Announcements
2 October 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #27 - OASPA 2025, COUNTER 5.1, UK Summit in London, MDPI at the Italian Senate
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 at OASPA 2025: Embracing the Complexity of Open Access
From 22 to 24 September, I joined the OASPA 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium, where the theme, “Embracing the Complexity – How do we get to 100% Open Access?” tackled the hard questions about the future of scholarly communication.
With MDPI a longstanding member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) and Platinum sponsor of the conference, I was invited to present and participate in important discussions on how we can continue to move the needle in Open Access (OA) publishing.
From 50% to 100% Open Access
Last year’s OASPA conference celebrated a major milestone – reaching 50% of global research outputs published as OA. But, as noted during the conference, this was the “easy” part. The challenge ahead is much tougher: how do we take OA from 50% to 100%? For many academics and institutions, OA is still relatively new, and thus it is essential for us to continue educating people as to what OA is, how it works, and why it matters.
Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) presenting at OASPA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium.
MDPI’s perspective
At MDPI, we are fully committed to this. As a 100% OA publisher, our growth is inseparable from the success of OA itself. In many ways, MDPI is a byproduct of the global adoption of OA, and we play an important role in helping to advance it further.
I had the opportunity to share MDPI’s perspective in the panel discussion entitled: "Hello from the other side: views from fully Open Access journals using APCs," alongside industry colleagues from PLOS, eLife, AOSIS, and Frontiers.
Instead of giving a standard presentation, I highlighted aspects of MDPI that the audience might not be aware of. I also presented on the opportunities and challenges facing publishers that are already fully OA, the importance of diverse models in achieving 100% OA, and why OA is the baseline while Open Science is the future.
Recognizing Gold OA
As part of the panel, I had undertaken to make some bold and provocative statements. I therefore emphasized a point that is sometimes overlooked: we didn’t reach 50% OA without Gold OA – it accounts for more than half of all OA publications today. And we certainly won’t reach 100% OA without it.
“By educating the community and working together, we can continue to take Open Science to the next level”
“When people speak about Gold OA and MDPI, they should ‘put some respek on our name.”
MDPI is a leader in Gold OA and has been a driver of this progress at scale.
While Gold OA and MDPI are sometimes slighted, both deserve recognition for their contributions to advancing Open Science globally.
I closed my presentation with a reminder that the good we do is sometimes overlooked, and that when people speak about Gold OA and MDPI, they should "put some respek on our name."
I’m pleased to have seen attendees sharing positive experiences with MDPI, reminding us that we bring real value to the OA movement and deserve a stronger reputation. We also engaged in constructive conversations about various topics, including cost transparency.
A few themes that I took away from the conference:
- Quality and integrity matter as much as access. OA publishers must not lose sight of research integrity, inclusivity, and sustainability while pursuing 100% OA.
- Global collaboration is essential. Policies, funding models, and infrastructure differ around the world, and we will need cross-border collaboration to make OA a truly global reality.
- Open Science is the bigger story. OA is just the first step – the future lies in open data, open peer review, research reproducibility, etc.
“MDPI’s scale allows us to better support authors, reinvest in communities, and push Open Science forward”
How we communicate MDPI’s role
For us at MDPI, this is also a reminder of how we communicate externally. When we tell our story, we shouldn’t forget to start with the bigger picture – Open Science and Open Access. Then we connect it to MDPI, our journals, services, and initiatives, exemplifying the fact that we are part of a mission larger than ourselves.
MDPI colleagues Clàudia Aunós (Society Partnerships), Marta Colomer (External Affairs), Stefan Tochev (CEO), and Nikola Paunovic (Scilit), at OASPA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium.
The journey to 100% OA will not be simple. But by educating the community and working together, we can continue to take Open Science to the next level.
Impactful Research
MDPI becomes COUNTER 5.1 compliant across 480+ Journals
I’m pleased to share that MDPI has officially become COUNTER 5.1 compliant and has joined the COUNTER Registry.
For those who might not be familiar with it, COUNTER provides international standards for tracking and reporting how research is being used. By becoming COUNTER 5.1 compliant, MDPI can now deliver credible, comparable, and transparent usage reports across our entire journal portfolio.
“MDPI is showing that they want to be measured against the same yardstick as other publishers”
Why is this important?
Because usage statistics aren’t just numbers: they’re powerful tools that help our authors, institutions, and consortia understand the real impact of their research. With COUNTER compliant reports, our institutional partners can now make more informed decisions about publishing agreements, funding allocations, and the long-term value of Open Access.
In practical terms, MDPI will now provide Platform, Title, and Item Reports, with standardized usage views available at the institute and consortium level. These reports cover usage from January 2024 onwards and will be updated monthly. Institutions will be able to access them via SuSy, or automatically through the COUNTER API.
I’d like to highlight and thank Becky Castellon, our Institutional Partnerships Manager, who has played a key role in driving this project forward. Becky captured it perfectly when she said: "Through these usage reports, our global research community can access trustworthy data about how their work is being used and accessed
This information is often vital for reviewing publishing partnership agreements and for making informed decisions about future funding allocations."
