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).

We are honored to recognize the 2024 MDPI Top 1000 Reviewers—scholars whose exemplary commitment to rigorous and constructive peer review is vital in upholding the highest standards of academic publishing.

Selected from a distinguished pool of 215,000 reviewers from 65 countries and regions worldwide, these honorees stand out for their exceptional expertise, diligence, and dedication to advancing research through timely and thoughtful reviews. Their constructive and impartial feedback ensures the publication of high-quality, impactful research, while their timely reviews facilitate swift revisions and faster publication of innovative work.

Peer review is the invisible foundation of academic progress. With gratitude and respect, we celebrate these 1000 scholars who made that foundation stronger in 2024. We respected all privacy preferences, with part of nominees opting for limited attribution.

The names of these reviewers are listed below in alphabetical order by first name:

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.

We are pleased to announce updates to our article template, aimed at improving the readability and visual appeal of our publications. The following updates will be applied to articles published in volumes in 2026, starting from 19 December 2025.

Left information bar:

• Updated the logo and URL for “Check for updates”;
• Removed the “Citation” section (Note: Citation details remain accessible via “Cite” in the online article version);
• Changed the link in “Copyright” to a hyperlink format.

Footer:

• Added a DOI link at the bottom-right corner of each page.

The updated template is now available for download from the Instructions for Authors page of each journal.

We hope that the new version of the template will provide users with better experience and make the process more convenient.

For any questions or suggestions, please contact our production team at production@mdpi.com.

This webinar is about the latest advances in high-precision fabrication using laser-based additive manufacturing. It brings together four researchers who will cover the full workflow of laser-enabled AM—from optical system design to material innovation and process optimization. Topics include holographic two-photon polymerization for high-resolution nanofabrication, smart multimaterial DLP printing for adaptive structures, micro laser powder bed fusion of copper for high-performance microdevices, and an STL-free toolpath strategy that enhances printing efficiency and mechanical performance in metallic lattices.

Date: 16 December 2025 at 10 a.m. CET | 5 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 851 7256 2187
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/ApplSci-25

Register now for free!

Program:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Please register anyway and we will inform you when the recording is available to watch.

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

• Dr. Junhao Ding, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), China;
• Dr. Wenqi Ouyang, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), China;
• Dr. Haitao Ye, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), China;
• Dr. Shuo Qu, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), China.

World Soil Day, celebrated annually on 5 December, was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to highlight the vital importance of healthy soils for human well-being, food security, and ecosystem balance. This global observance brings together scientists, policymakers, and communities to recognize soil as a living resource that sustains biodiversity, regulates water, and supports agricultural productivity. It serves as a reminder that protecting soil health is fundamental to addressing global challenges such as climate change, deforestation, and land degradation.

The 2025 theme, “Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities” highlights the crucial role of soil in supporting sustainable food systems, urban resilience, and thriving ecosystems. It underscores the need for collective action to protect and restore soil resources through sustainable management practices, pollution prevention, and the rehabilitation of degraded land. MDPI is committed to supporting this global effort by featuring research that advances soil science and sustainability—from soil fertility and hydrology to biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and environmental protection. Through continued collaboration and scientific innovation, we can safeguard the soils that sustain us, laying the foundation for healthier cities, resilient ecosystems, and a more sustainable future for all

Invited Speakers:

Dr. Elisa Pellegrino, Institute of Crop Science, Italy	Dr. Cátia Venâncio, University of Aveiro, Portugal	Dr. Ali El-Naggar, Western EcoSystems Technology, Canada

Free to register for this webinar here!

