We are pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Dr. Francesco Marinello as the new Editor-in-Chief of AgriEngineering (ISSN: 2624-7402).

Prof. Dr. Francesco Marinello is a full professor in biosystems engineering at the University of Padova (Italy). After his PhD in precision engineering and metrology, jointly supervised by the Technical University of Denmark (Lingby, Denmark), he spent two years at the InterUniversity Center for Nanotechnologies (Venice, Italy) and two years at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (Lugano, Switzerland). Since 2012, he has been a researcher and, since 2024, full professor at the University of Padova (Padova, Italy). Since 2017, he has also been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Georgia (Athens, USA). He is responsible for courses in agricultural mechanics, precision farming, applied statistics, and unmanned aerial vehicles for agriculture.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Francesco Marinello, who shared his vision for the journal with us as well as his views on the current state of the field:

1. Could you briefly introduce your main research areas and achievements?
My research focuses on agricultural and biosystems engineering, with particular attention to precision agriculture, sensing technologies, robotics, and data-driven decision support systems for sustainable farming. Over the years, I have worked on integrating proximal and remote sensors, UAVs, and machine learning techniques into agricultural monitoring and management practices. My work aims to improve resource efficiency, productivity, and environmental sustainability in agri-food systems. I have contributed to interdisciplinary research projects at the national and European levels and collaborated closely with industry partners to support the practical transfer of research outcomes into real-world applications.

2. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to take on the role of Editor-in-Chief?
What attracted me to AgriEngineering is its strong interdisciplinary focus and its mission to serve as a bridge between engineering innovation and agricultural practice. This young journal provides a platform where advances in mechanics, automation, digital technologies, and environmental engineering can directly contribute to addressing global challenges in food production and sustainability. The opportunity to guide a growing journal at this important interface and to help shape a flexible yet rigorous and forward-looking editorial policy was a strong motivation for me to take on the role of Editor-in-Chief.

3. What is your vision for the journal?
My vision is for AgriEngineering to become a leading international reference for high-quality research in agricultural and biosystems engineering. I aim to strengthen the journal’s scientific rigor, transparency, and impact, while fostering interdisciplinarity and openness to emerging topics such as digital agriculture, AI-driven farming systems, climate-resilient technologies, and circular bioeconomy solutions. I would also like the journal to be a space for dialog between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, promoting reproducibility, open data, and the translation of research into tangible societal and environmental benefits.

4. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?
Open access represents a major step forward for the scientific community and especially society at large. It enhances the visibility and accessibility of research outputs, enabling faster knowledge transfer and greater inclusivity, particularly for researchers and practitioners in regions with limited access to subscription-based journals and, in general, for stakeholders outside academia. While challenges remain (such as inclusion and equity), I believe that open access, when implemented responsibly and transparently, supports a more accessible and impactful scientific ecosystem.

5. What do you deem to be the research trends in this field and what advice would you give to early career researchers?
Research in agricultural engineering is increasingly shaped by digitalization, automation, and sustainability imperatives. We are seeing rapid growth in precision agriculture, robotics, artificial intelligence, digital twins, and integrated sensing systems, alongside a stronger focus on climate adaptation, energy efficiency, and circular resource use. Sustainability must be considered in a broad sense: economic and environmental sustainability, but also digital sustainability, since no resource can truly be regarded as infinite.

To early career researchers, I would suggest promoting what I like to call “science fusion”. Early in my career, I began my research in microscopy and metrology in Denmark, then continued with nanotechnologies in Italy, precision engineering in Switzerland, and gas metering in a private company in Italy. In 2012, I entered academia in the field of agricultural engineering and I can say that my previous heterogeneous background and my ability to integrate very different scientific fields helped me achieve meaningful results.

I therefore encourage young researchers to cultivate strong interdisciplinary skills, combining solid engineering foundations with data science, systems thinking, and environmental awareness. It is also important to engage with real-world problems, collaborate across disciplines, and maintain a balance between methodological rigor and practical relevance. Finally, I encourage early-career researchers to embrace open science practices, actively participate in the peer-review process, and view publishing not only as a metric of success but also as a means of contributing meaningfully to the advancement of the field.

We wish Prof. Dr. Francesco Marinello every success in his new position, and we look forward to his contributions to the journal.