Announcements

We are pleased to announce that the winner of the Energies 2022 Young Investigator Award—Prof. Dr. Saeed Golestan.

Name: Prof. Dr. Saeed Golestan
Affiliation: Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
Research Interests: synchronization systems; signal processing; power quality; stability analysis; small-signal modeling; microgrids

Prof. Dr. Saeed Golestan is a tenured Associate Professor at AAU Energy, Aalborg University (AAU), Aalborg, Denmark. His research interests include designing control systems for grid-tied power converters, designing grid synchronization and signal processing algorithms/filters for AC power applications, modeling and stability assessment of power electronic-based power systems including wind and PV systems, and the application of quantum computation in solving power system problems. Prof. Dr. Golestan received his Ph.D. in 2018 and has an outstanding publication record. Throughout his career, he has been the principal author of 55 papers in prestigious journals and co-author of 35 journal papers. These articles have received around 7000 citations. He is a senior member of IEEE, and an associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics and the Journal of Energies.

We would like to thank the award committee for their excellent work in the difficult task of selecting a winner from such a large number of excellent candidates. We would also like to thank all the nominees from various fields for their participation. We will continue to reward young scientists with the Young Investigator Award and wish them every success in their careers.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Saeed Golestan:

1. What is your current research direction? Why did you choose this field?

My current research direction is focused on developing advanced synchronization and control systems for power electronics converters, as well as modeling and stability assessment of power electronics-based power systems. I chose this field because it is a rapidly evolving area with significant potential to make a positive impact on the global energy transition and address climate change.

2. What are the hot research topics in this field in the next few years?

Some hot research topics in this field in the next few years include:

• Grid forming power converter technologies;
• Exploring the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning to address computational challenges of the grid of future;
• Developing new control methods for emerging power electronic technologies such as solid-state transformers and power electronic circuit breakers.

3. Have you encountered any difficulties in your research? How did you overcome them?

Yes, I have encountered difficulties in my research, such as identifying the right balance between control complexity and performance, and dealing with uncertainties in the system. To overcome these challenges, I have relied on collaboration with other researchers and experts in the field.

4. What qualities do young scholars need to possess?

I believe that young scholars need to possess several qualities, including:

• A passion for their research area and a willingness to learn and explore new ideas;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Effective communication and collaboration skills to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams;
• Resilience and persistence in the face of challenges and setbacks.

5. Do you have any suggestions for improvement regarding the award?

I suggest increasing the visibility and outreach of the awards program to attract a more diverse and global pool of applicants, and offering additional resources and support to winners to help them to advance their research careers.

6. Energies is an open access (OA) journal. What impact do you think OA has on author submissions?

Open access journals like Energies (ISSN: 1996-1073) can have a significant impact on author submissions by providing broader and more equitable access to research findings, which can lead to increased visibility and citations for authors. OA can also help to address issues of information inequality and democratize access to knowledge, which can benefit researchers, practitioners, and policymakers around the world.

Please join us in congratulating Prof. Dr. Saeed Golestan for his outstanding achievement.

MDPI will be attending the 21st National Electrochemistry Conference, organized by the Chinese Society of Electrochemistry (CSE) and hosted by the Dalian University of Technology, which will be held from 22 to 25 May 2023, in Dalian, China. The conference will focus on the development of electrochemical science and comprehensively present the latest research progress and results achieved in electrochemistry in China in the new era. The aim is to promote the application of electrochemical science and technology in energy, environment, materials and other relevant fields, and to achieve the sustainable development of society.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Energies;
• Molecules;
• Coatings;
• IJMS;
• Batteries;
• Symmetry;
• Processes;
• Catalysts;
• Crystals;
• Minerals;
• Technologies;
• Electrochem;
• ChemEngineering;
• Analytica;
• Chemosensors.

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth (#55) and 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 about the conference, please visit the following link: http://www.sciencemate.com/meeting/electrochem.

