Announcements

MDPI will be attending the AACAP’s 2025 Annual Meeting, which will be held from 20 to 25 October 2025, as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from various backgrounds to visit our booth and share their latest ideas with us.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) is a professional association with over 11,000 members. Its mission is to promote the healthy development of children, adolescents, and families through advocacy, education, and research and meet the professional needs of child and adolescent psychiatrists throughout their careers. Over the past six years, approximately 4,900 child and adolescent psychiatrists, pediatricians, and other professionals have attended the AACAP’s Annual Meetings (both in-person and virtually). The majority of attendees are child and adolescent psychiatrists, additionally garnering adult psychiatrists, behavioral health practitioners, juvenile justice professionals, nurses, pediatricians, psychologists, researchers, social workers, and other professionals who work with children and adolescents.

The AACAP’s Annual Meeting constitutes the largest gathering of child and adolescent psychiatrists in the world, presenting the opportunity to connect with and learn from colleagues and friends from over 60 countries.

The following open access journals will be represented:

• Adolescents;
• Psychiatry International;
• Pediatric Reports;
• Youth;
• Behavioral Sciences;
• International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health;
• Disabilities;
• European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education;
• Psychoactives;
• Psychology International;
• Social Sciences;
• NeuroSci.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please feel free to visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about this event, please visit the following link: https://www.aacap.org/AnnualMeeting-2025.

World Suicide Prevention Day was established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO). Each year, 10 September aims to focus attention on the issue of suicide, reduce stigma, and raise awareness among the public, promoting a single message: suicides are preventable.

The triennial theme for World Suicide Prevention Day for 2024-2026 is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”. This theme aims to raise awareness about the importance of reducing stigma and encouraging open conversations to prevent suicides. Changing the narrative on suicide is about transforming how we perceive this complex issue, shifting from a culture of silence and stigma to one of openness, understanding, and support.

This theme also emphasizes the need to prioritize suicide prevention and mental health in policy-making, calling for government action. Changing the narrative requires advocating for policies that prioritize mental health, increase access to care, and provide support to those in need.

To commemorate this day, we invite you to explore a curation of insightful articles, journals, and Special Issues across various fields, including social sciences, behavioral sciences, health care systems,  and adolescent development. By sharing these findings, we hope to shift away from silence and stigma towards openness, empathy, and action, ensure those who are struggling feel heard, supported, and connected.

“Suicide Prevention Measures at High-Risk Locations: A Goal-Directed Motivation Perspective”
by Laura Joyner, Jay-Marie Mackenzie, Andy Willis, Penny Phillips, Bethany Cliffe, Ian Marsh, Elizabeth Pettersen, Keith Hawton and Lisa Marzano
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(8), 1009; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15081009

“The Role of Gut Microbiota in Suicidality: Mechanisms, Evidence, and Future Directions”
by Valentina Baldini, Martina Gnazzo, Giulia Santangelo, Giorgia Varallo, Diana De Ronchi and Marco Carotenuto
Psychiatry Int. 2025, 6(3), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint6030084

“Suicidal Ideation in U.S. Adolescents Exposed to Neighborhood Violence”
by Silviya Nikolova, Eusebius Small and Benjamin Sesay
Adolescents 2025, 5(3), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents5030031

“Problematic Pornography Use, Mental Health, and Suicidality among Young Adults”
by Mujde Altin, Diego De Leo, Noemi Tribbia, Lucia Ronconi and Sabrina Cipolletta
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(9), 1228; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091228

“Hospitalizations for Suicidal Events: Reiteration Risk—The Experience in the Veneto Region, Italy”
by Silvia Cocchio, Giulia Tremolada, Nicola Cogo, Claudia Cozzolino, Mario Saia, Michele Tonon, Francesca Russo, Patrizia Furlan, Marco Fonzo and Vincenzo Baldo
Psychiatry Int. 2024, 5(3), 434-446; https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint5030030

“The Positive and Negative Suicidal Ideation Inventory among Portuguese Adolescents: Factor Structure and Gender Invariance”
by Marta Brás, Ana Cunha, João Antunes and Cláudia Carmo
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2024, 14(4), 1002-1011; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe14040065

“Teen Perspectives on Suicides and Deaths in an Affluent Community: Perfectionism, Protection, and Exclusion”
by Abigail Peterson and Carolyn Smith-Morris
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(4), 456; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21040456

“Making Sense of Critical Suicide Studies: Metaphors, Tensions, and Futurities”
by Luiza Cesar Riani Costa and Jennifer White
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(4), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040183

