Announcements
6 November 2025
MDPI Launches the Michele Parrinello Award for Pioneering Contributions in Computational Physical Science
MDPI is delighted to announce the establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award. Named in honor of Professor Michele Parrinello, the award celebrates his exceptional contributions and his profound impact on the field of computational physical science research.
The award will be presented biennially to distinguished scientists who have made outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of computational physical science—spanning physics, chemistry, and materials science.
About Professor Michele Parrinello
"Do not be afraid of new things. I see it many times when we discuss a new thing that young people are scared to go against the mainstream a little bit, thinking what is going to happen to me and so on. Be confident that what you do is meaningful, and do not be afraid, do not listen too much to what other people have to say.”
——Professor Michele Parrinello
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Born in Messina in 1945, he received his degree from the University of Bologna and is currently affiliated with the Italian Institute of Technology. Professor Parrinello is known for his many technical innovations in the field of atomistic simulations and for a wealth of interdisciplinary applications ranging from materials science to chemistry and biology. Together with Roberto Car, he introduced ab initio molecular dynamics, also known as the Car–Parrinello method, marking the beginning of a new era both in the area of electronic structure calculations and in molecular dynamics simulations. He is also known for the Parrinello–Rahman method, which allows crystalline phase transitions to be studied by molecular dynamics. More recently, he has introduced metadynamics for the study of rare events and the calculation of free energies. |
For his work, he has been awarded many prizes and honorary degrees. He is a member of numerous academies and learned societies, including the German Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, the British Royal Society, and the Italian Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, which is the major academy in his home country of Italy.
Award Committee
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The award committee will be chaired by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, a computational condensed matter physicist, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and professor at the Department of Physics, Fudan University. Professor Xin-Gao Gong will lead a panel of several senior experts in the field to oversee the evaluation and selection process. The Institute for Computational Physical Sciences at Fudan University (Shanghai, China), led by Professor Xin-Gao Gong, will serve as the supporting institute for the award. |
"We hope the Michele Parrinello Award will recognize scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of computational condensed matter physics and at the same time set a benchmark for the younger generation, providing clear direction for their pursuit—this is precisely the original intention behind establishing the award."
——Professor Xin-Gao Gong
The first edition of the award was officially launched on 1 November 2025. Nominations will be accepted before the end of March 2026. For further details, please visit mparrinelloaward.org.
About the MDPI Sustainability Foundation and MDPI Awards 
The Michele Parrinello Award is part of the MDPI Sustainability Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing sustainable development through scientific progress and global collaboration. The foundation also oversees the World Sustainability Award, the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award, and the Tu Youyou Award. The establishment of the Michele Parrinello Award will further enrich the existing award portfolio, providing continued and diversified financial support to outstanding professionals across various fields.
In addition to these foundation-level awards, MDPI journals also recognize outstanding contributions through a range of honors, including Best Paper Awards, Outstanding Reviewer Awards, Young Investigator Awards, Travel Awards, Best PhD Thesis Awards, Editor of Distinction Awards, and others. These initiatives aim to recognize excellence across disciplines and career stages, contributing to the long-term vitality and sustainability of scientific research.
Find more information on awards here.
12 January 2026
Land | Invitation to Read Papers and Hot Topic Special Issues Related to Machine Learning and Land System Science
We are delighted to share some papers on machine learning and land system science research that were published in our journal Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) from 2023 to 2025. In addition, some Special Issues related to this topic are currently open for submission.
The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe will interest you:
1. “Enabling Regenerative Agriculture Using Remote Sensing and Machine Learning”
by Michael Gbenga Ogungbuyi, Juan P. Guerschman, Andrew M. Fischer, Richard Azu Crabbe, Caroline Mohammed, Peter Scarth, Phil Tickle, Jason Whitehead and Matthew Tom Harrison
Land 2023, 12(6), 1142; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12061142
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/6/1142
2. “Enhancing Wind Erosion Assessment of Metal Structures on Dry and Degraded Lands through Machine Learning”
by Marta Terrados-Cristos, Francisco Ortega-Fernández, Marina Díaz-Piloñeta, Vicente Rodríguez Montequín and José Valeriano Álvarez Cabal
