Announcements

30 April 2025
Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller Share the 2024 Tu Youyou Award


We are pleased to announce that the 2024 Tu Youyou Award has been conferred upon Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller, in recognition of their significant contributions to natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

2024 Tu Youyou Award Laureates

Richard DiMarchi
Indiana University, USA
Prof. Richard DiMarchi is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences at Indiana University, USA. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Dr. DiMarchi is a former Group Vice President at Eli Lilly and later at Novo Nordisk. He is recognized for his contributions to the discovery and development of rDNA-derived Humulin®, Humalog®, rGlucagon®, and Forteo®. His academic research has broadened the understanding of glucagon and incretin physiology and pioneered the discovery of single-molecule multi-mechanism agonists for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. The central element to success has been the chemical vision and technology to install within single molecules simultaneous agonism at related G-protein coupled receptors, coupled to the counter-intuitive discovery that glucagon and GIP agonism could synergize the therapeutic efficacy of GLP-1. These peptides and their conceptual approach have transformed the management of excessive body weight to a condition comparable to how hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, and excess cholesterol are medicinally managed.
Professor DiMarchi was recognized by the 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members as being an exceptional leader in the medicinal chemistry of peptides and proteins of natural origin, and as a pioneer in the field of chemical biotechnology. His very important discoveries have led to breakthroughs in new drugs related to the therapy of diabetes and obesity. He has been named as an inventor on a very large number of patents, and he has had initially a highly successful scientific and administrative career in industry, which was followed by over two decades in academia as a distinguished professor.
—Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee
   

Rolf Müller
Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Germany;
Helmholtz Centre for Infections Research (HZI), Germany;
Saarland University, Germany
Prof. Rolf Müller is the Founding and Managing Director of the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and Professor of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Saarland University, Germany. Having received his training from the University of Bonn, he held research positions at the University of Washington, USA, and Braunschweig University of Technology, Germany, prior to his appointment as professor to Saarland University. His laboratory has dedicated itself to the exploration of bacterial natural-product biosynthetic pathways for more than 20 years and has extensive experience in working with myxobacteria and other microbial producer strains. Starting from the isolation and characterization of new microorganisms, the scope of work includes microbiology-, biotechnology-, bioinformatics-, and chemistry-based approaches to exploit these isolates as sources of new drugs with a special focus on novel anti-infectives. Müller and his team apply a variety of state-of-the-art analytical methods and biological assays to perform biological and chemical characterizations of the identified compounds. Prof. Müller has received several awards, including the prestigious Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, the PHOENIX Pharmacy Research Award, the DECHEMA Prize, and the Inhoffen Medal, as well as being an elected member of acatech, Leopoldina, and the German Academy of Sciences and Literature.
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members were highly impressed by the truly outstanding past and ongoing contributions of Professor Müller in both microbial natural products isolation chemistry and in biosynthesis, as well as in the development of lead compounds for their potential in treating human diseases, through his global connections with various major funding agencies. He is also a dedicated teacher who has trained numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and he has lectured on his research in countries all over the world.
—Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee

The achievements of Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller highlight the transformative impact of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. We congratulate them and invite the global academic community and public to join us in celebrating their significant contributions.

2024 Award Committee
Committee Chair:

Committee Members (listed in alphabetical order):

  • Prof. Angelo Fontana, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy;
  • Prof. Binghe Wang, Georgia State University, USA;
  • Dr. Diana Pinto, University of Aveiro, Portugal;
  • Prof. Hideaki Kakeya, Kyoto University, Japan;
  • Dr. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel, University of Strathclyde, UK;
  • Prof. Thomas Prisinzano, University of Kentucky, USA
  • Prof. Wei Li, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA.

About the Tu Youyou Award:
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award includes a total monetary prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs and a medal for each recipient. Established in 2016 to honor the pioneering spirit of Nobel laureate Tu Youyou, the Tu Youyou Award is an international award honoring exceptional scholars dedicated to the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website.

30 April 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #22 - 300 Journals in WoS, Norway & Sweden Consortiums, Self-citations

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

Over 300 MDPI Journals are Indexed in Web of Science

Indexing is essential to scholarly publishing as it promotes visibility and the impact of research. I’m excited to share that MDPI now has over 300 journals indexed in the Web of Science (WoS). This milestone reflects the work of our authors, editors, reviewers, and the entire MDPI staff, contributing to greater visibility and impact for open access research.

Publish with MDPI, publish with impact.

Having over 300 MDPI journals indexed in the Web of Science is more than a numbers game. It represents a recognition of the quality, consistency, and relevance of the research published in our journals. For the academic community, it reflects the growing trust in MDPI as a reputable publisher, leading the way in open access publishing.

A closer look at the achievement

Being indexed in the WoS nvolves meeting a list of quality criteria, including 24 quality benchmarks for ESCI journals. 

For MDPI, rigorous editorial standards and scientific integrity are key. These enabled over 300 journals to pass the Web of Science quality criteria for indexing.

Here we share a blog post discussing the importance of this milestone for MDPI and open scholarly research. In this post, Constanze Schelhorn, Head of Indexing, at MDPI, and Giulia Stefenelli, Scientific Communications Lead, share their thoughts and insights on what this achievement means for our commitment to high-quality research.

“MDPI has a well-structured quality assurance framework that applies to all our journals. We also apply clear, standardized peer-review policies across our portfolio, ensuring transparency and consistency.” – Constanze Schelhorn, Head of Indexing

“This achievement is a step forward for Open Access research, reinforcing the mission to share scientific knowledge globally and facilitate research progress.” – Giulia Stefenelli, Scientific Communications Lead

Read the blog here: https://blog.mdpi.com/2025/04/03/300-mdpi-journals/

Looking to the future

This milestone is a testament to MDPI’s dedication to peer review, editorial excellence, and innovation in academic publishing. It highlights our role as leaders in open access publishing.

Personally, I see this as just the beginning. We will continue to support researchers, expand our contributions to scholarly communication, and push the boundaries of academic publishing.

Impactful Research

Nearly 920 partner institutions in MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program

I’m pleased to share some exciting progress from MDPI's Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP), which now includes nearly 920 partner institutions worldwide. This is more than just a number. It reflects the growing trust and collaboration we’ve built with universities, libraries, and research organizations across the globe. 

The IOAP offers institutions discounted Article Processing Charges (APCs), access to a dedicated institutional dashboard, and transparency throughout the publishing process.