1. “An Energy Consumption Approach to Estimate Air Emission Reductions in Container Shipping”
   by Ernest Czermański, Giuseppe T. Cirella, Aneta Oniszczuk-Jastrząbek, Barbara Pawłowska and Theo Notteboom
   Energies 2021, 14(2), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14020278
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/2/278

2. “Evaluation of Urban Tree Leaf Biomass-Potential, Physico-Mechanical and Chemical Parameters of Raw Material and Solid Biofuel”
   by Krzysztof Mudryk, Marcin Jewiarz, Marek Wróbel, Marcin Niemiec and Arkadiusz Dyjakon
   Energies 2021, 14(4), 818; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14040818
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/4/818

3. “Power Quality Phenomena, Standards, and Proposed Metrics for DC Grids”
   by Andrea Mariscotti
   Energies 2021, 14(20), 6453; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14206453
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/20/6453

4. “Traffic and Energy Consumption Modelling of Electric Vehicles: Parameter Updating from Floating and Probe Vehicle Data”
   by Antonello Ignazio Croce,Giuseppe Musolino, Corrado Rindone and Antonino Vitetta
   Energies 2022, 15(1), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15010082
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/1/82

5. “The Influence of Introducing Autonomous Vehicles on Conventional Transport Modes and Travel Time”
   by Jamil Hamadneh and Domokos Esztergár-Kiss
   Energies 2021, 14(14), 4163; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14144163
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/14/4163

6. “Development of a Unified Taxonomy for HVAC System Faults”
   by Yimin Chen, Guanjing Lin, Eliot Crowe and Jessica Granderson
   Energies 2021, 14(17), 5581; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14175581
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/17/5581

7. “Exploiting the Nutrient Potential of Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge: A Review”
   by Nicola Di Costanzo, Alessandra Cesaro, Francesco Di Capua and Giovanni Esposito
   Energies 2021, 14(23), 8149; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14238149
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/23/8149

8. “Life Cycle Assessment of Bioethanol Production: A Review of Feedstock, Technology and Methodology”
   by Tahereh Soleymani Angili, Katarzyna Grzesik, Anne Rödl and Martin Kaltschmitt
   Energies 2021, 14(10), 2939; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14102939
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/10/2939

9. “A Di-Carbazole-Based Dye as a Potential Sensitizer for Greenhouse-Integrated Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells”
   by Dimitris A. Chalkias, Christos Charalampopoulos, Stefania Aivali, Aikaterini K. Andreopoulou, Aggeliki Karavioti and Elias Stathatos
   Energies 2021, 14(4), 1159; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14041159
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/4/1159

10. “Relationship among Economic Growth (GDP), Energy Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Emission: Evidence from V4 Countries”
    by Janusz Myszczyszyn and Błażej Suproń
    Energies 2021, 14(22), 7734; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14227734
    Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/22/7734

1. “A Critical Look at Coulomb Counting Approach for State of Charge Estimation in Batteries”
   by Kiarash Movassagh, Arif Raihan, Balakumar Balasingam and Krishna Pattipati
   Energies 2021, 14(14), 4074; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14144074
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/14/4074

2. “Wireless Power Transfer Technologies Applied to Electric Vehicles: A Review”
   by Alicia Triviño, José M. González-González and José A. Aguado
   Energies 2021, 14(6), 1547; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14061547
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/6/1547

3. “Utilization of Electric Vehicles for Vehicle-to-Grid Services: Progress and Perspectives”
   by Sai Sudharshan Ravi and Muhammad Aziz
   Energies 2022, 15(2), 589; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15020589
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/2/589

4. “End of Electric Vehicle Batteries: Reuse vs. Recycle”
   by Yash Kotak, Carlos Marchante Fernández, Lluc Canals Casals, Bhavya Satishbhai Kotak, Daniel Koch, Christian Geisbauer, Lluís Trilla, Alberto Gómez-Núñez and Hans-Georg Schweiger
   Energies 2021, 14(8), 2217; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14082217
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/8/2217

