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2 April 2024
MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter #10 - South Korea, IWD, U2A, Japan

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts


Left to right: Dr. Jisuk Kang (Scientific Officer, MDPI), Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), and Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Chair of Scientific Office Board, MDPI), during media meetings at Prain Agency office in Seoul, South Korea.

Visit to Seoul, South Korea

During my recent visit to South Korea, I had the privilege of meeting various stakeholders, including representatives of government, research institutions, and academia, to understand their needs and communicate MDPI’s commitment to accessible science. Accompanied by my colleagues Dr. Giulia Stefenelli and Dr. Jisuk Kang, I engaged with the Korean scientific community, which is increasingly embracing open access (OA).

As the leading OA publisher in South Korea, MDPI is trusted by local authors and in 2023 enjoyed an approximately 30% share of the OA market. South Korea ranks sixth globally for MDPI in terms of research papers submitted and published.

MDPI and South Korea by Numbers

As at 30 March, over 76,000 MDPI articles have been authored by individuals affiliated with Korean institutions. We have over 1,800 active editorial board members (EBMs) from South Korea, with more than 880 EBMs having an H-index between 26 and 50, including 10 serving as Chief Editors.

“South Korea is the sixth-largest contributor to our total publications”

Over the past five years (2019–2023), nearly 120,000 authors affiliated with South Korean institutes have published with MDPI. Specifically in 2023, we received approximately 25,000 submissions from South Korean authors, publishing close to 13,000 articles, resulting in a rejection rate of 47.4%, which is not far below MDPI’s overall rejection rate of 56.4% in 2023.

Institutional Partnerships with South Korea

I am pleased to share that MDPI has more than 825 institutional partnerships worldwide, with 12 in South Korea, including Kyunghee University, Chung-Ang University, and Inha University, among others.


Left to right: Dr. Jisuk Kang (Scientific Officer, MDPI), Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Chair of Scientific Office Board, MDPI), and Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) fielding media questions at Prain PR Agency office in Seoul, South Korea.

Over the past three years (2021–2023), we have had some of the most prestigious academic universities ranked among the top 10 Korean institutions publishing with MDPI. Seoul National University had the highest number of publications with MDPI during those three years, publishing nearly 6,000 papers. Universities such as Korea University and Yonsei University also rank among the top 10 Korean institutions publishing with MDPI.

MDPI Hosts Seminar for Academia and Media

As the world’s leading OA publisher, MDPI is actively democratizing science. This is reflected in the seminars we hosted on 21 March to address questions about our editorial processes and ethical standards. The visit garnered media coverage, reflecting our mission to providing high-quality services and fostering open dialogue in the community.

“MDPI is actively democratizing science”

MDPI in the News


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) leading a seminar on OA and MDPI at Prain PR Agency office in Seoul, South Korea.

Media coverage generated by our visit to Seoul included the following stories:

“Open access is an unstoppable trend…it will lead the development of the knowledge ecosystem.”

“Papers that the public needs, anyone can use quickly… low-quality publishing is a misunderstanding.”

I greatly appreciate the contributions of everyone who took the time to meet with us, share their stories, and hold us accountable for continuing to provide high-quality publishing services while identifying areas for improvement. I am also excited to announce that we have opened an MDPI office in Seoul and will release a press release on MDPI.com, with details, by the end April 2024. The purpose of the office is to establish a local presence to connect with and support the South Korean academic community through institutional partnerships, conferences, author workshops, stakeholder communications, and more.

Impactful Research

Featured Articles on Women’s Leadership and Healthcare

In celebration of International Women’s Day (8 March 2024), MDPI curated a collection of research articles on various topics, including women’s leadership, reproductive health, preventive healthcare, and a selection of articles from our journal Women.

Women’s Leadership

Women’s Reproductive Health

Women’s Preventive Healthcare

Featured Articles in MDPI Journal Women

Below are a few articles from Women, our journal focused on women’s health, the social determinants of health, and the healthcare system that serves women. The aim of Women is to encourage academics to publish their experimental and theoretical results in detail, to aid reproducibility, and in an engaging style, to aid comprehensibility.

Inside MDPI

 

Championing Women’s Healthcare and Access to Healthcare Information

MDPI colleagues from our offices joined in celebrating #IWD2024. In doing so, we emphasized key missions that encompass:

  • Empowering women to assume leadership and decision-making roles in both business and science.
  • Helping women and girls make informed decisions about their health.
  • Recruiting and developing female talent and fostering inclusive workplace environments.

“We are thrilled to recognize the accomplishments of women scientists”

I am proud to see our colleagues enthusiastically supporting the International Women’s Day call to ‘Inspire Inclusion!’ The heart-hands in the collage below symbolize our appreciation of the achievements of women researchers and the recognition of the trailblazers who have courageously made a mark on societies past and present.

We are thrilled to recognize the accomplishments of women scientists through our many MDPI awards and by highlighting success stories. As inspirational figures, female scientists are paving the way for the next generation of women aspiring to pursue careers in engineering, life sciences, computing, and various other STEM fields.

“I consider myself lucky because I work with incredibly talented women who inspire me every day.”
– Dr. Alessandra Pasut, Winner of MDPI's ‘Biology 2023 Young Investigator Award’

“It’s really important to find a supportive and enabling environment in which to do your science; it would have a big impact on you as a person and on your scientific outputs.”
– Dr. Rhea Longley, Winner of the ‘Pathogens 2023 Young Investigator Award’

Open-access publishing, in particular, allows early-career women researchers to share their work more widely, potentially attracting mentorship opportunities and collaborations. This support is crucial for career development and advancement.

Coming Together for Science

MDPI Joins United2Act in Collective Fight to Stop Paper Mills

In my February 2024 CEO Letter, I highlighted some of our recent initiatives aimed at bolstering our commitment to research integrity, including joining the STM Integrity Hub and expanding our Research Integrity and Publication Ethics team (RIPE). Continuing our efforts in coming together for science, I am pleased to share our participation in the United2Act initiative.

The text below is taken from our official announcement:

United2Act represents an international group of stakeholders in the publishing industry committed to addressing the collective challenge posed to research integrity by paper mills.

Scientists and academic publishers have increasingly noted the alarming proliferation of paper mills, recognized as fraudulent entities seeking to manipulate the publication process for financial profit. These entities engage in fraudulent practices such as falsifying or fabricating data, selling co-authorship of fake papers, manipulating peer review, and including inappropriate citations. These actions pose a significant threat to the integrity of the scholarly record, prompting widespread concern among those involved in the academic community.

MDPI has been actively contributing to combat the undermining of the scientific record. Our editors employ a set of tools to detect potential ethical breaches within a manuscript and to tackle the issue of fake papers.

United2Act’s consensus statement is the outcome of a virtual summit held in May 2023. It involved the participation of research bodies, publishers, researchers/sleuths, universities, and publishing infrastructure from 15 countries and resulted in a Consensus Statement outlining five key areas of action for all stakeholders:

  • Education and awareness
  • Improve post-publication corrections
  • Facilitate and organise research on paper mills
  • Enable the development of trust markers
  • Facilitate dialogue between stakeholders

MDPI is committed to promoting transparency and integrity in scholarly publishing and is continuing to work closely with the scientific community toward this goal.

