Announcements

With the first issue released in June 2023, five new MDPI journals disseminating multi-disciplinary science are due to launch, which will cover the subjects of medicine & pharmacology, biology and physical sciences.

The newly launched journals will be overseen by professional Editorial Board Members and Editors to ensure an accurate and rapid publication, rigorous peer review and broad visibility.

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

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal topics (selected)
	Prof. Dr. Jun Ma, Peking University, China| Editorial | view inaugural issue	growth and development; diet and nutrients; school health promotion policies and practices; child health and care; adolescent health and wellbeing | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Bernd Rehm, Griffith University, Australia | Editorial | view inaugural issue	DNA and gene synthesis; synthetic transcription factors; protein engineering; viral engineering; metabolic engineering | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Varsha Gandhi, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	lymphatics; cancers associated with lymphocytes and lymphoblasts; lymphatic tissues; lymphoma; lymphoid leukemia | view journal scope | submit an article
	Dr. Bradley Turner, University of Melbourne, Australia | Editorial | view inaugural issue	multiple sclerosis; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; primary lateral sclerosis; atherosclerosis; systemic sclerosis | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Clemens Burda, Case Western Reserve University, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	Gamma ray, X-ray, and UV–Vis spectroscopies; NIR/mid-infrared/Raman spectroscopy; microwave and THz spectroscopy; high-resolution gas-phase atomic, molecular, and cluster spectroscopy; MS, NMR, and EPR spectroscopy | view journal scope | submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to submit an application to the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com) if you would like to create more new journals.

Date: 25–27 October 2023
Location: Lanzhou, China
Conference website: http://www.fineceram.cn/page109

The 2023 Conference of Material Coating Science and Technology will be held from 25 to 27 October 2023, in Lanzhou, China. The conference is hosted by the Advanced Ceramics Division of the Chinese Ceramic Society and the international journal Coatings (ISSN: 2079-6412) and is co-organized by the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Gansu Materials Society, and the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics group, Chinese Academy of Sciences Youth Innovation Promotion Association. This conference will strengthen the scientific and technological exchanges among experts and scholars in the field of coating science and technology, promote the application of coating technology and promote the high-quality economic development.

This conference sets up 19 topics, covering the application-related areas of coatings and surfaces, which will invite leading experts to deliver plenary speeches. The organizing committee warmly welcomes experts, scholars, engineering technicians and postgraduates in the field of coating technology to attend this conference.

Important dates
Abstract deadline: 25 July 2023 (submission link: https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/931)
Full submission deadline: 30 December 2023 

Scope
Coating materials: A1 high entropy materials, A2 thermal functional materials, A3 optical functional materials, A4 electric/magnetic/acoustic functional materials;
Coating technologies: B1 vapor deposition, B2 thermal spraying, B3 plasma electrolytic oxidation, B4 atomic layer deposition, B5 chemical deposition, B6 self-assembly;
Coating applications: C1 thermal/environmental barrier coating, C2 battery coating, C3 biological coating, C4 superphobic/hydrophilic coating, C5 anti-friction and wear-resistant coating, C6 antibacterial coating, C7 anti-fouling coating, C8 fuel cladding coating, C9 smart coating.

Contact
Coatings Editorial Office
Ms. Diana Zhao
Tel: 18002161361, Email: diana.zhao@mdpi.com

The 2022 citation metrics have been released in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR), and we’re pleased to announce the following results for MDPI journals:

We are thrilled to announce that 90% of our ranked MDPI journals, specifically 86 out of 96 (captured in the table below), are performing above average in Q1 or Q2. This year, Clarivate has expanded its Impact Factor (IF) awards to include journals in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) and the Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), providing greater transparency for the full set of journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection. As a result, 111 of MDPI journals have received their first IF in 2023, with 37 journals surpassing an IF of 3.0. In total, 208 MDPI journals have been honored with an IF.

Clarivate explains that by "expanding the coverage but holding to highly selective standards, the [Impact Factor] is now a reliable indicator of trustworthiness, as well as a measure of scholarly impact, at the journal level."

Please visit our blog post where we discuss the release of the latest citation metrics with our Indexing Manager, Dr. Constanze Schelhorn, to find out what's different this time around and how to make use of different metrics available.

Note: The Journal of Personalized Medicine's Impact Factor was omitted in the original release and will be assigned separately. Please find the data on the journal webpage in due course.