We also received encouraging feedback from Tasha Mellins-Cohen, Executive Director at COUNTER Metrics:
"We’re delighted to see born-OA publishers engaging with COUNTER. Our normalised usage metrics are relied on as the basis for credible return-on-investment calculations by libraries worldwide. By adopting the COUNTER standard, MDPI is showing that they want to be measured against the same yardstick as other publishers."
For MDPI, this milestone is another step in our commitment to transparency, trust, and impact. By adopting COUNTER’s standards, we’re not just aligning with best practice; we’re ensuring that Open Access publishing is measured on the same terms as traditional publishing, proving its value in concrete and globally recognized ways.
This is an important milestone for MDPI, but more importantly for the researchers, librarians, and institutions we serve. Transparency builds trust, and COUNTER compliance helps us show the global reach and influence of Open Access publishing in the clearest way possible.
Inside Research
Lin Li (Publisher, MDPI), Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI, Prof. Chengkuo Lee (Editor-in-Chief, AI Sensors), and Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing) at restaurant in Basel, Switzerland.
Welcoming Prof. Lee (EiC of AI Sensors) to Basel
On 11 September, we welcomed Prof. Dr. Chengkuo Lee, Editor-in-Chief of our new journal AI Sensors, to our Basel office. Prof. Lee is a high profiled researcher (h-index 104, 37,000+ citations), a longtime collaborator with MDPI (25 published articles), and has already chaired several AI Sensors (AIS)-related conferences with us, including the recent event in Kuala Lumpur, where AI Sensors held its first editorial board meeting.
Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) showing Special Issue reprint books as part of a tour of MDPI’s Basel office.
Every journal has a story
During his visit, we exchanged ideas on how to build the journal’s identity and impact. A key takeaway that I shared was that every journal has a story: its vision, its purpose, and the community it brings together.
That story is what connects with readers and authors, beyond metrics alone.
I encouraged everyone working on journals to reflect: What is the story of your journal? And how can you bring that story to the forefront in how you communicate about it?
How MDPI supports new journals
Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing, MDPI) presenting on the MDPI indexing process at the company’s headquarters in Basel.
We also shared with Prof. Lee how MDPI supports journals through our Institutional Open Access Program, indexing expertise, and the work of our Journal Relationship Specialists.
Launching a new journal is ambitious, but with our strong track record (93% Scopus and 87% Web of Science acceptance rates in 2024), Prof. Lee felt confident that AI Sensors will find its place in the scholarly landscape.
Having spent some hours together, it’s clear that Prof. Lee is not only an Editor-in-Chief but also an ambassador for MDPI. His leadership and collaboration reflect the mission MDPI by which MDPI lives: accelerating Open Access and advancing Open Science.
Special thanks to Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing), Ting Leng (JRS, Managing Editor, AI Sensors), Lin Li (Publisher, AI Sensors), Aimar Xiong (Publisher), and Christian Eberhard (Office Administrator, Basel), for organizing and hosting the meeting.
Coming Together for Science
Highlights from the MDPI UK Summit in London
I was pleased to be back in the UK in September, supporting our Manchester team in hosting their first MDPI Summit in London. This day-and-a-half private event brought together 25 Chief Editors and Associate Editors to exchange knowledge, learn about latest developments at MDPI, and engage in discussions on advancing Open Science. The program included MDPI and guest presentations, and Q&A sessions.
Why these summits matter
Our Summits provide a platform to:
- Share updates on the latest developments at MDPI, our editorial processes, research integrity practices, and indexing.
- Highlight collaborations with institutions and societies in the region.
- Offer external perspectives from guest speakers.
- Create space for Chief Editors to share their insights, ask questions, network, and help shape MDPI’s path forward.
These gatherings are more than updates: they improve our relationships with Chief Editors, who serve not only as leaders of their journals but also as ambassadors for MDPI within the research community. We often hear that this type of event is unique, something many other publishers do not provide. It shows that we care and are willing to go the extra mile to recognize and engage our key collaborators.
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MDPI and the UK: Key facts
- With over 80,000 publications, the UK is MDPI’s eighth-largest contributor.
- MDPI is the fourth-largest publisher in the UK, accounting for 11% of the country’s 89,526 Open Access publications in 2024.
- We collaborate with more than 4,000 active UK Editorial Board Members, 48% of whom have an H-index above 26. This includes 49 Editors-in-Chief and 74 Section Editors-in-Chief.
- MDPI maintains over 1,000 IOAP agreements worldwide, with 63 from the UK.
“We are willing to go the extra mile to recognize and engage our key collaborators”
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Agenda highlights:
- MDPI Overview, Open Access, and UK Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
- MDPI Editorial Process – Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead, MDPI)
- Research Integrity and Publication Ethics – Daisy Fenton (Research Integrity Specialist, MDPI)
- Institutional Partnerships – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager, MDPI)
- Promoting and Developing Your Journal – Prof. Fabio Tosti (Editor-in-Chief of NDT)
- Indexing to Impact – Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead, MDPI)
- Engaging our Academic Community – Jaime Anderson Anderson (UK Operations Manager, MDPI)
- Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
MDPI colleagues Stefan Tochev (CEO), Jaime Anderson Anderson (UK Operations Manager), Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead), Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager), Daisy Fenton (Research Integrity Specialist) at the MDPI UK 2025 Summit in London.