“Using Date Palm Residues to Improve Soil Properties: The Case of Compost and Biochar”
by Victor Kavvadias, Elie Le Guyader, Mohamed El Mazlouzi, Maxime Gommeaux, Belkacem Boumaraf, Mohamed Moussa, Hafouda Lamine, Mahtali Sbih, Ines Rahma Zoghlami, Kamel Guimeur et al.
Soil Syst. 2024, 8(3), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems8030069

“Eco-Sustainability of Soils in Baby-Leaf Crop Systems under Tunnel through the Application of C-Rich Inputs: Towards Combating Soil Degradation”
by Enrica Picariello, Flavio Fornasier, Maurizio Bilotto, Emiliana Mignoli, Salvatore Baiano and Luigi Morra
Horticulturae 2024, 10(5), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10050476

“Residual Effect of Compost and Biochar Amendment on Soil Chemical, Biological, and Physical Properties and Durum Wheat Response”
by Rita Leogrande, Carolina Vitti, Mirko Castellini, Pasquale Garofalo, Ignazio Samarelli, Giovanni Lacolla, Francesco Fabiano Montesano, Matteo Spagnuolo, Marcello Mastrangelo and Anna Maria Stellacci
Agronomy 2024, 14(4), 749; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14040749

“Optimizing Biochar Application Rates to Improve Soil Properties and Crop Growth in Saline–Alkali Soil”
by Xin Chen, Li Liu, Qinyan Yang, Huanan Xu, Guoqing Shen and Qincheng Chen

Sustainability 2024, 16(6), 2523; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062523

“The Role of Soils in Sustainability, Climate Change, and Ecosystem Services: Challenges and Opportunities”
by José Telo da Gama
Ecologies 2023, 4(3), 552-567; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies4030036

“The Hydroponic Rockwool Root Microbiome: Under Control or Underutilised?”
by Phil Thomas, Oliver G. G. Knox, Jeff R. Powell, Brian Sindel and Gal Winter
Microorganisms 2023, 11(4), 835; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11040835

Special Issues:

“Soil Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Foundations for Sustainable Agriculture” Guest Editors: Dr. Mohamed Idbella, Dr. Rihab Djebaili and Prof. Dr. Giuliano Bonanomi Submission deadline: 26 March 2026	“Application of Organic Amendments in Agricultural Production—3rd Edition” Guest Editor: Dr. Elena Baldi Submission deadline: 31 March 2026
“Soil Fertility Management, Mitigating GHG Emissions and Sustainable Agriculture: 2nd Edition” Guest Editor: Dr. Yam Kanta Gaihre Submission deadline: 30 April 2026	“Influence of Environmental Changes on Forest Soil Quality and Health: 2nd Edition” Guest Editor: Dr. Yuanying Peng, Prof. Dr. Xiaoyong Chen and Prof. Dr. Wende Yan Submission deadline: 31 May 2026

“Soil–Plant Indicators for Assessing Nutrient Cycling and Ecosystem Functionality in Urban Forestry”
by Cristina Macci, Francesca Vannucchi, Andrea Scartazza, Grazia Masciandaro, Serena Doni and Eleonora Peruzzi
Urban Sci. 2025, 9(3), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9030082

“Relationship among Soil Biophysicochemical Properties, Agricultural Practices and Climate Factors Influencing Soil Phosphatase Activity in Agricultural Land”
by Patrícia Campdelacreu Rocabruna, Xavier Domene, Catherine Preece and Josep Peñuelas
Agriculture 2024, 14(2), 288; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14020288

“Divergent Effects of Topography on Soil Properties and Above-Ground Biomass in Nepal’s Mid-Hill Forests”
by Sandhya Nepal, Mohan KC, Nabaraj Pudasaini and Hari Adhikari
Resources 2023, 12(11), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12110136

“Effects of Climate on Variation of Soil Organic Carbon and Alkali-Hydrolyzed Nitrogen in Subtropical Forests: A Case Study of Zhejiang Province, China”
by Xuekun Cheng, Tao Zhou, Shuhan Liu, Xiaobo Sun, Yufeng Zhou, Lin Xu, Binglou Xie, Jianping Ying and Yongjun Shi
Forests 2023, 14(5), 914; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14050914

“Past and Future Responses of Soil Water to Climate Change in Tropical and Subtropical Rainforest Systems in South America”
by Santiago M. Márquez Arévalo, Rafael Coll Delgado, Douglas da Silva Lindemann,Yuri A. Gelsleichter, Marcos Gervasio Pereira, Rafael de Ávila Rodrigues, Flávio Barbosa Justino, Henderson Silva Wanderley, Everaldo Zonta, Romário Oliveira de Santana and Renato Sinquini de Souza
Atmosphere 2023, 14(4), 755; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14040755