“The Mediating Effect of Loneliness on the Relationship between Bullying Victimization and Suicidal Behavior among Adolescents in Ghana”
by Ebenezer Duah
Youth 2024, 4(1), 231-243; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth4010016

“Prevalence of Suicidal Ideation among Pregnant Women in Gran Canaria”
by María del Amor Santana-González, María Granada Vázquez-Núñez, Mar Miranda-Sánchez, Héctor González-de la Torre, Jesús María González-Martín, Julia Jeppesen-Gutiérrez and Iraya Monagas-Agrelo
Women 2024, 4(1), 1-12; https://doi.org/10.3390/women4010001

“Trends in Suicidal Mortality and Motives among Working-Ages Individuals in Japan during 2007–2022”
by Ryusuke Matsumoto, Eishi Motomura, Toshiaki Onitsuka and Motohiro Okada
Eur. J. Investig. Health Psychol. Educ. 2023, 13(12), 2795-2810; https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe13120193

“Impacts of Complete Unemployment Rates Disaggregated by Reason and Duration on Suicide Mortality from 2009–2022 in Japan”
by Ryusuke Matsumoto, Eishi Motomura and Motohiro Okada
Healthcare 2023, 11(20), 2806; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11202806

“Vulnerability to Suicide Ideation: Comparative Study between Adolescents with and without Psychosocial Risk”
by Marta Brás, Patrícia Elias, Francisca Ferreira Cunha, Cátia Martins, Cristina Nunes and Cláudia Carmo
Healthcare 2023, 11(19), 2663; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11192663

“Suicidal Behaviors: Prevention, Intervention and Postvention” Guest Editors: Dr. Irene Caro-Cañizares, Dr. María Cantero-García and Dr. Eva Izquierdo-Sotorrío Submission deadline: 30 September 2025	“Advanced Studies on Psychological Resilience to Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors: Current Trends and Future Directions” Guest Editor: Dr. Kamelia Harris Submission deadline: 31 December 2025
“Suicide and Self-Injury: Prevention, Identification, and Patient Care” Guest Editor: Dr. Markus Stingl Submission deadline: 31 March 2026	“Research on Suicide Assessment, Prevention and Management” Guest Editor: Dr. Masahito Fushimi Submission deadline: 31 May 2026

Date: 23 September 2025
Time: 11:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m
Location: The Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard Street West, Toronto

MDPI is thrilled to announce our participation in the University of Toronto’s largest career fair, taking place at the St. George Downtown Campus. This exciting event brings together thousands of students, graduates, and professionals looking to connect with top employers and explore career opportunities.

We invite all attendees to visit the MDPI booth to discover how you can be part of one of the world’s leading open access academic publishers. Whether you are passionate about scientific research, editorial work, marketing, or supporting global innovation in publishing, we want to meet YOU!

What to expect at our booth:

• Learn more about MDPI’s mission and global impact;
• Explore exciting career opportunities in publishing, editorial, communications, and more;
• Network with our team and ask questions about working at MDPI.

Whether you’re just starting your career or looking to take the next step, don’t miss this opportunity to connect with MDPI. Bring your resume, your curiosity, and your questions—we look forward to seeing you there!

For additional information on the Career Fair and Open MDPI positions, please visit the following links:

• Learn more about the U of T Career Fair;
• Explore Careers with MDPI Canada.

Conference: 2025 Joint International Conference of Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements and the International Conference of Heavy Metals
Date: 22–26 September 2025
Location: Busan, Republic of Korea

MDPI will be attending the 2025 Joint International Conference of Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements and the International Conference of Heavy Metals (ICOBTE & ICHMET 2025), which will be held between 22 and 26 September 2025, as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from various backgrounds to visit our booth and share their latest ideas with us.

Environmental pollution remains a critical global issue, threatening human health, ecosystems, and the overall well-being of our planet. Thus, maintaining a clean environment for human Health is a constantly urgent need for a global society.

Under the theme “Catalyzing Change for Sustainability and ESG: Bridging Academia and Industry”, the 2025 Joint ICOBTE & ICHMET Conference focuses on innovative strategies to mitigate pollution, emphasizing the importance of trace element and heavy metal management in achieving a cleaner, healthier future. By bringing together scientists, researchers, early career scientists, end-users, industry leaders, policymakers, and other professionals from around the world, we aim to catalyze meaningful change and foster collaborations that bridge the gap between academia and industry.