Thank you!
A special thank-you to the Manchester team and all colleagues behind the scenes who made this Summit a success. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. We look forward to building on this momentum with future Summits in Europe and beyond.
Closing Thoughts
Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI) and Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) participating in a press conference at the Italiane Senate in Rome to promote the 2nd International Conference on Environmental Medicine (ICEM)
MDPI at the Italian Senate: Promoting Environmental Medicine and Open Science
On 16 September, Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead) and I had the honour of participating in a press conference at the Italian Senate in Rome, organized by the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA) to promote the upcoming 2nd International Conference on Environmental Medicine (ICEM) (20–21 November 2025).
This is an important event for MDPI, as we are the exclusive publishing partner for ICEM and have recently launched a new journal with SIMA, further building our presence both in Italy and within this important field of research.
Why this matters
- The promotion of ICEM has received extensive national media coverage (more than 15 mentions in major Italian outlets; see links below).
- The press conference brought together leading policymakers, academics, and Nobel Laureates to emphasize the impact of environmental exposures and epigenetics on human health.
- We were introduced to government ministries, university rectors, and influential stakeholders, which helps us bolster MDPI’s visibility and reputation in Italy.
Highlights
Nobel Laureate Sir Richard Roberts joined the discussion, underlining the importance of environmental medicine in shaping future health outcomes. Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. Tong Zhu (Peking University) will also speak at the November conference.
Institutional representatives included the Italian Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, the Italian Undersecretary for Health, and senior officials from the World Health Organization.
In my closing remarks, I highlighted that:
“Over the past five years, about 65% of research published in Italy has been Open Access, compared to an average of 55% worldwide.”
Italian research ranked seventh among the top 20 countries in average citations during this period, reflecting its strong international influence. Not only is Italy producing a high volume of research; it is also producing research of outstanding quality.
MDPI’s role
This event was not only about promoting ICEM but also about showcasing MDPI’s commitment to Open Access and our ability to connect scientific publishing with leading academic, medical, and policy institutions.
As Giulia Stefenelli noted:
“This event was highly relevant for MDPI, as it not only showcased our strong commitment to OA but also emphasized our role in advancing important fields such as Environmental Medicine.”
Learn more
- Watch the full press conference (Radio Radicale)
- Giulia’s speech: 33:20 (in Italian)
- Stefan’s speech: 57:50 (in English)
- ICEM 2025 Conference Program
- Selected media coverage:
This moment at the Italian Senate shows how MDPI can connect publishing with science, policy, and society to help advance both Open Science and environmental health research on a global stage.
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In Rome with Sir Richard Roberts (photo left) and Prof. Giuseppe Novelli (EiC of MDPI journal COVID).
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
1 October 2025
2024 MDPI Top 1000 Reviewers
30 September 2025
Nobel Prize — The Science Behind the Prize
Nobel Prizes are the world’s most prestigious recognition of scientific breakthroughs, honoring discoveries that push the boundaries of knowledge and reshape entire fields. They bring into the public eye researchers whose work might otherwise remain known only within specialized circles.
For many, winning a Nobel Prize is a surreal experience. Laureates often describe a mix of joy, humility, reflection, and gratitude for the teams and collaborators whose contributions made the achievement possible. Behind every Nobel-winning idea lies years of careful, incremental work—a process that often goes unseen.
When Prof. Steven Weinberg won the Nobel Prize in Physics in October 1979, his wife Louise, a legal scholar, reminded him to keep doing the ordinary hard work of science, joking: “Now you have to write some unimportant papers.” True to form, Weinberg continued to push the boundaries of our understanding of the Universe, showing that curiosity and dedication extend far beyond the moment of recognition (Hofmann 2025: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/17/6/840).
Discover the science behind the world’s most transformative ideas
Over the years, dozens of Nobel laureates have published their work with MDPI, entrusting our open access journals to disseminate their findings to a global audience. As of 2024, more than 40 laureates have contributed over 115 articles across 35 journals, ranging from pioneering research on microRNAs and mRNA therapeutics, to fundamental insights in theoretical physics, and advances in structural biology.
We regularly spotlight how Nobel Prize–winning research intersects with the contributions of our authors. This not only celebrates the achievements of the laureates, but also underscores the role of open access in ensuring that transformative science reaches the widest possible audience.
On this page, we invite you to explore selected works by Nobel laureates within the MDPI portfolio, and to join us in celebrating the global impact of their ideas.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 has been awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.
The Science Behind the Prize: 2025 Nobel Physiology or Medicine Roundtable
6 October 2025, 03:30 pm (CEST)
You are welcome to watch the recording here!
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.
The Science Behind the Prize: 2025 Nobel Physics Roundtable
7 October 2025, 02:30 pm (CEST)
You are welcome to watch the recording here!
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi for the development of metal-organic frameworks. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.
