Announcements

MDPI is delighted to announce the establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award. Named in honor of Professor Michele Parrinello, the award celebrates his exceptional contributions and his profound impact on the field of computational physical science research.

The award will be presented biennially to distinguished scientists who have made outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of computational physical science—spanning physics, chemistry, and materials science.

About Professor Michele Parrinello

"Do not be afraid of new things. I see it many times when we discuss a new thing that young people are scared to go against the mainstream a little bit, thinking what is going to happen to me and so on. Be confident that what you do is meaningful, and do not be afraid, do not listen too much to what other people have to say.”

——Professor Michele Parrinello

Born in Messina in 1945, he received his degree from the University of Bologna and is currently affiliated with the Italian Institute of Technology. Professor Parrinello is known for his many technical innovations in the field of atomistic simulations and for a wealth of interdisciplinary applications ranging from materials science to chemistry and biology. Together with Roberto Car, he introduced ab initio molecular dynamics, also known as the Car–Parrinello method, marking the beginning of a new era both in the area of electronic structure calculations and in molecular dynamics simulations. He is also known for the Parrinello–Rahman method, which allows crystalline phase transitions to be studied by molecular dynamics. More recently, he has introduced metadynamics for the study of rare events and the calculation of free energies.

For his work, he has been awarded many prizes and honorary degrees. He is a member of numerous academies and learned societies, including the German Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, the British Royal Society, and the Italian Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, which is the major academy in his home country of Italy.

Award Committee

The award committee will be chaired by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, a computational condensed matter physicist, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and professor at the Department of Physics, Fudan University. Professor Xin-Gao Gong will lead a panel of several senior experts in the field to oversee the evaluation and selection process. The Institute for Computational Physical Sciences at Fudan University (Shanghai, China), led by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, will serve as the supporting institute for the award.

"We hope the Michele Parrinello Award will recognize scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of computational condensed matter physics and at the same time set a benchmark for the younger generation, providing clear direction for their pursuit—this is precisely the original intention behind establishing the award."

——Professor Xin-Gao Gong

The first edition of the award was officially launched on 1 November 2025. Nominations will be accepted before the end of March 2026. For further details, please visit mparrinelloaward.org.

About the MDPI Sustainability Foundation and MDPI Awards

The Michele Parrinello Award is part of the MDPI Sustainability Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing sustainable development through scientific progress and global collaboration. The foundation also oversees the World Sustainability Award, the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award, and the Tu Youyou Award. The establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award will further enrich the existing award portfolio, providing continued and diversified financial support to outstanding professionals across various fields. 

In addition to these foundation-level awards, MDPI journals also recognize outstanding contributions through a range of honors, including Best Paper Awards, Outstanding Reviewer Awards, Young Investigator Awards, Travel Awards, Best PhD Thesis Awards, Editor of Distinction Awards, and others. These initiatives aim to recognize excellence across disciplines and career stages, contributing to the long-term vitality and sustainability of scientific research.

Find more information on awards here.

Following from our two previous successful editions, we invite you to submit your abstracts and participate in the 3rd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers, taking place from 2 to 7 August 2026 in Jeju, South Korea.

Organized by MDPI and the open access journals Sensors, Micromachines, AI Sensors, Micro and Remote Sensing, this in-person conference will once again bring together experts and participating researchers who will share insights and innovations in sensors, sensing technology, transducers and artificial intelligence.

Start preparing your abstracts:
Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your work to peers and leading experts in AI-enhanced sensing systems and transducers. We will be announcing the session topics at AIS 2026 soon.

Find out more about the instructions for authors: https://sciforum.net/event/AIS2026?section=#instructions.

Find out more about the publication opportunities available for authors: https://sciforum.net/event/AIS2026?section=#Publicationopportunities.
Please feel free to share the information about this conference to your colleagues and students.

We look forward to welcoming you in Jeju!

The organizing committee of the 3rd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers (AIS 2026).

The following is an interview with Mr. Nikolaos Makrakis:

1. Congratulations on your award! Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about yourself and your fields of interest?
Thank you very much. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to both the journal and the award committee for this recognition. My academic and professional background lies at the intersection of geotechnical, structural, earthquake, and geoinformatics engineering.
I am currently in the final stage of my doctoral studies at the Technical University of Crete in Greece. My research focuses on the quantitative assessment of natural hazards, including geohazards under static and seismic conditions, as well as climate-driven hazards, examined from both single- and multi-hazard perspectives. A key aspect of my work is understanding how these hazards affect the structural response of critical energy transmission infrastructure, such as onshore and offshore high-pressure gas and hydrogen pipelines, as well as offshore power cables.
My main aim is to contribute to the design of safe, functional, and resilient energy infrastructure, while also improving the decision-making process for optimal routing, by combining best engineering practice with innovative scientific approaches. Finally, my work seeks to better prepare such critical infrastructure for future challenges, as these systems constitute and will continue to be the arteries of the global energy system.
I would also like to acknowledge my PhD supervisor, Dr. Yiannis Tsompanakis, Professor at the School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering of the Technical University of Crete and Head of the Computational Dynamics and Energy (CODEN) Research Group. I deeply appreciate the trust he has placed in me and his continuous guidance throughout my doctoral journey.

