Virtual Academic Publishing Workshop at Tennessee State University, 20 November 2025

This Academic Publishing Workshop will be led by MDPI Regional Journal Relations Specialists, Dr. Barnaby Crook and Dr. Sally Wu, on the following topics: “Tips for Writing Great Research Papers”, “Publication Ethics and Research Integrity”, and “AI in Publishing: Challenges and Opportunities”.

Participants will receive practical advice on essential aspects of writing academic articles, guidance on how to avoid ethical pitfalls in research, and an introduction to contemporary issues around AI in publishing. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of the academic publishing landscape and how to successfully contribute to it.

Learning objectives:
Attendees will:

Receive practical guidance on writing an academic journal article, from initial idea to final submission;
Explore key issues in publication ethics and learn about best practices to ensure academic integrity when developing scientific publications;
Learn about the various ways that artificial intelligence is impacting the world of scientific publishing and how to navigate these changes as an early career researcher.

Date: 20 November 2025
Time: 5:40–7:10 p.m. EST
Zoom meeting link: https://tennessee.zoom.us/j/81604433925 (Passcode: PHMLab)

Schedule:

Speaker	Program	Time in EST
N/A	Introduction	5:40–5:45 p.m.
Dr. Aliyar Fouladkhah	Short talk on evidence-based decision-making processing using scientific literature	5:45–5:55 p.m.
Dr. Sally Wu	Presentation and discussion (Tips for Writing Great Research Papers)	5:55–6:20 p.m.
Dr. Sally Wu and Dr. Barnaby Crook	Presentation and discussion (Publication Ethics and Research Integrity)	6:20–6:45 p.m.
Dr. Barnaby Crook	Presentation and discussion (AI in Publishing: Challenges and Opportunities)	6:45–7:10 p.m.

Chair:

Name: Dr. Aliyar Fouladkhah, Associate Professor at Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, USA
Research areas: antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial interventions against foodborne bacterial pathogens; ecology of planktonic cells and biofilms of food and environmental bacteria; foodborne diseases epidemiology

Speakers:

Dr. Barnaby Crook completed an MA in philosophy and neuroscience at the Humboldt University of Berlin in 2021 and a PhD in the philosophy of artificial intelligence at the University of Bayreuth in 2025. After moving from Germany to Toronto, Dr. Crook began working for MDPI as an Assistant Editor. He now works as a Journal Relations Specialist. In this role, Dr. Crook builds and maintains relationships with academic stakeholders, fostering collaboration and developing partnerships. He is passionate about scientific communication and research integrity.

Dr. Sally Wu completed a PhD in medical science at the University of Toronto. She studied the metabolic side effects of antipsychotic drugs for patients with schizophrenia. Shortly after graduating, Dr. Wu began working for MDPI as an Assistant Editor for Cells. She now works as a Regional Journal Relations Specialist. In this role Dr. Wu travels across North America to attend conferences and other scholarly events, communicating with a diverse array of academic stakeholders. She is passionate about scientific communication and dissemination.