28 September 2025
Meet Us at the 2025 SAF National Convention, 22–25 October 2025, Hartford, USA
28 September 2025
MDPI’s Journal Cluster of Ecosystem and Resource Management
The responsible management and stewardship of Earth’s ecosystems is pivotal for preserving biodiversity of the plant and animal species inhabiting them. MDPI’s journal cluster of ecosystem and resource management contains journals that focus on individual ecosystems (e.g., Forests) as well as ecology on a broader scale. The demand for biodiversity and conservation research is growing as the world shifts to more extreme climates, and MDPI’s journals on diversity and conservation will play a larger role in making scientific discoveries more accessible to all researchers across the world.
The member journals in this cluster are as follows:
- Forests (ISSN: 1999-4907) is an international and cross-disciplinary scholarly journal of forestry and forest ecology. It publishes research papers, short communications, and review papers. The journal is indexed within Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), Ei Compendex, GEOBASE, PubAg, AGRIS, PaperChem, and many other databases. Forests is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Giacomo Alessandro Gerosa (Catholic University of Brescia, Italy), and has 14 Sections including Forest Ecology and Management, Forest Ecophysiology and Biology, Forest Economics, Policy, Social Science, etc.;
- Diversity (ISSN: 1424-2818) is dedicated to biodiversity research, covering its concepts, applications, assessment, and conservation. The journal publishes work across all scales of biological diversity—from molecules, genes, and populations to species and ecosystems. Diversity is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Michael Wink (Heidelberg University, Germany);
- Fire (ISSN: 2571-6255) encompasses all aspects of fire and combustion: landscape fires, fire ecology, ignition sources, the wildland–urban interface, building fires, and combustion physics. It encourages submissions related to the historical, policy, and social science aspects of fire science and fire management. Fire is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Grant Williamson (University of Tasmania, Australia);
- Conservation (ISSN: 2673-7159) provides an advanced forum for conservation studies, including biodiversity and environment conservation, resource recycling, conservation and sustainable management, conservation planning and governance, conservation ethics and ecology, and creative and multidisciplinary solutions for conservation and restoration, as well as heritage conservation and restoration. Conservation is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Antoni Margalida (Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC), Spain);
- Ecologies (ISSN: 2673-4133) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal that publishes high-quality research across all areas of ecology. The Editor-in-Chief is Prof. Dr. José Ramón Arévalo Sierra (University of La Laguna, Spain). Ecologies welcomes original research articles and reviews that advance theoretical and applied understanding of ecological processes at the levels of individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems, and their interactions with the environment. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, ecosystem functioning, biodiversity conservation, ecological modeling, ecological restoration, global change ecology, and the impacts of human activities on ecosystems;
- Biosphere (ISSN: 3042-6111) focuses on publishing advances in scientific understanding of ecosystems and ability to project their future conditions for sustainable management and stewardship of the global ecosystem. By bringing together the insights of researchers worldwide, Biosphere emphasizes biodiversity, global change, and the interconnected roles of the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere in creating favorable conditions for life. Biosphere is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Ghassem R. Asrar (iCREST Environmental Education Foundation, USA);
- Wild (ISSN: 3042-4526) deals with all aspects related to nature, including natural environments, renaturalization, restoration, wild species, ethical game, fishing, and other uses of natural resources. The journal also aims to highlight the traditions of Indigenous people that do not destroy primary habitats, integral protected areas, and the places and people symbolizing ecological ethics or (wild) nature protection and restoration. Wild is led by its Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Kevin Cianfaglione (Université Catholique de Lille, France).
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Journals |
Launch year |
Impact Factor (2024) |
CiteScore (2024) |
First Decision (median) |
APC (CHF) |
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2010 |
2.5 |
4.6 |
17.1 |
2600 |
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2009 |
2.1 |
4.0 |
17.1 |
2100 |
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2018 |
2.7 |
3.9 |
16.5 |
2400 |
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2021 |
1.9 |
3.2 |
26.4 |
1200 |
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2020 |
1.9 |
3.0 |
26 |
1200 |
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2025 |
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19 |
1000 |
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2024 |
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19 |
1000 |
MDPI’s mission and values:
As a pioneer of academic open access publishing, MDPI has been serving the scientific community since 1996. Our aim is to foster scientific exchange in all forms, across all disciplines. MDPI’s guidelines for disseminating open science are based on the following values and guiding principles:
- Open Access—All of our content is published as open access and distributed under a Creative Commons License, providing free access to science and the latest research, allowing articles to be freely shared and content to be re-used with proper attribution;
- Timeliness and Efficiency—Publishing the latest research through thorough editorial work, ensuring a first decision is provided to authors in under 32 days and papers are published within 7–10 days upon acceptance;
- Simplicity—Offering user-friendly tools and services in one place to enhance the efficiency of our editorial process;
- High-Quality Service—Supporting scholars and their work by providing a range of options such as journal publication at mdpi.com, early publication at preprints.org, and conferences on sciforum.net to make a positive impact on research;
- Flexibility—Adapting and developing new tools and services to meet the changing needs of the research community, driven by feedback from authors, editors, and readers;
- Rooted in Sustainability—Ensuring the long-term preservation of published papers and supporting the future of science through partnerships, sponsorships, and awards.
By adhering to these values and principles, MDPI remains committed to advancing scientific knowledge and promoting open-science practices.
