Announcements

The 2025 National Youth Tribology Academic Conference will be held from 25 to 28 April 2025 in Foshan, China. The conference is being organized by Chinese Tribology Institution and co-hosted by Ji Hua Laboratory, Guangdong University of Technology, Foshan University and the State Key Laboratory of High-end Heavy-load Robots.

This conference will explore the application of cutting-edge tribology technology through the keynote report, invitation report, oral report, and exhibition form and strengthen the in-depth exchange and cooperation of young tribology scholars across the country. Academicians, scholars, and industry experts are welcome to attend the conference.

Topics:

• Friction and Wear for Materials;
• Lubrication and Tribo-chemistry;
• Coating and Surface/Interface Tribology;
• Micro- and Nano-tribology and Surface and Interface Tribology;
• Bio-tribology and Lubrication;
• Industrial Tribology;
• Marine Tribology and Tribology Design;
• Friction Nanogenerators and Smart Sensors;
• Greater Bay Area Tribology Forum.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Lubricants;
• Surfaces;
• Machines;
• Materials;
• JMMP.

If you plan to attend this conference, please feel free to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at our booth and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please click the following link: https://meeting.cmes.org/?bust=1741337036324&sid=1305&mid=326&v=100#!c/show/a/index/.

The Outstanding Reviewer Award is given annually to recognize those who generously contribute their time to reviewing papers while displaying thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness.

We are thrilled to announce the following interview with one of the winners of the Materials 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Award, Dr. Srećko Stopić. In the field of academic publishing, reviewers play a pivotal role as the “gatekeepers” of scholarly quality. They meticulously examine each submitted academic paper with their expertise and rigorous approach, ensuring that its value and research quality meet the highest standards.

The following is a short interview with Dr. Srećko Stopić:

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to our readers? What’s your current research area?
I was born on 3 April 1965, in Užice, Serbia, and received my doctorate in 1997 at the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy in Belgrade. I received the Humboldt Scholarship in Bonn in 2001, and since then I have been working at the Institute for Process Metallurgy and Metal Recycling at the RWTH Aachen University, Germany, as a leader of various research projects and teaching in the subject of the unit operations in non-ferrous metallurgy. My current research areas are process metallurgy, metallurgy of rare-earth elements, recycling, and nanotechnology.

2. What factors make you want to be a reviewer for Materials?
I am a reviewer for various projects and doctoral dissertations, and I am particularly motivated to do reviews for Materials and other MDPI journals.

3. What are your tips on how to prepare a qualified review report?
Each report should have an analysis of the text and experiments, as well as provide conclusions and suggestions that contribute to the improvement of the text and the performed investigation.

4. Based on your extensive reviewing experience, what common problems do authors face?
The biggest problem is fitting all the results into one report and explaining the influence of various parameters, as well as detailing what is innovative about the process.

5. Materials is an open access journal. Is the peer-review process of Materials different from that of subscription journals?
The work at Materials is driven by the teamwork of extremely motivated collaborators, who are very efficient, which is a big difference compared to other magazines.

6. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
The synthesis of new materials and the use of hydrogen in various processes with the most modern methods of material characterization will increasingly be the subject of new research in the coming years.

7. Has being a reviewer affected your preparation for a recent manuscript?
Being a Materials reviewer has a big impact on the preparation of all my papers. There is an inextricable connection between my role as reviewer, author, and Guest Editor of Special Issues at Materials. In each of my roles, I try to give my best and meet the strict requirements of this exceptional magazine. The award that was given to me is additional motivation to contribute to the success of this magazine, to further progress, and to be at the forefront of the MDPI magazine.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!

The Outstanding Reviewer Award is presented annually to recognize individuals who generously dedicate their time to reviewing papers while demonstrating thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness.

We are thrilled to share the following interview with one of the winners of the Materials 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Award, Dr. Przemysław Podulka. In the field of academic publishing, reviewers play a pivotal role as the “gatekeepers” of scholarly quality. Through their expertise and rigorous approach, they meticulously examine each submitted academic paper, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of research and academic quality.

