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Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature
Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for
future research directions and describes possible research applications.
Feature papers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and must receive
positive feedback from the reviewers.
Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world.
Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly
interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the
most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.
The Animals Best PhD Thesis Award is presented annually to recognize young scholars who are judged to have completed the most outstanding PhD theses in different fields of study involving animals, including zoology, ethnozoology, animal science, animal ethics, and animal welfare, and to encourage them to continue their outstanding work and make further contributions to their field. Applications for this award are open from July to December 2026, and the winners will be announced in June 2027.
Prize – Bonus (CHF 800); – An electronic certificate; – A voucher to cover the applicable article processing fees (valid for one year).
The candidate must be a PhD student or recently qualified PhD graduate who has produced a highly anticipated thesis with great academic potential;
The PhD thesis must be the candidate’s original work;
The PhD thesis must have been defended in 2026.
Required Application Documents
An executive summary of the PhD thesis in English of around 3000 words in length;
A letter from the PhD supervisor recommending the candidate for consideration for this award;
The candidate’s CV, including a list of publications connected with the thesis;
An electronic copy of the candidate’s PhD thesis;
A scanned copy of the candidate’s PhD diploma (or a certificate verifying that the candidate is a PhD student at a school or research institute nearing graduation or preparing to defend their graduation thesis).
Past Winners
Year:
Winner
Hannah Godfrey
University of Guelph, Canada
Award Committee
Dr. Clive Julian Phillips
Chairperson
Retired
Prof. Marc Girondot
Université Paris-Saclay
Prof. Andrea Pezzuolo
University of Padova - Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry
Dr. Jesús Hernández
CIAD, A.C.
Prof. Lvhui Sun
Huazhong Agricultural University
Dr. Cláudia Aragão
Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR / Universidade do Algarve
Dr. Roberto Plasenzotti
director of the Animal Health Center
Dr. Romain Paillot
Winner
Franziska Hörner
University of Wuppertal, Germany
Award Committee
Prof. Michael Hässig
Chairperson
Universität Zürich (retired)
Prof. Dr. Felisbina Luisa Queiroga
CECAV, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro
Dr. Ramanathan Kasimanickam
Washington State University
Prof. Eduardo Rocha
ICBAS - UPorto
Prof. Jean-Marie Exbrayat
Winner
Allyson Ipema
Wageningen University & Research
Award Committee
Dr. Clive Julian Phillips
Chairperson
Retired
Dr. W. Jean Dodds
Prof. Andrea Pezzuolo
University of Padova - Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry
Prof. Dr. Ilias Giannenas
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Dr. Emma Fàbrega Romans
IRTA
Winner
Connie Allen
University of Exeter
Award Committee
Dr. Clive Julian Phillips
Chairperson
Retired
Prof. Giuseppe Biagini
Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
Dr. Clara Rodrigues
University of Aveiro
Dr. PABLO SANCHEZ-QUINTEIRO
Faculty of Veterinary Sciences of Lugo
Prof. Vera Baumans
Utrecht University
Winner
Maria Santacà
University of Padova
Award Committee
Dr. Clive Julian Phillips
Chairperson
Retired
Prof. Andrea Pezzuolo
University of Padova - Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry
Prof. Vera Baumans
Utrecht University
Prof. Velmurugu Ravindran
Massey University
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