Selected Topic and Special Issues:
- “Conservation at the Crossroads: Forest Ecology, Wildlife Dynamics, and Emerging Challenges for Ecosystem Resilience”;
- Topic Editors: Dr. Yiannis G. Zevgolis, Dr. Triantaphyllos Akriotis, Dr. Anastasia Christopoulou, Prof. Dr. Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos, Dr. Dimitra-Lida Rammou and Prof. Dr. Dionisios Youlatos;
- Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026;
- “Classification of Forest Tree Species Using Remote Sensing Technologies: Latest Advances and Improvements”;
- Guest Editors: Dr. Udayalakshmi Vepakomma and Prof. Dr. Costas Armenakis;
- Deadline for manuscript submissions: 13 February 2026;
- “The Applications of Emerging Technologies on Biodiversity Conservation”:
- Guest Editors: Dr. Xinhai Li and Prof. Dr. Guiming Wang;
- Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026;
- “Current Advances in the Assessment and Mitigation of Fire Risk in Buildings and Urban Areas: 2nd Edition”:
- Guest Editor: Dr. Tiago Miguel Ferreira;
- Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026;
- “Conservation Biology, Management of Natural Resources, and Protected Areas Policies”:
- Guest Editor: Dr. Kevin Cianfaglione;
- Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026;
- “Microhabitat Diversity and Beetle Conservation in Managed Forests”:
- Guest Editor: Dr. Francesco Parisi;
- Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025;
- “Sustainable and Resilient Biosphere”
- Guest Editor: Dr. Ghassem R. Asrar;
- Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026.
Selected Articles:
Forests
“Forest-Cover Changes in European Natura 2000 Sites in the Period 2012–2018”
by Antonio Santoro, Francesco Piras, Beatrice Fiore, Alessandra Bazzurro and Mauro Agnoletti
Forests 2024, 15(2), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020232
Diversity
“Soil Microorganisms: Their Role in Enhancing Crop Nutrition and Health”
by Qingxia Chen, Yingjie Song, Yuxing An, Yinglin Lu and Guohua Zhong
Diversity 2024, 16(12), 734; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16120734
Fire
“Investigation into the Computational Analysis of High–Speed Microjet Hydrogen–Air Diffusion Flames”
by Ali Cemal Benim
Fire 2024, 7(9), 314; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7090314
Conservation
“Biological and Conservation Aspects of Otter Mortality: A Review”
by Andreia Garcês and Isabel Pires
Conservation 2024, 4(2), 307-318; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation4020020
Ecologies
“Soil and Sediment Organisms as Bioindicators of Pollution”
by Samir Ghannem, Ons Bacha, Sondes Fkiri, Sabri Kanzari, Abdelwaheb Aydi and Samir Touaylia
Ecologies 2024, 5(4), 679-696; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies5040040
Biosphere
“Monitoring Wise Use of Wetlands During Land Conversion for the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands: A Case Study of the Contiguous United States of America (USA)”
by Elena A. Mikhailova, Hamdi A. Zurqani, Lili Lin, Zhenbang Hao, Christopher J. Post, Mark A. Schlautman, Gregory C. Post, Camryn E. Brown and George B. Shepherd
Biosphere 2025, 1(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/biosphere1010002
Wild
“Assessing Species Richness with Camera Trap Surveys During Five Years of Large-Scale Mining Disruptions”
by Ruan W.Higgs and Francois Deacon
Wild 2024, 1(1), 82-95; https://doi.org/10.3390/wild1010007
16 September 2025
Meet Us Online at the 5th International Electronic Conference on Forests–Forests at the Crossroads: Integrating Ecology, Technological Innovation, and Governance (IECF 2026), 14–16 September 2026
16 September 2025
MDPI Webinar | International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, 16 September 2025
We are pleased to invite you to join us as at MDPI’s upcoming International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer webinar, which will be held on 16 September 2025. This event aims to raise awareness about the importance of the ozone layer and the Montreal Protocol in protecting life on Earth.
The theme of the webinar, “From science to global action”, aims to highlight the vital role of science in raising global awareness of emerging issues. Forty years ago, the Vienna Convention was adopted as a result of growing concerns raised by the scientific community about the potentially catastrophic impact of the proliferation of chlorofluorocarbons on the ozone layer. With the Montreal Protocol adopted two years later, international leaders agreed on global action to phase out ozone-damaging chlorofluorocarbons.
Date: 16 September 2025 at 4:00 p.m. CEST | 10:00 a.m. EDT
Webinar ID: 845 1164 6086
Webinar webpage: https://sciforum.net/event/IDPOL-2
Register now for free!