Below is a short interview with Dr. Przemysław Podulka:

1. Could you introduce yourself to our readers? What is your current research area?
My area of expertise is surface metrology, considering the accuracy of surface topography measurements, including studies of roughness, which is a crucial key to improving the machined material properties. The researcher provided an analysis of the functional performances of the surface and indicated a strong relation to its topography. Currently, many surface measuring instruments are fast but burdened with errors caused while measurement occurs, which must be evaluated in detail and supported by many sophisticated studies by the researcher. The correlation of many functional properties of the surface was established by him in detail using a comprehensive analysis of accuracy in topography measurement data collection.

2. What factors motivate you to be a reviewer for Materials?
Reviewing is also a possibility to find the most recent studies around the topic of the reviewer's expertise. Since there are many papers published around each specific area of study, complete reading of all of them is difficult. Therefore, often reviewing manuscripts allows for recognizing submissions from beginning to end.

3. What are your tips on how to prepare a qualified review report?
Each submission must be treated separately considering the specific area of study. However, there are some key requirements from each of the submissions, which are verified when reviewing. Further, from my perspective, I also request for the manuscript to be readable and understandable for both regular and expert readers. Therefore, the scientific paper must be familiar to casual or more sophisticated readers.

4. Based on your rich reviewing experience, could you please share the common problems that authors face?
Usually, the authors do not properly motivate their research work. In practice, each of the proposals must be supported by a lack in the current state of knowledge. This dearth must be defined by a critical review of the literature and previous solutions.

5. Materials is an open access journal. Is its peer review process different from that of subscription journals?
Compared to other publishing platforms, some differences can be drawn. Some differences are also required from the publishers themselves. However, the review itself is similar, the number of comments depends directly on the quality of the manuscript submitted. Usually, a journal with Impact Factors (IF) requires detailed feedback and must receive a proper response to evaluate the manuscript suitably and rate the paper according to its quality. Even if the decision is on the editor's side, the reviewer is responsible for an accurate assessment of the manuscript's peer review.

6. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
Except for the general digitalization which is currently designated, Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, including some machine learning, and automation applications, can be in one of the greatest future potentials.

7. Has being a reviewer affected how you prepare your manuscripts?
Being a reviewer is crucial in increasing the experience for each of the researchers. When reading many papers word by word it is easier to understand the quality required from each of the journals. Each review is also teaching from a scientific point of view. Defining some doubts about the proposals presented can be also stimulating for discussing the current solutions of the underlying mechanisms in smaller dimensions.

The Outstanding Reviewer Award is presented annually to recognize individuals who generously dedicate their time to reviewing papers while demonstrating thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness.

We are thrilled to share the following interview with one of the winners of the Materials 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Award, Dr. Athanasios Sfikas. In the field of academic publishing, reviewers play a pivotal role as the “gatekeepers” of scholarly quality. Through their expertise and rigorous approach, they meticulously examine each submitted academic paper, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of research and academic quality.

Below is a short interview with Dr. Athanasios Sfikas:

1. Could you introduce yourself to our readers? What is your current research area?
My name is Athanasios Sfikas, and I am a materials engineer specializing in metallurgy. My Ph.D. project focused on developing and studying the microstructure and properties of novel Al-Co alloys. During my postdoctoral research, I shifted my focus to the promising field of high entropy alloys. Currently, I work in industry but remain actively involved in research, writing, and reviewing papers in my free time. My focus is on aluminum alloys, metal matrix composites, high entropy alloys, and materials degradation.

2. What factors motivate you to be a reviewer for Materials?
Materials is a well-established journal in the field of materials science. I enjoy reviewing papers submitted to Materials because it gives me the opportunity to assess high-quality works. The journal features a wide variety of papers, covering both novel, promising materials and well-established ones.

3. Based on your rich reviewing experience, could you please share the common problems that authors face?
Many authors struggle to clearly and consistently explain the novelty of their work. Common issues include a brief experimental procedure section lacking a step-by-step analysis of materials fabrication and characterization. The results section should provide a deep analysis of the figures, formulation of mechanisms, and comparison to existing literature. Unfortunately, in several works, results consist of only brief comments on the figures without further analysis. Several research works also suffer from poor-quality figures and low-quality microscopy images.

4. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
The research community in the field of metallic materials will continue to focus on high-entropy alloys, additive manufacturing, and the continuous improvement of well-established alloys. Novel materials characterization and testing techniques will enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms at smaller dimensions.

The Outstanding Reviewer Award is presented annually to recognize individuals who generously dedicate their time to reviewing papers while demonstrating thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness.