Closing Thoughts


Left to right: Ryo Hirayama (Marketing Specialist, MDPI), Takashi Sasabe (Marketing Specialist, MDPI), Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Chair of Scientific Office Board, MDPI), Dr. Izumi Yamamoto (Marketing Manager, MDPI), and Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), at MDPI’s office in Tokyo, Japan.

Visit to Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan

In March, I had the opportunity to visit our Tokyo office and engage with stakeholders in Tokyo and Kyoto. During the visit, I also recorded a video message to welcome Japanese scholars working with MDPI and to highlight our operations in Japan.

We held meetings with Editors-in-Chief, librarians, scholars, and external consultants to gather feedback on our efforts to enhance our reputation and explore additional steps we can take in that direction. Japan's rich cultural heritage, characterized by tradition, respect, and formality, provided valuable insights into meeting the publishing needs specific to Japan.

Japan’s Open Access statistics

Over the years, we have seen a shift from subscription-only to gold OA publishing in Japan, despite the lack of an official mandate. Here are some statistics:

  • 2012: 68% of articles were subscription-only, 6% were green Open Access, and 8% were gold Open Access.
  • 2016: 55% of articles were subscription-only, 6% were green Open Access, and 20% were gold Open Access.
  • 2022: 43% of articles were subscription-only, 7% were green Open Access, and 39% were gold Open Access.

To learn more about the history of OA in Japan as well as about future trends, please read this blog post.

“Japan is the ninth-largest contributor to our total publications”


Left to right: Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Dr. Izumi Yamamoto (Marketing Manager, MDPI), and Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Chair of Scientific Office Board, MDPI) visiting Kyoto University in Kyoto, Japan.

MDPI and Japan by Numbers

As at 1 April, over 50,000 MDPI articles have been authored by scholars affiliated with Japanese institutions, making the country the ninth-largest contributor to our total publications. Over the past three years (2020–2023), nearly 90,000 authors affiliated with Japanese institutes have published with MDPI, and we have collaborated with over 4,600 Guest Editors from Japan.

In 2023, we published over 8,200 papers from authors associated with Japanese institutions. MDPI collaborates with 41 institutional partnerships in Japan, including the University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University, and Nagoya University. We have over 2,100 active EBMs from Japan, more than 1,050 EBMs having an H-index between 26 and 50, including 13 serving as Editors-in-Chief.

General Feedback – a side note

A general takeaway from our discussions with stakeholders from around the world is that negative perceptions of MDPI often stem from misinformation, misconceptions, or misunderstandings about MDPI and our practices. While we acknowledge our mistakes and work diligently to address them, maintaining a strong editorial procedure and robust peer-review process, I find that educating stakeholders about our how we do what we do and our ongoing improvements tends to help shift opinions.

That said, we recognize the importance of addressing individual concerns. We take feedback seriously and are continuously working to get better while not compromising the core principles that millions of authors appreciate about MDPI.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

25 March 2024
Prof. Dr. Miguel Rubi Appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of Section “Thermodynamics” in Entropy


We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Miguel Rubi, a professor at the University of Barcelona, Spain, has been appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Thermodynamics” in Entropy (ISSN: 1099-4300).

In 2003, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation awarded Prof. Dr. Rubi the von Humboldt Prize, and in 2003, the University of Trondheim awarded him the Onsager Medal. He was appointed CAS Fellow 2007/2008 by the Centre for Advanced Study at the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters. In 2010, the Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis awarded him an ICREA Prize. He has been appointed Onsager Professor at the University of Trondheim, Sandoval Vallarta Professor at UAM, Marcos Moshinsky Professor at UNAM, and Institute of Physics Professor at San Luis Potosí of Mexico. In 2012 and 2013, he was a Visiting Professor at CETHIL-INSA, Lyon, and in 2014, he was a Visiting Professor at L’École Polytechnique, Paris. Prof. Dr. Rubi was appointed Leverhulme Professor at Imperial College, London, in 2013–2014. In 2016, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU awarded him the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa. In 2017, the Jagiellonian University at Krakow awarded him the ’Plus Ratio Quam Vis Medal’.

The following is a Q&A with Prof. Dr. Miguel Rubi, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views of the research area and open access publishing:

1. What aspects of the journal appealed to you and motivated you to accept the role of Section Editor-in-Chief?

Several aspects of the journal motivated me to accept the role of Section Editor-in-Chief. I was drawn to the journal's interdisciplinary approach, which enables the exploration of diverse topics and perspectives. Furthermore, I was excited about the opportunity to contribute to the editorial process and help shape the direction of the journal. Finally, I was impressed by the journal's commitment to fostering collaboration and dialogue within the research community, and I saw the role of Section Editor-in-Chief as a means to further facilitate these connections. Overall, I believe that my background and expertise align well with the goals and vision of the journal, and I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve in this capacity. My research interests are in the field of non-equilibrium statistical physics and its application in biology and nanoscience.

2. What is your vision for the Section “Thermodynamics”, and what goals would you like to achieve during your tenure?

My vision for the Section “Thermodynamics” is to create a dynamic platform that serves as a hub for cutting-edge research and innovation in the field of thermodynamics. During my tenure, I aim to achieve several goals:

  1. Promote Interdisciplinary Research: I intend to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations and foster dialogue between researchers from various disciplines. By promoting interdisciplinary research, we can explore new frontiers and address complex challenges in thermodynamics;
  2. Enhance Visibility and Impact: I strive to elevate the visibility and impact of the “Thermodynamics” Section by attracting high-quality submissions and publishing innovative and influential research articles. By maintaining rigorous editorial standards and providing timely and constructive feedback to authors, we can ensure the publication of impactful research that advances the field;
  3. Foster diversity and inclusivity: I am committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity within the Section by actively seeking contributions from researchers with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. By embracing diversity, we can enrich the scientific discourse and foster a more inclusive research community;
  4. Engage with the Research Community: I plan to actively engage with the research community through various channels, including social media, conferences, and workshops. By fostering open communication and collaboration, we can build a strong research community that drives innovation and advances our understanding of thermodynamics.

Overall, my goal for the Section is to create an inclusive and forward-thinking environment that fosters collaboration, innovation, and excellence in thermodynamics research. I look forward to working with authors, reviewers, and Editorial Board Members to achieve these goals and elevate the “Thermodynamics” Section to new heights.

3. In your opinion, what does the future of research in this field look like, and what emerging trends do you anticipate?

The future of research in the field of thermodynamics holds exciting possibilities, with several emerging trends. One prominent trend is the increasing integration of thermodynamics with other scientific disciplines. This interdisciplinary approach is enabling researchers to explore complex phenomena at the intersection of multiple fields, leading to new insights and discoveries.

Additionally, there is a growing focus on nanoscale and mesoscale thermodynamics, driven by advancements in nanotechnology and materials science. Researchers are investigating the thermodynamic properties of nanomaterials, nanofluids, and nanostructures, as well as exploring their potential applications in energy conversion and thermal management.