Special Issues:

“Soils and Land Management Under Climate Change (Second Edition)” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Dionisios Gasparatos and Dr. Ioannis Charalampopoulos Submission deadline: 18 January 2026	“Intelligent Systems Supporting the Assessment of Soil Influence on Crop Yields”  Guest Editors: Dr. Magdalena Piekutowska amd Dr. Patryk Hara Submission deadline: 31 March 2026
“Water Saving and Soil Amendments: Advances in Research, Use and Optimization and Testing of Innovative Materials” Guest Editor: Dr. Mirko Castellini Submission deadline: 20 April 2026	“Soil and Water Conservation in Forestry” Guest Editors: Dr. Jiangkun Zheng, Dr. Filippo Giadrossich and Dr. Miriam Fernanda Rodrigues Submission deadline: 31 May 2026

“Estimating Urbanization’s Impact on Soil Erosion: A Global Comparative Analysis and Case Study of Phoenix, USA”
by Ara Jeong, Dylan S. Connor, Ronald I. Dorn and Yeong Bae Seong
Land 2025, 14(8), 1590; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14081590

“Soil and Sediment Organisms as Bioindicators of Pollution”
by Samir Ghannem, Ons Bacha, Sondes Fkiri, Sabri Kanzari, Abdelwaheb Aydi and Samir Touaylia
Ecologies 2024, 5(4), 679-696; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies5040040

“A Framework for Upgrading Contaminated Urban Land and Soil by Nature-Based Solutions: Demonstration with a Swedish Case”
by Shaswati Chowdhury, Yevheniya Volchko and Jenny Norrman
Urban Sci. 2024, 8(4), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8040198

“Microplastic Pollution in Terrestrial Ecosystems and Its Interaction with Other Soil Pollutants: A Potential Threat to Soil Ecosystem Sustainability”
by Meera Rai, Gaurav Pant, Kumud Pant, Becky N. Aloo, Gaurav Kumar, Harikesh Bahadur Singh and Vishal Tripathi
Resources 2023, 12(6), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources12060067

“Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Based Soil Erosion Susceptibility Mapping in Northwestern Himalayas: A Case Study of Central Kashmir Province”
by Fayma Mushtaq, Majid Farooq, Anamika Shalini Tirkey and Bashir Ahmad Sheikh
Conservation 2023, 3(1), 32-52; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation3010003

Special Issues:

“The Adsorption and Degradation Pathways of Pollutants in Agricultural Soil” Guest Editor: Dr. Paloma Campos Submission deadline: 15 March 2026	“Brownfield Redevelopment: Soil Remediation for Sustainable Cities” Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Fei Li, Dr. Jia Wen and Prof. Dr. Chuanrong Zhang Submission deadline: 30 April 2026
“Restoring Forests, Restoring Soils: Integrated Approaches for Sustainable Land Management” Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Jorge Mongil-Manso Submission deadline: 31 March 2026	“Anthropogenic Pollutants in Environmental Geochemistry (2nd Edition)” Guest Editors: Dr. Jun Li and Dr. Zhixiong Li Submission deadline: 31 March 2026

Aviation is an engine of global connectivity. International Civil Aviation Day, observed on 7 December, aims to promote worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of states. It additionally seeks to reinforce the unique role of the International Civil Aviation Organization in helping states to collaborate and realize a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind.

In recognition of this important day, we recommend the following related articles, Special Issues and journals spanning multidisciplinary fields. We believe that promoting such research will help increase public awareness of innovative ideas and technological advancements that support the safety, efficiency, and sustainable development of global civil aviation.