Norway’s Sikt Consortium Renews national agreement with MDPI

MDPI has renewed its national agreement with the Sikt Consortium, which now supports 36 institutions across Norway. New partners, such as Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, join long-standing collaborators such as NTNU, the University of Bergen, and UiT, The Arctic University of Norway. The agreement promotes affordable, high-quality open access publishing through centralized APC funding, and reinforces Norway’s leadership in open science.

These agreements reflect MDPI’s mission to remove barriers to scientific publishing and make research freely available to all. By collaborating with national consortia and institutions, we advance the open access and strengthen our global network and collaborations.

Our IOAP Team

A big thank-you to our IOAP team for driving these important collaborations. Their work includes increasing MDPI’s visibility in scholarly communications, strengthening relationships with IOAP partners, and building trust with key stakeholders.

These efforts not only help researchers to publish their work openly and affordably but also reinforce MDPI’s position as a trusted leader in open access.

What are the benefits of MDPI’s IOAP?

For Authors: Researchers affiliated with IOAP partner institutions benefit from automatic discounts on APCs, Book Processing Charges (BPCs), JAMS, and Author Services across MDPI’s journals. The process is seamless as there is no need for codes or special applications. The publishing experience is smoother and more affordable, and centralized invoicing helps simplify the process, allowing authors to focus on their research rather than administration.

For Libraries: Participating libraries receive access to a dedicated institutional dashboard with live metadata on submissions from affiliated authors, past and present. They also benefit from flexible invoicing options (direct, collective, or prepayment) to help streamline administration, while clear, transparent agreements ensure that there are no hidden clauses or small print. Automated deposits into Institutional Repositories further reduce manual work, supporting libraries in their mission to advance open access and serve their research communities.

Inside MDPI

MDPI Self-citation study shows industry alignment

Earlier this month, Dr. Giulia Stefenelli and Dr. Enric Sayas published a thoughtful and transparent article on the ALPSP blog, presenting a self-citation analysis across MDPI’s 237 journals indexed in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR).

They found that MDPI's average self-citation rate in 2024 was 14.85%, well within industry norms and ranking 6th among the top ten publishers. Only 2.3% of MDPI journals were identified as outliers with high self-citation rates, compared to 4.7% among other leading publishers. An alternative approach, using weighted average by publication volume, shows MDPI’s self-citation rate rises from 14% to 19.7%, shifting our rank from 6th to 3rd. The study also shows that the impact of self-citation on journal quartile placement is minimal.

Read the full article on the ALPSP blog: https://blog.alpsp.org/2025/03/mdpi-self-citations-study-highlights.html

Why is this important?

As explained in the full article, the results “reinforce the fact that self-citations have minimal influence on MDPI journal rankings, emphasizing the integrity of editorial practices and the absence of any deliberate efforts to manipulate impact.”

Self-citation is a hot topic, and MDPI is sometimes unfairly singled out in this area. This analysis helps put some perspective to that narrative.

At MDPI, we are committed to transparency and to using data-driven insights to address common misconceptions about open access publishing. Our focus on self-citation reflects this commitment, and we plan to extend our efforts to other areas where the Gold OA model is often misunderstood.

About the authors

Dr. Giulia Stefenelli, Scientific Communications Lead, leverages her expertise in science communication, editorial processes, and Open Access (OA) promotion to address both institutional and country-specific challenges. She collaborates with teams across PR, Editorial Procedures, Institutional Partnerships, Research Integrity, AI and more, developing strategies to engage stakeholders, including policymakers, academics, and industry leaders. Her responsibilities include enhancing MDPI’s scientific network and promoting OA initiatives at events worldwide, supporting the efforts of various departments, and ensuring effective communication to both specialist and broader audiences.

Dr. Enric Sayas is a Business Analyst specializing in the integration of AI and Machine Learning in scientific publishing.

Within MDPI’s AI team, Enric combines his editorial expertise with his passion for AI to support the development of AI-driven solutions tailored to editorial needs, enhancing efficiency and improving decision-making.

Enric’s interests extend to data science methodologies applied to scientific publishing, as well as the broader impact of AI on open science, peer review, and the future of scientific publishing.

Coming Together for Science

 

Plants 2025: From Seeds to Food Security


Prof. Dr. Dilantha Fernando presenting at Plants 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

The MDPI Conference Plants 2025: From Seeds to Food Security took place in Barcelona, Spain, from 31 March to 2 April 2025.

It was chaired by Editor-in-Chief of MDPI journal Plants (Q1 journal); Prof. Dr. Dilantha Fernando from the University of Manitoba, in Canada, and Section Editor-in-Chief of Plants; Dr. Fermín Morales from Instituto de Agrobiotecnología (IdAB) – CSIC, in Spain; and Prof. Dr. Oscar Vicente from Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) in Spain.

The conference brought plant scientists together to discuss innovations in sustainable agriculture, crop improvement, and environmental conservation.

With the global population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, the conference addressed key challenges such as food security, climate change, and sustainable agroecosystems through keynote talks and seven specialized sessions.

The conference gathered 111 attendees from 36 different countries, featuring 1 keynote speaker, 9 invited speakers, and 41 selected talks, along with 56 posters. The event received just over 200 submissions and 102 accepted abstracts.

From insightful talks, engaging poster sessions and engaging networking moments, Plants 2025 was a special experience. You can relive the highlights from the Plants 2025 conference here with our after movie!


Awards

Four awards were presented at the conclusion of the conference, sponsored by the journal Plants: two Best Poster Awards (€250 each) and two Best Oral Presentation Awards (€300 each).

Plants 2025 Conference Team

The Plants 2025 Conference was organized by colleagues from MDPI’s Conference Team: Ana Sanchis (Conference Manager), Cédric Spinnler (Senior Conference Organizer), Raquel Sellès (Conference Organizer) and Laura Perez (Conference Assistant).

Upcoming event

5–7 May 2025
The 2nd International Electronic Conference on Metals
Location: Online event (Central European Summer Time)

As one of the pillar technologies that support the development of modern society and metallurgy, IECME 2025 will present the state-of-the-art of Metallurgy and Metals.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.

Closing Thoughts

Swedish consortium renews partnership with MDPI

I’m pleased to share that MDPI has renewed its national partnership with Sweden’s Bibsam Consortium. This is a continued commitment to advancing open access publishing and supporting Sweden’s vision for fully open research.

Under this renewed agreement, 22 leading institutions including KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, Linnaeus University, and Linköping University, will continue to benefit from MDPI’s IOAP. This provides discounts on APCs and a more streamlined, researcher-friendly publishing experience.

MDPI and Bibsam renew national agreement for Sweden

“With robust backing from national open science guidelines, Sweden’s open-access landscape is rapidly advancing,” says Becky Castellon, institutional partnerships manager at MDPI.

