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Announcements
29 May 2026
Interview with Prof. Dr. Ali Aygün—Winner of the Animals Outstanding Reviewer Award
We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Ali Aygün is one of the winners of the Animals 2025 Outstanding Reviewer Award, which is given annually to recognize reviewers who contribute their time to reviewing papers and display thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness while doing so.
We are honored to interview Prof. Dr. Ali Aygün, providing an opportunity to explore his research journey and his insights into being a reviewer.
1. Could you please provide a brief introduction of yourself to our readers and give an overview of your current research?
I am a professor in the Department of Animal Science at the Selçuk University Faculty of Agriculture. I both teach and conduct scientific research. My research area is mainly poultry farming, and I focus more specifically on breeding systems and egg quality. I currently have projects related to dual-purpose production, which has been prominent in recent years.
2. What led you to review for Animals? How did you hear about the journal?
Animals is a journal with very high-quality publications in the poultry field. It also has a Q1 impact factor, making publishing in this journal a significant achievement in our country. I currently have four publications in Animals. I also serve as a reviewer for Animals and receive vouchers in return. These vouchers provide opportunities for publication.
3. In your opinion, what key qualities should an excellent manuscript have? From what perspectives will you help authors improve the quality of their papers?
In my opinion, a perfect article should clearly state its research question, hypotheses, and contribution; the Materials and Methods should be appropriate and detailed; the results should be clear and transparent; and it should not claim more than the data allows. As a reviewer, I check whether the Introduction reveals a real gap, whether the Methods truly answer the research question, and whether the Discussion is based on the findings. I identify areas of the writing that are unclear, repetitive, or difficult to follow, and offer suggestions for restructuring or rephrasing to reduce cognitive load.
4. We hope that the Outstanding Reviewer Award will open new opportunities for you. How does an award like this help to support the career of a researcher such as yourself?
An award like the Outstanding Reviewer Award supports my career in multiple ways. Having my work published for free in Animals, which is in the Q1 category, and in a journal of this caliber in our country, is a significant contribution to my career. The fact that the award was featured on social media is also a source of great pride.
5. What advice would you give to aspiring researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their fields? What qualities do you think young scientists need?
My advice to young researchers is to focus on current issues and to pursue specific topics. I would suggest they do a lot of preparation to identify these topics. They need to read and evaluate numerous articles related to a research area.
6. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
In the coming years, it is anticipated that the poultry sector will particularly shift its focus toward topics centered on sustainability, animal welfare, and the circular economy. In this context, I can summarize the prominent research topics as follows: dual-purpose production models that enable both meat and egg production; early-stage sex determination technologies in hatching eggs aimed at eliminating the culling of male chicks; artificial intelligence applications in poultry houses that optimize monitoring and decision-support processes; backyard poultry farming that contributes to urban food security; molecular breeding of native genotypes to preserve genetic diversity and enhance resilience to climate change; and the use of alternative protein sources such as insects, mealworms, and earthworms in poultry feed to reduce dependency on soybean and fishmeal.
Animals, an open access journal, is chosen by authors primarily because of its Q1 category status and its very fast review process. Its free accessibility is also important as a source of information. Animals’ publication fees are considerably lower than those of other journals.
