In this captivating series, we had the privilege of interviewing the eminent Prof. Dr. Giovanni Crupi who was appointed Section Editor-in-Chief earlier this year for the Section “Microwave and Wireless Communications” of Electronics (IF 2.9, CiteScore 3.7, ISSN: 2079-9292). Bringing unparalleled expertise to drive innovation and advancements in the field and renowned for his groundbreaking contributions in microwave electronics engineering, focusing on the characterization and modeling of microwave transistors for circuit design and wireless applications, as well as that of microwave sensors for bioengineering applications, Dr. Crupi shares his invaluable insights and takes us on an exclusive journey into the inner workings of the journal. Through these interviews, our aim is to offer a unique perspective on the publishing process, straight from the Section Editor-in-Chief himself.

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

1. Can you share with us some information about your academic background?
I received my Ph.D. degree in 2006 from the University of Messina, Italy. Since 2005, I have had the privilege of being a repeat Visiting Scientist at KU Leuven and IMEC, both located in Leuven, Belgium. These experiences have enriched my academic journey significantly. At present, I hold the position of Associate Professor at the University of Messina, Italy. It is a role that I find fulfilling as I engage in various scholarly activities and contribute to the academic community. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to author or coauthor over 250 publications in esteemed international journals and conferences, enabling me to share my research findings and insights with a wider audience. I am also the Editor-in-Chief of the Wiley International Journal of Numerical Modelling: Electronic Networks, Devices and Fields, Section Editor-in-Chief of the MDPI Electronics, and Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Technology Letters, and IEEE Access.

2. What are your current research interests?
In terms of my current research focus, I am actively engaged in various areas of electronic engineering, particularly in microwave and wireless communications. My endeavors involve exploring theoretical concepts, developing practical applications, and contributing to the advancement of the field. It is an exciting journey, and I am fortunate to be involved in such meaningful and impactful research endeavors.

3. What made you choose to work with us knowing that we are an open access digital publisher?
I gladly accepted the invitation to lead the “Microwave and Wireless Communications” Section, since this is a vibrant and fascinating segment of the electronics, in which I have been working since my master’s thesis. I believe that all of us have the responsibility to contribute to the betterment of the publishing process by ensuring fairness, inclusiveness, multidisciplinarity, dissemination, and sustainability. Involvement at different editorial levels is an essential part of our commitment to support the global transition toward open access publishing in a healthy way, without leaving developing countries and emerging economies behind.
I really believe that open access is the way forward, as it presents a tremendous opportunity to provide free access to information for emerging nations. It is truly the future of academic publishing. In recent years, I have observed a positive trend where many universities have started funding researchers to publish their papers in open access formats. This shift towards open access not only promotes the dissemination of knowledge but also ensures that valuable research findings are accessible to a wider audience, including those in less privileged regions. By removing financial barriers and enabling free access to information, we can contribute to the growth and development of academic communities worldwide.

4. Electronics is an open access publication. How do you think open access impacts authors?
I am particularly enthusiastic about the impact this movement can have on emerging nations and authors, as it empowers researchers and students in those regions to benefit from the wealth of knowledge available. The ability to freely access information without financial constraints can foster innovation, collaboration, and ultimately contribute to bridging the knowledge gap between countries. Embracing open access as the future of publishing aligns with my vision of promoting equitable access to information and supporting the advancement of academic communities globally. Right now, we are entering a new era of scientific publications, mostly owing to global transition toward open access to make research openly and freely available. By opening new frontiers, open access publishing is rapidly and profoundly changing the traditional concept of research publication. The open access process is aimed primarily at facilitating the widest possible dissemination, at empowering the development of multidisciplinary research, and at maximizing the impact of research for future generations, but at the same time this might bring adverse side effects, just as any medication can.
To meet the new challenges and great opportunities brought by this extraordinary revolution, we all needed to keep an open mind, to not miss out on this amazing opportunity, while keeping eyes wide open, to minimize any potential side effect and to make sure that this transition provides access to a better future for us all, without leaving anyone behind.

5. What is your vision for the “Microwave and Wireless Communications” Section?
Throughout the years, microwave wireless communication technologies have greatly evolved and nowadays are experiencing a tremendous growth, driven by an explosive broadening of their applications. My belief is that competence, curiosity, passion, enthusiasm, experience, synergistic teamwork, and communication across disciplinary boundaries are essential for effectively strengthening the connectivity between the extraordinary progress of these amazing technologies and the market expansion of their fast-evolving applications. This would enable us to build together a better future for the benefit of humankind. In this dynamic and exciting scenario, I am of the opinion that “Microwave and Wireless Communications” Section can play a key role in the advancement of the journal Electronics.

6. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
From my perspective, I believe that three research topics will capture significant interest from the research community in the coming years. Firstly, microwave transistors are expected to be a focal point as scientists strive to enhance miniaturization and efficiency of electronic devices to support the ubiquitous development of green wireless communication systems. Secondly, microwave sensors for engineering applications are gaining momentum due to their wide range of practical uses, going from wearable smart sensors for IoT enabled personalized healthcare to remote sensing for structural health monitoring. Thirdly, quantum computing has emerged as a cutting-edge field with immense potential for solving complex problems, and I anticipate it will continue to draw substantial attention from researchers.
These are three important strategic topics, but my belief is that defining and developing each strategic research topic strictly requires a multidisciplinary approach to promote our unwavering commitment to the environment, society and the economy, which constitute the three intertwined pillars to ensure a responsible and sustainable progress for making the world a better place to live for our future generations to come.

We wish Dr. Giovanni Crupi every success in his new current position as Section Editor-in-Chief, and we look forward to his contributions to the journal.