“In fact, fewer than 15% of all Swedish research outputs were locked behind paywalls in 2023. We are passionate about the positive impact our ongoing partnership with the Bibsam Consortium will have on Swedish research, paving the way for ground-breaking developments and a more inclusive, open scientific community. Through flexible solutions and tailored policies, we enable institutions to prioritize research, foster innovation, and enhance accessibility, driving the shift to full open access.”

Recent MDPI IOAP Consortium signings from 2025:

  • The UK’s Jisc Consortium extended its national agreement, continuing support for more than 60 institutions across the UK.
  • Switzerland’s CSAL (Consortium of Swiss Academic Libraries) renewed its agreement, continuing our collaboration with top institutions such as ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne.
  • In Germany, we signed a new national agreement with ZB MED that includes over 100 universities and research institutions, with 78 institutions joining under a central or flat-fee model to simplify APC coverage.
Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

30 April 2025
Announcing the Award Committee for the 2024 Tu Youyou Award

We are honored to introduce the award committee for the 2024 Tu Youyou Award, composed of distinguished scientists from around the world whose research covers diverse areas of natural product chemistry, pharmacognosy, and drug discovery. Their broad expertise and pioneering contributions have significantly advanced medicinal and natural products research.

Through their collective insights, rigorous evaluation, the committee has carefully selected this year’s award recipients, recognizing exceptional achievements in the field.

We sincerely thank these distinguished scholars for their efforts and dedication to upholding the standards of the Tu Youyou Award.  Below is the list of committee members. For more information about the Tu Youyou Award, please visit https://tuyouyouprize.org/

Chair:


Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn
Ohio State University, USA
Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn is a leading expert in pharmacognosy and natural products research. He is recognized for his key contributions to discovering bioactive compounds from plants, especially in anticancer, cancer chemopreventive, and substances with a sweet taste and taste-modifying agents. His prolific contributions include over 590 peer-reviewed works and book chapters and edited or co-edited 40 scientific volumes.
Committee Members:

Prof. Angelo Fontana
University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy
Angelo Fontana is a Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Naples “Federico II” in Italy and serves as Director of the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry at the National Research Council (CNR). His research focuses on bioactive small molecules derived from marine eukaryotes, with a particular interest on their pharmaceutical applications in immunology and oncology. He also explores their potential as molecular tools for probing and modulating complex biological systems. Prof. Fontana is a co-founder of BioSEArch SRL and has been recognized with numerous grants and honors, including the Apivita Award from the Phytochemical Society of Europe.

Prof. Binghe Wang
Georgia State University, USA
Prof. Binghe Wang’s lab works on drug design, drug delivery, click chemistry, chemical biology, new diagnostics, and gaseous signaling molecules such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. His interdisciplinary research supports advances in cancer, infectious diseases, organ protection, inflammation, and other areas.  

Dr. Diana Pinto
University of Aveiro, Portugal
Dr. Diana Pinto, an Associate Professor at the University of Aveiro, specializes in organic synthesis of bioactive heterocyclic compounds, sustainable catalysis (organo-, heterogeneous, and biocatalysis), and natural product research, including isolation, characterization, and total synthesis.

Prof. Hideaki Kakeya
Kyoto University, Japan
Prof. Hideaki Kakeya conducts cutting-edge research in chemical biology, high-throughput screening, and biosynthesis of bioactive natural products for system chemotherapy and other therapeutic applications.

Dr. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel
University of Strathclyde, UK
Prof. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel heads the Natural Products Metabolomics Group (NPMG), specializing in marine natural products discovery and metabolomics-driven drug development. A recognized expert in bioactive metabolites, she collaborates with industry and academia to address antimicrobial resistance and sustainable bioprospecting. She serves on the Editorial Board of Marine Drugs and holds two patents in the field.

Prof. Thomas Prisinzano
University of Kentucky, USA
Prof. Thomas Prisinzano combines medicinal and natural product chemistry to explore neurotransmitter systems and develop treatments for drug abuse and pain. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Innovator Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence.

Prof. Wei Li
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA
A distinguished professor and Director of the Drug Discovery Center, Prof. Wei Li is also the founder of SEAK Therapeutics, and the 2025 Chair-Elect of the Drug Discovery and Development Division of the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). His work focuses on medicinal chemistry and small molecule drug discovery, with over 200 publications and 15 issued US patents.

22 April 2025
International Mother Earth Day, 22 April 2025


Mother Earth is sending us an urgent call to action as nature suffers from the devastating impacts of human activity. Our oceans are choked with plastic and acidifying, while extreme heat, wildfires, and floods have disrupted millions of lives. Climate change, deforestation, unsustainable agriculture, illegal wildlife trade, and other human-driven disruptions are accelerating the destruction of ecosystems and biodiversity. As we mark the third Mother Earth Day within the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, it is clear that healthy ecosystems are vital for all life on Earth. Restoring damaged ecosystems can help end poverty, fight climate change, and prevent mass extinction, but success depends on everyone playing their part. Together, we must act now to heal our planet and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.

On this significant day, we are proud to present a curated collection of articles and initiatives dedicated to groundbreaking research and innovative solutions for protecting and restoring our planet. As we celebrate Mother Earth and reflect on the urgent need for action, these contributions highlight critical efforts to combat climate change, restore ecosystems, and promote sustainability. We invite readers to explore these resources and join us in our shared mission to safeguard the health of our planet for future generations. Together, we can make a lasting impact and ensure a thriving, resilient Earth for all.

Environmental & Earth Sciences

Biology & Life Sciences

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Károly Németh

Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science, New Zealand

Prof. Brendan Macke

Griffith University, Australia

The Conservation of Biodiverse and Threatened Dry Rainforest Plant Communities Is Vital in a Changing Climate
by Marion Howard, Hilary Pearl, Bill McDonald, Yoko Shimizu, Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava and Alison Shapcott
Conservation 2024, 4(4), 657-684; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation4040040

Ten Years of Mediterranean Monk Seal Stranding Records in Greece under the Microscope: What Do the Data Suggest?
by Maria Solanou, Aliki Panou, Irida Maina, Stefanos Kavadas and Marianna Giannoulaki
Animals 2024, 14(9), 1309; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14091309

Groundwater Temperature Stripes: A Simple Method to Communicate Groundwater Temperature Variations Due to Climate Change
by Manuela Lasagna, Elena Egidio and Domenico Antonio De Luca
Water 2024, 16(5), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16050717