“Selection of Safety Measures in Aircraft Operations: A Hybrid Grey Delphi–AHP-ADAM MCDM Model”
by Snežana Tadić, Milica Milovanović, Mladen Krstić and Olja Čokorilo
Eng 2025, 6(11), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/eng6110295

“Fuzzy Model Predictive Control for Unmanned Helicopter”
by Łukasz Kiciński and Sebastian Topczewski
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(14), 8120; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15148120

“Does the Choice of Topic Modeling Technique Impact the Interpretation of Aviation Incident Reports? A Methodological Assessment”
by Aziida Nanyonga, Keith Joiner, Ugur Turhan and Graham Wild
Technologies 2025, 13(5), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies13050209

“Multi-Label Classification of Complaint Texts: Civil Aviation Service Quality Case Study”
by Huali Cai, Xuanya Shao, Pengpeng Zhou and Hongtao Li
Electronics 2025, 14(3), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics14030434

“Land Use Around Airports: Policies and Methods for Third-Party Risk Assessment—A Review”
by Paola Di Mascio, Raducu Dinu, Giuseppe Loprencipe and Laura Moretti
Future Transp. 2024, 4(4), 1501-1519; https://doi.org/10.3390/futuretransp4040072

“Urban Aviation: The Future Aerospace Transportation System for Intercity and Intracity Mobility”
by Graham Wild
Urban Sci. 2024, 8(4), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8040218

“Estimation of Radiation Exposure for Various Flights from Athens International Airport”
by Anastasia Tezari, Argyris N. Stassinakis, Panagiota Makrantoni, Pavlos Paschalis, Dimitris Alexandridis, Maria Gerontidou, Helen Mavromichalaki, Pantelis Karaiskos, Norma Crosby and Mark Dierckxsens
Atmosphere 2024, 15(2), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15020149

“A Review of the Current Regulatory Framework for Supersonic Civil Aircraft: Noise and Emissions Regulations”
by Thomas Rötger, Chris Eyers and Roberta Fusaro
Aerospace 2024, 11(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11010019

“Explainable Data-Driven Method Combined with Bayesian Filtering for Remaining Useful Lifetime Prediction of Aircraft Engines Using NASA CMAPSS Datasets”
by Faisal Maulana, Andrew Starr and Agusmian Partogi Ompusunggu
Machines 2023, 11(2), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11020163

“Aviation Science and Technology Applications” Guest Editor: Dr. Graham Wild Submission deadline: 31 December 2025	“Aviation Emissions and Their Impact on Air Quality” Guest Editors: Dr. John Christodoulakis and Dr. Martin Gera Submission deadline: 27 March 2026

Conference: The 40th Annual AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence
Date: 20–27 January 2026
Location: Singapore, Republic of Singapore

MDPI will participate as an exhibitor at the 40th Annual AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-26). We welcome researchers and professionals to visit our booth and engage with our team.

Organized by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), the conference serves as a leading international platform for the exchange of advances in AI research, ethical practices, and emerging applications.

AAAI-26 will feature technical presentations, special talks, invited speakers, workshops, tutorials, poster sessions, competitions, and an exhibition program, bringing together experts and young scholars from across the AI community.

The following open access MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Applied Sciences;
• AI;
• Electronics;
• Virtual Worlds;
• Blockchains;
• Computers;
• Make;
• MTI.

If you are planning to attend the above event, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information, please visit https://aaai.org/conference/aaai/aaai-26/.

Welcome to the MDPI World Soil Day 2025 Webinar! 

We are delighted to invite you to the World Soil Day 2025 Webinar, taking place on 5 December 2025, as part of the global celebrations organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. World Soil Day is an international initiative dedicated to raising awareness of the vital role that healthy soils play in sustaining life on Earth, ensuring food security, and maintaining ecosystem balance.

This year’s theme, “Soil and Water: Sources of Life,” highlights the intrinsic connection between soil and water as the foundation of our agricultural systems, biodiversity, and climate resilience. By recognizing their interdependence, this year’s observance calls for global action to protect and manage these essential resources sustainably. 

The webinar will feature leading experts and researchers from around the world who will share their latest findings, insights, and experiences in soil science and sustainable land management. It will also provide an interactive platform for dialog and collaboration, inspiring innovative approaches to safeguard soil health and promote a more sustainable and resilient future for all. 

Date: 5 December at 10:00 a.m. CET | 4.00 a.m. EST | 5.00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 815 3701 6073
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/WSDW-1 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations made with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized. 

Unable to attend? Register regardless, and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch online.

Register now for free!

Program:

Webinar Chair and Speaker:

• Dr. Elisa Pellegrino, Institute of Crop Science, Italy;
• Dr. Cátia Venâncio, University of Aveiro, Portugal.