Source: 2022 Journal Impact Factors, Journal Citation Reports ^TM (Clarivate, 2023)

The International Conference on Processing & Manufacturing of Advanced Materials: Processing, Fabrication, Properties, Applications (THERMEC’2023) is the twelfth international conference on the advanced materials series built upon the proven concept and continues the tradition of its eleven predecessors: Japan (1988), Australia (1997), USA (2000), Spain (2003), Vancouver, Canada (2006), Berlin, Germany (2009), Quebec City, Canada (2011), Las Vegas, USA (2013), Graz, Austria (2016), Paris, France (2018) and Virtual Conference in June 2021.

MDPI will be attending the event as an exhibitor, and we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

We are looking forward to meeting you at our booth #35, where you can find more information about the MDPI journals attending the conference:

• Metals;
• Materials;
• Coatings;
• Nanomaterials;
• Energies;
• Micromachines.

Our representatives Igor Matic and Teodora Stepanov are eager to answer your questions and address any inquiries you may have.

Date: 20–23 October 2023
Location: Shenzhen, China
Conference website: http://annual2023.csmnt.org.cn

The 25th Annual Conference of the Chinese Society of Micro-Nano Technology & 14th International Conference of the Chinese Society of Micro-Nano Technology (CSMNT2023) will be held from 20 to 23 October 2023, in Shenzhen, China. The conference is hosted by the Chinese Society of Micro-Nano Technology, and organized by the Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology and Shenzhen Society of Micro-Nano Technology. The theme of this conference is "Magical Micro-Nano • Wonderful World", which will invite 10–12 leading experts to deliver plenary speeches. CSMNT2023 will deeply focus on new technologies, achievements, breakthroughs and trends in the fields of micro/nano and other related frontiers. Through various activities, such as the opening ceremony, plenary talks, special sessions, training, call for papers and technology exhibitions, it will build a bridge for communication and cooperation between domestic and foreign micro/nanotechnology workers.

Important dates:

• Abstract deadline: 30 June 2023
• Notification of abstract acceptance: early August 2023
• Poster submission deadline: 15 September 2023
• Full submission deadline: 20 October 2023

Scope:

CSMNT2023 welcomes academic papers in micro-nanotechnology and related fields. Topics include, but are not limited to:

Instructions for submission:
Please click on “Download” and then “Pre-Notification of CSMNT2023” at the following link for more information: http://annual2023.csmnt.org.cn.

Contact:
Secretariat Office of the Chinese Society of Micro-Nano Technology (CSMNT)
Tel: +0086 10 62796707, +0086 10 62772108
E-mail: csmnt@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn

We are pleased to inform you that Coatings (ISSN: 2079-6412) has received an updated CiteScore of 4.7, an increase of 20% compared with the 2021 metric. The 2022 CiteScore™ was released recently, assessing the scientific influence of journals in the 2019 to 2022 period.

Coatings’ CiteScore ranks as follows:

• Q2 (20 out of 55 journals) in the “Surfaces and Interfaces” category;
• Q2 (49 out of 131 journals) in the “Surfaces, Coatings and Films” category;
• Q2 (115 out of 306 journals) in the “Materials Chemistry” category.

For more journal statistics, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/journal/coatings/stats.

We would like to thank the award committee of Coatings (ISSN: 2079-6412) for their hard work in selecting two winners from such a large number of exceptional candidates, with Dr. Costică Bejinariu being one of the winners. We will continue to reward reviewers with the Outstanding Reviewer Award to acknowledge their efforts in maintaining the high quality and quick turnaround time of the journal, and we wish them every success in their careers.

Short biography: Dr. Costică Bejinariu is a full professor and researcher at Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Romania, with over 35 years of academic experience. He also holds the position of Vice Dean at the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering and has been a Ph.D. supervisor since 2009. He has completed five doctoral theses and currently supervises 10 doctoral students.

Dr. Costică Bejinariu’s main field of expertise is materials engineering. He has published 25 books/chapters and monographs, over 250 research papers with more than 1000 citations, and possesses an h-index of 18-WoS/20-Scopus. He has worked on over 50 scientific research and development contracts; for 5 of which he was the project director, and for 2 projects he worked as the project manager. Furthermore, he owns 12 invention patents in the field of materials engineering, which were presented at numerous invention conferences, where he was awarded medals.