Resilience of an Urban Coastal Ecosystem in the Caribbean: A Remote Sensing Approach in Western Puerto Rico
by Yadiel Noel Bonilla-Roman and Salvador Francisco Acuña-Guzman
Earth 2024, 5(1), 72-89; https://doi.org/10.3390/earth5010004

Particulate Matter in the American Southwest: Detection and Analysis of Dust Storms Using Surface Measurements and Ground-Based LIDAR
by Joscelyne Guzman-Gonzalez, Rosa M. Fitzgerald, Nakul N. Karle, Ricardo K. Sakai and William R. Stockwell
Atmosphere 2024, 15(1), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15010110

An Imported Environmental Crisis: Plastic Mismanagement in Africa
by Gilbert Moyen Massa and Vasiliki-Maria Archodoulaki
Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 672; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020672

The Effect of Habitat on Insect Movements: Experimental Evidence from Wild-Caught Butterflies
by Matteo Marcantonio, Raluca Voda, Daniele Da Re, Quentin Igot, Roger L. H. Dennis, Aurélien Vielfaure, Sophie O. Vanwambeke and Caroline M. Nieberding
Insects 2023, 14(9), 737; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14090737

Artificial Reefs around the World: A Review of the State of the Art and a Meta-Analysis of Its Effectiveness for the Restoration of Marine Ecosystems
by Carolina Bracho-Villavicencio, Helena Matthews-Cascon and Sergio Rossi
Environments 2023, 10(7), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments10070121

Topography, Slope and Geomorphology’s Influences on Shoreline Dynamics along Dakar’s Southern Coast, Senegal
by Ibrahima Pouye, Dieudonné Pessièzoum Adjoussi, Jacques André Ndione and Amadou Sall
Coasts 2023, 3(1), 93-112; https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts3010006

Potential Use of Industrial Biomass Waste as a Sustainable Energy Source in the Future
by Tomasz Kalak
Energies 2023, 16(4), 1783; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041783

Nature-Based Solutions to Extreme Wildfires

Guest Editor: Adrián Regos

Submission deadline: 15 June 2025

Impact of Environmental Factors and Management Practices on Bee Health - 2nd Edition

Guest Editors: Ivana Tlak Gajger and Franco Mutinelli
Submission deadline: 31 December 2025

17 April 2025
MDPI Webinar | International Mother Earth Day, 22 April 2025


In commemoration of International Mother Earth Day, MDPI is organizing a special webinar to bring together researchers and experts to share their thoughts on raising awareness about the importance of environmental protection and addressing pressing global issues such as climate change, ecosystem recovery, and sustainable development.

The theme of the webinar revolves around fostering a deeper understanding of humanity’s role in preserving our planet for future generations, as well as the crucial roles of biodiversity conservation and sustainable practices in preserving our ecosystems for future generations. This webinar will provide a platform for meaningful discussions and knowledge exchange on the importance of climate change and the importance of the recovery of our ecosystems.

We are looking forward to seeing you at the MDPI International Mother Earth Day Webinar 2025. Please find an up-to-date outline of the presenters below.

Any interesting suggestions regarding topics and speakers are welcome.

Date: 22 April 2025
Time:
8:30 a.m. CEST | 4:30 p.m. AEST | 2:30 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 878 0932 6864

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will inform you when the recording is available to watch.

Register now for free!

Program:

Time (CEST)

Program and Conten

8:30–8:35 a.m.

Opening Ceremony
MDPI Presenter

8:35–9:05 a.m.

Geoheritage as the Building Block of the Geodiversity of Earth Heritage
Speaker:
Prof. Károly Németh
This presentation will provide a critical review of the significance of geoheritage from an Earth heritage perspective. The talk will outline the link between geoheritage and geodiversity in light of their role in geosystem services. The lecture will also cover aspects of various geohazards from a geoheritage perspective, especially to link natural hazards and geoheritage, to promote human society resilience development. The presentation will explore the link between traditional knowledge on Earth heritage and its potential for blending with modern research aspects to co-develop geoconservation ventures for local communities.

9:05–9:35 a.m.

A Science Perspective on Ethics, Multi-Species Kinship, and Duty of Care to Future Generations
Speaker:
Prof. Brendan Macke
From a scientific perspective, “multi-species kindship” is not a particularly foreign concept because science states as known facts that humans are just one of millions of species on the same tree of life and that all life (including humans) emerged from and co-evolved with the Earth’s environment. Earth system science also makes it clear that human wellbeing, as well as that of future generations, remains dependent on a healthy Earth environment and therefore on interdependencies with other species. Scientific knowledge informs human ethics (as in the verb, deciding what the right or wrong thing is in a given situation) and what kind of ethics (as in a statement of ethical principles) should guide our individual and collective behaviors.

9:35–9:55 a.m.

Q&A Session

9:55–10:00 a.m.

Closing of Program

Webinar Speakers:

  • Prof. Károly Németh, 1 National Program of Earthquakes and Volcanoes, Saudi Geological Survey, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2 Institute of Earth Physics and Space Science, Sopron, Hungary; 3 Geoconservation Trust Aotearoa SW Pacific, Opotiki, New Zealand;
  • Prof. Brendan Macke, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.

For more information about this webinar, please visit https://sciforum.net/event/MEDW2025?subscribe.

If you have any questions about this webinar, please contact journal.webinar@mdpi.com.

MDPI International Mother Earth Day Webinar Secretariat

2 April 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #21 - Annual Report, Swiss Consortium, IWD, ICARS, Serbia

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 Releases 2024 Annual Achievements Report

I’m pleased to share the release of MDPI’s 2024 Annual Achievements Report, which reflects our commitment to efficiency, transparency, and excellence in scholarly communication. The report showcases key themes related to our growth (highlighting our workforce expansion, new offices, journal milestones), excellence (editorial and publishing advancements), people (talent development and training), and community (partnerships, conferences, and outreach).

MDPI continues to build connections and drive scientific progress

Our mission remains clear: to support researchers worldwide by delivering an efficient, high-quality publishing experience while strengthening the global Open Access (OA) movement.

Advancing Open Access: A Global Knowledge Hub

In 2024, we published 238,000 peer-reviewed OA articles, reaching over 25 million downloads. This reinforces MDPI’s role as a global knowledge hub, breaking down barriers to access and ensuring that high-quality research is freely available to everyone. As part of the OA movement, we are actively democratizing knowledge, making scientific advancements accessible to researchers, policymakers, educators, and the public, without the restrictions of traditional paywalls.

