We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Alessandra Toncelli has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Crystals (ISSN: 2073-4352).

Name: Prof. Dr. Alessandra Toncelli
Affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, PI, Italy
Interests: photonics; rare earth luminescence; optical spectroscopy; THz spectroscopy; crystal growth

Prof. Dr. Alessandra Toncelli has been an associate professor at the University of Pisa since 2017. She began her academic career in the field of the growth and spectroscopic characterization of rare-earth-doped crystalline insulating materials in the visible and near-infrared regions.

Afterward, her interests expanded into the mid-infrared and THz regions. Throughout her career, she has characterized and optimized many devices and materials for various applications such as photonics, scintillation, quantum information technologies, biomedicine, etc. Recently, Prof. Dr. Alessandra Toncelli has been working on developing new spectroscopy and imaging methods in the THz region for monitoring plant health and fruit and food quality, and she is also working on the development of integrated photonics circuits for quantum computing applications.

As of 2024, in all of these research areas, Prof. Dr. Alessandra Toncelli has published more than 200 papers in international peer-reviewed journals, including an invited paper in the journal Nature Physics. She holds two patents and is accredited with an h-index of 52 in Scopus and 50 in ISI WoS.

With deep sadness, we announce that our former Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Helmut Cölfen, passed away following severe illness, on 28 November 2023. We sincerely thank Prof. Dr. Helmut Cölfen for his support and dedication to Crystals from 2015 to 2023.

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

The opportunity to take on the role of Editor-in-Chief of the Crystals journal is extremely attractive to me for several compelling reasons. First, the journal has demonstrated remarkable growth over the past five years, boasting a steadily increasing Impact Factor, despite its relatively short existence. Its focus on a subject closely aligned with my research interests is particularly appealing. Furthermore, as an MDPI journal, Crystals offers distinct advantages such as the ability to facilitate high-quality reviews efficiently, rapid open access publishing that ensures wide dissemination, and intuitive platforms tailored for authors, reviewers, and editors. The prospect of embracing new challenges inherent to this role further motivates my enthusiasm for taking on this editorial responsibility.

2. What is your vision for the journal?

My vision for the journal Crystals is centered on elevating its reputation, expanding its reach, and fostering a continuous trajectory of growth. I aim to enhance the journal's standing within the scientific community by ensuring the publication of an ever-increasing number of high-quality papers and fostering a culture of excellence in research dissemination. With the support of my esteemed colleagues on the MDPI Editorial Board and the editorial team, I envision leveraging our collective expertise to enhance the journal's Impact Factor and broaden its audience. The collaboration and dedication of our readers, authors, reviewers, and Guest Editors have been instrumental in our past successes, and I am confident that, with their continued support, we can achieve even greater heights together.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?

The future of crystals as a research field holds immense promise and potential for groundbreaking discoveries and advancements across various disciplines. With ongoing technological advancements in fields such as materials science, chemistry, physics, and engineering, researchers are increasingly able to manipulate and engineer crystals at the atomic and molecular levels, leading to the development of novel materials with unprecedented properties and functionalities. Crystals will continue to play a crucial role in fields such as electronics, photonics, medicine, renewable energy, and beyond, with applications ranging from advanced semiconductors and sensors to drug delivery systems and quantum computing technologies. Furthermore, interdisciplinary collaborations and the integration of emerging fields such as machine learning and nanotechnology are expected to further push the frontiers of crystal research, opening up new avenues for exploration and innovation. Overall, the future of crystal research is bright, offering exciting opportunities to address complex challenges and shape the technological landscape of tomorrow.

4. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?

The development of open access in the publishing field represents a significant and positive shift towards democratizing access to scientific knowledge. Open access publishing removes financial barriers, ensuring that research findings are freely available to anyone with an Internet connection, regardless of their institutional affiliation or geographic location. This accessibility fosters collaboration, innovation, and knowledge dissemination on a global scale, accelerating the pace of scientific progress and maximizing the societal impact of research. Additionally, open access can enhance visibility and citation rates for authors, as their work is more readily accessible to a broader audience. However, it is essential to ensure that open access publishing maintains high standards of peer review and editorial integrity to uphold the credibility and reliability of published research. Overall, the continued development and adoption of open access publishing models hold tremendous potential to revolutionize scholarly communication and advance the collective pursuit of knowledge.

We warmly welcome our new Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Alessandra Toncelli, and wish the journal every success in the future.