Dr. Costică Bejinariu is an active member of several professional associations in the field, a reviewer for multiple scientific journals, and is on scientific committees of different congresses. He is a member of the Committee of Materials Engineering, Engineering and Materials Science of the National Council for Attestation of University Titles, Diplomas and Certificates (CNATDCU), which is an independent, national consulting entity in Romania.

Contact emails: costica.bejinariu@academic.tuiasi.ro; costica.bejinariu@tuiasi.ro; costica.bejinariu@yahoo.com; costica.bejinariu@gmail.com

We hope you enjoy the interview.

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers?

I am a university professor at Gheorghe Asachi Technical University in Iasi, Romania, and am involved in both teaching and research. The main subject that I teach undergraduate students is materials technology, materials science and engineering, a subject with content related to the elaboration of metallic materials and the processing of metallic materials via casting, plastic deformation, welding, etc. As a secondary discipline, I teach assessment of occupational injury and illness risks to master's degree students. I conduct research with doctoral and postdoctoral students in the field of materials engineering.

2. What is your current research and why did you choose this research field?

Currently, my main research is focused on the field of coatings via the conversion of metallic materials, in this case, the formation of phosphate layers on the surfaces of some metallic materials, mainly to improve steel corrosion resistance or to improve osseointegration for some biomaterials based on titanium.

3. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

In the materials engineering field, in the near future, the trends will be those of replacing some polymeric materials with biodegradable materials and the design of new materials with superior, multifunctional properties, such as smart materials with shape memory or transparent metallic materials.

4. Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research? How did you overcome them?

When you begin materials engineering research, the success rate is about 70%. In 30% of cases, either one abandons the research with the publication of the results so that other researchers don’t repeat the same work without success, or some surprising results appear, leading to more successful research.

5. What qualities do you think young scientists need?

Young people with a passion for research need perseverance and strong motivation. I, for example, with my experience gained so far, would not approach some research topics. Young people, however, in the unconsciousness of youth, may approach these topics and the result of their work may be a great success.

6. Can you briefly describe the key to a happy laboratory life?

If you are dedicated to working in the laboratory, the joy comes when the results appear. Being absorbed in your work leads to the intensification of your work, which helps with the dissemination of the results, and thus a happy life in the laboratory.

7. If you have the opportunity, will you actively apply to attend academic conferences? What do you think you can learn from participating in conferences?

The dissemination of results is key to laboratory work development. The exchange of experiences by participating in academic conferences, during the discussion of the results of the presented work, creates the opportunity for improving the work in your laboratory.

8. What do you think are the main criteria that should be taken seriously in the process of reviewing manuscripts?

First, the reviewer guidelines for each journal or group of journals must be followed. Second, each scientific paper is unique and must be reviewed according to the proposed objective, the results obtained, the interpretation of the results, and the drawing of conclusions. This should be achieved by using the research results under discussion.

9. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts reviewers and authors?

Open access journals represent the optimal category of journals today and in the near future. Authors can easily consult scientific works with reference to the current stage of development in the narrow field that they are studying, and the reviewers can check the work much more easily with free access to the bibliography used. The time for evaluating the work is greatly reduced, and the quality of the evaluation is superior.

We would like to thank the award committee of Coatings (ISSN: 2079-6412) for their hard work in selecting two winners from such a large number of exceptional candidates, with Dr. Anca Mazare being one of the winners. We will continue to reward reviewers with the Outstanding Reviewer Award to acknowledge their efforts in maintaining the high quality and quick turnaround time of the journal, and we wish them every success in their careers.

Short biography: Dr. Anca Mazare received her Ph.D. in chemistry from Politechnica University of Bucharest, Romania, in 2012 under the supervision of Prof. Demetrescu. She then joined the group of Prof. Schmuki at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Germany, in 2012 as a postdoctoral fellow, and was a visiting associate professor at AIMR, Tohoku University, Japan, for 13 months between September 2021 and January 2023. Currently, she is also pursuing her habilitation under the supervision of Prof. Schmuki. Her research field comprises oxide nanomaterials and their nanostructuring, composite materials of different oxides, oxide modification with organic materials, biomaterials, energy conversion, photocatalysis, and surface analytics (XPS, SEM, ToF-SIMS, AFM, electrochemical characterization). She is an active reviewer and has published more than 80 papers in international journals, has an h-index of 30, and has given numerous oral presentations/invited talks at international conferences.