Expanding our Workforce and Strengthening Research Integrity

Our global presence grew in 2024 with the opening of a new Seoul office, and our workforce expanded to 6,650 staff across 21 offices. This reflects our continued growth mindset and investment in global accessibility. We also continued to take a proactive stance on our commitment to research integrity, tripling our team in this area and joining STM’s Integrity Hub and United2Act. This means more rigorous quality control, stronger safeguards, and collaboration with global initiatives to detect and combat unethical publishing practices at an industry level. Our growth is about reinforcing our role as a trusted, ethical, and accessible publishing platform for researchers worldwide.

Growing Partnerships and Impact in Scholarly Communication

MDPI’s partnerships continue to thrive, with over 900 institutional collaborations, including a landmark agreement with ZB MED in Germany, covering more than 100 universities. Additionally, more than 90% of evaluated MDPI journals have been accepted into Web of Science, including 60 new acceptances in 2024, with nearly 300 journals expected to receive a Journal Impact Factor in 2025. In the same period, 37 MDPI journals were accepted into Scopus, bringing our total indexed titles to 306. Most importantly, 95% of authors rate their experience with MDPI as excellent or good – an achievement that underscores our dedication to serving the research community.

I encourage you to read through our Annual Report, which highlights these milestones and our vision for the future. Thank you for being part of MDPI’s journey in advancing open science.

Impactful Research

MDPI Renews Partnership with CSAL to Support Swiss Universities

I am pleased to announce the renewal of our partnership with the Consortium of Swiss Academic Libraries (CSAL) for 2025. This extension reinforces MDPI's dedication to advancing open science through transparency, efficiency, and collaboration.

Our renewed agreement with CSAL strengthens support for Swiss universities, ensuring that gold open access publishing remains both accessible and affordable for researchers across Switzerland. Among the institutions participating in this agreement are ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, along with 20 other leading institutions, further expanding the reach and impact of our collaborative efforts.

To date, over 3.9 million researchers have published their findings in MDPI journals, a testament to our role in enhancing Switzerland's position as a hub for university education and research.

Inside MDPI

Celebrating International Women's Day: Accelerating Action

In honour of International Women's Day, MDPI embraced the theme “Accelerate Action,” a global call to advance women's progress by implementing effective strategies and resources. As part of our commitment, we highlighted how open access publishing empowers female voices in research and academia.

Throughout March, we featured original blogs authored by MDPI’s female contributors, showcasing the successes of our journals and employees, and addressing pressing topics such as women's health.

“Open Access supports women in education”

Women Accelerating Action Outside of MDPI

MDPI employee Ana Zdravkovic is accelerating action outside of her MDPI role as a Production Assistant. Working with like-minded women at the award-winning Belgrade-based organization UZOR OsnaŽene (meaning ‘empowered women’), they identify serious flaws in cybersecurity, and help protect women and children against online predators by providing evidence to improve legislation and laws around cyber-attacks.

In this article, we interview Ana, celebrating the important and inspiring work that she and the organisation do.

How Open Access Supports Women in Education

Every day, women and girls face barriers in education or career progression. This is caused by a range of factors, including social expectations, poverty, and poor infrastructure.

Quality opportunities and participation in the education system by women is essential to achieving equality and fulfilling their human rights.

Here, we examine how Open Access supports women in education by removing barriers and ensuring that vital research is accessible.

Recent Advancements in Research on Endometriosis

March is Endometriosis Action Month. Endometriosis is a medical condition affecting women and young girls of reproductive age, often causing symptoms such as severe pelvic pain, irregular periods, and infertility.

More research on endometriosis is still urgently needed.

This research will help develop efficient diagnoses and better treatment for those struggling with the condition.

In this article, we explore what endometriosis is and discuss the latest research advancements on the disease.

We also curated a selection of MDPI journals, articles, and Special Issues focusing on gender equity, women in the workplace, and women’s health.​ Find out more about these by visiting our IWD – Accelerate Action landing page.

As I reflect on the month of March and International Women’s Day, I would like to take a moment to recognize and thank all of the incredible women at MDPI for your dedication to democratizing knowledge and shaping open access. Your contributions are invaluable, and they continue to shape the future of MDPI.

Coming Together for Science

The International Conference on Advanced Remote Sensing (ICARS 2025)

The International Conference on Advanced Remote Sensing (ICARS 2025) took place from 26–28 March 2025, in Barcelona, Spain. It was chaired by Prof. Dr. Fabio Tosti from the Faringdon Research Centre for Non-Destructive Testing and Remote Sensing (UK), Prof. Dr. Andrea Benedetto from University Roma Tre (Italy), and Prof. Dr. Luis Ángel Ruiz from Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV, Spain).

Over three days, the conference explored innovations in Earth and environmental sciences, engineering advancements, and practical applications in biological and agricultural fields.

I am pleased to share that the 1st edition of ICARS 2025 was a great success, with 133 attendees out of 146 registrations. The event featured 43 short talks, 64 posters, and 103 accepted abstracts, along with nine keynote speakers and a major panel with five expert panellists.

Over 60 attendees joined the conference dinner, and the event received outstanding feedback.

The main goal of ICARS2025 was to cover how advanced remote sensing technologies are transforming our approach to global challenges.

Awards

Four awards were presented at the conclusion of the conference, sponsored by the journal Remote Sensing: Best Poster Award (€400), Best Oral Presentation Award (€400), and two Early Career Researcher Awards (1st prize: €600 and 2nd prize: €200).

Thank you to our Partnering Societies

We are grateful for the support of our four partnering societies and nine media partners, who played an important role in promoting the conference. Special thanks to our partnering societies: the European Federation of Geologists (EFG), Geoscience Energy Society of Great Britain (GESGB), Asociación Española de Teledetección (AET) – the Spanish Association of Remote Sensing, and the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE).

Upcoming In-Person Event

31 March–2 April 2025
Plants 2025: From Seeds to Food Security
Location: Barcelona, Spain

This event will gather plant scientists to discuss the latest research on how to feed a growing population while maintaining a sustainable agro-ecosystem.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.

Closing Thoughts

MDPI Serbia Salon 2025: A Gathering of Academic Excellence

On Tuesday, 18 March, we successfully concluded our first MDPI Serbia Salon in Belgrade. This event provided a great opportunity to showcase MDPI’s achievements, strengthen connections with the Serbian academic community, and highlight our role as the largest publisher in Serbia. We were honoured to welcome Prof. Dr. Sergej M. Ostojić, Editor-in-Chief of MDPI journal Clinical Bioenergetics, as a guest speaker.