We are thrilled to share the following interview with one of the winners of the Materials 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Award, Prof. Dr. Radosław Jasiński. In the field of academic publishing, reviewers play a pivotal role as the “gatekeepers” of scholarly quality. Through their expertise and rigorous approach, they meticulously examine each submitted academic paper, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of research and academic quality.

Below is a short interview with Prof. Dr. Radosław Jasiński:

1. Could you introduce yourself to our readers? What is your current research area?
I am a researcher (Full Professor) at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Silesian University of Technology, Head of the Laboratory of Civil Engineering Faculty. I am a graduate of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, specializing in bridges. My scientific interests include masonry structures, reinforced concrete structures, diagnosis of structures (NDT, MDT), and numerical modeling of structures. I publish in journals of various publishers (MDPI, Elsevier, Polish Academy of Science). I have published over 350 publications, handbooks (17), patents (2), papers in technical journals, and at national and international conferences. At the same time, I have reviewed work in the fields of civil engineering and materials engineering in various journals (MDPI, Elsevier, Hindavi, ASCEE) for almost 50 journals (>400 reviews since 2018). In line with my area of interest, I am currently conducting experimental and theoretical research on masonry stiffening walls, with particular emphasis on the redistribution of internal forces. I am analyzing the cooperation of stiffening walls through connections of walls of different structures. I am also conducting research on the broadly understood safety of lintels made of AAC in terms of deflections and support on the wall. Recently, I have also dealt with the issue of fiber concrete resistant to dynamic impacts with kevlar fibers.

2. What factors motivate you to be a reviewer for Materials?
The Materials journal has a recognized reputation among scientists, not only in Poland. Reviewing papers greatly broadens the horizon in terms of research areas and current trends. The best papers published in Materials can, in addition to purely scientific knowledge, also benefit from the workshops of other scientists from renowned scientific centers in the world.

3. What are your tips for preparing a high-quality review report?
Of course, when reviewing each paper, I am guided by the main achievements of the paper and the contribution to the development of a specific discipline: civil engineering, and materials engineering. I try to follow the publisher’s guidelines regarding the principles of conducting reviews, but in addition, I pay attention to the way the publication is prepared. I pay attention to the details in the research program, the description of the research, and the analysis. Wherever possible I provide instructions to the authors. I do not leave my comments without comment. Rather, I try to help the authors improve the manuscript so that it meets all the conditions of scientific work.

4. Based on your rich reviewing experience, could you please share the common problems that authors face?
As I mentioned earlier, most often the authors focus their attention on the research and analyses performed. Often, after analyzing the state of knowledge, the aim and scope of the work, the contribution of the research to the development of the discipline, and the most important achievements are lost. The part describing the research often contains a fairly detailed description instead of more readable tables or block diagrams. When researching structures, static diagrams of research stands and procedures for loading the structure are often ignored. The sections devoted to FEM modeling are not complete. The authors omit descriptions of material models, initial-boundary conditions, and load sequences in nonlinear models. They focus their attention on the results in the form of maps or graphs. I think that the authors should focus their attention on better formulation of conclusions in the summaries of the publication. The summaries are often too laconic and do not present the entire content of the publication and the directions of further work.

5. Materials is an open access journal. Is the peer review process of Materials different from that of subscription journals?
In this respect, the Materials journal does not differ significantly from other journals of renowned publishers. The time allocated for a review is much shorter than in other publishers, but I consider this to be very positive. A significant disadvantage that I would like to draw attention to is the shortening of the review time. Such situations occur when the editor already has two reviews and occasionally the invitation to perform the review is withdrawn. This may discourage potential reviewers.

6. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
I think I will not be original, but potentially the most interesting topics will concern the use of artificial intelligence and broadly understood decarbonization in the production of binders (geopolymers) and aggregates (recycled aggregates) and the use of materials for reuse. It cannot be ruled out that artificial intelligence tools will be used more often in research, especially in the analysis of “big data” of studies, image analysis, and validation of theoretical models. Topics related to construction safety and the introduction of new technological solutions will constantly appear.

7. Has being a reviewer affected how you prepare your manuscripts?
Undoubtedly yes. As I mentioned earlier, reviews help to broaden research horizons, especially in current trends, and facilitate the query of current literature. We are not able to absorb all publications on a given topic, but reviewing works allows us to separate important information from irrelevant and focus on current problems.