5. “Switched Reluctance Motors and Drive Systems for Electric Vehicle Powertrains: State of the Art Analysis and Future Trends”
   by Yuanfeng Lan, Yassine Benomar, Kritika Deepak, Ahmet Aksoz, Mohamed El Baghdadi, Emine Bostanci and Omar Hegazy
   Energies 2021, 14(8), 2079; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14082079
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/8/2079

6. “Battery Thermal Management Systems: Current Status and Design Approach of Cooling Technologies”
   by Thomas Imre Cyrille Buidin and Florin Mariasiu
   Energies 2021, 14(16), 4879; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14164879
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/4879

7. “Optimal Energy Management for Hybrid Electric Vehicles Based on Dynamic Programming and Receding Horizon”
   by Pierpaolo Polverino, Ivan Arsie and Cesare Pianese
   Energies 2021, 14(12), 3502; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14123502
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/12/3502

8. “Online SOC Estimation Based on Simplified Electrochemical Model for Lithium-Ion Batteries Considering Current Bias”
   by Longxing Wu, Kai Liu,Hui Pang and Jiamin Jin
   Energies 2021, 14(17), 5265; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14175265
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/17/5265

9. “Alternating Current Loss of Superconductors Applied to Superconducting Electrical Machines”
   by Hongye Zhang, Zezhao Wen, Francesco Grilli, Konstantinos Gyftakis and Markus Mueller
   Energies 2021, 14(8), 2234; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14082234
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/8/2234

10. “Electric Mobility in a Smart City: European Overview”
    by Roberto Ruggieri, Marco Ruggeri, Giuliana Vinci and Stefano Poponi
    Energies 2021, 14(2), 315; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14020315
    Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/2/315

MDPI will be attending the 2023 Science and Technology Annual Meeting of Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, which will be held from 22 to 23 April 2023, in Nanchang, China. The theme of the annual meeting is “Develop green and low-carbon, build a beautiful China”.

The annual meeting has arranged for an opening ceremony and specially invited keynote speeches, subsession seminars, high-end forums, special sessions for young scientists, poster exchanges, environmental protection science and technology achievement exhibitions, special events, etc. A total of 1800 delegates are expected to attend. Four academicians and other well-known experts are expected to deliver keynote speeches on climate change, the prevention and control of atmospheric, water, and soil environmental pollution, and environmental management science as well as technology. The invited keynote speeches touch on fields such as achievements in transformation.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Sustainability;
• Toxics;
• Energies;
• Climate;
• Land;
• Minerals;
• Resources;
• Forests;
• Remote Sensing;
• Earth;
• Clean Technologies.
  

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Energies 2021 Best Paper Awards, sponsored by MDPI and Energies (ISSN: 1996-1073). Following a review process by the Evaluation Committee, twenty papers were selected. The recipients are as follows:

Articles:

1st place award: (CHF 1000 + one free publication + a certificate)

• “Deep-Learning Forecasting Method for Electric Power Load via Attention-Based Encoder-Decoder with Bayesian Optimization”
  by Xue-Bo Jin, Wei-Zhen Zheng, Jian-Lei Kong, Xiao-Yi Wang, Yu-Ting Bai, Ting-Li Su and Seng Lin
  Energies 2021, 14(6), 1596; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14061596

2nd place awards: (CHF 600 + one free publication + a certificate)

• “Confronting Energy Poverty in Europe: A Research and Policy Agenda”
  by Stefan Bouzarovski, Harriet Thomson and Marine Cornelis
  Energies 2021, 14(4), 858; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14040858

• “Nexus between Financial Development, Renewable Energy Consumption, Technological Innovations and CO₂ Emissions: The Case of India”
  by Muhammad Qayyum, Minhaj Ali, Mir Muhammad Nizamani, Shijie Li, Yuyuan Yu and Atif Jahanger
  Energies 2021, 14(15), 4505; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14154505

