+The Fall Festival wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our incredible volunteers, who handled everything from workshop support to tech troubleshooting. Their efforts ensured a welcoming, smooth experience for participants.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+#### Open education lessons from the Fall Festival
+Participants didn’t just learn—they contributed! Thanks to the collaborative energy, the event produced several lessons that are now freely available to the community:
+
+- [Writing Clean Code](https://www.pyopensci.org/lessons/clean-modular-code/intro-clean-code.html#intro-clean-code)
+- [Optimizing Code for Better Workflows](https://www.pyopensci.org/lessons/code-workflow-logic/intro.html)
+- [Running Code Efficiently](https://www.pyopensci.org/lessons/running-code/intro.html)
+- [Publishing and Sharing Code](https://www.pyopensci.org/lessons/publish-share-code/intro.html)
+
+These lessons reinforce key technical skills and showcase the power of community-driven learning and co-creation.
+
+### Event highlight: Intro to Python packaging workshops
+
+We also ran two beginner-friendly packaging workshops where dozens of participants successfully created their first Python packages by following our [beginner-friendly packaging tutorials](https://www.pyopensci.org/python-package-guide/tutorials/intro.html).
+
+What did you enjoy most about the workshop:
+
+{% include pyos-blockquote.html quote="The content and the crew! The team was so kind, patient, and approachable. I appreciate the amount of support and reassurance given during this tutorial. The content of the tutorial was also spot on. Everything we covered felt relevant and useful, and gave me the confidence to feel capable of creating my own packages." author="Workshop Participant" event="SciPy 2024 Create your first Python package training" class="highlight purple" %}
+
+The success of our training materials underscores the demand for inclusive, high-quality open science resources; they also demonstrate the power of community collaboration.
+
+
+## A thriving contributor community: how contributions to pyOpenSci have skyrocketed
+
+In 2024, the pyOpenSci contributor community doubled to **278 people** from around the world! Through beginner-friendly sprints and mentorship, we supported new contributors and celebrated their successes making their first contributions to open source.
+
+This was also the first year where volunteer contributions outnumbered staff contributions—a testament to the power of community.
+
+Wow!
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ Plot that shows an increase in contributions to pyOpenSci open education content.
+
+
+
+### Empowering first-time contributors
+
+A key driver of contributor and community growth was our [**beginner-friendly sprints**](https://www.pyopensci.org/blog/pyopensci-pyconus-2024-sprints.html). Sprint events exemplified the power of community support combined with mentorship & just a bit of training (mostly around git and GitHub). These sprints welcomed over **50 participants** and resulted in **86 issues and pull requests**—many from first-time contributors.
+
+- **PyCon US, SciPy, and PyCascades Sprints:** Hosted across three major conferences, these events focused on hands-on mentorship, guiding participants through impactful contributions.
+
+{% include pyos-blockquote.html quote="Amazing! Leah was so helpful as it was my first time doing anything like that. I had used GitHub for personal projects but never with other people so she was so good at teaching." author="Workshop Participant" event="pyOpenSci sprint 2024" class="highlight purple" %}
+
+Our sprints strengthened our contributor community and sparked new initiatives, like translating our packaging guide into Spanish and Japanese.
+
+## Python software review highlights
+
+The pyOpenSci software peer review program empowers scientists to build and improve the tools they rely on to process and analyze data. In 2024, we expanded our ecosystem of reviewed scientific Python packages to **39**, thanks to the dedication of our editorial and review teams.
+
+We also tried out a new editor in chief rotation system to avoid too much time burden on any specific editor. Below are our fearless EiC's for 2024.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Our editorial team grew to **18 members**, with a rotating Editor-in-Chief position, and was supported by **81 volunteer reviewers** who contributed their time to ensure that [every reviewed package in our ecosystem](https://www.pyopensci.org/python-packages.html) meets the highest standards for quality and usability.
+
+In 2024, we received over **28 new submissions**.
+
+### Peer review success in 2024
+
+- **Publishing impact through partnerships:**
+ **21 packages** of our accepted packages were published in [JOSS through our peer review partnership](https://www.pyopensci.org/software-peer-review/partners/joss.html).
+
+- **Strengthening ecosystems through domain-specific affiliation: Astropy:**
+ Our domain-specific community partnership program accepted three packages for [Astropy affiliation](https://www.pyopensci.org/software-peer-review/partners/astropy.html). Our partnership with Astropy and JOSS demonstrates how communities with some overlapping goals can truly work together effectively.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+### Navigating ethical challenges in generative AI
+
+In 2024, we began to address the emerging challenge of reviewing packages that rely on proprietary generative AI models. We discussed important ethical questions about transparency vs. innovation in scientific software. Should we review packages that depend upon proprietary (closed box) models that are rapidly evolving?
+
+More work is needed, and we are committed to handling these complexities as we always do--collaboratively and with great care.
+
+## Funding and sustainability
+
+In 2024, we reached an important milestone in pyOpenSci’s journey. Our initial funding from the Sloan Foundation, which gave us our start as a fledgling project, ended in December. The Sloan Open Source Program’s generous support took us a long way—it helped me grow pyOpenSci from a part-time passion project into a thriving community dedicated to lowering barriers to open source scientific software.
+
+We are deeply grateful for Sloan’s belief in our vision and commitment to open science. Last fall, we also received support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), which will empower us as we move forward. This combined funding has enabled us to launch our training initiative, expand our peer review program, and co-develop beginner-friendly lessons and tutorials.
+
+## Building the future: new initiatives and funding efforts
+
+As we look to the future, our current focus includes:
+- **Exploring funding models for pyOpenSci**
+- **Growing our peer review partners and program**
+- **Connecting with University OSPOS (Open Source Program Offices)**
+- **A focus on empowering the community to contribute to open source**
+- **Educational Videos that support our online content**
+
+## Sustaining our impact
+
+As we head into 2025, sustainability remains a top priority. We’re committed to growing pyOpenSci in ways that support our contributors, empower learners, and strengthen open source science. We’re actively seeking new partnerships and funding opportunities to ensure our work continues to thrive.
+
+To our funders, contributors, and community members—thank you. Your support makes our work possible and helps us build a future where scientific software is open, accessible, and collaborative.
+
+As we reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going, it’s important to acknowledge the teams that continue to guide our vision and growth.
+Our leadership teams—including the [Executive Council](https://www.pyopensci.org/our-community/index.html#executive-council-leadership--staff), [Advisory Council](https://www.pyopensci.org/our-community/index.html#pyopensci-advisory-council) and
+[Peer Review Editorial Board](https://www.pyopensci.org/about-peer-review/index.html#meet-our-editorial-board) have been instrumental in carving the path forward for pyOpenSci.
+
+We look forward to building the future of open science, one contribution at a time—and we invite you to join us on this journey.
+
+
+## Get involved with pyOpenSci
+
+If you'd like to get involved with pyOpenSci, check out our [volunteer page](/volunteer.html).
+
+You can also:
+
+* Keep an eye on our [events page](/events.html) for upcoming training events.
+
+Follow us on social platforms:
+
+* [ Discourse](https://pyopensci.discourse.group/)
+* [ Mastodon](https://fosstodon.org/@pyopensci)
+* [ Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/pyopensci.bsky.social)
+* [ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pyopensci)
+* [ GitHub](https://github.com/pyOpenSci)
+
+If you are on LinkedIn, check out and [subscribe to our newsletter, too](https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7179551305344933888/?displayConfirmation=true).
+
+
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}
}
+ .page__content figure {
+ max-width: 40rem;
+ }
+
.page__related {
@include breakpoint($large) {
padding-right: 0;
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