Furthermore, sustainable energy technologies are becoming increasingly important in thermodynamics research, as the world seeks to address climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. This includes the development of efficient and renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, as well as the optimization of energy storage and conversion systems.

Another emerging trend is the exploration of thermodynamics in non-equilibrium systems, where traditional thermodynamic principles may not apply. Researchers are studying the thermodynamics of far-from-equilibrium systems, such as biological processes, active matter, and quantum systems, and developing new theoretical frameworks to describe their behavior.

Overall, the future of research in thermodynamics promises to be dynamic and multidisciplinary, with continued advancements in nanotechnology, sustainable energy, and non-equilibrium thermodynamics. By embracing these emerging trends and fostering collaboration across disciplines, researchers can address complex challenges and drive innovation in the field.

4. How do you perceive the development and impact of open access in the publishing field?

I perceive the development and impact of open access in the field of thermodynamics to be highly beneficial. Open access publishing has democratized access to scientific knowledge by removing financial barriers and allowing researchers from around the world to freely access and share research findings. This has led to the greater dissemination of research results, increased collaboration among researchers, and accelerated the pace of scientific discovery in thermodynamics.

Furthermore, open access publishing has enhanced the visibility and impact of research in thermodynamics by making it more accessible to a wider audience. This increased visibility could lead to the greater recognition and citation of research articles, ultimately advancing the careers of researchers and promoting the advancement of the field.

Moreover, open access publishing promotes transparency and reproducibility in scientific research by making research articles freely available for scrutiny and verification by the scientific community. This helps to ensure the integrity and reliability of research findings in thermodynamics and fosters trust in the scientific process.

Prof. Dr. Miguel Rubi joined the Entropy Editorial Board in 2016. We wish him every success in his new position and look forward to his contributions to the journal.

22 March 2024
Entropy 2023 Outstanding Reviewer Award—Winners Announced

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Entropy 2023 Outstanding Reviewer Award. The Entropy Editorial Board and editorial team would like to gratefully acknowledge the time and energy dedicated by reviewers in checking the manuscripts submitted to Entropy (ISSN: 1099-4300). It is due to their efforts that the high quality of the journal and quick turnaround are maintained.

Name: Prof. Dr. Dennis Dieks
Affiliation: History and Philosophy of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Research Interests: philosophy of physics; foundations of quantum mechanics; philosophy of space and time; probability; philosophy of science

Name: Prof. Dr. Laszlo Csirmaz
Affiliation: Institute of Information Theory and Automation, Prague, Czech Republic
Research Interests: cryptography; combinatorics; entropy; mathematical logic

Name: Prof. Dr. Alberto Porta
Affiliations: 1Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
2Department of Cardiothoracic, Vascular Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy
Research Interests: time series analysis; cardiovascular control; complexity

Name: Prof. Dr. Themis Matsoukas
Affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
Research Interests: statistical thermodynamics; population balances and their application to multicomponent systems; deterministic and stochastic simulation of particulate processes; clustering and fragmentation on discrete graphs; statistical mechanics of stochastic processes; nanocolloids and aerosols

Name: Dr. Marco Favretti
Affiliation: Dipartimento di Matematica “Tullio Levi-Civita”, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
Research Interests: maximum entropy principle; statistical ecology; geometric control theory and nonholonomic mechanics

The prize for each winner:

  • CHF 500;
  • An opportunity to publish a paper with a 50% discount on the APC in Entropy in 2024 after peer review;
  • A certificate.

Entropy Editorial Office

20 March 2024
Entropy | Invitation to Read the Newly Selected Papers from the Editor’s Choice Articles

It is our pleasure to invite you to read the newly selected papers from the Editor’s Choice Articles. We have selected six of these papers to display here. The paper list is as follows:

“Applying Hybrid ARIMA-SGARCH in Algorithmic Investment Strategies on S&P500 Index”
by Nguyen Vo and Robert Ślepaczuk
Entropy 2022, 24(2), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24020158
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/2/158

“Recasting the (Synchrosqueezed) Short-Time Fourier Transform as an Instantaneous Spectrum”
by Steven Sandoval and Phillip L. De Leon
Entropy 2022, 24(4), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24040518
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/4/518

“The Free Energy Principle for Perception and Action: A Deep Learning Perspective”
by Pietro Mazzaglia, Tim Verbelen, Ozan Çatal and Bart Dhoedt
Entropy 2022, 24(2), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24020301
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/2/301

“Metacognition as a Consequence of Competing Evolutionary Time Scales”
by Franz Kuchling, Chris Fields and Michael Levin
Entropy 2022, 24(5), 601; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24050601
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/5/601

“Sample, Fuzzy and Distribution Entropies of Heart Rate Variability: What Do They Tell Us on Cardiovascular Complexity?”
by Paolo Castiglioni, Giampiero Merati, Gianfranco Parati and Andrea Faini
Entropy 2023, 25(2), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25020281
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/2/281

“Power-Optimal Control of a Stirling Engine's Frictional Piston Motion”
by Raphael Paul, Abdellah Khodja, Andreas Fischer, Robin Masser and Karl Heinz Hoffmann
Entropy 2022, 24(3), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24030362
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/3/362

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the research groups that submitted these exceptional papers for their contributions to Entropy (ISSN: 1099-4300). We would greatly appreciate it if you could circulate this document among your colleagues or through your network.

If you would like to learn more about the contributions published in the Editor’s Choice Articles, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/editors_choice.

20 March 2024
Entropy | Newly Selected Papers from the Editor’s Choice Articles in the Sections “Complexity” and “Multidisciplinary Applications”

It is our pleasure to invite you to read the newly selected papers from the Editor’s Choice Articles. The papers from the Sections “Complexity” and “Multidisciplinary Applications” are listed below:

“Unraveling Hidden Major Factors by Breaking Heterogeneity into Homogeneous Parts within Many-System Problems”
by Elizabeth P. Chou, Ting-Li Chen and Hsieh Fushing
Entropy 2022, 24(2), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24020170
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/2/170

“Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics of Polymeric Liquids via Atomistic Simulation”
by Brian Joseph Edwards, Mohammad Hadi Nafar Sefiddashti and Bamin Khomami
Entropy 2022, 24(2), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24020175
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/2/175

“Stochastic Hydrodynamics of Complex Fluids: Discretisation and Entropy Production”
by Michael E. Cates, Étienne Fodor, Tomer Markovich, Cesare Nardini and Elsen Tjhung
Entropy 2022, 24(2), 254; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24020254
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/2/254

“The Cross-Sectional Intrinsic Entropy-A Comprehensive Stock Market Volatility Estimator”
by Claudiu Vințe and Marcel Ausloos
Entropy 2022, 24(5), 623; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24050623
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/5/623

“Elastic Entropic Forces in Polymer Deformation”
by Vladimir I. Kartsovnik and Dimitri Volchenkov
Entropy 2022, 24(9), 1260; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24091260
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/9/1260

“Information Field Theory and Artificial Intelligence”
by Torsten Enßlin
Entropy 2022, 24(3), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24030374
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/3/374

“Causal Inference in Time Series in Terms of Renyi Transfer Entropy”
by Petr Jizba, Hynek Lavička and Zlata Tabachová
Entropy 2022, 24(7), 855; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24070855
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/7/855