Interests: nanomaterials; nanostructuring; nanomanufacturing; biomaterials; functional biomaterials; semiconductors; photocatalysis; electrocatalysis; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; surface analysis techniques; single atom; energy conversion

We hope you enjoy the interview.

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers?

As mentioned in my biographical statement, I am currently a postdoctoral researcher but I’m also additionally pursuing my habilitation at FAU. I enjoy the challenges that come with research in general, as well as the teaching opportunities.

2. What is your current research and why did you choose this research field?

I am currently working on oxide nanomaterials and their applications in energy conversion and biomedical areas. This is actually quite a vast field, but for me, I found my niche when I started my postdoctoral activity in 2012 working in the group of Prof. Schmuki, an expert in the field of nanostructured oxide materials via electrochemical anodization, and building upon this with targeted applications. I am also fascinated by surface analysis techniques that bring forth a more thorough understanding of materials’ properties.

3. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

Research topics are in a continuous state of development, especially regarding the strive for green energy, sustainability, and better utilization of resources. Besides these research directions, I strongly believe that medical research will always be of interest, i.e., devices, drugs, and biomedical applications. No matter the advances in the design of materials, analysis techniques also have to keep up, especially regarding nanosurfaces and in situ analysis.

4. Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research? How did you overcome them?

There are always difficulties in research. From the perspective of the research itself, what you plan/expect is not (always) what you get, so adaptability, finding alternate solutions to reach milestones, and resilience are always a must. My approach is seeing it as figuring out a puzzle, and I adapt based on my initial findings. One difficulty is related to time management, especially for researchers with kids who are directly dependent on their available childcare solutions. For me, the toughest time was the closure of kindergartens during the COVID pandemic, and I cannot say I overcame it, but I survived it.

5. What qualities do you think young scientists need?

Curiosity, adaptability, resilience, some analytical abilities, and good enough communication and collaboration skills.

6. If you have the opportunity, will you actively apply to attend academic conferences? What do you think you can learn from participating in conferences, which is different from working in a lab?

Yes, I do strive to actively attend academic conferences (although this is more difficult now with a 5-year-old and an 8-month-old baby). Participating in conferences strengthens one’s analytical skills (figuring out what others did from their presentations/posters), communication (being able to briefly explain why your research is important), language skills, and it can also improve collaboration skills. The highest impact lies in networking, which can bring about an increase in collaborations.

7. What do you think are the main criteria that should be taken seriously in the process of reviewing manuscripts?

This is a long list but some of the most important aspects are the following: Is there novel data or the reproduction of previous works? How does it fit into the research topic? Does the data support the authors’ conclusion? Are the methods clearly described (logical, reproducible, etc.)? Does it fit within the scope of the journal (consider its novelty too)? Is there a clear presentation of data, sound data presentation?

8. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts reviewers and authors?

This enables greater accessability, as no subscription is needed and this leads to a higher distribution of the work and more visibility for the authors. The reviewers can be negatively impacted by the number of papers that they receive for review, as reviewing is time-consuming, and thus a balance between the research work, teaching, and other activities has to be found. However, reviewing strengthens one’s knowledge in their respective field of work and keeps reviewers up-to-date with recent scientific developments.

The editorial team of the journal Coatings (IF: 3.236, ISSN: 2079-6412) was honored to meet the Section Editor-in-Chief Dr. Michele Ferrari at the Barcelona office on 29 May 2023.

Dr. Michele Ferrari, from the Institute of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Technologies for Energy, National Research Council, Italy, was appointed Section-Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Environmental Aspects in Colloid and Interface Science” and became a Section Board Member of the Section “Corrosion, Wear and Erosion” of Coatings in 2021. During the visit, Dr. Ferrari offered us many professional suggestions which will be valuable for further improving the journal’s service.

We appreciate the support that Dr. Ferrari has given to MDPI, and we look forward to his contributions to the journal and the continued success of Coatings. Further information about the journal can be found here.

(a)	(b)

(a) From left to right: Regional Operations Director Mr. Hobart Mu and Dr. Michele Ferrari;
(b) From left to right: Dr. Michele Ferrari and Mr. Hobart Mu.