Land 2023, 12(8), 1503; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12081503
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/8/1503
3. “Analysis of Soil Carbon Stock Dynamics by Machine Learning—Polish Case Study”
by Artur Łopatka, Grzegorz Siebielec, Radosław Kaczyński and Tomasz Stuczyński
Land 2023, 12(8), 1587; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12081587
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/8/1587
4. “A Fusion of Geothermal and InSAR Data with Machine Learning for Enhanced Deformation Forecasting at the Geysers”
by Joe Yazbeck and John B. Rundle
Land 2023, 12(11), 1977; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12111977
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/11/1977
5. “Mapping Soil Organic Carbon Stock and Uncertainties in an Alpine Valley (Northern Italy) Using Machine Learning Models”
by Sara Agaba, Chiara Ferré, Marco Musetti and Roberto Comolli
Land 2024, 13(1), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010078
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/1/78
6. “Evaluating Machine Learning-Based Approaches in Land Subsidence Susceptibility Mapping”
by Elham Hosseinzadeh, Sara Anamaghi, Massoud Behboudian and Zahra Kalantari
Land 2024, 13(3), 322; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030322
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/3/322
7. “Determining the Climatic Drivers for Wine Production in the Côa Region (Portugal) Using a Machine Learning Approach”
by Helder Fraga, Teresa R. Freitas, Marco Moriondo, Daniel Molitor and João A. Santos
Land 2024, 13(6), 749; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060749
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/6/749
8. “Machine Learning for Criteria Weighting in GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Evaluation: A Case Study of Urban Suitability Analysis”
by Lan Qing Zhao, Alysha van Duynhoven and Suzana Dragićević
Land 2024, 13(8), 1288; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081288
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/8/1288
9. “Machine Learning Models for the Spatial Prediction of Gully Erosion Susceptibility in the Piraí Drainage Basin, Paraíba Do Sul Middle Valley, Southeast Brazil”
by Jorge da Paixão Marques Filho, Antônio José Teixeira Guerra, Carla Bernadete Madureira Cruz, Maria do Carmo Oliveira Jorge and Colin A. Booth
Land 2024, 13(10), 1665; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13101665
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/10/1665
10. “Estimating Rainfall Erosivity in North Korea Using Automated Machine Learning: Insights into Regional Soil Erosion Risks”
by Jeongho Han and Seoro Lee
Land 2024, 13(12), 2038; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13122038
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/12/2038
11. “Machine Learning-Based Prediction of Ecosystem-Scale CO2 Flux Measurements”
by Jeffrey Uyekawa, John Leland, Darby Bergl, Yujie Liu, Andrew D. Richardson and Benjamin Lucas
Land 2025, 14(1), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14010124
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/1/124
12. “Integrating Machine Learning, SHAP Interpretability, and Deep Learning Approaches in the Study of Environmental and Economic Factors: A Case Study of Residential Segregation in Las Vegas”
by Jingyi Liu, Yuxuan Cai and Xiwei Shen
Land 2025, 14(5), 957; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14050957
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/957
13. “Detection of Agricultural Terraces Platforms Using Machine Learning from Orthophotos and LiDAR-Based Digital Terrain Model: A Case Study in Roya Valley of Southeast France”
by Michael Vincent Tubog, Karine Emsellem and Stephane Bouissou
Land 2025, 14(5), 962; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14050962
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/962
14. “A Machine Learning Approach to Generate High-Resolution Maps of Irrigated Olive Groves”
by Rosa Gutiérrez-Cabrera, Ana M. Tarquis and Javier Borondo
Land 2025, 14(5), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14051001
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/1001
15. “Monitoring Post-Fire Deciduous Shrub Cover Using Machine Learning and Multiscale Remote Sensing”
by Hannah Trommer and Timothy Assal
Land 2025, 14(8), 1603; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14081603
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/8/1603
Special Issues:
“Feature Papers for Land Innovations—Data and Machine Learning: 3rd Edition”
Guest Editor: Chuanrong Zhang
Submission deadline: 31 December 2025
“AI-Enabled Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Agricultural Land Use”
Guest Editors: Jaume Segura-Garcia, Miguel García-Pineda, Sergi Maicas and Yiyun Chen
Submission deadline: 28 February 2026
“Data-Driven Geospatial Methods for Land Use and Land Cover Change Monitoring”
Guest Editors: Sabah Sabaghy and Deepak Gautam
Submission deadline: 31 May 2026
9 January 2026
MDPI’s Newly Launched Journals in December 2025
We have expanded our open access portfolio with eight new journals publishing their inaugural issues in December 2025, as well as three journal transfers. These additions span physical sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, environmental and Earth sciences, medicine and pharmacology, and public health and healthcare. We extend our sincere thanks to the Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board Members who are shaping these journals’ direction. All journals uphold strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.
Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.