2. How did you hear about this award, and how supportive might this kind of award be for researchers?
Having previously submitted my work to Applied Sciences and regularly following the journal’s website and announcements, I was already aware of the travel awards. During the final year of my doctoral studies, I felt that it was the right moment to submit my application.
Receiving this award is particularly valuable for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, as it provides opportunities to attend high-level scientific conferences that bring together experts from academia, industry, and the public sector. These events create an excellent environment for exchanging ideas, receiving constructive feedback, and participating in interdisciplinary discussions.
Such conferences also offer important opportunities for networking and collaboration, often leading to new research ideas, partnerships, and future projects that might not otherwise materialize. Overall, this type of support helps early career researchers strengthen their professional visibility, improve the quality and applicability of their work, and ensure that their research reaches both the scientific community and practitioners, enhancing its broader scientific and societal impact.

3. Do you have any suggestions for improving the visibility of these awards?
I believe the journal already does a lot to promote the awards, such as publishing the winners’ names on the website, sharing the results on social media, and conducting interviews like this one.
To further enhance visibility, additional initiatives could be considered. For example, short spotlight features on award recipients could highlight not only their names, but also the type of research being recognized. In addition, short online sessions where awardees present their projects and share their experiences could further increase the impact and reach of the awards.

4. Do you have any other suggestions on how our journal could further support young researchers and the academic community?
The journal could further support young researchers by creating more opportunities for direct engagement with the academic community. For example, webinars or online workshops where early career researchers can discuss challenges, share ongoing work, and receive feedback would be very beneficial.
Mentoring programs that connect early career researchers with experienced academics could also provide valuable guidance and insights, not only on research but also on publishing. Additionally, creating spaces, either online or in person, for networking and exchanging ideas could help young researchers build collaborations and navigate the early stages of their academic career more effectively.

5. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?
A career in research is full of challenges and surprises, so staying passionate and committed is essential. Progress is not always linear; there will be periods of rapid advancement, as well as times when setbacks slow you down. What truly makes the difference is persistence, focus, and a willingness to learn and improve from every experience.
Building a supportive network of mentors, colleagues, and experts is equally important, as they can provide guidance, share insights, and open doors to new opportunities. At the same time, taking care of your physical and mental well-being and maintaining a healthy work–life balance are crucial for long-term motivation and creativity. With dedication, resilience, and self-care, young researchers can navigate the ups and downs of their academic career, sharpen their skills, and evolve in their field.

6. What has been your experience with our services, both as an author and a reviewer?
My experience with the journal’s services has been very positive. The publication process is clear and well structured, and I greatly appreciate the prompt communication and constructive feedback I have received. This has made the overall experience smooth, efficient, and highly constructive. While I have not yet served as a reviewer, I would certainly welcome the opportunity to do so in the future.

26 January marks the International Day of Clean Energy, a global initiative that aims to drive equitable and sustainable energy transitions, leaving no one behind and protecting our planet. As emphasized by the UN, clean energy is essential for closing the energy access gap (an estimated 1.5 billion people in rural areas still use unsafe, unhealthy and inefficient cooking systems) and for combatting climate change (over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by fossil fuel energy production). Clean energy fuels socio-economic progress, empowering vulnerable communities in terms of education, healthcare and livelihoods, while also addressing the issue of polluting fuels, which are linked to 3.2 million premature deaths each year.

Join us in celebrating this International Day of Clean Energy by exploring research that turns global goals, such as Sustainable Development Goal 7, into actionable solutions. Together, these works amplify the UN’s call to action, uniting researchers, policymakers, and innovators to build a future in which clean energy benefits everyone and safeguards our planet.