• “The Beneficial Effect of the Addition of Fly Ash on Reduction of the Size of Microcracks in the ITZ of Concrete Composites under Dynamic Loading”
  by Grzegorz Ludwik Golewski
  Energies 2021, 14(3), 668; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14030668

3rd place awards: (CHF 400 + one free publication + a certificate)

• “A Scalable Real-Time Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring System for the Estimation of Household Appliance Power Consumption”
  by Christos Athanasiadis, Dimitrios Doukas, Theofilos Papadopoulos and Antonios Chrysopoulos
  Energies 2021, 14(3), 767; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14030767

• “Do Perceived Risk, Perception of Self-Efficacy, and Openness to Technology Matter for Solar PV Adoption? An Application of the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior”
  by Arifa Tanveer, Shihong Zeng, Muhammad Irfan and Rui Peng
  Energies 2021, 14(16), 5008; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14165008

• “Do Environment-Related Policy Instruments and Technologies Facilitate Renewable Energy Generation? Exploring the Contextual Evidence from Developed Economies”
  by Umer Shahzad, Magdalena Radulescu, Syed Rahim, Cem Isik, Zahid Yousaf and Stefan Alexandru Ionescu
  Energies 2021, 14(3), 690; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14030690

• “Economic Considerations on Nutrient Utilization in Wastewater Management”
  by Josef Maroušek and Anna Maroušková
  Energies 2021, 14(12), 3468; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14123468

• Assessing the Level of Energy and Climate Sustainability in the European Union Countries in the Context of the European Green Deal Strategy and Agenda 2030
  By Magdalena Tutak, Jarosław Brodny and Peter Bindzár
  Energies 2021, 14(6), 1767; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14061767

• ”Impact of the Lockdown during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Electricity Use by Residential Users”
  by Sławomir Bielecki, Tadeusz Skoczkowski, Lidia Sobczak, Janusz Buchoski, Łukasz Maciąg and Piotr Dukat
  Energies 2021, 14(4), 980; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14040980

Reviews:

1st place award: (CHF 1000 + one free publication + a certificate)

• “A Review of DC Microgrid Energy Management Systems Dedicated to Residential Applications”
  by Sadaqat Ali, Zhixue Zheng, Michel Aillerie, Jean-Paul Sawicki, Marie-Cécile Péra and Daniel Hissel
  Energies 2021, 14(14), 4308; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14144308

2nd place awards: (CHF 600 + one free publication + a certificate)

• “CdTe-Based Thin Film Solar Cells: Past, Present and Future”
  by Alessandro Romeo and Elisa Artegiani
  Energies 2021, 14(6), 1684; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14061684

• “Methane Cracking for Hydrogen Production: A Review of Catalytic and Molten Media Pyrolysis”
  by Malek Msheik, Sylvain Rodat and Stéphane Abanades
  Energies 2021, 14(11), 3107; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14113107

• “Recent Progress of Organic Photovoltaics with Efficiency over 17%”
  by Xuelin Wang, Qianqian Sun, Jinhua Gao, Jian Wang, Chunyu Xu, Xiaoling Ma and Fujun Zhang
  Energies 2021, 14(14), 4200; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14144200

3rd place awards: (CHF 400 + one free publication + a certificate)

• “Bifacial Photovoltaics 2021: Status, Opportunities and Challenges”
  by Radovan Kopecek and Joris Libal
  Energies 2021, 14(8), 2076; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14082076

• “Comprehensive Review on Fuel Cell Technology for Stationary Applications as Sustainable and Efficient Poly-Generation Energy Systems”
  by Viviana Cigolotti, Matteo Genovese and Petronilla Fragiacomo
  Energies 2021, 14(16), 4963; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14164963

• “Critical Review of Flywheel Energy Storage System”
  by Abdul Ghani Olabi, Tabbi Wilberforce, Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem and Mohamad Ramadan
  Energies 2021, 14(8), 2159; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14082159