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New Journals |
Founding Editor-in-Chief(s) |
Journal Topics (Selected) |
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Dr. Elisa Felicitas Arias, Université PSL, France |
atomic clocks; time and frequency metrology; GNSS systems; relativity and relativistic timekeeping; fundamental physics in space | |
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Prof. Dr. José F.F. Mendes, University of Aveiro, Portugal |
complex systems; network science; nonlinear dynamics and chaotic behaviour; information theory and complexity; computational complexity | |
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Prof. Dr. Roberto Morandotti, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique—Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications (INRS), Canada |
light generation; light sources and applications; light control and measurement; human responses to light; lighting design | |
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Prof. Dr. Savvas A. Chatzichristofis, Neapolis University Pafos, Cyprus |
generative AI and large language models in education; multimodal and embodied AI; personalization and adaptive systems; assessment, feedback, and academic integrity; learning analytics | |
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Prof. Dr. Jon Andoni Duñabeitia, Universidad Nebrija, Spain |
cognitive psychology; cognitive neuroscience; psycholinguistics; applied linguistics; experimental psychology | |
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Prof. Dr. Caiwu Fu, Wuhan University, China; Prof. Dr. Longxi Zhang, Peking University, China |
cultural practices; cultural theory; cultural policy; cultural heritage; transregional and transnational cultural flows| |
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Dr. Ghassem R. Asrar, iCREST Environmental Education Foundation, USA |
biosphere interactions, processes, and sustainability; ecosystem science and dynamics; biodiversity conservation; global change and environmental adaptation; biogeochemical cycles | |
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Dr. Giuseppe Mulè, University of Palermo, Italy |
cardiorenal syndromes; chronic heart failure and chronic kidney disease; cardiorenalmetabolic syndrome; hypertension and diabetes in relation to the abovementioned syndromes; diagnostic techniques | |
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Transferred Journals |
Editor-in-Chief |
Journal Topics (Selected) |
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Prof. Dr. Peter Matt, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital (LUKS), Switzerland |
cardiology; cardiovascular and aortic surgery; cardiovascular anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology; congenital heart disease and pediatric cardiology; cardiovascular regenerative and reparative medicine | |
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Prof. Dr. Oana Săndulescu, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania; National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Prof. Dr. Matei Bals”, Romania |
infectious diseases across clinical and public health domains; epidemiology of communicable diseases; clinical microbiology and applied virology; vaccinology and immunization; host–pathogen interactions and immunity | |
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Dr. Roxana Elena Bohiltea, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Romania |
public health; disease prevention; screening and early detection; lifestyle interventions and health education; digital and innovative prevention | |
We would like to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. If you would like to create more new journals, you are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com).
6 January 2026
Meet Us at the EGU General Assembly 2026, 3–8 May 2026, Vienna, Austria
6 January 2026
Land | Invitation to Read Papers and Hot Topic Special Issues Related to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Land System Science
We are delighted to share some papers on geographic information systems (GIS) in land system science research that were published in our journal Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) from 2023 to 2025. In addition, some Special Issues related to this topic are currently open for submission.
The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe will interest you:
1. “A Public Participation GIS for Geodiversity and Geosystem Services Mapping in a Mountain Environment: A Case from Grayson County, Virginia, U.S.A.”
by Kyler B. Stanley, Lynn M. Resler and Lawrence W. Carstensen
Land 2023, 12(4), 835; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040835
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/4/835
2. “GIS-Based RUSLE Reservoir Sedimentation Estimates: Temporally Variable C-Factors, Sediment Delivery Ratio, and Adjustment for Stream Channel and Bank Sediment Sources”
by Patrick J. Starks, Daniel N. Moriasi and Ann-Marie Fortuna
Land 2023, 12(10), 1913; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12101913
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/10/1913
3. “Resilience of Terraced Landscapes to Human and Natural Impacts: A GIS-Based Reconstruction of Land Use Evolution in a Mediterranean Mountain Valley”
by Titouan Le Vot, Marianne Cohen, Maciej Nowak, Paul Passy and Franck Sumera
Land 2024, 13(5), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050592
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/592
4. “Predicting Land Cover Using a GIS-Based Markov Chain and Sea Level Inundation for a Coastal Area”
by Colleen Healey, Eman Ghoneim, Ai Ning Loh and Yalei You
Land 2024, 13(6), 775; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060775
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/6/775
5. “Form-Based Code Revisited: Leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Optimization to Chart Commuting Efficiency Landscapes under Alternative City Planning Frameworks”
by Reza Mortaheb, Piotr Jankowski, Alan Murray and Marcos Bastian
Land 2024, 13(8), 1190; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081190
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/8/1190
6. “An Innovative GIS-Based Policy Approach to Stream Water Quality and Ecological Risk Assessment in Mediterranean Regions: The Case of Crete, Greece”
by Nektarios N. Kourgialas, Chrysoula Ntislidou, Eleana Kazila, Agathos Filintas and Catherina Voreadou
Land 2024, 13(11), 1801; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111801
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/11/1801
7. “Geohazard Plugin: A QGIS Plugin for the Preliminary Analysis of Landslides at Medium–Small Scale”
by Marta Castelli, Andrea Filipello, Claudio Fasciano, Giulia Torsello, Stefano Campus and Rocco Pispico
Land 2025, 14(2), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14020290
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/290
8. “Earthquake-Triggered Landslides in Greece from Antiquity to the Present: Temporal, Spatial and Statistical GIS-Based Analysis”
