Prof. Dr. Pingyi Fan is a tenured professor in the Department of Electronic Engineering at Tsinghua University, China, the director of the Open Data Cognitive Innovation Center, a Member of the US National Academy of Artificial Intelligence (US-NAAI), a co-chair of the Academic Committee of the NAAI Asia Research Institute, a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), and an IET Fellowship International Assessor. His recent research focuses on wireless communications and networking; machine learning and large model training; artificial intelligence and distributed systems; big-data signal and information processing; and semantic communications and network optimization.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Pingyi Fan, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views on the research area and open access publishing:

1. Could you briefly introduce your main research areas and achievements?

My recent research directions include 6G wireless communication networks and machine learning, semantic information theory and generalized information theory, big-data processing theory, intelligent network and system detection, etc.

I have published more than 600 papers (ORCID) including 181 IEEE journals and more than 16 ESI highly cited papers, as well as 5 academic books. I have also applied for more than 40 national invention patents, and 7 international patents. I have won the Us-NAAI AI Exploration Award (2025), the High impact Paper Award of CJE (2024), and other 16 Best Paper Awards of various  International Conferences or Journals, including the IEEE ICCCS 2023 and 2024, ICC2020, Globecom 2014, the annual Best Paper Award of IEEE TAOS Technical Committee in 2020, the Excellent Editor Award of IEEE TWC (2009), the Most Popular Scholar Award 2023 of AEIC, the Second Natural Prize of CIC (2023), and several international innovation exhibition medals, i.e., a Gold Medal at the Russian Invention Exhibition 2024, a Silver Medal at the Geneva Invention Exhibition 2023, and a Silver Medal at the Paris Invention Exhibition 2023.

2. In your opinion, which research topics will attract particular attention from the academic community in the coming years?

AI for engineering and engineering for AI will become the key research directions in the next few years. For Electronics, in the fields of microwave and wireless communications, the integration of sensing, communication, and computing to provide smart services to users will be a promising topic; we will mainly focus on its connections with AI and its reverse impacts on the developments of AI.

3. What has been the greatest challenge in your professional career, and how did you overcome it?

One of the most significant challenges I have faced in my professional career was identifying and developing research topics that are both intellectually rigorous and socially relevant topics that strike a delicate balance between theoretical innovation and practical applicability.  Early in my career, I often encountered the dilemma of choosing between highly original but obscure ideas or more applied but less novel research questions.

To overcome this challenge, I adopted a multi-pronged approach:

• Engaged in interdisciplinary collaboration: By working with scholars from adjacent fields, I was able to contextualize my research within broader frameworks, thereby enhancing both its theoretical foundation and real-world relevance;
• Attended high-level workshops and conferences: Exposure to cutting-edge research and emerging trends provided inspiration and helped me identify gaps in the literature that my work could address.

This challenge, while persistent, has become a source of growth and intellectual maturity, shaping my research trajectory and deepening my understanding of the role of academia in societal development.

4. When selecting a journal for publication, what aspects do you value the most?

Selecting an international journal for publication is a strategic decision that significantly influences the visibility, impact, and reception of one’s work. The following aspects are of paramount importance to me:

• Relevance and scope alignment: A good fit closely with the subject matter and methodological approach can ensure that the work reaches its intended audience and is evaluated by experts in the field.
• Peer-review quality and editorial rigor: Journals with transparent, constructive, and timely peer-review processes contribute to the advancement of scholarly discourse. I value journals where reviewers provide substantive feedback that enhances the quality of the manuscript;
• Reputation and impact factor: While not the sole determinant, a journal’s standing in the academic community and its citation metrics are indicators of its influence and reach. I consider these factors to ensure that my work contributes to high-level academic conversations;
• Ethical standards and editorial independence: Journals that uphold high ethical standards, including transparency in conflicts of interest, plagiarism checks, and editorial independence, are preferred to maintain the integrity of the research process.

These criteria collectively ensure that our work is not only published on a credible platform but also serves the broader academic and societal good.

5. Do you have any advice for young researchers?

To young researchers, I offer the following advice based on my personal experiences.

• Research is a journey filled with uncertainties, rejections, and iterative learning. Maintaining a deep curiosity about your research field and the resilience to persist through setbacks is essential;
• Build a strong foundation through reading and writing: Early on, invest time in reading widely and deeply, especially on the hot topics or some key impact topics in the future. Writing regularly—whether for publication, reflection, or grant proposals—sharpens your thinking and communication skills;
• Develop a collaborative mindset: Research is increasingly interdisciplinary and collaborative. Learn to work effectively with others, listen to diverse perspectives, and engage in constructive dialogue.

In the age of AI, it is a better to find some important topics related to AI for engineering or science that fit your own research interests.

6. Do you have any suggestions for how journals and publishers can better support early career researchers and the academic community?

Academic journals and publishers should take a proactive, inclusive, and supportive stance toward early career researchers (ECRs), recognizing their unique position and potential to shape the future of scholarship, i.e., offer dedicated sections or fast-track lanes for ECR submissions, and provide constructive, developmental feedback—not just a binary accept/reject decision—to help them improve their work. This also includes finding some senior scholars or editors to guide them through the publication process, etc.

7. What kind of impact do you hope your research will have? What do you consider to be the key innovation in your work?

I hope that my research will contribute to both theoretical advancement and practical transformation within my research fields. Specifically, by introducing alternative frameworks or reinterpreting established theories, I seek to stimulate new discussions and encourage the academic community to rethink conventional approaches. If my findings serve as a foundation for further inquiry, prompting other scholars to explore related questions or expand the scope of the research in novel directions, it is a great thing.  I also hope my theoretical research can be used to guide real-world decision-making—whether in education, public health, environmental policy, or technology—as that would be a significant achievement. 

Ultimately, my goal is to produce research that is rigorous, relevant, and responsive—to both the intellectual demands of academia and the pressing challenges of the world.

We warmly welcome Prof. Dr. Pingyi Fan to his new role as Section Editor-in-Chief. We are confident that his vision and leadership will steer the “Microwave and Wireless Communications” Section of Electronics towards new heights of success.