Program:
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Speaker |
Presentation Title |
Time in CEST |
Time in EDT |
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Introduction |
4:00–4:10 p.m. |
10:00–10:10 a.m. |
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Dr. Eugene Rozanov |
40 Years with the “Ozone Hole”: What's in the Future? |
4:10–4:30 p.m. |
10:10–10:30 a.m. |
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Dr. Kostas Eleftheratos |
The Importance of Monitoring the Ozone Layer and its Recovery |
4:30–4:50 p.m. |
10:30–10:50 a.m. |
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Dr. Pasquale Avino |
TBD |
4:50–5:10 p.m. |
10:50–11:10 a.m. |
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Q&A Session |
5:10–5:25 p.m. |
11:10–11:25 a.m. |
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Closing of Webinar |
5:25–5:30 p.m. |
11:25–11:30 a.m. |
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Unable to attend? Register anyway and we’ll let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Webinar Speakers:
- Dr. Eugene Rozanov, PMOD/WRC, Davos, Switzerland;
- Dr. Kostas Eleftheratos, Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
- Dr.Pasquale Avino, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences (DiAAA), University of Molise
Relevant Special Issues:
“Ozone Evolution in the Past and Future (2nd Edition)”
Guest Editor: Eugene Rozanov
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025
Submit to Atmosphere
“Outdoor and Indoor Air Ions, Radon, and Ozone”
Guest Editors: Predrag M. Kolarž and Igor T. Čeliković
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2025
Submit to Atmosphere
“Satellite Observations for Particulate Matter and Gaseous Pollutants Research”
Guest Editors: Zhengqiang Li, Jintai Lin, Cheng Chen and Yan Yu
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025
Submit to Remote Sensing
“Advances in Air Pollution Detection and Air Quality Research”
Guest Editors: Mihaela Tinca Udriștioiu, Silvia Puiu and Liliana Velea
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2026
Submit to Applied Sciences
“Aerosol Measurement, Properties and Its Impacts”
Guest Editors: Tymon Zielinski and Luca Ferrero
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026
Submit to Applied Sciences
Relevant Feature Papers:
“Signs of Slowing Recovery of Antarctic Ozone Hole in Recent Late Winter–Early Spring Seasons (2020–2023)”
by Janusz Krzyścin and Agnieszka Czerwińska
Atmosphere 2024, 15(1), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15010080
“Calibration and Validation of NOAA-21 Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) Nadir Mapper Sensor Data Record Data”
by Banghua Yan, Trevor Beck, Junye Chen, Steven Buckner, Xin Jin, Ding Liang, Sirish Uprety, Jingfeng Huang, Lawrence E. Flynn, Likun Wang, Quanhua Liu and Warren D. Porter
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(23), 4488; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16234488
“Accuracy Evaluation of Differential Absorption Lidar for Ozone Detection and Intercomparisons with Other Instruments”
by Guangqiang Fan, Bowen Zhang, Tianshu Zhang, Yibin Fu, Chenglei Pei, Shengrong Lou, Xiaobing Li, Zhenyi Chen and Wenqing Liu
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(13), 2369; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16132369
“Long-Term Changes of Positive Anomalies of Erythema-Effective UV Irradiance Associated with Low Ozone Events in Germany 1983–2019”
by Gudrun Laschewski and Andreas Matzarakis
Environments 2023, 10(2), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments10020031
“Random Forest Spatial-Temporal and State Space Models to Assess the Impact of Bushfire-Induced Aerosol Events on Ozone Depletion in Australia”
by Irene Hudson, Phillip Pedro-Suvorov and Servet Kocak
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(21), 9825; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14219825
16 September 2025
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer—“From Science to Global Action”, 16 September 2025
On this International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, we are reminded of a critical environmental threat that humanity uncovered and collectively chose to address: the damage to our planet's protective ozone shield. Scientific research revealed that several commonly used industrial chemicals are responsible for this deterioration. These substances, known as halocarbons, contain carbon atoms linked to highly reactive halogen atoms such as chlorine and bromine. It was discovered that when released into the atmosphere, these chemicals undertake a destructive journey to the stratosphere, where they catalyze the breakdown of ozone molecules, with bromine-containing compounds posing a particularly severe threat due to their significantly higher ozone-depleting potential (ODP).
This global cooperation stands as a major milestone in healing the ozone layer, combating climate change, and protecting ecosystems. Let us join hands to honor this International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer and strengthen our shared commitment to safeguarding our planet.