by Spyridon Mavroulis, Andromachi Sarantopoulou and Efthymios Lekkas
Land 2025, 14(2), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14020307
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/2/307
9. “Flood-Hazard Assessment in the Messapios River Catchment (Central Evia Island, Greece) by Integrating GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis and Analytic Hierarchy Process”
by Vasileios Mazarakis, Konstantinos Tsanakas, Noam Greenbaum, Dimitrios-Vasileios Batzakis, Alessia Sorrentino, Ioannis Tsodoulos, Kanella Valkanou and Efthimios Karymbalis
Land 2025, 14(3), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14030658
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/3/658
10. “Visualising and Valuing Urban Agriculture for Land Use Planning: A Critical GIS Analysis of Sydney and Neighbouring Regions”
by Joshua Zeunert, Scott Hawken and Josh Gowers
Land 2025, 14(4), 854; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14040854
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/4/854
11. “GIS-Based Flood Susceptibility Mapping Using AHP in the Urban Amazon: A Case Study of Ananindeua, Brazil”
by Lianne Pimenta, Lia Duarte, Ana Cláudia Teodoro, Norma Beltrão, Dênis Gomes and Renata Oliveira
Land 2025, 14(8), 1543; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14081543
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/8/1543
12. “Development of a GIS-Based Methodological Framework for Regional Forest Planning: A Case Study in the Bosco Della Ficuzza Nature Reserve (Sicily, Italy)”
by Santo Orlando, Pietro Catania, Massimo Vincenzo Ferro, Carlo Greco, Giuseppe Modica, Michele Massimo Mammano and Mariangela Vallone
Land 2025, 14(9), 1744; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14091744
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/9/1744
13. “GIS-Based Approach for Modeling Vineyard and Apple Orchard Suitability in Mountainous Regions”
by Armand Casadó-Tortosa, Felicidad de Herralde, Robert Savé, Miquel Peris, Jaume Lordan, Antoni Sánchez-Ortiz, Elisenda Sánchez-Costa, Adrià Barbeta and Inmaculada Funes
Land 2025, 14(11), 2135; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112135
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/11/2135
14. “Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements Pollution Pattern and Environmental Risk in Soils from Carpathian Areas Using a GIS-Based Approach and Pollution Indices”
by Ana Moldovan, Ionuț-Cornel Mirea, Anamaria Iulia Torok, Maria Laura Tîrlă, Erika Andrea Levei and Oana Teodora Moldovan
Land 2025, 14(11), 2221; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112221
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/11/2221
15. “SDM- and GIS-Based Prediction of Citrus Suitability in Southern Italy: Evaluating the Influence of Local Versus Global Climate Datasets”
by Giuseppe Antonio Catalano, Provvidenza Rita D’Urso and Claudia Arcidiacono
Land 2025, 14(11), 2223; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112223
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/11/2223
Special Issues:
“Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Landscape Analysis and Landscape Protection”
Guest Editors: Dora Tomić Reljić, Petra Pereković and Beata Fornal-Pieniak
Submission deadline: 25 December 2025
“Geographic Information Technologies and the New Challenges of Globalization in a Changing Environment”
Guest Editors: Ana Nieto Masot, Gema Cárdenas and José A. Gutiérrez Gallego
Submission deadline: 31 December 2025
“Evaluating Urban Public Spaces Based on User-Generated Geographic Data”
Guest Editors: Annunziata Palermo and Lucia Chieffallo
Submission deadline: 15 May 2026
31 December 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #30 - Scaling with Integrity, Highly Cited Researchers, KEMÖ Consortium, Michele Parrinello, and Best PhD Thesis Awards
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
With colleagues at MDPI headquarters in Basel, representing the people behind our global growth and shared commitment to integrity.
Scaling with Integrity: A Year of Growth, Responsibility, and Trust
When I look back on 2025, one phrase seems to sum up the year: “Scaling with integrity.” That was our watchword for 2025, and it will remain so as we move forward in to 2026.
Our journal portfolio continued to grow in 2025, reflecting the trust of a widening proportion of the scholarly community.
Today, MDPI has 355 journals indexed in Scopus and 330 in Web of Science – a testimonial to the scale at which our journals meet established external quality criteria. During the year, 45 of our journals were newly accepted into Scopus and 29 into Web of Science (this excludes transferred journals to our portfolio that were already indexed), following rigorous, independent evaluation by the world’s leading indexing bodies
Meeting external quality benchmarks
These results underline the fact that scaling responsibly is not only about expanding our catalogue, but also about meeting external quality benchmarks consistently, transparently, and at scale. Our indexing performance remains one of the strongest independent validations of MDPI’s commitment to rigor, trust, and long-term sustainability.
Over the course of 2025, we made targeted investments to ensure that the integrity of our editorial process scaled to keep pace with our growth. We strengthened our editorial governance by doubling down on our dedicated Publication Ethics department, appointing a Head of Ethics, and expanding our research integrity team by the addition of new specialists plus the creation of embedded editorial ethics roles across key journals. We also introduced new internal ethics guidelines, pre-review integrity checks, and monitoring dashboards to help teams identify potential issues and apply consistent standards across our portfolio.
Besides investing in systems and tools, we of course also invested heavily in our people and culture, delivering organisation-wide training on topics such as image integrity, AI use in publishing, and ethical oversight, while actively engaging with the wider publishing community through COPE and STM forums.
All these efforts reflect a simple principle: growth only matters if it is matched by rigor, responsibility, and trust.
Technology and AI: Supporting the editorial decision-making process
At MDPI, AI is designed to assist, not replace, editorial decision-making. It is one element in a broader system that combines people, technology, and processes to support scale responsibly.
In 2025, we continued to invest heavily in technology that supports quality rather than shortcuts. Our AI team doubled in size, ensuring that increased automation goes hand-in-hand with expertise and oversight. Proprietary AI tools such as Scholar Finder have significantly improved the precision of reviewer matching, while Ethicality has been widely adopted across editorial workflows to identify contextual signals, such as scope alignment and citation behaviour, so that human judgment can be applied where it matters most.