“Solar, Wind, Hydrogen, and Bioenergy-Based Hybrid System for Off-Grid Remote Locations: Techno-Economic and Environmental Analysis”
by Roksana Yasmin, Md. Nurun Nabi, Fazlur Rashid and Md. Alamgir Hossain
Clean Technol. 2025, 7(2), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol7020036

“Quantifying Cybersecurity Impacts on Clean Energy Market Volatility: A Time-Frequency Approach”
by Catalin Gheorghe and Oana Panazan
Mathematics 2025, 13(8), 1320; https://doi.org/10.3390/math13081320

“Lifecycle Management of Hydrogen Pipelines: Design, Maintenance, and Rehabilitation Strategies for Canada’s Clean Energy Transition”
by Myo Myo Khaing and Shunde Yin
Energies 2025, 18(2), 240; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18020240

“A Comprehensive Review of Green Energy Technologies: Towards Sustainable Clean Energy Transition and Global Net-Zero Carbon Emissions”
by Vinod Kumar Sharma, Giulia Monteleone, Giacobbe Braccio, Cosmas N. Anyanwu and Nneoma N. Aneke.
Processes 2025, 13(1), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13010069

“Integration of Crops, Livestock, and Solar Panels: A Review of Agrivoltaic Systems”
by Diego Soto-Gómez
Agronomy 2024, 14(8), 1824; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14081824

“Long-Term Energy System Modelling for a Clean Energy Transition and Improved Energy Security in Botswana’s Energy Sector Using the Open-Source Energy Modelling System”
by Ranea Saad, Fernando Plazas-Niño, Carla Cannone, Rudolf Yeganyan, Mark Howells and Hannah Luscombe
Climate 2024, 12(6), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli12060088

“Long-Term Energy System Modelling for a Clean Energy Transition in Egypt’s Energy Sector”
by Anna Gibson, Zen Makuch, Rudolf Yeganyan, Naomi Tan, Carla Cannone and Mark Howells
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2397; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102397

“Magnesium-Based Hydrogen Storage Alloys: Advances, Strategies, and Future Outlook for Clean Energy Applications”
by Yaohui Xu, Yang Zhou, Yuting Li, Yechen Hao, Pingkeng Wu and Zhao Ding
Molecules 2024, 29(11), 2525; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29112525

“Real-Time Monitoring of Wind Turbine Bearing Using Simple Neural Network on Raspberry Pi”
by Tianhao Wang, Hongying Meng, Rui Qin, Fan Zhang and Asoke Kumar Nandi.
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 3129; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14073129

“A Sustainability Approach between the Water–Energy–Food Nexus and Clean Energy”
by Gricelda Herrera-Franco, Lady Bravo-Montero, Jhon Caicedo-Potosí and Paúl Carrión-Mero
Water 2024, 16(7), 1017; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16071017

“Energy Management Strategy for DC Micro-Grid System with the Important Penetration of Renewable Energy”
by Christian Bipongo Ndeke, Marco Adonis and Ali Almaktoof
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 2659; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14062659

“Energy Transition in Vietnam: A Strategic Analysis and Forecast”
by Minh Phuong Nguyen, Tatiana Ponomarenko and Nga Nguyen
Sustainability 2024, 16(5), 1969; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16051969

“Natural Gas Matters: LNG and India’s Quest for Clean Energy”
by Subhadip Ghosh, Rajarshi Majumder and Bidisha Chatterjee
Gases 2024, 4(1), 1-17; https://doi.org/10.3390/gases4010001

“Assessment of Bioenergy Potential from Biomass Waste to Improve Access to Clean Energy for Cooking in Mali”
by Iván Segura-Rodríguez and Ramchandra Bhandari
Sustainability 2024, 16(1), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010455

We invite you to attend this event organized by MDPI’s Technologies (ISSN: 2227-7080, Impact Factor 3.6, CiteScore: 8.5), in collaboration with our co-organizer, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS). It will take place virtually from 11 to 13 November 2026, CET.

Conference Chair:
Prof. Dr. Manoj Gupta, National University of Singapore, Singapore.

Topics of interest:
S1. Information and Communication Technologies
Session Chair: Prof. Dr. Sotirios K. Goudos, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece;
S2. Assistive Technologies
Session Chair: Dr. Haipeng Liu, Coventry University, UK;
S3. Innovations in Materials Technologies
Session Chair: Prof. Dr. Manoj Gupta, National University of Singapore, Singapore;
S4. Manufacturing Technologies
Session Chair: Prof. Dr. Eugene Wong, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore;
S5. Environmental Technologies
Session Chair: Prof. Dr. Miklas Scholz, University of Johannesburg, South Africa;
S6. Electrical Technologies
Session Chair: Prof. Dr. Valeri Mladenov, Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria.

Conference awards:
Best Oral Presentation Award and Best Poster Award
Number of winners: 6
Prizes: CHF 200 each

Guide for authors:
To submit your abstract, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1568.

To register for the event, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCTe2026?section=#registration.

For details regarding abstract submission, poster and slide submission, and publication opportunities, you may refer to the “Instructions for Authors” section.

Important dates:
Deadline for abstract submission: 13 July 2026;
Notification of acceptance: 11 August 2026;
Deadline for registration: 5 November 2026.

For any enquiries regarding the event, please contact: iocte2026@mdpi.com.

