Prof. Dr. Shuai (Steven) Li Appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of Section “Robotics and Autonomous Systems” in Automation

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Dr. Shuai (Steven) Li as the new Section Editor-in-Chief of “Robotics and Autonomous Systems” in Automation (ISSN: 2673-4052).

Name: Prof. Dr. Shuai (Steven) Li
Affiliation: Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, University of Oulu, 90570 Oulu, Finland
Interests: robotics and automation; intelligent control and optimization; signal processing; embedded systems; robotic manipulation; autonomous manufacturing; multi-robot coordination

Dr. Shuai (Steven) Li is currently a Full Professor with Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (ITEE), University of Oulu, and also an Adjunct Professor with the VTT-Technology Research Center of Finland. Steven's main research interests are nonlinear optimization and intelligent control with their applications to robotics.

We are confident that his vision and leadership will steer the “Robotics and Autonomous Systems” Section of Automation towards new heights of success.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Shuai (Steven) Li, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views of the research area and open access publishing:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to take the role as its Section Editor-in-Chief?

I have been involved with MDPI journals since 2013 and have actively contributed by organizing Special Issues, Topics, and being an Editorial Board Member. Automation is an international, interdisciplinary open access journal that covers a wide range of fields, including robotics and autonomous systems. Thanks to the efforts of our strong editorial team, Automation has already attracted and published numerous high-quality papers. Taking on the role of Section Editor-in-Chief is a great opportunity for me to work closely with the team to further enhance the journal’s scientific impact and international reputation.

2. What is your vision for the journal?

My vision is to elevate Automation’s academic visibility and reputation by attracting contributions from leading researchers at top-tier institutions, as well as from those actively engaged in robotics and autonomous systems. I see Automation not merely as a journal for publishing scientific results, but as a platform for interdisciplinary integration, a space for nurturing early-career researchers, and a beacon of scientific rigor and integrity. Beyond traditional areas of control systems, such as mechanical engineering, the scope of this section will focus on emerging and high-impact areas. This will be achieved by launching Special Issues and publishing papers in fields such as:

Robot control and motion planning;
Autonomous vehicles and navigation;
Human–robot interaction (HRI);
Machine learning and AI for robotics;
Swarm robotics;
Robotic grasping and manipulation;
Ethics and safety in robotics;
Control and automation in industry 4.0;
Legged robots;
Embodied intelligence;
Large language models (LLMs) for robotics;
Robot mechatronics;
Haircutting robots;
Soft robots;
Collaborative robots;
Robotized manufacturing.

These initiatives will enrich the journal’s content and position Automation as a leading voice in advancing both theoretical and applied research in automation and its related fields.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?

The future of automation and robotics research is marked by rapid advancements in AI-driven control, human-like dexterity, and seamless human–robot interaction, enabling robots to perform complex tasks in dynamic environments. Autonomous systems—from self-driving vehicles to agile humanoids and collaborative cobots—will revolutionize industries, while swarm robotics and smart manufacturing push scalability and adaptability. Key challenges include ensuring safety, ethics, and trust as robots integrate deeper into society, but the broader potential lies in augmenting human capabilities, transforming healthcare, logistics, and sustainable development. Interdisciplinary innovation will drive this evolution, making intelligent automation a cornerstone of future technological progress.

4. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?

Open access has undeniably reshaped the publishing landscape by significantly increasing accessibility and enabling higher visibility and citation rates. It accelerates the dissemination of research findings and promotes broader collaboration across disciplines and geographical boundaries. To fully realize the benefits of open access, the academic community must work together to develop sustainable funding models, address concerns about equity, and ensure that peer review and editorial processes remain rigorous and transparent.

We wish Prof. Dr. Shuai (Steven) Li every success in his new position, and we look forward to his contributions to the journal.