Partnerships: Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) agreements and Societies
Our recent growth is also reflected in the strength of our partnerships. In 2025, we entered into more than 150 new IOAP agreements, bringing our total to 975 active agreements worldwide. This activity included the signing of our first-ever consortium agreements in North America, renewals of all major national consortia in the UK, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Austria, and Croatia, and the conclusion of several flat-fee agreements. At the same time, we concluded a total of 30 agreements, encompassing 24 new Society affiliations, four strategic publishing partnerships, and two journal acquisitions.
In 2025, we opened MDPI USA in Philadelphia – our latest global office, which complements our Toronto office in representing North America. MDPI USA is responsible for accelerating Open Access in the US through ongoing support of our scholars and for expanding our institutional and society partnerships.
On the other side of the globe, meanwhile, we signed an IOAP agreement in India, allowing researchers discounted Article Processing Charges (APCs), streamlined APC management for universities, and visibility into submissions, supporting India’s push for wider Open Access by offering flexible models and helping institutions meet national mandates such as Plan S.
Sustainability, sponsorships and awards
We continued to expand our sustainability efforts during 2025, hosting the 11th World Sustainability Forum, awarding CHF 125,000 in sustainability-related funding, and launching the Z-Forum on Sustainability and Innovation conference, which will officially take place in January 2026.
We also saw a record year for conference sponsorships and awards (while establishing new awards such as the Michele Parrinello Award), recognising scholars across disciplines and reinforcing our commitment to supporting the global research community at every stage of the academic journey.
Deepening our relationships
In 2025, I had the opportunity to travel more widely than ever before on MDPI business, meeting many of our stakeholders face to face and relishing the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of their science communication needs. It was also excellent to visit a large number of MDPI offices and witness the commitment and service orientation of so many of our colleagues around the world. I shall resume my itinerary in the new year, and I look forward to many more such interactions.
Looking ahead to 2026, we will be celebrating a very significant milestone: 30 years of MDPI. From our foundation as a single Open Access journal in 1996 to the global publishing organisation we are today, our mission has remained consistent: advancing Open Access through rigorous and trustworthy scientific communication.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our stakeholders – authors, Editors-in-Chief, Editorial Board members, and reviewers – who have placed their trust in us during 2025. On behalf of the entire MDPI team, I look forward to deepening our relationships yet further in 2026 and celebrating 30 Years of Open Science at MDPI, something we’ve built together.
Basel, Switzerland, where MDPI was founded in 1996.
Impactful Research
621 MDPI Editors Named Highly Cited Researchers in 2025
I am pleased to share an important milestone for our editorial community and for MDPI. In late November, Clarivate announced the 2025 Highly Cited Researchers, and 621 MDPI Editorial Board Members were included among the most influential scientific contributors over the past decade!
The 621 editors come from 33 countries, representing 21 scientific disciplines, and account for nearly one in every ten Highly Cited Researchers globally. This recognition speaks to the depth of expertise across our Editorial Boards and the strength of the scientific communities that choose to collaborate with MDPI. It is important to note that while citation metrics are not in themselves a proxy for quality, they do offer one lens on sustained scientific influence.
“Our strength comes from the scientific communities who choose to work with us”
Why this is important
Having more than 600 editors recognized on this list highlights:
- The high level of expertise guiding peer review across our journals
- The global and disciplinary diversity within our Editorial Boards
- Our commitment to maintaining strong, knowledgeable, and engaged editorial oversight
Impactful science is of course shaped by broad, diverse research communities, and no single metric captures the full picture of research quality. However, this recognition does serve as meaningful, independent affirmation of the calibre of many editors who contribute to MDPI’s work.
A closer look at the recognition
Clarivate’s methodology highlights researchers whose publications rank in the top one per cent by citation count, reflecting consistent influence over the past decade. The process includes:
- Evaluation of c. 200,000 highly cited papers
- Removal of retracted publications
- Filtering of papers with unusually large authorship groups to focus on clear contributions
That so many of our editors meet these thresholds reflects the impact of the communities behind our journals.
What this means going forward
This recognition underlines the fact that our strength comes from the scientific communities who choose to work with us.
For authors, partners, and readers, it confirms that:
- MDPI journals benefit from editorial guidance grounded in active, high-impact research
- Our Editorial boards include leaders who are helping shape the future direction of their fields
- MDPI continues to attract experts who value openness, efficiency, and scientific integrity
For our internal teams, it is a reminder that the work we do every day (supporting editors, refining workflows, and improving systems) directly contributes to the trust placed in MDPI by researchers worldwide.
Thank you to all our editorial teams, publishing staff, and journal relationship specialists, and to everyone who collaborates with our Editorial Boards. Achievements like this are only possible because of your ongoing hard work, dedication, and collaboration.
From our first annual MDPI UK Summit in Manchester, bringing together over 30 Chief Editors and Editorial Board Members to discuss MDPI’s mission, achievements, and collaborations in the UK.