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Webinar webpage: https://sciforum.net/event/IDPOL-2
Keynote Speakers:
 Dr. Eugene Rozanov, Saint Petersburg State University, Russia |
 Dr. Kostas Eleftheratos, Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece |
“Differential Responses of Tree Species to Elevated Ozone and Increasing Air Temperature: Implications for Foliar Functional Traits, Carbon Sequestration, and Their Relationship Under Mixed Planting”
by Ruiting Wang, Sheng Xu, Qin Ping, Kexin Li, Kexin Gao and Xingyuan He
Forests 2024, 15(12), 2183; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15122183
“Random Forest Spatial-Temporal and State Space Models to Assess the Impact of Bushfire-Induced Aerosol Events on Ozone Depletion in Australia”
by Irene Hudson, Phillip Pedro-Suvorov and Servet Kocak
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(21), 9825; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14219825
“Turbulent Energy and Carbon Fluxes in an Andean Montane Forest—Energy Balance and Heat Storage”
by Charuta Murkute, Mostafa Sayeed, Franz Pucha-Cofrep, Galo Carrillo-Rojas, Jürgen Homeier, Oliver Limberger, Andreas Fries, Jörg Bendix and Katja Trachte
Forests 2024, 15(10), 1828; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15101828
“Impact of Air Conditioning Type on Outdoor Ozone Intrusion into Homes in a Semi-Arid Climate”
by James D. Johnston, Seth Van Roosendaal, Joseph West, Hanyong Jung and Darrell Sonntag
Environments 2024, 11(10), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11100219
“Statistical Evaluation of NO2 Emissions in Mashhad City Using Cisco Network Model”
by Mohammad Gheibi and Reza Moezzi
Gases 2024, 4(3), 273-294; https://doi.org/10.3390/gases4030016
“Enhancing Air-Quality Predictions on University Campuses: A Machine-Learning Approach to PM2.5 Forecasting at the University of Petroșani”
by Fabian Arun Panaite, Cosmin Rus, Monica Leba, Andreea Cristina Ionica and Michael Windisch
Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7854; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177854
“Accuracy Evaluation of Differential Absorption Lidar for Ozone Detection and Intercomparisons with Other Instruments”
by Guangqiang Fan, Bowen Zhang, Tianshu Zhang, Yibin Fu, Chenglei Pei, Shengrong Lou, Xiaobing Li, Zhenyi Chen and Wenqing Liu
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(13), 2369; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16132369
“Evaluating the Influence of Urban Blocks on Air Pollution Concentration Levels: The Case Study of Golden Lane Estate in London”
by Mehrdad Borna, Giulia Turci, Marco Marchetti and Rosa Schiano-Phan
Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 696; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020696
“Signs of Slowing Recovery of Antarctic Ozone Hole in Recent Late Winter–Early Spring Seasons (2020–2023)”
by Janusz Krzyścin and Agnieszka Czerwińska
Atmosphere 2024, 15(1), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15010080
“Determination of Ozone Concentration Levels in Urban Environments Using a Laser Spectroscopy System”
by Mioara Petrus, Cristina Popa and Ana-Maria Bratu
Environments 2024, 11(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11010009
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“Bio-Energy: Biogas, Biomethane and Green-Hydrogen” |
“Advances in Urban Air Pollution: 2nd Edition” |
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“Enhancing Urban Sustainability and Well-Being in Developing Regions Facing Climate Change Impacts and Economic Constraints” |
“Advances in Air Pollution Detection and Air Quality Research” |
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3 September 2025
Join Us at the MDPI at the University of Toronto Career Fair, 23 September 2025, Toronto, ON, Canada
1 September 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #26 - CUJS, Head of Ethics, Open Peer Review, AIS 2025, Reviewer Recognition
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
Society of China University Journals (CUJS) visit to MDPI Basel
In August, we had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from the Society of China University Journals (CUJS) to our Basel headquarters. The visit was part of CUJS’s broader European tour, which included meetings with several major publishing organizations.
Purpose of the visit
The delegation’s stop in Basel involved an introductory meeting and knowledge-sharing with a view to identifying potential collaboration opportunities with MDPI. The CUJS team shared an overview of the Chinese scientific publishing landscape, including recent policy developments, and gave us insights into the journals and services they operate across China’s academic institutions.
MDPI presentations
We used the opportunity to introduce CUJS to MDPI’s mission, structure, and recent achievements. I presented on the latest developments at MDPI and our role in supporting global open access, addressing many follow-up questions from the delegation. Warm thanks are due to the following colleagues for their contributions to the session:
- Liliane Auwerter (Conference Organizer, Scientific Officer and Sustainability Specialist) shared an overview of our editorial process, including the quality indicators we use to track peer-review performance.
- Renato Merki (Publication Ethics Assistant) presented on behalf of our Research Integrity and Ethics team, emphasizing our commitment to responsible publishing.
- Silvano Bonfatti (Product Manager) introduced the JAMS platform, highlighting how it supports efficient journal management for editors and publishers alike.
- Aimar Xiong (Publisher, Section Managing Editor) and Giuliano Braccini (Office Manager) facilitated the meeting, offering clarity in response to specific questions, building the relationship during and beyond the meeting itself.
“Building relationships with organizations such as CUJS allows us to increase our visibility and reputation”
Why is this important?
China is one of the world’s largest producers of scientific research, with its universities and research institutes playing a key role in global scholarly publishing. Building strong relationships with influential organizations such as CUJS allows us to increase our visibility and reputation vis-à-vis the Chinese academic community, share best practices, learn from differing publishing models, and explore collaborations that have the potential to enhance the quality, reach, and diversity of our journals.
Looking ahead
It was a productive and friendly exchange that reflected our shared commitment to advancing scholarly communication and improving journal publishing practices. We value these visits, which allow us to create collaborations with stakeholders in the global academic community.
Our Basel office is a hub for hosting international delegations, partners, and collaborators. We look forward to creating more global connections that support our mission.
Impactful Research
Appointment of Dr. Tim Tait-Jamieson as Head of Publication Ethics
As part of our ongoing commitment to research integrity and publishing excellence, I am delighted to announce that we have appointed Dr. Tim Tait-Jamieson as Head of Publication Ethics.
In this role, Tim will lead the development of our ethics strategy and oversee the continued growth of the Publication Ethics Department, which is based across our offices in Basel, Manchester, Belgrade/Novi Sad, and Cluj. Guided by the principles of effective prevention and efficient resolution, the department plays an essential role in ensuring the highest standards of integrity throughout our editorial processes.
