MDPI Open Science Insights: Academic Publishing Workshop at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 16 September 2025

MDPI is excited to collaborate with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to host an exclusive publishing workshop aimed at empowering researchers with the knowledge and tools needed for successful academic publishing. This workshop will delve into key aspects of open access insights, Sensors’ journal introduction, scientific writing and effectively addressing reviewer comments. This workshop aims to help attendees acquire valuable skills to enhance their publishing journey.

Date: 16 September 2025
Time: 14:00–16:00
Venue: Room 2303 (2/F via Lifts 17–18), Academic Building, HKUST
Registration link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QQN2HR6

Schedule:

Speaker	Program	Time
Prof. Yajing Shen	Opening Speech	14:00–14:10
Ms. Marijana Maric	How to Write and Structure a Journal Article	14:10–14:40
	Q&A Session	14:40–14:50
Ms. Andjela Sakota	Open Access Insights and Sensors’ Journal Introduction How to Respond to Peer Reviewers’ Comments	14:50–15:40
	Q&A Session	15:40–15:50
	Closing of Program	15:50–16:00

Chair

Prof. Yajing Shen received his BS (2005) and MS (2008) degrees from Xi’an Jiaotong University and his PhD degree (2012) from Nagoya University, respectively. Prior to joining HKUST, he served as an Assistant and later Associate Professor at the City University of Hong Kong (2013–2022).
His research interests lie in robotics and their applications, particularly in biomedical engineering and human–robot interaction. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers in top multidisciplinary journals (e.g., Science Robotics, Science Advance, Nature Communications, PNAS), leading specialized journals (e.g., IEEE Trans on Robotics), and premier international conferences (e.g., ICRA, IROS), which have been widely featured by international media outlets, such as Associated Press, Thomson Reuters, CCTV, etc. He served as an Associate Editor of the flagship robotic journal IEEE Trans on Robotics (2019–2022). He is a recipient of the Best Manipulation Paper Award in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Japan Chapter Young Award, the Big-on-Small Award at MARSS, the Early Career Awards of Hong Kong UGC, the “National Excellent Young Scientist (Hong Kong & Macau)”, the Hong Kong Young Entrepreneurial Scientist, etc.

Speakers:

Ms. Marijana Maric holds a bachelor’s degree in ecology and a master’s degree in ecological risk assessment from the University of Novi Sad, Serbia. She joined MDPI in 2020 and has since gained extensive experience in academic publishing through various roles, including Assistant Editor, Section Managing Editor, Social Media Editor, and Training Assistant.
She currently serves as both a Journal Relations Specialist and a Team Lead within MDPI’s Serbian office. In her role as Journal Relations Specialist for multiple journals, she focuses on building strong relationships with scholars and readers, promoting journals at academic conferences, supporting the resolution of ethical and editorial matters and enhancing author engagement. As a Team Lead, she is responsible for overseeing team performance, providing guidance and support to group members and ensuring high editorial quality and workflow efficiency.

Ms. Andjela Sakota holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Novi Sad, Serbia. She joined MDPI in 2019 and has since held several roles within the editorial department, gaining extensive experience in scientific publishing. She currently serves as a Journal Relations Specialist, focusing on building and maintaining strong relationships with scholars, readers, and institutional partners, while overseeing the strategic development of both internal and external collaborations for the Sensors journal.
In addition to her role in journal relations, since 2022 she has also served as the Team Lead for a group of MDPI in-house editors, providing guidance, support, and oversight to ensure high editorial standards and efficient workflow management.