Inside MDPI
MDPI Launches the Michele Parrinello Award for Computational Physical Science
In case you missed it, in November, we announced the launch of the Michele Parrinello Award. This new biennial international award will recognize pioneering contributions in computational physical science. The award honours Michele Parrinello, one of the most influential scientists of the past half-century in atomistic simulations and computational materials research.
This award reflects MDPI’s long-standing commitment to recognizing scientific excellence, supporting foundational research, and inspiring the next generation of scholars across disciplines.
“Be confident that what you do is meaningful”
Honouring a transformative scientific legacy
Professor Parrinello’s work has fundamentally reshaped how scientists model matter at the atomic scale. Together with Roberto Car, he introduced ab initio molecular dynamics, widely known as the Car–Parrinello method, opening new pathways in electronic structure calculations and molecular simulations. His subsequent contributions, including the Parrinello–Rahman method and metadynamics, have become core tools across physics, chemistry, materials science, and increasingly biology.
“Do not be afraid of new things. I see it many times when we discuss a new thing that young people are scared to go against the mainstream a little bit, thinking, ‘What is going to happen to me?’ and so on. Be confident that what you do is meaningful, and do not be afraid, do not listen too much to what other people have to say.”
– Professor Michele Parrinello
A global, community-led award
The award committee is chaired by Xin-Gao Gong, Professor of Physics at Fudan University and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The Institute for Computational Physical Sciences at Fudan University will serve as the supporting institute, reinforcing the award’s international and cross-cultural foundation.
Nominations for the first edition of the Michele Parrinello Award opened on 1 November 2025, with submissions accepted until March 2026. The award will recognize scientists whose work has advanced computational physical science across physics, chemistry, and materials research – fields increasingly central to energy, sustainability, advanced manufacturing, and technological innovation.
Why this matters for MDPI
The Michele Parrinello Award is part of the MDPI Sustainability Foundation, which supports science as a driver of long-term societal progress.
Alongside other foundation-level honours, including the World Sustainability Award, the Emerging Sustainability Leader Award, and the Tu Youyou Award, this new prize builds on our role in supporting excellence across career stages and disciplines.
MDPI journals and programs continue to recognize researchers through Best Paper Awards, Young Investigator Awards, Travel Awards, Best PhD Thesis Awards, and Outstanding Reviewer Awards. Together, these initiatives reflect a simple belief: strong scientific communities are built through recognition, trust, and sustained support.
As MDPI approaches its 30th anniversary, the launch of the Michele Parrinello Award highlights our commitment not only to publishing research but also to helping shape the future of science by celebrating those who expand its boundaries.
Coming Together for Science
KEMÖ Consortium (Austria) Extends Open Access Agreement with MDPI until 2027
I’m pleased to share that MDPI has renewed its Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) agreement with the Austrian library consortium KEMÖ, extending our partnership through 2027.
The renewed agreement now includes 23 Austrian institutions, with the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) joining the partnership. Participating institutions benefit from APC discounts across MDPI’s more than 495 journals, with centralized funding options further reducing the administrative burden for researchers and libraries.
“This renewal reflects shared commitment to advancing Open Access publishing in Europe”
Austria continues to be an important and engaged research community for MDPI, with 525+ Austrian Editorial Board Members, eight Editors-in-Chief, and 15 Section Editors-in-Chief contributing to our journals.
This renewal reflects long-term trust and shared commitment to advancing Open Access publishing in Europe, and improves MDPI’s collaboration with national OA infrastructures such as the Open Access Monitor Austria. Such long-term agreements show how MDPI’s growth is increasingly built on institutional trust, collaboration, and shared commitment to Open Access.
A big thank-you to the IOAP team and everyone involved in supporting this partnership.
Closing Thoughts
Celebrating the Next Generation of Scholars: MDPI’s 2024 Best PhD Thesis Awards
One of the privileges of working in scholarly publishing is supporting the beginning of new scientific journeys. We recently announced the recipients of MDPI’s 2024 Best PhD Thesis Awards, recognizing some of the most promising emerging researchers across disciplines.
These awards do more than celebrate academic excellence. They reflect something deeper about our mission: supporting the next generation of authors and the future of Open Science.
Recognition of Excellence
This year, we made awards to 55 early-career researchers across seven fields:
- Biology and Life Sciences
- Chemistry and Materials Science
- Computer Science and Mathematics
- Engineering
- Environmental and Earth Sciences
- Medicine and Pharmacology
- Interdisciplinary ‘Other’ fields
For those of you who have completed a PhD, you’ll know first-hand that behind each number is a story of perseverance, curiosity, and sustained effort. These researchers represent institutions around the world, with thesis topics spanning:
- Brain–machine interfaces and neural engineering
- Sustainable materials and next-generation batteries
- Cancer genomics, tumour microenvironments, and immunotherapy
- AI-driven image analysis, robotics, and computational models
- Climate change monitoring and environmental risk assessment
- Regenerative medicine, biomaterials, and drug development
These dissertations are early signs of the scientific directions that will shape the coming decade.
“Our mission is about building a global community of authors”
Why this is important
Every year, millions of scholars begin their research careers with limited visibility and few platforms for sharing their work. By recognizing outstanding PhD theses, we elevate authors early in their academic journeys, build MDPI’s connection to the global research community, reinforce our commitment to quality and rigor, and highlight the depth and breadth of scholarship published across our portfolio (from biology to materials science to mathematics).