The ICOBTE & ICHMET 2025 will be held from 12 to 26 September 2025, at the Busan Exhibition & Convention Center in Republic of Korea. We warmly welcome you to join us in South Korea as we work together to catalyze change for a sustainable future.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• IJERPH;
• Sustainability;
• Air;
• Toxics;
• Water;
• Conservation;
• JoX;
• Pollutants.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at the booth and answering any questions that you may have. For more information, please visit https://ichmet2025.org/.

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Paul R Ward has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601).

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is a transdisciplinary, peer-reviewed, open access journal published monthly online by MDPI. It covers critically important areas such as global health, healthcare sciences, behavioral, social, and commercial determinants of health, mental health, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, disease prevention, exercise- and health-related quality of life, environmental health, and environmental sciences.

Prof. Dr. Ward currently leads major international research projects funded by the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council. His work employs a pluralistic, multidisciplinary approach—combining qualitative and quantitative methods—to advance human flourishing and reduce inequities worldwide. He is deeply committed to further strengthening the journal’s role as a leading platform for high-impact research that addresses the broad determinants of health and equity and looks forward to contributing to its continued growth and influence.

As we welcome our new Editor-in-Chief, we would like to express our gratitude to the founding Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Paul B. Tchounwou, for his dedication and continuing support of IJERPH. We are confident that Professor Paul R Ward will continue to offer significant input and support and will maintain high standards of qualitative scientific communications in IJERPH.

We welcome Prof. Dr. Paul R Ward as our Editor-in-Chief and look forward to his contribution to the continued success of IJERPH.

IJERPH Editorial Office

Name: Dr. Jamaji Nwanaji-Enwerem
Affiliations: ¹ Center for Health Justice, Department of Emergency Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; ² Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Interests: disease prevention and health promotion; emergency care; population health; social drivers of health

“U.S. Federal and State Medicaid Spending: Health Policy Patterns by Political Party Leadership and Census Demographics”
by Jamaji C. Nwanaji-Enwerem and Pamaji Nwanaji-Enwerem.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(7), 1074; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22071074
Article Link: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/7/1074

1. Congratulations on your recent publication! Could you briefly introduce yourself and your current research focus?
Hi, my name is Dr. Jamaji Nwanaji-Enwerem. I’m an emergency medicine physician and a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, USA, where I’m a Presidential Assistant Professor. My research spans a broad range of areas, but I would describe it as exploring both physical and social factors that influence health and working to understand how we can use insights from that work to not only help people live healthier lives, but also to inform people of the policies that can help facilitate healthy living. I approach this work through a range of topics from biological aging to environmental exposures to healthcare access.

2. What inspired you to focus on this topic?
As mentioned, I’m deeply interested in understanding how both physical and social factors affect health. At the time of this research, Medicaid was a major issue in the United States new cycles.
A series of legislative efforts were being discussed to reform Medicaid, but there was widespread concern that these changes might not adequately consider their real impact on people’s lives.
While there were many news stories and research articles on the topic, I felt most of the work was not presented in a way that was easily understandable to the public.
So, my team and I focused on analyzing publicly available data in a way that was both simple and rigorous—to show that this isn’t just a left-wing or right-wing issue, but one that affects everyone.
By making this information clear and meaningful, we hoped to contribute to the ongoing dialogue.

3. Could you share your vision for the future of your research and the contributions you aspire to make in your field?
As mentioned in our article, we recognize that neither Medicaid nor any public social program is perfect—there will always be room for improvement. However, we hope that reforms are approached comprehensively, considering both funding and efficiency, while never losing sight of the fact that these programs support millions of people in caring for their families and loved ones. If this human impact is overlooked, we miss what truly matters. We hope others also maintain this humanistic focus in their research, as we will continue to do.
There is value in examining data and numbers, but the stories behind them are equally meaningful and must not be lost in the process. Moreover, the impacts of legislation are often not immediate. It’s not only the stories we hear today, but also those we will hear months and years from now, that will remain meaningful as we continue to engage in these issues.

4. What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing this paper, and how did you overcome it?
One of our biggest hurdles was figuring out how to deliver the message in a highly understandable way. I think that’s something that we always have in mind with any type of research. Yes, you know, there’s an academic style of writing and you want to meet that, but you always hope that your research is read by many and read far. Yes, you want other scientists to read it. But you also want doctors to read it. You want policymakers to read it; you want someone who’s sitting at home who is interested in the topic but doesn’t have a background in research to be able to read it and get something from it. So, making sure, especially with the important issue of Medicaid, that it was written in an accessible way was the greatest – but a welcome – challenge.