• “Integrated Approach for Wastewater Treatment and Biofuel Production in Microalgae Biorefineries”
  by Sanjeet Mehariya, Rahul Kumar Goswami, Pradeep Verma, Roberto Lavecchia and Antonio Zuorro
  Energies 2021, 14(8), 2282; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14082282

• “Review of Multilevel Inverters for PV Energy System Applications”
  by Ali Bughneda, Mohamed Salem, Anna Richelli, Dahaman Ishak and Salah Alatai
  Energies 2021, 14(6), 1585; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14061585

• “Review on Deep Neural Networks Applied to Low-Frequency NILM”
  by Patrick Huber, Alberto Calatroni, Andreas Rumsch and Andrew Paice
  Energies 2021, 14(9), 2390; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14092390

Please join us in congratulating the winners of Energies. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our authors for their continued support of Energies.

1. “Preparation, Functionalization, Modification, and Applications of Nanostructured Gold: A Critical Review”
   by Muhammad Yaseen, Muhammad Humayun, Abbas Khan, Muhammad Usman, Habib Ullah, Asif Ali Tahir and Habib Ullah
   Energies 2021, 14(5), 1278; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14051278
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/5/1278

2. “Power-to-Gas and Power-to-X—The History and Results of Developing a New Storage Concept”
   by Michael Sterner and Michael Specht
   Energies 2021, 14(20), 6594; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14206594
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/20/6594

3. “Technology for the Recovery of Lithium from Geothermal Brines”
   by William T. Stringfellow and Patrick F. Dobson
   Energies 2021, 14(20), 6805; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14206805
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/20/6805

4. “The Importance of Local Investments Co-Financed by the European Union in the Field of Renewable Energy Sources in Rural Areas of Poland”
   by Aldona Standar, Agnieszka Kozera and Łukasz Satoła
   Energies 2021, 14(2), 450; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14020450
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/2/450

5. “Effect of Soiling on Solar Photovoltaic Performance under Desert Climatic Conditions”
   by Idris Al Siyabi, Arwa Al Mayasi, Aiman Al Shukaili and Sourav Khanna
   Energies 2021, 14(3), 659; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14030659
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/3/659

6. “Effect of Thermal, Acoustic and Air Quality Perception Interactions on the Comfort and Satisfaction of People in Office Buildings”
   by Leonidas Bourikas, Stephanie Gauthier, Nicholas Khor Song En and Peiyao Xiong
   Energies 2021, 14(2), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14020333
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/2/333

7. “Coping with Energy Poverty: Measurements, Drivers, Impacts, and Solutions”
   by George E. Halkos and Eleni-Christina Gkampoura
   Energies 2021, 14(10), 2807; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14102807
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/10/2807

8. “The Effectiveness of Energy Cooperatives Operating on the Capacity Market”
   By Jakub Jasiński, Mariusz Kozakiewicz and Maciej Sołtysik
   Energies 2021, 14(11), 3226; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14113226
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/11/3226

9. “Sustainable Spatial Energy Planning of Large-Scale Wind and PV Farms in Israel: A Collaborative and Participatory Planning Approach”
   by Sofia Spyridonidou,Georgia Sismani, Eva Loukogeorgaki, Dimitra G. Vagiona, Hagit Ulanovsky and Daniel Madar
   Energies 2021, 14(3), 551; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14030551
   Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/3/551

10. “Forecasting Charging Demand of Electric Vehicles Using Time-Series Models”
    by Yunsun Kim and Sahm Kim
    Energies 2021, 14(5), 1487; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14051487
    Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/5/1487

We had the pleasure of speaking with Prof. Dr. Mariagiovanna Minutillo, Editorial Board Member of Energies (ISSN: 1996-1073). We hope you enjoy the interview.