A foretaste of the future
These 55 awardees represent the next generation of researchers whose work will influence science, policy, and society in the years ahead. What we support today helps shape the scientific ecosystem of tomorrow. Our mission goes beyond publishing papers. It is about building a global community of authors who will define the next era of scientific discovery.
To explore more about MDPI Awards, including current and upcoming Best PhD Thesis Awards, please click here.
Thank you to the editors, reviewers, and teams across MDPI who make these awards possible each year.
Everything we achieved this year was made possible by the collective effort of our global teams and the trust placed in us by the scholarly community. Thank you again, and here’s to the successful continuation of our collaboration in 2026!
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
30 December 2025
Land Webinar | Biodiversity in the Mediterranean, From Participative Case Studies to GIS-Based Investigation, 15 January 2026
The level of provision of ecosystem services is a decisive factor for the livelihood of people and a key aspect to be considered to increase the resilience of populations in the Mediterranean area (MedECC, 2024). Ensuring the provision of the ecosystem services and functions most relevant to farmers and agricultural activities can also accelerate the transition paths towards a more sustainable food system.
Food insecurity in the Mediterranean is expected to rise in the upcoming years and decades (Worldbank, 2014) and this process can be linked with the degradation of natural resources, ecosystem services and functions and the loss of biodiversity as it disrupts key services like soil fertility, pollination, and water regulation.
The integration of different management practices and approaches including and connecting the farm level with the landscape level would help to find solutions to the complex challenges mentioned above, allowing a higher level of provision of ecosystem services relevant to the sustainability of the food system. The adoption of an integrated approach to land management requires attention to all levels of sustainability and a strong collaboration between different groups of local actors, land managers and stakeholders that leads to the achievement of multiple objectives and to a greater resilience of local populations.
Date: 15 January 2026 at 2:00 p.m. CET | 8:00 a.m. EST
Webinar ID: 832 8658 1191
Register now for free!
|
Speaker/Presentation |
Time in CET |
Time in EST |
|
Ms. Mara Parvulescu |
2:00–2:10 p.m. |
8:00–8:10 a.m. |
|
Dr. Mélanie Requier Desjardins and Dr. Generosa Calabrese |
2:10–2:20 p.m. |
8:10–8:20 a.m. |
|
Ms. Mercedes Muñoz Cañas |
2:20–2:40 p.m. |
8:20–8:40 a.m. |
|
Q&A Session |
2:40–2:50 p.m. |
8:40–8:50 a.m. |
|
Dr. Manuela Giovanetti |
2:50–3:10 p.m. |
8:50–9:10 a.m. |
|
Q&A Session |
3:10–3:20 p.m. |
9:10–9:20 a.m. |
|
Ms. Ayantu Tadesse Deressa |
3:20–3:40 p.m. |
9:20–9:40 a.m. |
|
Q&A Session |
3:40–4:00 p.m. |
9:40–10:00 a.m. |
|
Dr. Mélanie Requier Desjardins and Dr. Generosa Calabrese |
4:00–4:20 p.m. |
10:00–10:20 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 will let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Webinar Chairs and Keynote Speakers:
- Dr. Mélanie Requier-Desjardins, 1. CIHEAM-IAMM, Univ Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
2. SENS, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Univ Paul Valery Montpellier 3, 34960 Montpellier, France; - Dr. Generosa Calabrese, CIHEAM–IAMB, via Ceglie,9 Valenzano (BA), Italy;
- Ms. Mercedes Muñoz Cañas, International Union for Conservation of Nature- Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation;
- Dr. Manuela Giovanetti, CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Italy;
- Ms. Ayantu Tadesse Deressa, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy.
Relevant Special Issue:
“Land Use, Ecosystem Services and Environmental Management in Mediterranean Climate Areas”
Guest Editors: Dr. Mélanie Requier-Desjardins and Dr. Generosa Calabres
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026
24 December 2025
Land | Issue Cover Articles in 2025
The articles below have been selected as 2025 Issue Cover Articles by the Editorial Office of Land (ISSN: 2073-445X). These articles came from multiple fields within the scope of Land, and we hope they can provide insights and references for scholars in related fields.
18 December 2025
Land | Title Story Articles from the Second Half of 2025
We are delighted to present a list of title story articles selected to feature at top of the Coatings (ISSN: 2079-6412) homepage for the second half of 2025. These articles cover a wide range of topics, including peatland management, cultural landscape, creating photorealistic landscapes with AI, mapping drought incidents, land expansion and green rural transformation, sustainable green blue infrastructure, biochar and climate change adaptation. We hope you find these publications of interest.