“Decoding "Maximum Entropy" Deconvolution”
by Long V. Le, Tae Jung Kim, Young Dong Kim and David E. Aspnes
Entropy 2022, 24(9), 1238; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24091238
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/9/1238

“Dependency Structures in Cryptocurrency Market from High to Low Frequency”
by Antonio Briola and Tomaso Aste
Entropy 2022, 24(11), 1548; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24111548
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/11/1548

“COVID-19 Effects on the Relationship between Cryptocurrencies: Can It Be Contagion? Insights from Econophysics Approaches”
by Dora Almeida, Andreia Dionísio, Isabel Vieira and Paulo Ferreira
Entropy 2023, 25(1), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25010098
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/1/98

“Fundamental Relation for Gas of Interacting Particles in a Heat Flow”
by Robert Hołyst, Karol Makuch, Konrad Giżyński, Anna Maciołek and Paweł J. Żuk
Entropy 2023, 25(9), 1295; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25091295
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/9/1295

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the research groups that submitted these exceptional papers for their contributions to Entropy (ISSN: 1099-4300). We would greatly appreciate it if you could circulate this document among your colleagues or through your network.

If you would like to learn more about the contributions published in the Editor’s Choice Articles, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/editors_choice.

20 March 2024
Entropy | Newly Selected Papers from the Editor’s Choice Articles in the Section “Quantum Information”

It is our pleasure to invite you to read the newly selected papers from the “Editor’s Choice Articles”. The papers from the Section “Quantum Information” are listed below:

“Correlations, Information Backflow, and Objectivity in a Class of Pure Dephasing Models”
by Nina Megier, Andrea Smirne, Steve Campbell and Bassano Vacchini
Entropy 2022, 24(2), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24020304
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/2/304

“Quantum Coherences and Classical Inhomogeneities as Equivalent Thermodynamics Resources”
by Andrew Smith, Kanupriya Sinha and Christopher Jarzynski
Entropy 2022, 24(4), 474; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24040474
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/4/474

“Quantum Non-Markovian Environment-to-System Backflows of Information: Nonoperational vs. Operational Approaches”
by Adrián A. Budini
Entropy 2022, 24(5), 649; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24050649
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/5/649

“Effective Field Theory of Random Quantum Circuits”
by Yunxiang Liao and Victor Galitski
Entropy 2022, 24(6), 823; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24060823
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/6/823

“Critical Quantum Metrology in the Non-Linear Quantum Rabi Model”
by Zu-Jian Ying, Simone Felicetti, Gang Liu and Daniel Braak
Entropy 2022, 24(8), 1015; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24081015
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/8/1015

“Pseudoclassical Dynamics of the Kicked Top”
by Zhixing Zou and Jiao Wang
Entropy 2022, 24(8), 1092; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24081092
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/8/1092

““Yet Once More”: The Double-Slit Experiment and Quantum Discontinuity”
by Arkady Plotnitsky
Entropy 2022, 24(10), 1455; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24101455
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/10/1455

“Universal Single-Mode Lasing in Fully Chaotic Billiard Lasers”
by Mengyu You, Daisuke Sakakibara, Kota Makino, Yonosuke Morishita, Kazutoshi Matsumura, Yuta Kawashima, Manao Yoshikawa, Mahiro Tonosaki, Kazutaka Kanno, Atsushi Uchida et al.
Entropy 2022, 24(11), 1648; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24111648
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/11/1648

“Quantum Coherence in Loopless Superconductive Networks”
by Massimiliano Lucci, Valerio Campanari, Davide Cassi, Vittorio Merlo, Francesco Romeo, Gaetano Salina and Matteo Cirillo
Entropy 2022, 24(11), 1690; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24111690
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/11/1690

“Canonical Density Matrices from Eigenstates of Mixed Systems”
by Mahdi Kourehpaz, Stefan Donsa, Fabian Lackner, Joachim Burgdörfer and Iva Březinová
Entropy 2022, 24(12), 1740; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24121740
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/12/1740

“Chaos and Thermalization in the Spin-Boson Dicke Model”
by David Villaseñor, Saúl Pilatowsky-Cameo, Miguel A. Bastarrachea-Magnani, Sergio Lerma-Hernández, Lea F. Santos and Jorge G. Hirsch
Entropy 2023, 25(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25010008
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/1/8

“Entanglement-Assisted Quantum Codes from Cyclic Codes”
by Francisco Revson F. Pereira and Stefano Mancini
Entropy 2023, 25(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25010037
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/1/37

“Quantum Chaos in the Dynamics of Molecules”
by Kazuo Takatsuka
Entropy 2023, 25(1), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25010063
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/1/63

“Extreme Eigenvalues and the Emerging Outlier in Rank-One Non-Hermitian Deformations of the Gaussian Unitary Ensemble”
by Yan V. Fyodorov, Boris A. Khoruzhenko and Mihail Poplavskyi
Entropy 2023, 25(1), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25010074
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/1/74

“Invariant-Parameterized Exact Evolution Operator for SU(2) Systems with Time-Dependent Hamiltonian”
by Hiromichi Nakazato, Alessandro Sergi, Agostino Migliore and Antonino Messina
Entropy 2023, 25(1), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25010096
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/1/96

“Quantum Bounds on the Generalized Lyapunov Exponents”
by Silvia Pappalardi and Jorge Kurchan
Entropy 2023, 25(2), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25020246
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/2/246

“Toward Prediction of Financial Crashes with a D-Wave Quantum Annealer”
by Yongcheng Ding, Javier Gonzalez-Conde, Lucas Lamata, José D. Martín-Guerrero, Enrique Lizaso, Samuel Mugel, Xi Chen, Román Orús, Enrique Solano and Mikel Sanz
Entropy 2023, 25(2), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25020323
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/2/323

“Quantum Chaos and Level Dynamics”
by Jakub Zakrzewski
Entropy 2023, 25(3), 491; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25030491
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/3/491

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the research groups that submitted these exceptional papers for their contributions to Entropy (ISSN: 1099-4300). We would greatly appreciate it if you could circulate this document among your colleagues or through your network.

If you would like to learn more about the contributions published in the Editor’s Choice Articles, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/editors_choice.