For more information, you may refer to the following website: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCTe2026.

We look forward to seeing you at IOCTe 2026.

In the event that you have not submitted your abstract for the 1st International Online Conference on Optics (IOCO 2026), upon receiving requests from authors to extend the submission deadline, we are delighted to announce that the new deadline for abstract submissions is 16 January 2026.

The conference is organized by the MDPI journal Optics (ISSN: 2673-3269, Impact Factor: 1.6) and chaired by Prof. Dr. Costantino De Angelis from the Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, Italy and Prof. Dr. Thomas Seeger from the Institut Fluid - und Thermodynamik, Lehrstuhl für Technische Thermodynamik, Universität Siegen, Germany. It will take place virtually from 25 to 27 March 2026, Central European Time.

Latest schedule:
New abstract submission deadline: 16 January 2026;
New abstract acceptance notification date: 10 February 2026;
Registration deadline: 23 March 2026;
Conference date: 25–27 March 2026.

IOCO 2026 is currently open for abstract submissions. You are invited to submit your abstract via the following link: https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1353.

To register for the event, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCO2026?section=#registration.

Topics of interest:
S1. Biomedical Optics
Session Chairs:

• Dr. Giuseppe Trusso Sfrazzetto, Department of Chemical Science, University of Catania, Italy;
• Dr. Francesco Chiavaioli, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IFAC), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.

S2. Optoelectronics and Optical Engineering
Session Chair:

• Prof. Dr. Yuriy Garbovskiy, Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, USA.

S3. Geometrical Optics
Session Chair:

• Dr. Davide Rocco, Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, Italy.

S4. Photonics and Optical Communications
Session Chair:

• Dr. Jiahao Huo, School of Computer and Communication Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, China.

S5. Laser Sciences and Technology
Session Chair:

• Dr. Guido Toci, National Institute of Optics, National Research Council of Italy, Italy.

S6. Quantum Optics
Session Chair: Dr. Andrea Salamon, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Roma Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.

We look forward to receiving your abstract and welcome you to register for this no-fee conference.

If you have already registered and submitted your abstract, we thank you.

Prof. Dr. Costantino De Angelis, Department of Information Engineering, University of Brescia, Italy;
Prof. Dr. Thomas Seeger, Institut Fluid - und Thermodynamik, Lehrstuhl für Technische Thermodynamik, Universität Siegen, Germany
Conference Secretariat (ioco2026@mdpi.com)

We have expanded our open access portfolio with eight new journals publishing their inaugural issues in December 2025, as well as three journal transfers. These additions span physical sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, environmental and Earth sciences, medicine and pharmacology, and public health and healthcare. We extend our sincere thanks to the Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board Members who are shaping these journals’ direction. All journals uphold strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

We would like to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. If you would like to create more new journals, you are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com).

Conference: EGU General Assembly 2026
Date: 3–8 May 2026
Location: Vienna, Austria 

MDPI will attend the EGU General Assembly 2026 as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Vienna, Austria, from 3 to 8 May 2026 in a hybrid format.

The EGU General Assembly 2026 is organized by the European Geosciences Union (EGU), aiming to bring together geoscientists from all over the world to one meeting covering all disciplines of the Earth, planetary, and space sciences. 

Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Atmosphere, Climate, and Space Sciences;
• Hydrology and Environmental Earth Systems;
• Solid Earth, Hazards and Measurement Technologies. 

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Remote Sensing;
• Water;
• Atmosphere;
• Geosciences;
• Earth;
• Hydrology;
• Journal of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT);
• Nitrogen;
• Climate;
• Geomatics;
• ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information (IJGI) ;
• Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (JMSE);
• Resources;
• Limnological Review;
• Aerobiology;
• Meteorology;
• GeoHazards;
• Forests;
• Soil Systems;
• Land;
• Applied Sciences;
• Quaternary;
• Glacies;
• Oceans;
• Gases;
• Geographies;
• Coasts. 

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #19 and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.egu26.eu/.

Conference: TRB Annual Meeting 2026
Organization: TRB’s volunteer technical committees
Date: 11–15 January 2026
Location: Washington, D.C., USA

TRB is a leading organization in transportation research and provides valuable resources and expertise to transportation professionals and policymakers worldwide. As part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) mobilizes expertise, experience, and knowledge to anticipate and solve complex transportation-related challenges.

TRB’s Annual Meeting attracts thousands of transportation professionals from around the world. The program covers all transportation modes, with sessions and workshops addressing topics of interest to policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions.

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Infrastructures;
• WEVJ;
• Vehicles;
• Future Transportation;
• Applied Sciences;
• CivilEng;
• Technologies;
• Eng;
• Smart Cities;
• Safety;
• Standards;
• NDT.

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://trb-annual-meeting.nationalacademies.org/home.