1. “Evidence Synthesis and Knowledge Integration for Sustainable Peatland Management”
by Kate Flood, David Wilson and Florence Renou-Wilson
Land 2025, 14(7), 1397; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071397
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1397
2. “From Historical Maps to LiDAR Data-Enhancing Landscape Ecological Research of Cultural Landscape Using Modern Remote Sensing Data Illustrated with Examples from Slovak Traditional Heritage Landscapes”
by Branislav Olah, Igor Gallay, Martina Slámová, Tomáš Lepeška, Zuzana Gallayová and Veronika Paulíková
Land 2025, 14(7), 1370; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071370
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1370
3. “A Powerful Approach in Visualization: Creating Photorealistic Landscapes with AI”
by Gusztáv Jakab, Enikő Magyari, Benedek Jakab and Gábor Timár
Land 2025, 14(7), 1430; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071430
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1430
4. “Mapping Drought Incidents in the Mediterranean Region with Remote Sensing: A Step Toward Climate Adaptation”
by Aikaterini Stamou, Aikaterini Bakousi, Anna Dosiou, Zoi-Eirini Tsifodimou, Eleni Karachaliou, Ioannis Tavantzis and Efstratios Stylianidis
Land 2025, 14(8), 1564; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14081564
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/8/1564
5. “Land Expansion and Green Rural Transformation in Developing Countries: A Kaya Identity Approach”
by Edward B. Barbier
Land 2025, 14(12), 2314; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14122314
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/12/2314
6. “Planning Sustainable Green Blue Infrastructure in Colombo to Optimize Park Cool Island Intensity”
by A. A. S. G. Wijesundara, B. G. N. Sewwandi and Thomas Panagopoulos
Land 2025, 14(11), 2164; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112164
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/11/2164
7. “Effects of Biochar-Based Fertilizer on Root Zeta Potential, Nutrient Leaching and Yield in an Intensive Protected Cropping System”
by Kane Trubenbacher, Shahla Hosseini Bai, Lakmini Dissanayake, Negar Omidvar, Stephen Joseph and Michael B. Farrar
Land 2025, 14(10), 2036; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14102036
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/10/2036
8. “Farming on the Edge: The 10-Fold Deficit in Lombardy’s Agricultural Land”
by Stefano Salata, Andrea Arcidiacono, Stefano Corsi, Chiara Mazzocchi, Alberto Fedalto and Domenico Riccobene
Land 2025, 14(11), 2112; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112112
Available online: https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112112
9. “Stakeholder Analysis for Climate Change Adaptation: A Case Study from the Living Lab Schouwen-Duiveland, The Netherlands”
by Monika Suškevičs, Joost Swiers, Julia Prakofjewa, Renata Sõukand and Baiba Prūse
Land 2025, 14(11), 2209; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112209
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/11/2209
17 December 2025
Land | Highly Cited Review Papers Published in 2024
It is our honor to present some highly cited review papers published by Land (ISSN: 2073-445X) in 2024. We would like to acknowledge the hardworking individuals and teams whose work inspires fellow researchers and influences the field of land system science. We invite you to read the outstanding works listed below.
1. “Smart Growth and Smart Shrinkage: A Comparative Review for Advancing Urban Sustainability”
by Yang Yang, Zhe Dong, Bing-Bing Zhou and Yang Liu
Land 2024, 13(5), 660; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050660
2. “Geoinformation Technology in Support of Arctic Coastal Properties Characterization: State of the Art, Challenges, and Future Outlook”
by George P. Petropoulos, Triantafyllia Petsini and Spyridon E. Detsikas
Land 2024, 13(6), 776; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060776
3. “Land Use as a Crucial Resource for Smart Grids—The ‘Common Good’ of Renewables in Distributed Energy Systems”
by Maarten Wolsink
Land 2024, 13(8), 1236; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081236
4. “Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment in Informal Settlements of the Global South: A Critical Review”
by Emal Ahmad Hussainzad and Zhonghua Gou
Land 2024, 13(9), 1357; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13091357
5. “Overview of Traditional and Contemporary Industrial Production Technologies for Biochar along with Quality Standardization Methods”
by Mátyás Köves, Viktor Madár, Marianna Ringer and Tamás Kocsis
Land 2024, 13(9), 1388; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13091388
6. “Landscape Agroecology: Methodologies and Applications for the Design of Sustainable Agroecosystems”
by Miguel A. Altieri, Clara I. Nicholls, Manuel González de Molina and Angel Salazar Rojas
Land 2024, 13(11), 1746; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111746
7. “Temperate Soils Exposed to Drought—Key Processes, Impacts, Indicators, and Unknowns”
by Sabine Reinsch, David A. Robinson, Maud A. J. van Soest, Aidan M. Keith, Simon Parry and Andrew M. Tye
Land 2024, 13(11), 1759; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111759
8. “Water, Ecosystem Services, and Urban Green Spaces in the Anthropocene”
by Marianna Olivadese and Maria Luisa Dindo
Land 2024, 13(11), 1948; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111948
9. “Application of Life Cycle Assessment for Torrent Control Structures: A Review”
by Mirabela Marin, Nicu Constantin Tudose, Cezar Ungurean and Alin Lucian Mihalache
Land 2024, 13(11), 1956; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111956
10. “Design and Site-Related Factors Impacting the Cooling Performance of Urban Parks in Different Climate Zones: A Systematic Review”
by Maryam Norouzi, Hing-Wah Chau and Elmira Jamei
Land 2024, 13(12), 2175; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13122175