20 March 2024
Entropy | Newly Selected Papers from the Editor’s Choice Articles in the Section “Information Theory, Probability and Statistics”

It is our pleasure to invite you to read the newly selected papers from the Editor’s Choice Articles. The papers from the Section “Information Theory, Probability and Statistics” are listed below:

“Information Inequalities via Submodularity and a Problem in Extremal Graph Theory”
by Igal Sason
Entropy 2022, 24(5), 597; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24050597
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/5/597

“Robust Test Statistics Based on Restricted Minimum Rényi’s Pseudodistance Estimators”
by María Jaenada, Pedro Miranda and Leandro Pardo
Entropy 2022, 24(5), 616; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24050616
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/5/616

“Revealing the Dynamics of Neural Information Processing with Multivariate Information Decomposition”
by Ehren L. Newman, Thomas F. Varley, Vibin K. Parakkattu, Samantha P. Sherrill and John M. Beggs
Entropy 2022, 24(7), 930; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24070930
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/7/930

“Information Theoretic Methods for Variable Selection—A Review”
by Jan Mielniczuk
Entropy 2022, 24(8), 1079; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24081079
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/8/1079

“Monte Carlo Simulation of Stochastic Differential Equation to Study Information Geometry”
by Abhiram Anand Thiruthummal and Eun-jin Kim
Entropy 2022, 24(8), 1113; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24081113
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/8/1113

“Assessing, Testing and Estimating the Amount of Fine-Tuning by Means of Active Information”
by Daniel Andrés Díaz-Pachón and Ola Hössjer
Entropy 2022, 24(10), 1323; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24101323
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/10/1323

“Information Theory for Biological Sequence Classification: A Novel Feature Extraction Technique Based on Tsallis Entropy”
by Robson P. Bonidia, Anderson P. Avila Santos, Breno L. S. de Almeida, Peter F. Stadler, Ulisses Nunes da Rocha, Danilo S. Sanches and André C. P. L. F. de Carvalho
Entropy 2022, 24(10), 1398; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24101398
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/10/1398

“Revisiting Chernoff Information with Likelihood Ratio Exponential Families”
by Frank Nielsen
Entropy 2022, 24(10), 1400; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24101400
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/10/1400

“Functional Connectome of the Human Brain with Total Correlation”
by Qiang Li, Greg Ver Steeg, Shujian Yu and Jesus Malo
Entropy 2022, 24(12), 1725; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24121725
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/12/1725

“Design and Analysis of Joint Group Shuffled Scheduling Decoding Algorithm for Double LDPC Codes System”
by Qiwang Chen, Yanzhao Ren, Lin Zhou, Chen Chen and Sanya Liu
Entropy 2023, 25(2), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25020357
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/2/357

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the research groups that submitted these exceptional papers for their contributions to Entropy (ISSN: 1099-4300). We would greatly appreciate it if you could circulate this document among your colleagues or through your network.

If you would like to learn more about the contributions published in the Editor’s Choice Articles, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/editors_choice.

20 March 2024
Entropy | Newly Selected Papers from the Editor’s Choice Articles in the Sections “Thermodynamics” and “Statistical Physics”

It is our pleasure to invite you to read the newly selected papers from the Editor’s Choice Articles. The papers from the Sections “Thermodynamics” and “Statistical Physics” are listed below:

“Coupled Transport Effects in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Modeling”
by Aydan Gedik, Nico Lubos and Stephan Kabelac
Entropy 2022, 24(2), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24020224
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/2/224

“A Robust Protocol for Entropy Measurement in Mesoscopic Circuits”
by Timothy Child, Owen Sheekey, Silvia Lüscher, Saeed Fallahi, Geoffrey C. Gardner, Michael Manfra and Joshua Folk
Entropy 2022, 24(3), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24030417
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/3/417

“On Quantum Entropy”
by Davi Geiger and Zvi M. Kedem
Entropy 2022, 24(10), 1341; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24101341
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/10/1341

“An Overview on Irreversible Port-Hamiltonian Systems”
by Hector Ramirez and Yann Le Gorrec
Entropy 2022, 24(10), 1478; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24101478
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/10/1478

“Entropy Generation during Head-On Interaction of Premixed Flames with Inert Walls within Turbulent Boundary Layers”
by Sanjeev Kr. Ghai, Umair Ahmed, Nilanjan Chakraborty and Markus Klein
Entropy 2022, 24(4), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24040463
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/4/463

“Consensus, Polarization and Hysteresis in the Three-State Noisy q-Voter Model with Bounded Confidence”
by Maciej Doniec, Arkadiusz Lipiecki and Katarzyna Sznajd-Weron
Entropy 2022, 24(7), 983; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24070983
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/7/983

“Memory and Entropy”
by Carlo Rovelli
Entropy 2022, 24(8), 1022; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24081022
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/8/1022

“Efficiency of the Moscow Stock Exchange before 2022”
by Andrey Shternshis, Piero Mazzarisi and Stefano Marmi
Entropy 2022, 24(9), 1184; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24091184
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/9/1184

“A Bayesian Analysis of Plant DNA Length Distribution via κ-Statistics”
by Maxsuel M. F. de Lima, Dory H. A. L. Anselmo, Raimundo Silva, Glauber H. S. Nunes, Umberto L. Fulco, Manoel S. Vasconcelos and Vamberto D. Mello
Entropy 2022, 24(9), 1225; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24091225
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/9/1225

“Statistical Mechanics of Political Polarization”
by Miron Kaufman, Sanda Kaufman and Hung T. Diep
Entropy 2022, 24(9), 1262; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24091262
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/9/1262

“Entropy Optimization, Generalized Logarithms, and Duality Relations”
by Angel R. Plastino, Constantino Tsallis, Roseli S. Wedemann and Hans J. Haubold
Entropy 2022, 24(12), 1723; https://doi.org/10.3390/e24121723
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/12/1723

“Diffusion Coefficient of a Brownian Particle in Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium: Einstein Model and Beyond”
by Jakub Spiechowicz, Ivan G. Marchenko, Peter Hänggi and Jerzy Łuczka
Entropy 2023, 25(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25010042
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/1/42

“Senses along Which the Entropy Sq Is Unique”
by Constantino Tsallis
Entropy 2023, 25(5), 743; https://doi.org/10.3390/e25050743
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/25/5/743

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the research groups that submitted these exceptional papers for their contributions to Entropy (ISSN: 1099-4300). We would greatly appreciate it if you could circulate this document among your colleagues or through your network.

If you would like to learn more about the contributions published in the Editor’s Choice Articles, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/editors_choice.

4 March 2024
MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter #9 - Romania, Research Integrity, Viruses

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts


Reka Kovacs (Deputy Office Manager, MDPI), Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), and Sandra Ana Spatariu (Office Manager, MDPI) at the MDPI office in Cluj, Romania.

MDPI’s Impact on Romania

In February, I visited our office in Cluj, Romania. I worked closely with our senior office managers and various teams, including the departments of training, marketing and conferences, as well as our journal relationship specialists, reviewing our service to the local scholarly community. During the visit, I also met with representatives from Babes-Bolyai University and the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. Our multifunctional Romanian office plays an important role in supporting our collaborations with the local market as well as helping to meet MDPI’s overall business needs.


Feedback and strategy meeting with a group of MDPI’s Journal Relationship Specialists at the MDPI office in Cluj, Romania.

With 22,436 articles, Romania ranks as a top 20 contributing country to MDPI’s total number of papers published as at 28 February 2024. This highlights the importance of our collaboration with Romanian-affiliated authors and the growing opportunity to support their publishing needs. MDPI is one of the few academic publishers with a significant presence in Romania, boasting over 360 colleagues across our offices in Bucharest and Cluj. We are also proud to hire colleagues from local institutions to launch their careers within publishing.

Romania ranks as a top 20 contributing country.