Over the past five years, MDPI has experienced continuous growth in Serbia, with an increasing number of publications, an expansion of Editorial Board memberships, and a greater number of active peer reviewers. The Salon allowed us to express our thanks to the Serbian research community while gathering feedback from attendees representing several major universities.

Discussion topics

As part of the event, I delivered an opening speech highlighting MDPI’s achievements and direction.

The event featured presentations from MDPI colleagues, including discussions on open science, publishing ethics, and our achievements in Serbia.

A special thank-you to all our MDPI presenters, panellists, and organizers who made his event a success. I hope the MDPI Serbia Salon becomes a tradition for years to come, creating connections within the Serbian research community.

Visit to the Science Fund of Serbia and The Ministry of Science

During my visit to Belgrade, I had the opportunity to join my colleagues Emir Ramadani (Operations Manager) and Nevena Blagojev (Journal Relations Manager) in meetings with the Science Fund of Serbia and the Ministry of Science, where we received strong support for our work in Serbia.

Both organizations highly value our presence in and commitment to Serbia, where we employ over 640 staff across our two offices in Belgrade and Novi Sad. We take great pride in creating job opportunities and supporting the community in Serbia.

“There’s a lot of exciting activity happening in MDPI Serbia”

Speaking with our Serbian Colleagues

Finally, I had the opportunity to speak with our Serbian colleagues about our initiatives to expand and to improve our marketing & communication and public relations activities.

It was great to have an open discussion with colleagues – both in person and with the hundreds who joined online.

This visit to Belgrade had been a long time coming for me. Serbia is our largest operation in Europe and there’s a lot of exciting activity happening in MDPI Serbia, including the launch of a new office floor in Novi Sad and the growth and expansion of our teams.

I look forward to returning soon and continuing to support our colleagues across our Serbian offices.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

30 March 2025
Meet Us at the 52nd CAA International Conference (Digital Horizons: Embracing Heritage in an Evolving World), 5–9 May 2025, Athens, Greece


MDPI will be attending the 52nd CAA International Conference in Athens, Greece, from 5 to 9 May 2025, at the University of West Attica in Athens, Greece.

CAA is an international organization that brings together archaeologists, mathematicians, and computer scientists. It aims to foster communication between these disciplines, provide an overview of the current developments in the field, and stimulate insightful discussions to drive future progress. For more information about CAA, you can visit the official website here.

CAA organizes an annual international scientific conference covering a wide range of topics, including data acquisition and recording, conceptual modelling, semantic technologies, data analysis, data management, digital 3D object reconstruction, image visualization in archaeology, geophysics, and GIS. The conference format includes thematic paper and poster sessions, as well as round tables and workshops. After the conference, papers presented can be submitted for publication in the peer-reviewed CAA proceedings. Conference proceedings have been published since 1973.

CAA 2025 promises to encourage collaboration and illuminate novel research and methodologies. The conference program will bridge disciplines, advance pioneering techniques, and showcase the latest technologies that are transforming our understanding of history.

We welcome you to visit the MDPI booth #6, where you can have face-to-face exchanges with our representatives, learn more about our open access publishing services, and acquire exciting gifts.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you plan to attend this conference, we invite you to visit our booth and converse with our delegates at the conference. We are excited to meet you in person and address any questions you may have. For further details about the conference, please visit the following website: https://2025.caaconference.org/.

21 March 2025
World Water Day—“Glacier Preservation”, 22 March 2025

 

22 March marks World Water Day, a global observance dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of water resources. The theme for World Water Day 2025, “Glacier Preservation”, underscores the critical role glaciers play in sustaining life on Earth. Glaciers are vital natural reservoirs, providing meltwater that is essential for drinking water, agriculture, industry, clean energy production, and the health of ecosystems. However, the rapid melting of glaciers due to climate change is creating uncertainty in water availability, with profound consequences for communities, economies, and the planet.

As glaciers shrink, the world faces increasing risks of water scarcity, disruption to ecosystems, and heightened vulnerability to natural disasters. Protecting these frozen water resources is not just an environmental imperative but a necessity for ensuring a sustainable future.

Echoing the mission of safeguarding glaciers for generations to come, MDPI’s established journals in the Environmental and Earth Sciences field serve as leading platforms for scientific communication. By sharing cutting-edge research and practical solutions, MDPI contributes to global efforts to address the water crisis and protect these invaluable natural assets.

Join us in celebrating World Water Day 2025 and supporting initiatives that prioritize glacier preservation. Together, we can work toward a future where water resources are protected, ecosystems thrive, and communities are resilient in the face of climate challenges.

Event Chair

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Dr. Mauri Pelto,
Nichols College, USA

Dr. Prajjwal Panday,
Nichols College, USA

Dr. Laura Thomson,
Queen's University, Canada

Feel free to register for this webinar here!

Environmental & Earth Sciences

Biology & Life Sciences

 

 

Social Science, Art and Humanities

 

Engineering

 

 

Physical Vulnerability of The Gambia’s Coastline in the Context of Climate Change
by Muhammad Leroy Albert Gomez, Kissao Gnandi, Chrétien Ngouanet, Ibrahima Pouye and Joshua Ntajal
World 20256(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/world6010017

Segmentation of Glacier Area Using U-Net through Landsat Satellite Imagery for Quantification of Glacier Recession and Its Impact on Marine Systems
by Edmund Robbins, Robert D. Breininger, Maxwell Jiang, Michelle Madera, Ryan T. White and Nezamoddin N. Kachouie
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 202412(10), 1788; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12101788

Evaluating Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Water Scarcity Mitigation in Small Greek Islands under Climate Change
by Elissavet Feloni and Panagiotis T. Nastos
Sustainability 202416(6), 2592; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062592

Snow Water Equivalent Monitoring—A Review of Large-Scale Remote Sensing Applications
by Samuel Schilling, Andreas Dietz and Claudia Kuenzer
Remote Sens. 202416(6), 1085; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16061085

Ecosystem Services Supply from Peri-Urban Watersheds in Greece: Soil Conservation and Water Retention
by Stefanos Stefanidis, Nikolaos Proutsos, Vasileios Alexandridis and Giorgos Mallinis
Land 202413(6), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060765

Comparison of Multiple Methods for Supraglacial Melt-Lake Volume Estimation in Western Greenland During the 2021 Summer Melt Season
by Nathan Rowley, Wesley Rancher and Christopher Karmosky
Glacies 20241(2), 92-110; https://doi.org/10.3390/glacies1020007