Department focus
Working closely with internal teams and external partners, the Publication Ethics Department focuses on refining our policies, aligning our operations with international best practices, and addressing complex cases with fairness and transparency. This work is critical in supporting our editors, reviewers, and authors, reinforcing MDPI’s contribution to the global dialogue on research integrity.
“Research integrity is something to which we all contribute through our daily work at MDPI”
About Tim
Tim joined MDPI in 2021 and has held several roles within the Publication Ethics Department, most recently serving as Research Integrity Lead. Based in our Basel office, he brings a strong academic background, with a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and a proven track record of leadership in research integrity.
Research integrity is something to which we all contribute through our daily work at MDPI. I look forward to Tim’s leadership as we continue investing in the people, processes, and partnerships that uphold the trust and credibility of scholarly publishing.
Read more:
Inside MDPI
How and why MDPI offers Open Peer Review
At MDPI, we are committed to advancing openness and transparency in scholarly publishing. One area where we’ve taken a leadership role is peer review. Since 2014, MDPI has offered authors the option of open peer review, giving them the opportunity to publish reviewer comments alongside their papers. Each year, more authors are choosing this path, helping to build trust in the editorial process and provide valuable context for the research we publish.
Jack McKenna (Senior Content Specialist, MDPI) recently wrote an informative piece looking at the impact and importance of open peer review at MDPI. He highlights how this approach not only benefits readers but also gives well-deserved recognition to our reviewers, who generously dedicate their time and expertise to the academic community.
I encourage you to read this blogpost to see how MDPI is helping set standards for transparency in scholarly publishing.
Coming Together for Science
Recap of MDPI’s AIS 2025 Conference in Kuala Lumpur
Entering the month of August, we held The 2nd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers (AIS 2025) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“AIS is quickly becoming a premier event in the field”
The second edition of AIS brought together 335 attendees from across Asia and beyond, including participants from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. The event, chaired by Prof. Dr. Toshihiro Itoh (University of Tokyo), Prof. Dr. Sang-Woo Kim (Yonsei University), and Prof. Dr. Chengkuo Lee (National University of Singapore), continues to grow in reputation and has become an important platform for researchers and students to present their work, exchange ideas, and build international collaborations.
AIS is quickly becoming a premier event in the field, with participants highlighting its quality of service, its expanding academic network, and the value it delivers in the context of tightening research budgets in the region.
It was also excellent to see our new MDPI journal AI Sensors, which originated from a conference topic, host a successful launch party at the event.
Highlights from participant feedback:
- Southeast University (China) sent a student delegation and considers AIS a regular fixture for Ph.D. students in need of international conference experience.
- CAS Aerospace Information Research Institute sent a 10-member delegation and plans to further promote AIS internally.
- Japanese researchers regard AIS as a must-attend event, placing it on a par with IEEE conferences and citing the benefits of networking and exchange.
- Korean academics praised the organization and noted improved perceptions of MDPI among their institutions, viewing AIS as a strategic opportunity to deepen engagement in the region.
Award winners
We recognized the recipients of the Best Presentation, Best Scientist, Best Poster, and Best Student Paper awards, whose contributions set a standard for academic excellence. The full award announcement is available here.
Looking ahead
The 3rd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers will be held from 5 to10 August 2026 in Jeju, Korea. The General Chairs will be Prof. Inkyu Park (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), Prof. Zhou Li (Tsinghua University), Prof. Xinge Yu (City University of Hong Kong), and Prof. Chengkuo Lee (National University of Singapore). We look forward to bringing together innovators, researchers and experts who are shaping the future at the intersection of sensors, sensing technology, transducers and artificial intelligence.
Thank you
Our conference team managed this event with great agility and professionalism and are already planning improvements to make the conference even more accessible. Special thanks to the National University of Singapore for their support, and to our entire conference team and collaborators for their dedication.
AIS is gaining momentum, and we look forward to supporting its role as a bridge between MDPI and the global academic community.
“Our conference team managed this event with great agility and professionalism”
Closing Thoughts
Recognizing our outstanding reviewers
As we close this edition of the newsletter, I would like to spotlight MDPI’s 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Awards, which showcase a group of winners whose contributions often go unseen but are essential to the integrity of scholarly publishing: our reviewers.
In 2024, more than 215,000 reviewers dedicated their time and expertise to MDPI journals. From this community, we are proud to recognize 356 recipients of the Outstanding Reviewer Awards, who went above and beyond by providing timely, thorough and constructive feedback.
These awards are not only a token of our appreciation but also a reflection of the values we stand for: rigor, fairness and collaboration in advancing science.
To explore the full list of awardees across disciplines, from life sciences to the humanities, please visit the following pages:
- Biology and Life Sciences
- Business and Economics
- Chemistry and Materials Science
- Computer Science and Mathematics
- Engineering
- Environmental and Earth Sciences
- Medicine and Pharmacology
- Physical Sciences
- Public Health and Healthcare
- Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities
About MDPI Awards
To recognize the academic community, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. Serving as a source of recognition and inspiration, these awards help increase the influence of scholars who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their respective fields.
To explore more opening Outstanding Reviewer Awards, please click here.
To all our reviewers: thank you for being the foundation of trust that makes open access publishing possible!
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