The Numbers: 2019–2023

MDPI has seen a healthy increase in submissions from Romanian authors over the past three years, from 8,439 in 2021 to 11,866 by end of 2023, with most submissions going to journals such as Sustainability, Medicina, Diagnostics, IJMS, Applied Sciences, and JCM. From 2019 to 2023, MDPI published articles from 32,145 authors affiliated with Romanian institutions. Over those years, we have worked with Romanian Guest Editors on nearly 3,000 occasions to support their Special Issue and Topical collections.

With more than 300 Editorial Board Members from Romania, 34 appear on the board of Mathematics, 27 on Materials, 19 on Polymers, 18 on Coatings, and 16 on Molecules, while three serve as Section Editors-in-Chief (SEiC) on our journals Coatings (3.4 IF, 4.6 Citescore), Magnetochemistry (2.7 IF, 3.5 Citescore), and Chemosensors (4.2 IF, 3.9 Citescore).

Institutional Open Access Programs

Our commitment to working with institutions is evident in Romania, where we have established eight Institutional Open Access Programs (IOAP) with esteemed institutions such as the University of Bucharest, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, and most recently the National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics.

Our growth and presence in Romania are a true testament.

We also have IOAP agreements with Babes-Bolyai University and the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, where I had the opportunity to meet senior stakeholders during my visit. Below are a few photos capturing our meeting with Prof. Radu Silaghi-Dumitrescu (Head of Faculty of Chemistry, Babes-Bolyai University) at the MDPI office in Cluj, Romania, along with a photo from our meeting with Vice Deans Nicoleta Cobarzan, Nicoleta Ilies, and Hoda Gavril, from the faculty of Civil Engineering at the Technical University of Cluj, Romania.


Our growth and presence in Romania are a true testament to the service we provide to the scholarly community and the relationships we foster in that region. We look forward to continuing to support Romanian scholars and institutions by providing a valuable and trusted experience with MDPI, the leader in open access publishing.

Impactful Research

MDPI Joins the STM Integrity Hub

MDPI has long been a supporter and partner of STM, with our involvement ranging from sponsoring and attending events to helping organize event programs. By joining the STM Integrity Hub, we aim to further our commitment to STM initiatives aimed at safeguarding the integrity of science.

“We are pleased to welcome MDPI as the 35th organisation participating in the Hub. This expansion is critical, as every new member enhances our capacity to prevent fraudulent submissions from entering the academic record.”

Joris van Rossum, Director of Research Integrity, STM

MDPI operates in full alignment with STM Integrity Hub's values of shared data and experiences. We strongly believe in collaboration and open exchange for the purposes of creating a holistic approach to support research integrity at MDPI itself and across the entire academic publishing industry. The Integrity Hub is an excellent example of how publishers can come together to jointly address industry-wide challenges related to research integrity, such as manuscripts that breach research integrity standards and paper-mills.

I look forward to our Research Integrity and Publication Ethics Team (RIPE) team immersing themselves in this initiative, exchanging information, best practices, and tools for the benefit of the entire scholarly ecosystem. We believe that ethical publishing standards should be implemented across the board, and we aim to be rigorous in our approach, addressing research integrity issues and improving the impact of published research.

Inside MDPI

MDPI Expands Research Integrity and Publication Ethics Team (RIPE)

In addition to external collaborations and joint initiatives aimed at further strengthening our commitment to research integrity, we are also enhancing our internal efforts. This includes improving our processes and guidelines and expanding our teams and departments to ensure quality assurance throughout our publishing process.

We are pleased to announce the expansion of our Research Integrity and Publication Ethics Team (RIPE) at MDPI. The RIPE team has recently welcomed new colleagues, each bringing unique skills and a personal commitment to prioritize ethical considerations in all our work.

The demand for research integrity and high ethical standards in academic publishing is steadily rising across our industry. Our expanded RIPE team will work to enhance and align our practices with industry best practices, ensuring excellence in research integrity and publication ethics.


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) introduces Dr. Tim Tait-Jamieson (Research Integrity Lead, MDPI) for his presentation on MDPI’s Retraction and Approval Process to a group of Journal Relationship Specialists at the MDPI office in Cluj, Romania: “The demand for research integrity and publication ethics is steadily rising across our industry.”

Introducing our Research Integrity and Publication Ethics Team

Led by Dr. Tim Tait-Jamieson (Research Integrity Lead), the RIPE team comprises Dr. Ivana Resanovic (Research Integrity Manager), Dr. Lavinia Rogojina (Research Integrity Manager), Ms. Diana Apodaritei (Research Integrity Specialist), Dr. Zoltan Mihaly (Research Integrity Specialist), Mr. Aleksandar Đukić (Research Integrity Specialist), Ms. Ana Stankovic (Research Integrity Specialist), and Ms. Anna Pena (Publication Ethics Assistant).

Please click here to access everything that you need to know about MDPI’s Research and Publication Ethics.

With this span of complementary roles, the RIPE team collaborates directly with journal editorial teams and works closely with various departments, including our Scientific Office Board and our Journal Relationship Specialists. The team’s primary objectives are to help prevent issues regarding research integrity and publication ethics during peer review, uphold MDPI’s ethics policies, adhere to industry standards, and resolve publication ethics and research integrity issues and complaints.

Quality Updates to Special Issues Oversight

At MDPI, we are committed to reviewing policies pertaining to the quality of research. In this blog post, Shaheena Patel (Communications Associate, MDPI), outlines two recent updates to MDPI journal processes. These updates pertain to Special Issue (SI) quality guidelines, in line with criteria provided by COPE and DOAJ. Alongside the SI updates, details regarding the new minor corrections policy introduced in 2024 are provided in the blog.

The two updates we implemented include greater oversight and the verification of Guest Editor credentials. These guidelines require that Editors-in-Chief (EiCs) and Editorial Board Members (EBMs) take responsibility for overseeing SIs.

PS. Thank you, James Butcher, for featuring this up in your 67th issue of the Journalogy newsletter.

Read more:

Coming Together for Science

Viruses 2024 – A World of Viruses

I am pleased to share the success of our MDPI conference Viruses 2024 – A World of Viruses, held 14-16 February, in Barcelona. With 240 registrations, this event brought together top scientists, researchers, and industry experts from 40 countries to share their findings on the latest developments in viral pathogenesis and immune responses.

Attendees gathered for the 5th edition of the Viruses’ conference, where we hosted influential keynote speeches from Nobel Prize laureate Dr. Charles M. Rice and ‘Distinguished Senior Virologist’ Prof. Luis Enjuanes, along with 14 invited speakers, 47 selected speakers, and nine flash poster presenters, to discuss the most significant issues in virology today.

Recap on the #Viruses2024 Conference

Take a look at the key moments from MDPI’s Viruses event and please join us in commemorating a gathering for global knowledge and cooperation. A heartfelt thank-you to all attendees; their passion and engagement played a crucial role in making this event an engaging success!

Below are calls to action from the keynote speakers encouraging collaboration and communication:

“There’s never been a better time than now to really take the power that we have both in terms of basic research and also in biotech and pharma to develop antiviral agents.” - Dr. Charles M. Rice, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA

“The collaboration between labs is absolutely essential. Improving initial detection and improving communication is a must for all of us working in science.” - Prof. Dr. Luis Enjuanes, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain

Our thanks go to our sponsors and partnering societies, our Viruses journal and editorial team, our Barcelona colleagues, and the social media, conference and other MDPI teams for making this event a memorable occasion. View the event gallery here.

