Announcements
8 May 2026
MDPI Webinar | International Day of Families, 15 May 2026
MDPI is pleased to announce a special webinar in celebration of International Day of Families on 15 May 2026. This event aims to raise awareness of the vital role families play in society and explore the social, economic, and demographic factors that influence family well-being across the world. It also seeks to highlight the importance of family-oriented policies in promoting equality, supporting child development, and fostering sustainable social progress.
Date: 15 May at 4:00 p.m. CEST | 10:00 p.m. CST Asia | 9:00 a.m. CDT
Webinar ID: 851 6580 3522
Register now for free.
Program
| Speaker | Presentation Title | Time in CEST | Time in CST (Asia) | Time in CDT |
| MDPI Introduction | 4:00–4:05 p.m. | 10:00–10:05 p.m. | 9:00–9:05 a.m. | |
| Dr. Pan Wang | Parental Matchmaking in China: Stratified Resources, Marriage Opportunities, and Child Well-being | 4:05–4:25 p.m. | 10:05–10:25 p.m. | 9:05–9:25 a.m. |
| Prof. Dr. John Bartkowski and Ms. Katherine Klee | Breastfeeding as a Collective Achievement: Families, Communities, and Lactation Outcomes in Early Childhood | 4:25–4:45 p.m. | 10:25–10:45 p.m. | 9:25–9:45 a.m. |
| Prof. Dr. Joseph G. Grzywacz | Beyond the “Sponge Concept”: Toward an Ontology of F-A-M-I-L-Y in Family Science | 4:45–5:05 p.m. | 10:45–11:05 p.m. | 9:45–10:05 a.m. |
| Dr. Sampson Blair | Changing Marriage and Fertility Aspirations: An Examination of Young Adults in the Philippines | 5:05–5:25 p.m. | 11:05–11:25 p.m. | 10:05–10:25 a.m. |
| Dr. Sviatlana Karpava | Navigating Displacement: Perceptions, Challenges, and Resilience of Transnational Ukrainian Refugee Families in Cyprus | 5:25–5:45 p.m. | 11:25–11:45 p.m. | 10:25–10:45 a.m. |
| Q&A | 5:45–6:00 p.m. | 11:45–12:00 p.m. | 10:45–11:00 a.m. | |
| Webinar Closing | 6:00–6:05 p.m. | 12:00–12:05 am | 11:00–11:05 a.m. |
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic and institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Unable to attend? Register anyway, and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Webinar Keynote Speakers:
- Dr. Pan Wang, Associate Professor, Chinese and Asian Studies, Deputy Education Convenor, HAL;
- Prof. Dr. John Bartkowski, Department of Sociology and Demography, University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio, Texas, United States;
- Ms. Katherine Klee, Lead Evaluator, Bartkowski & Associates Research Team; San Antonio, Texas, United States;
- Prof. Dr. Joseph G. Grzywacz, Associate Dean of Research, College of Health and Human Sciences, San Jose State University;
- Dr. Sampson Blair, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines;
- Dr. Sviatlana Karpava, Associate Professor, Chinese and Asian Studies, Deputy Education Convenor, HA Department of English Studies, University of Cyprus, Cyprus.