Microbial Community Abundance and Metabolism Close to the Ice-Water Interface of the Blomstrandbreen Glacier (Kongsfjorden, Svalbard): A Sampling Survey Using an Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle
by Maria Papale, Gabriella Caruso, Giovanna Maimone, Rosabruna La Ferla, Angelina Lo Giudice, Alessandro Ciro Rappazzo, Alessandro Cosenza, Filippo Azzaro, Roberta Ferretti, Rodolfo Paranhos et al.
Water 202315(3), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15030556

Projected Future Flooding Pattern of Wabash River in Indiana and Fountain Creek in Colorado: An Assessment Utilizing Bias-Corrected CMIP6 Climate Data
by Swarupa Paudel, Neekita Joshi and Ajay Kalra
Forecasting 20235(2), 405-423; https://doi.org/10.3390/forecast5020022

Mountain Cryosphere Landscapes in South America: Value and Protection
by Sebastián Ruiz-Pereira, Voltaire Alvarado Peterson and Darío Trombotto Liaudat
Conservation 20233(1), 232-246; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation3010017

Diversity and Variability of the Course of Ice Phenomena on the Lakes Located in the Southern and Eastern Part of the Baltic Sea Catchment Area
by Rajmund Skowron, Pavel Kirvel, Adam Choiński and Ivan Kirvel
Limnol. Rev. 202323(1), 33-49; https://doi.org/10.3390/limnolrev23010003

Snow and Glacier Hydrology in Changing Climate and Urbanisation
Guest Editor: Dr. Mohd Soheb
Submission deadline 25 June 2025

 Advances in Ocean Mapping and Hydrospatial Applications
Guest Editors: Dr. Anand Hiroji, Dr. Ian Church and Dr. Giuseppe Masetti
Submission deadline 31 July 2025

Feature Papers for "Land, Soil and Water" Section
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Nick B. Comerford
Submission deadline 30 August 2025

 Urban Water Resources Assessment and Environmental Governance
Guest Editor: Dr. Sabina Rakhimbekova
Submission deadline 31 March 2026

 

 

 

 

21 March 2025
World Meteorological Day—“Closing the Early Warning Gap Together”, 23 March 2025


Every 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization commemorates the coming into force of the convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March 1950. This day highlights the critical role of meteorology in understanding and addressing global challenges, particularly the urgent threat of climate change. Climate change is a real and undeniable crisis that poses significant risks to our civilization. Its effects—rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and shifting climate patterns—are already visible and will have catastrophic consequences if immediate action is not taken.

The theme for World Meteorological Day 2025, “Closing the Early Warning Gap Together”, emphasizes the importance of collaboration in strengthening early warning systems to protect vulnerable communities from climate-related disasters. Early warnings save lives, reduce economic losses, and empower societies to adapt to a changing climate. However, significant gaps remain in global coverage, particularly in developing regions.

Inspired by this mission and reflecting in line with Goal 13 of the SDG Publishers Compact: Climate Action, MDPI’s established journals in the environmental and Earth sciences field serve as vital platforms for scientific communication. By sharing cutting-edge research and practical solutions, MDPI contributes to global efforts to close the early warning gap and build a more climate-resilient world.

Join us in celebrating World Meteorological Day 2025 and supporting initiatives that strengthen early warning systems and address the impacts of climate change. Together, we can work toward a future where communities are better prepared, informed, and protected from the growing threats of a changing climate.

Invited speakers:

Prof. Dr. Bruce McCarl, Texas A&M University, USA

Presentation: “Agriculture in the Climatic Squeeze: Economic Analysis and Thoughts on Preparation for Shocks”

Dr. A. K. M. Azad Hossain, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, USA

Presentation: “Understanding the Historical Dynamics of Water Quality Using Remote Sensing”

Prof. Dr. Akira Tokuhiro, Ontario Tech University, Canada

Presentation: “Days of Future Past”

Feel free to register for this webinar here!

Environmental & Earth Sciences

Engineering

 

 

Social Science, Art and Humanities

 

 

 

 

 

Establishing an Early Warning System for Dust Storms in Peri-Desert Regions
by Aishajiang Aili, Abdul Waheed, Xinfeng Zhao and Hailiang Xu
Environments 202411(4), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11040061

The Quality Urban Label and the 4Q City Model: Levers for Urban Adaptation and Climate Change Mitigation in Mediterranean Cities
by Jordi Mazon
Urban Sci. 20248(4), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8040228

Forecasting Convective Storms Trajectory and Intensity by Neural Networks
by Niccolò Borghi, Giorgio Guariso and Matteo Sangiorgio
Forecasting 20246(2), 326-342; https://doi.org/10.3390/forecast6020018

Decoding the Atmosphere: Optimising Probabilistic Forecasts with Information Gain
by John R. Lawson, Corey K. Potvin and Kenric Nelson
Meteorology 20243(2), 212-231; https://doi.org/10.3390/meteorology3020010

Climate-Change-Driven Droughts and Tree Mortality: Assessing the Potential of UAV-Derived Early Warning Metrics
by Ewane Basil Ewane, Midhun Mohan, Shaurya Bajaj, G. A. Pabodha Galgamuwa, Michael S. Watt, Pavithra Pitumpe Arachchige, Andrew T. Hudak, Gabriella Richardson, Nivedhitha Ajithkumar, Shruthi Srinivasan et al.
Remote Sens. 202315(10), 2627; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15102627

Features of Soil Organic Carbon Transformations in the Southern Area of the East European Plain
by Fedor N. Lisetskii, Zhanna A. Buryak, Olga A. Marinina, Pavel A. Ukrainskiy and Pavel V. Goleusov
Geosciences 202313(9), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences13090278

Exact Expressions for Lightning Electromagnetic Fields: Application to the Rusck Field-to-Transmission Line Coupling Model
by Vernon Cooray, Gerald Cooray, Marcos Rubinstein and Farhad Rachidi
Atmosphere 202314(2), 350; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14020350

Advances in Monitoring of Hydrological and Ecological Processes Under Climate Change
Guest Editor: Dr. Haibo Wang
Submission deadline: 20 June 2025

Integrating Remote Sensing, Machine Learning, and Process-Based Modelling for Monitoring Environmental and Agricultural Landscapes Under Climate Change
Guest Editors: Dr. Michael Gbenga Ogungbuyi and Dr. Dimitrios D. Alexakis
Submission deadline: 28 June 2025

Enhancing Urban Sustainability and Well-Being in Developing Regions Facing Climate Change Impacts and Economic Constraints
Guest Editor: Dr. Aya Hagishima
Submission deadline: 30 June 2025

Tropical Cyclones and Their Impacts (2nd Edition)
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Corene Matyas
Submission deadline: 30 September 2025