Upcoming In-Person Event

24–26 April, 2024
4th MMCS – Harnessing the Power of New Drug Modalities
Location: Barcelona, Spain

Esteemed speakers at MMCS 2024 include Prof. Arun K. Ghosh, the mind behind the Darunavir molecule, and Prof. Paul Brennan, CSO of Alzheimer's Research UK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.


Organize Your Event with MDPI’s Sciforum

Sciforum is MDPI’s platform dedicated to the organization of scientific events. In line with our mission to promote science, Sciforum supports scholars, societies, research networks, and universities at all stages of organizing in-person events, virtual events and webinars. Our platforms are efficient, user-friendly, and cost-effective. We handle all steps related to event management. Contact us for details.

Closing Thoughts

Researcher to Reader (R2R) Conference

From 20–21 February 2024, I had the pleasure of attending the Researcher to Reader (R2R) conference in London, which MDPI has proudly sponsored over the years. The conference programme offered a variety of session formats, including workshops, panel discussions, debates, interviews, presentations, and lightning talks, with opportunities to discuss relevant topics.

We take pride in supporting the scientific community, bringing researchers across the world together to network, exchange ideas and share the latest in science and publishing. In 2023, MDPI invested close to 2 million CHF in sponsoring over 2,000 scientific and publishing-related conferences worldwide.

R2R Peer Review Innovations Workshop

I found the R2R conference to be engaging, with the workshops being particularly enjoyable. My colleague Giulia Stefenelli (Chair of Scientific Office Board) and I participated in the “Peer Review Innovations” workshop, which spanned four sessions over the two days. These sessions explored the future of peer review and how we can improve the peer review process for everyone involved. Notably, the large majority of attendees expressed their opinion that peer review, as currently practiced, requires significant improvement. Together, we collaborated on potential immediate and long-term improvements and innovative processes, aiming to create an ecosystem beneficial to all stakeholders by strengthening submission systems with the aim of reducing threats and making authors more responsible for their work. We also discussed the opportunity for academic institutions to better scrutinize the quality of the work produced and submitted to journals.

Our group comprised publishers, software providers, librarians, and more, bringing diverse perspectives to the discussions. These interactions were relevant to MDPI’s ongoing conversations, providing insights to our efforts. The session also made me appreciate that MDPI is doing well, as the group discussions included the subject of various quality checks that we have already embedded in our processes, ensuring that we keep abreast of industry standards.

The need for an optimized system to incentivize the activities of editors and reviewers was also a focus of discussion, as well as the support that reviewers need from publishers via the provision of strong reports through fixed forms, questionnaires and training.

At MDPI, we are currently auditing our reviewer program to improve reviewer recognition, guidelines, and methods for identifying suitable reviewers, while maintaining our commitment to quality and timeliness.

Congratulations to Mark Carden, Conference Director, and the R2R team for organizing a productive and successful event. PS: The break times were greatly appreciated as well!

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

31 January 2024
MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter #8 - Altmetric and Flat Fee Agreement

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts

MDPI and Digital Science Meeting

At MDPI, we are committed to providing our authors with the essential tools to publish, promote, and track their research. In line with this commitment, we have established a longstanding collaboration with Digital Science, a company specializing in research data and analytical insights for the research community. Our collaboration integrates their Altmetric tool, offering us and our authors the ability to track a variety of sources that monitor and report attention surrounding publications.

As part of our collaboration, we recently hosted Cathy Holland, Director of Global Publisher Business Development, and Helen Cooke, Managing Director of Publisher Sales, from Digital Science, at our MDPI headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.


Left to right: Facundo Santomé (Senior Marketing Manager, MDPI), Constanze Shelhorn (Indexing Manager, MDPI), Cathy Holland (Director of Global Publisher Business Development, Digital Science), Helen Cooke (Managing Director of Publisher Sales, Digital Science), and Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) in front of MDPI headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.

During our meeting, we discussed MDPI’s publishing philosophy and explored further avenues for collaboration. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Digital Science, aiming to improve our services yet further and meet the needs of our authors more closely than ever.

What is Altmetric?

You will notice that MDPI articles feature an Altmetric score, a colourful doughnut capturing the score in the upper right corner of the article page. This score represents ‘alternative metrics,’ as distinct from traditional metrics such as Impact Factor, CiteScore, and Scimago Journal Rank.

Altmetrics complement traditional citation-based metrics by capturing online discussions related to a specific research topic. By analyzing both sets of data, we can obtain a comprehensive understanding of the attention a particular research output receives and the sources in which it is mentioned.

“Almetric provides visual insights into where research is being discussed”

Sources Tracked by Altmetric


Altmetric badge showing the Altmetric score and colour-coded mention sources.

Altmetric monitors various sources, categorizing them into segments such as policy documents, peer reviews, Wikipedia, news and blogs, and social media, among other sources. Each category is identifiable by a specific colour.

The Altmetric badge provides visual insights into where the research is being discussed. A more colourful badge indicates broader mentions across multiple platforms. Such tracking enables us to gauge the extent of an article’s online dissemination, noting that increased visibility may correlate with higher citation rates.

Read more:

Impactful Research

Ten High-Altmetric Articles Published by MDPI

As at 30 January 2024, Altmetric has tracked 670,500 MDPI research outputs from MDPI, resulting in over 4.3 million mentions. This includes over 71,894 mentions in policy and patents and 294,714 mentions in news and blogs, with some achieving an Altmetric score as high as 28,754.

So, what is a good Altmetric score? There are various ways to put this score into context. You can find out more about the score in context and how to evaluate your work by this means.

Here are ten MDPI papers ranking in the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric.

“Accuracy in Wrist-Worn, Sensor-Based Measurements of Heart Rate and Energy Expenditure in a Diverse Cohort”

J. Pers. Med. 2017, 7(2), 3; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm7020003

Altmetric page: https://mdpi.altmetric.com/details/20477344

Altmetric shows that this article appeared in 253 news stories from 209 outlets including Forbes, BBC, and Fox News.

“Daylight Saving Time and Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis”

J. Clin. Med. 2019, 8(3), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8030404

Altmetric page: https://mdpi.altmetric.com/details/57654628

Altmetric shows that this article appeared in 295 news stories from 207 outlets including Forbes, The Atlantic, and New York Times.

“The Preliminary Analysis of Cave Lion Cubs Panthera spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) from the Permafrost of Siberia”

Quaternary 2021, 4(3), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat4030024

Altmetric page: https://mdpi.altmetric.com/details/111086701

Altmetric shows that this article appeared in 182 news stories from 134 outlets including CBC News, CNN, and National Geographic.

“Not the Cat’s Meow? The Impact of Posing with Cats on Female Perceptions of Male Dateability”

Animals 2020, 10(6), 1007; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10061007

Altmetric page: https://mdpi.altmetric.com/details/83796184

Altmetric shows that this article appeared in 124 news stories from 98 outlets including VICE, CNN and The Guardian.