5. Based on your experience publishing with us, what aspects of our editorial process most impacted your author’s experience?
It was a smooth process from submission all the way through revisions. I felt like we got very useful feedback from the editors, and we were able to incorporate that feedback to make the article even stronger than it was.
One of the things that I appreciated a lot was the timeliness of the whole process. I think it’s important to recognize that you can be rigorous in reviewing research but also realize that often people are studying topics that are being acted on in real time. Thus, being able to get research at a high standard out in a timely manner is very, very significant. I appreciate IJERPH for making that possible.

6. What advice would you give to young scholars seeking to get into academia or publish their work?
For many of us, the reason why we start doing research or science is because we’ve been inspired by something in our lives. Either we’ve been sick, or a family member’s been sick, or we were excited about science very early in life. Whenever we made our first rocket ship, or we spent time with a loved one in a museum, or experienced the benefits of engineering, or saw an experiment in a lab, there was some experience that drew us to science and research. I think it’s important to keep that in mind and to continue to use real life experiences to inspire you. The topic of this work remains very important to the lived experiences of many, and it was a timely issue that a lot of folks were speaking about. Being able to say, ‘hey, this is something that seems to matter. I’m interested in it. Is there a way that I can look at this, apply the scientific method, and produce something that I think could be meaningful and could help move the conversation forward?’ was what we did here and is a framework that I would advise future or younger scientists to consider as they decide what they want to work on next.

We are profoundly grateful to Dr. Jamaji Nwanaji-Enwerem for taking the time to share his expertise with us today. His insights into the intersection of healthcare policy, social drivers of health, and scientific communication were truly invaluable. We are confident that he will continue to make groundbreaking contributions to the field. We wish him the very best in his future endeavors.

MDPI will be attending the GSA 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting (GSA 2025), which will be held from 12 to 15 November 2025 in Boston, the USA. 

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization dedicated to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The GSA’s principal mission, shared by its 6,000+ members in more than 50 countries, is to promote the study of aging and disseminate information to scientists, decision-makers, and the general public. Founded in 1945, the GSA is pivotal in advancing innovation in the study of aging domestically and internationally. It garners approximately 4,500 professionals from across the world for its Annual Scientific Meeting, which features over 500 sessions, and it additionally publishes leading peer-reviewed journals in this research area. 

The following open access journals will be represented at this conference:

• Healthcare;
• IJERPH;
• Societies;
• EJIHPE;
• JCDD;
• JCM;
• Nutrients;
• Epidemiologia;
• Behavioral Sciences;
• JAL. 

If you are planning to attend this event, please feel free to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We look forward to meeting you in person and will assist you with any queries that you may have. 

In commemoration of World Patient Safety Day on 17 September 2025, we are delighted to bring together healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocates from around the world to focus on this year’s theme— “Safe care for every newborn and every child”, with the slogan “Patient safety from the start!” 

This event is dedicated to fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and exploring innovative strategies that ensure safer care, reduce patient harm, and improve health outcomes—especially for the most vulnerable among us. Together, we will discuss policies, practices, and research that can strengthen health systems and make patient safety a universal priority from the very beginning of life. 

Let us work hand in hand to create a future where every newborn and every child receives the safest possible care. 

Date: 17 September 2025 at 10:00 a.m. CEST | 4:00 a.m. EDT | 4:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 832 1056 2103
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/WPSD-1 

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

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

Register now for free!

Program:

 Webinar Chair and Speakers:

• Dr. Adriano Friganovic, University of Applied Health Sciences Zagreb, Croatia;
• Prof. Dr. Fabio Petrelli, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy;
• Dr. Giovanni Cangelosi, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy;
• Prof. Dr. Sandra C. Buttigieg, University of Malta, Faculty of Health Sciences, Msida, Malta.

We are pleased to announce the recent appointment of three new scholars as Editorial Board Members for the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601). We wish our new members success in both their research and in their efforts to develop the journal.

Name: Prof. Dr. Randolph Hall
Affiliations: Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
Interests: disease modeling; healthcare resource allocation; patient flow; healthcare system scheduling

Name: Dr. Kevin M. Kelly
Affiliations: Department of Anthropology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Interests: biological anthropology; medical anthropology; total worker health; environmental health; occupational health; population health; mixed methods

Name: Prof. Dr. Danlin Yu
Affiliations: Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA
Interests: urban environmental studies; urban public health; GIS/remote sensing; spatiotemporal data analysis

Further details about the Editorial Board Members of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health can be found at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/editors.