Early Career Scientists' (ECS) Contributions to Meteorology (2025)
Guest Editor: Dr. Edoardo Bucchignani
Submission deadline: 30 November 2025

Advancements in Artificial Intelligence for Bioaerosol Detection, Characterization, and Modeling
Guest Editors: Dr. Salvatore Romano and Dr. Mattia Fragola
Submission deadline: 31 December 2025

Environ. Earth Sci. Proc., 2023, ECAS 2023

The 6th International Electronic Conference on Atmospheric Sciences
Online | 15–30 October 2023
Organizer: MDPI Atmosphere
Volume Editor:
Anthony R. Lupo, University of Missouri, USA

Full list of the conference proceedings

21 March 2025
International Day of Forests—“Forests and Food”, 21 March 2025


The International Day of Forests, observed annually on 21 March, highlights the indispensable role forests play in sustaining life on Earth. Forests are pillars of global food security and nutrition, providing livelihoods for millions of families worldwide. They are a vital source of essential foods for indigenous and rural communities, offering fruits, nuts, and other resources that are integral to their diets and cultures. Beyond food, forests are a cornerstone of sustainable energy, agriculture, and environmental health. They support pollinators, enrich soil, regulate the climate, and conserve biodiversity, making them critical to the balance of our planet's ecosystems. 

However, deforestation, climate change, and unsustainable practices threaten forests and the countless benefits they provide. In alignment with the 2025 theme for International Day of Forests, “Forests and Food” and Goal 13 of the SDG Publishers Compact: Climate Action,  MDPI’s established journals in Section “Environmental and Earth Sciences” serve as vital platforms for scientific communication to recognize the urgent need to protect and restore these natural treasures. 

Join us in celebrating International Day of Forests and supporting initiatives that protect these vital ecosystems. Together, we can work toward a future where forests continue to nourish and sustain life for generations to come. 

Invited speakers: 

Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman, Kyoto University, Japan

Presentation: “Sustainable Forest Landscape Restoration and Management within Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh”

Mr. Brian Huberty, Minnesota Forestry, USA

Presentation: “Seeing Our Forests, Seeing Our Future: How Do We Map and Monitor Our Future Forests?”

  Feel free to register for this webinar here

Environmental & Earth Sciences

Biology & Life Sciences

 
 
 

Social Science, Art and Humanities

Engineering

Forest Fire Prediction: A Spatial Machine Learning and Neural Network Approach
by Sanjeev Sharma and Puskar Khanal
Fire 20247(6), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7060205 

High-Severity Wildfires Alter Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Foraging Assemblage Structure in Montane Coniferous Forests and Grasslands in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, USA
by Jonathan Knudsen, Robert Parmenter, Theodore Sumnicht and Robin Verble
Conservation 20244(4), 830-846; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation4040049 

Aboveground Biomass and Carbon Storage in Mangrove Forests in Southeastern Mexico
by Carlos Roberto Ávila-Acosta, Marivel Domínguez-Domínguez, César Jesús Vázquez-Navarrete, Rocío Guadalupe Acosta-Pech and Pablo Martínez-Zurimendi
Resources 202413(3), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources13030041 

A Nature-Based Approach Using Felled Burnt Logs to Enhance Forest Recovery Post-Fire and Reduce Erosion Phenomena in the Mediterranean Area
by Giuseppe Bombino, Daniela D’Agostino, Pasquale A. Marziliano, Pedro Pérez Cutillas, Salvatore Praticò, Andrea R. Proto, Leonardo M. Manti, Giuseppina Lofaro and Santo M. Zimbone
Land 202413(2), 236; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020236 

Effects of Climate Change on Greek Forests: A Review
by Panagiotis P. Koulelis, Nikolaos Proutsos, Alexandra D. Solomou, Evangelia V. Avramidou, Ermioni Malliarou, Miltiadis Athanasiou, Gavriil Xanthopoulos and Panos V. Petrakis
Atmosphere 202314(7), 1155; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14071155 

Assisted Migration of Sequoiadendron Genotypes for Conservation and Timber: Performance and Morphology in a Warmer Climate Outside of Their Range
by Christopher M. Valness, William J. Libby and John-Pascal Berrill
Conservation 20233(4), 543-568; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation3040035 

Analysis of Accelerometer Data Using Random Forest Models to Classify the Behavior of a Wild Nocturnal Primate: Javan Slow Loris (Nycticebus javanicus)
by Amanda Hathaway, Marco Campera, Katherine Hedger, Marianna Chimienti, Esther Adinda, Nabil Ahmad, Muhammed Ali Imron and K. A. I. Nekaris
Ecologies 20234(4), 636-653; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies4040042 

Pinus contorta Alters Microenvironmental Conditions and Reduces Plant Diversity in Patagonian Ecosystems
by Rafael A. García, Eduardo Fuentes-Lillo, Lohengrin Cavieres, Ana J. Cóbar-Carranza, Kimberley T. Davis, Matías Naour, Martín A. Núñez, Bruce D. Maxwell, Jonas J. Lembrechts and Aníbal Pauchard
Diversity 202315(3), 320; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030320 

Characterizing the Change of Annual Cone Production in Longleaf Pine Forests
by Xiongwen Chen and John L. Willis
Seeds 20232(2), 220-231; https://doi.org/10.3390/seeds2020017 

Physiological Potential of Seeds of Handroanthus spongiosus (Rizzini) S. Grose (Bignoniaceae) Determined by the Tetrazolium Test
by Jailton de Jesus Silva, Raquel Araujo Gomes, Maria Aparecida Rodrigues Ferreira, Claudineia Regina Pelacani and Bárbara França Dantas
Seeds 20232(2), 208-219; https://doi.org/10.3390/seeds2020016

Climate Change and Forest Biodiversity: Impacts and Strategies for Conservation
Guest Editor: Dr. Yunchuan Dai
Submission deadline: 30 June 2025

Urban and Peri-Urban Forests—Status, Ecosystem Services, and Future Perspectives
Guest Editor: Dr. Miglena Zhiyanski
Submission deadline: 30 June 2025

Innovative Forest Management for Climate Change Mitigation and Biodiversity Conservation
Guest Editor: Dr. Matthew Ogwu
Submission deadline: 31 August 2025

The Richness of the Forest Microcosmos
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz
Submission deadline: 30 November 2025

 

 

 

 

Environ. Earth Sci. Proc., 2024, IECF 2024

The 4th International Electronic Conference on Forests

Online | 23–25 September 2024
Organizer: MDPI Forests
Volume Editor:
Giorgos Mallinis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

 Full list of the conference proceedings

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