“Behaviour and Welfare Impacts of Releasing Elephants from Overnight Tethers: A Zimbabwean Case Study”

Animals 2022, 12(15), 1933; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12151933

Altmetric page: https://mdpi.altmetric.com/details/133463915

Altmetric shows that this article appeared in 192 news stories from 186 outlets.

How do I use altmetrics?

Altmetric Explorer provides a detailed step-by-step guide and instruction video for first-time users of the tool. The guide includes useful diagrams that make it easy to get started.

Sharing Research Online

For research to be tracked across different sources, Altmetric needs a research output with a persistent identifier: a DOI, ISBN, PubMed ID, handle ID, etc. When sharing research, it is important to include a link to the original research output.

“An Update on Eukaryotic Viruses Revived from Ancient Permafrost”

Viruses 2023, 15(2), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15020564

Altmetric page: https://mdpi.altmetric.com/details/142929875

Altmetric shows that this article appeared in 250 news stories from 180 outlets including CTV, Fox News, and CNN.

“The Global Problem of Insufficient Sleep and Its Serious Public Health Implications”

Healthcare 2019, 7(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare7010001

Altmetric page: https://mdpi.altmetric.com/details/53406248

Altmetric shows that this article appeared in 252 news stories from 168 outlets including BBC, Harvard Business Review, and Forbes.

“A Detailed Review Study on Potential Effects of Microplastics and Additives of Concern on Human Health”

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(4), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17041212

Altmetric page: https://mdpi.altmetric.com/details/86529137

Altmetric shows that this article appeared in 197 news stories from 150 outlets including BBC, The Tribune, and World Economic Forum.

“An Empirical Study of Chronic Diseases in the United States: A Visual Analytics Approach to Public Health”

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(3), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030431

Altmetric page: https://mdpi.altmetric.com/details/34714141

Altmetric shows that this article appeared in 232 news stories from 149 outlets including Forbes, New York Times, and Harvard Business Review.

“Garden Scraps: Agonistic Interactions between Hedgehogs and Sympatric Mammals in Urban Gardens”

Animals 2023, 13(4), 590; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13040590

Altmetric page: https://mdpi.altmetric.com/details/142934305

Altmetric shows that this article appeared in 172 news stories from 168 outlets including BBC.

Inside MDPI

MDPI Annual Meeting Celebrations in China

On Thursday 25 January, over 1,300 MDPI colleagues from our two offices in Beijing gathered to kick off MDPI’s traditional ‘Annual Meetings.’ These celebrations take place in MDPI’s offices across China, including Dalian, Tianjin, Wuhan, and Nanjing.

The evenings include performances, informative talks and presentations, awards, and entertainment, providing an ideal platform to recognize our colleagues, celebrate their achievements, and set our sights on the future.

“It is essential that we stay connected and share best practices”

I sent a video congratulating everyone on their work and sharing our vision of building MDPI into the most trusted OA publisher, highlighting the roles each of us has to play in achieving that goal.

Unfortunately I could not join in person, but you may recall my recent trip, when I visited our offices in Beijing and Wuhan, which I look forward to visiting again this year.

Although our headquarters are in Basel, Switzerland, and we are expanding throughout Europe and North America, the majority of MDPI’s workforce is in China and throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including offices in Singapore, Thailand, Japan, and newly opened office in South Korea. It is essential that as a global organization, we stay connected and share best practices in order to grow collectively and continue providing the exceptional service to our authors.

The Annual Meeting is a moment to reflect and enjoy the year’s hard work and dedication.

I extend our best wishes to all for the Chinese New Year (Xīnnián kuàilè)!

Coming Together for Science

MDPI and TU Delft Adopt Flat Fee Model in Extended Partnership

We are excited to announce a renewed three-year partnership with Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands. This collaboration introduces a fixed lump-sum fee, covering publishing costs from 2024 to 2026.

“This initiative reflects our dedication to transparent and inclusive publishing”

TU Delft-affiliated authors will enjoy cost-free publishing in any MDPI journal during this period, aligning with our commitment to removing barriers for open access publishing. The agreement supports Plan S compliance and facilitates a seamless publishing process for TU Delft corresponding authors. This initiative reflects our dedication to transparent and inclusive publishing, providing stability and predictability both for authors and for institutions.

For further details on our Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP), please contact us.

Benefits to MDPI’s IOAP

At MDPI we have a long tradition of partnerships, including our Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP). IOAP supports institutions through simplification, access, transparency, APC discounts, and institutional repository deposits. The program simplifies administrative processes, offers central payment, and allows easy opting in and out. Participants gain free access to Susy, MDPI’s online submission system, with extensive article metadata and exportable data. APC discounts and Book Processing Charge discounts are available for affiliated authors. Automated deposits to institutional repositories and streamlined matching of papers to IOAP participants enhance the overall experience.

For further information, see our IOAP FAQ.

Closing Thoughts

Reflections on the 2024 APE Conference

MDPI was proud to co-sponsor the Academic Publishing in Europe (APE) 2024 Conference that took place in Berlin, Germany, from 9–10 January 2024.

The conference theme, ‘Keep the Conversation Going!’, explored the evolving landscape of scholarly communication. APE is one of the key conferences I make a point to attend each year. January offers a valuable opportunity to engage with new contacts, reconnect with familiar faces, and participate in impactful discussions and presentations among professionals, scholars, and practitioners in the field.

“It's fascinating to see how other publishers are leveraging AI”

Highlights

Some of the standout panels for me include: the role of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the publishing industry. It was encouraging to hear the current status quo, though I was eager also to learn about the exciting projects planned for 2024 and beyond. These will allow us to track progress in subsequent years. At MDPI, we remain committed to promoting Open–Access (OA) content on SDGs through scientific articles and books. Furthermore, we extend our commitment to sustainability by financially supporting researchers through initiatives such as the World Sustainability Award and the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award, as well as waiving the APC for feature papers on each SDG.

In recent years, discussions on AI have become increasingly prominent at such conferences. It’s fascinating to see how other publishers are leveraging AI to meet the evolving needs of their audiences while at the same time using it to safeguard the scientific process. Other engaging panels that I enjoyed included updates on transformation beyond transformative agreements, the principles of lean change, incentive structures related to research integrity, and the panel on reviewer incentives.

“We can share best practices and lessons learned”

Incorporating MDPI’s Insights into Conferences

I must confess that I sometimes feel overlooked when MDPI is not invited to participate in crucial industry discussions. As the leading open access publisher and the third-largest publisher overall, we possess extensive experience in many of these areas and can offer valuable contributions to these discussions. We can share best practices, lessons learned, and our thinking about future trajectories. For instance, in panels discussing reviewer incentives, at MDPI we offer a discount voucher to reviewers for future submissions, reflecting our commitment to fostering a robust peer review process. In 2022 alone, MDPI collected over 1.4 million peer review reports, informing the decision-making processes of our editors. Given our expertise in these areas, it would be natural to include MDPI in such discussions. I therefore extend an invitation to future conference organizers to consider MDPI for speaking engagements and collaborative opportunities.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG


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