Prof. Dr. Mariagiovanna Minutillo, a full professor at the University of Salerno, Italy, has 20 years of experience in teaching and research activities on fuel cell (FC) technologies, hydrogen (H2) technologies, the sustainability of energy technologies, and the decarbonization and economic profitability of energy systems. Since 2019, she has been covering the role of Research and TTM Manager in the ATENA High-Technology District for Sustainable Energy Systems.

Her research activity has produced many prototypes based on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies: back-up power generator; micro-CHP system; smart hybrid propulsion system for light passenger and commercial vehicles; microbial fuel cell reactors. More than 180 scientific papers that she authored or co-authored in her research fields have been presented at national and international conferences and published in international journals. She is involved in research projects devoted to building a European roadmap towards full-scale FC and H2 deployment and promoting novel and sustainable technologies for supporting decarbonization in several energy sectors.

The following is an interview with Prof. Dr. Giovanni Improta:

Part I: About our Editorial Board Member

1. Could you please tell us a bit about your current research?
   Hydrogen technologies from their production (electrolysis, reforming) to their utilization of power production (low- and high-temperature fuel cells).

2. Could you recommend some hot topics in this research area?
   Hydrogen refueling station development and implementation from technical and economical points of view.

3. What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment?
   I am a full-time professor at the University of Salerno, Italy.

4. What motivated you to join the Energies Editorial Board? How was your experience working with the journal editorial team?
   The journal publishes interesting papers. I had good support and opportunities when working with the journal editorial team.

5. As Energies is an Open Access journal, can you share with us your attitude or feelings toward Open Access publication?
   Today, several international projects require that research results should be published in Open Access journals.

6. How do you think COVID-19 affects engineering research projects and publishing?
   I do not think that COVID-19 affects engineering research projects and publishing.

Part II: About women in the engineering field

1. We know that the engineering field is male-dominated. When you were young, what made you decide to become an expert engineer?
   I had an interest in and a passion for the topics in the engineering research field.

2. In your opinion, what are the obstacles that female engineers are facing if they want to participate more in engineering-related academia?
   It is not easy to combine family (kids) and work.

3. Would you like to give some advice or tips for other females pursuing or those that will pursue their career in this area?
   If you love your research work, do not let obstacles get you down and go ahead.

4. Do you think it is important to inspire more young females to participate and increase the diversity in the engineering field?
   Sure.

5. Finally, do you have any suggestions for our journal’s future development?
   A reduction in fees for young women.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Prof. Dr. Helena M. Ramos, Editorial Board Member of Energies (ISSN: 1996-1073). We hope you enjoy the interview.

Prof. Dr. Helena M. Ramos is a Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico—IST (the faculty of engineering at the University of Lisbon, Portugal) and is a member of CERIS in the Department of Civil Engineering. Ramos belongs to the World’s Top 2% Scientists, as chosen by scientists from Stanford University (Aug. 2021; Sept 2022). She has participated in several international projects and supervised more than fifty Ph.D. and master’s theses. She has featured in over 4000 citations and has an h-index of 33 (in Scopus). She is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Water and has been a member of the Editorial Board of several other journals. 

Prof. Dr. Ramos has been a member of various editorial teams and a reviewer of different scientific journals. She has been featured in several publications; she has appeared more than 160 times in international journals, and more than 150 times at conferences. She is also credited with 36 book chapters and was editor/co-author of seven books; among these, Guidelines for Design of Small Hydropower Plants (2000), Pump as Turbines (2018), and Bombas Operando como Turbinas (2020) are of particular note. Prof. Dr. Ramos has received more than six international scientific awards. Her areas of expertise include hydraulic transients, hydropower and pumping systems, renewable hybrid solutions with pumped storage, water-energy nexus, and energy and hydraulic efficiency.

