I'm becoming a grownup scientist!

Last night, I received in my UNO email a request from the journal Copeia (one of the big, peer-reviewed journals in the fields of ichthyology and herpetology) to review an article submitted for publication. I read through the email, not a little confused about how these folks had gotten my email address. It wasn't some random deal where someone assumed I am a professor -- in other words, it was addressed to "Ms. A--------" rather than "Dr. A--------" or "Professor A--------." I read through the email, which included the paper's abstract, and saw two links at the bottom. The first was to accept. The second, obviously, was to decline, but included a request for the name(s) of anyone I might deem qualified to review. After seeing that, I thought maybe someone I know had gotten it and recommended me. I popped off an email to three of my committee members and my MS advisor asking them if they knew how the journal had found me. This morning, my current advisor informed me that a prof in the department (who is an expert in one aspect of the study) had been requested to review the article, but he had declined and recommended me as more qualified to review it since it is about FA..

Me.

ME!

A) I did not realize that non-PhDs could review a research article submitted for publication.

2) It still surprises me when people consider me an "expert" in the field of FA. I've done ONE study and am still in the process of completing a literature review.

My MS advisor told me, " . . . if you've got the time it's a good thing to become involved in
these activities!"

I just clicked the "accept" link. I have thirty days to complete the review.

When did I become a for-real scientist????