1. Could you please tell us a bit about yourself and your current research?

I am a Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico—IST—of the Engineering Faculty of the University of Lisbon. I am also an effective member of CERIS, the University Research Center for Innovation and Sustainability. I was ranked in the Top 2% World’s Scientists by Stanford University (Aug. 2021) and was ranked in the Top Engineering and Technology Scientists list published by Research.com (Dec. 2021), due to the number of publications I have produced and the citations that I have. I am an active researcher in the scientific areas of hydraulics, hydropower, hydraulic transients, pumped hydropower storage, water-energy nexus and hydrodynamics.

2. Could you recommend some hot topics in those research areas?

• Water-energy nexus;
• Transients in pipe systems;
• Pumped hydropower storage (PHS) to integrate intermittent renewable sources;
• Hydrodynamic and mathematical modeling of open channels and pressurized systems;
• Innovation and application in eco-design;
• Smart water grids;
• Digital and energy transition;
• Circular economy in the water sector;
• Efficiency and flexibility of water infrastructures.

3. What would you say is your greatest professional accomplishment?

There are several, each representing different steps in my career. The first is my M.Sc. thesis on mathematical modeling in open channels; this was very challenging at the time because my means for research were more limited. The second is my Ph.D., which covered all hydraulic issues and interactions with mechanical and electrical components of hydropower solutions, with a new integrated mathematical model developed for this purpose. The third is the moment that I was given the title of Habilitation. The fourth is the several invitations I received to participate as an EiC and EBM of scientific journals with IF, alongside my work with excellent teams on several scientific projects, working in supervisory roles and transferring knowledge to several Ph.D. and M.Sc. students, and the international recognition that followed. The fifth is the development of several design projects with innovative components and experimental set-ups to test innovation and advanced research. Finally, the sixth is the excellent team that has been created to attain a high level of publications and coverage of several domains. I have undoubtedly had a career with plenty of challenges, obstacles, and achievements. 

4. What motivated you to join the Energies Editorial Board? How was your experience working with the journal editorial team?

The subject of energy is one of my research areas of interest. The journal’s editorial team is fantastic, giving all the support necessary to attain higher levels of scientific impact due to their ready-made template, the excellent selections and choices of the editorial members and reviewers, the fast, high-quality review process and their support for editors, authors and reviewers.

5. As Energies is an Open Access journal, can you share with us your opinion regarding the Open Access model of publication?

I consider it the optimal way to rapidly disseminate innovative research.

6. How do you think COVID-19 has affected engineering research projects and publishing?

COVID-19 has affected all research projects and their activities. We faced disadvantages in postponing meetings, face-to-face discussions in the preparation of publications, and halting developments under field and lab conditions; however, we have also seen advantages in the transition to digital ways of working, which was imposed on us by the pandemic.

7. We know that engineering is a male-dominated field; when you were young, what made you decide to become an expert engineer?

The challenges of engineering, plus my skills and curiosity pushed me and other women to show our equal competence in the field; however, in some cases, we do encounter more difficulties due to social barriers, less open opportunities, mistrust in women’s abilities, and the fact that we are pre-defined based on traditions and obsolete standards.

8. In your opinion, what are the obstacles that female engineers face when they want to participate more in engineering-related academia?

Depending on their country or region, the levels of acceptance and mistrust are very different. I have already mentioned the obstacles in my last point; we need more open minds, confidence in equality and opportunities for all. 

9. Would you like to give some advice or tips for other women pursuing, or those who want to pursue, their career in this area?

Proceed with what you enjoy, what arouses your interest, and what fulfills you; believe in your ability to go further, always improve your knowledge, and don’t give up. 

10. Do you think it is important to inspire younger women to participate in and increase the diversity in engineering teams?

Yes, it is of the utmost importance to balance rights, duties, and creativity within engineering teams, because our different ways of thinking complement each other and allow us to evolve.

11. Finally, do you have any suggestions for our journal’s future development?

Attract the best authors and researchers by giving them publishing opportunities that come with benefits; invite multidisciplinary teams who can foster innovation, new ideas and developments, and can call young researchers to join them. Each senior should bring at least three young researchers onto the paper to incentivize them to continue their research, garner recognition and believe in themselves.

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