MDPI will be attending the 2025 International Conference on Electronics Packaging and iMAPs All Asia Conference (ICEP-IAAC 2025) in Nagano, Japan, which will take place from 15 to 19 April 2025. ICEP is Japan’s largest international conference on electronic packaging, attracting more than 360 attendees and hosting roughly 35 technical sessions. The conference comprises technical sessions covering a wide range of topics including advanced packaging, design, modeling and reliability, emerging technologies, high-speed, wireless components, interconnections, materials and processes, optoelectronics, power electronics integration, and thermal management. 

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Electronics;
• Applied Sciences;
• Chips;
• Hardware;
• Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Analyses;
• Journal of Low Power Electronics and Applications;
• Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks;
• Materials;
• Micromachines;
• Technologies. 

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please 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 conference, please visit the following website: https://www.jiep.or.jp/icep/.

MDPI is pleased to share a significant milestone in its mission to advance scholarly research and promote the dissemination of knowledge—300+ MDPI journals are now indexed in Web of Science (WoS). This milestone highlights the global recognition, interdisciplinary impact and enhanced visibility of our journals. It also reflects our adherence to rigorous editorial standards, scientific integrity, and our mission to foster open scientific exchange in all forms, across all disciplines. 

To explore the full list of our journals indexed in WoS, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals/wos. Beyond expanding the coverage of our publications in the leading academic databases, we are dedicated to ensuring that our journals are included in as many scope-specific databases as possible. This increases the visibility of our authors’ work and extends the reach of their significant data. 

This milestone would not have been possible without the efforts and expertise of our academic editors, reviewers and authors. Their commitment and collaboration have been instrumental in creating an inclusive, accessible, and impactful publishing platform. We also extend our gratitude to the global research community for their trust as we continue to break new ground in academic publishing. This milestone is not just a celebration of MDPI’s progress but also recognition of the collective strides made by researchers worldwide. 

As we celebrate this remarkable accomplishment, MDPI remains steadfast in its commitment to open access publishing and ensuring that high-quality research reaches and inspires a global audience.

MDPI is pleased to announce our participation in the MRS Spring Exhibit and Meeting 2025, which will be held from 7 to 11 April 2025, in Seattle, USA.

The Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting is a premier event bringing together researchers, scientists, and industry professionals from around the world to discuss the latest advancements in materials science. The conference will feature cutting-edge symposia, keynote presentations, and networking sessions covering a diverse range of materials research topics, from nanotechnology to biomaterials.

MDPI is committed to supporting and disseminating high-quality research in the field of materials science.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the event:

• Materials;
• Nanomaterials;
• Applied Nano;
• Batteries;
• Bioengineering;
• Biomimetics;
• Crystals;
• Energies;
• Magnetochemistry;
• Membranes;
• Solids;
• Electrochem;
• Biosensors.

If you are attending the MRS Spring Exhibit and Meeting 2025, we warmly invite you to visit our booth. Our representatives will be available to discuss publishing opportunities, open access benefits, and our commitment to advancing materials research.

For more information about the conference, please visit the official website here.

MDPI, a pioneer in scholarly open access publishing, and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), Singapore, proudly announce the successful conclusion of the first edition the MDPI Early Career Researcher Awards. The awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to medical and biomedical research, were presented to six exceptional researchers during an awards ceremony held at LKCMedicine HQ Building on 28 November 2024.

Honoring Excellence in Research

The awards recognize exceptional postdoctoral researchers and Ph.D. students who have demonstrated outstanding originality, innovation, and impact in their respective fields. We are honored to announce the winners of the 2024 edition:

Early Career Researcher (Postdoc) Award:

• Dr. Theresia Handayani Mina, “Adiposity and Metabolic Health in Asian Populations: An Epidemiological Study Using Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry in Singapore”;
• Dr. Erfan Rezvani Ghomi, “Wound Healing Improvement by Novel Aligned Antimicrobial Nanofibrous 3D Scaffolds”;
• Dr. Yadollah Ranjbar Slamloo, “Functional Alterations of The Prefrontal Circuit Underlying Cognitive Aging in Mice”.

Early Career Researcher (Ph.D.) Award:

• Pritisha Rozario, “Mechanistic Basis for Potassium Efflux-Driven Activation of the Human NLRP1 Inflammasome”;

• Michelle Law Cheok Yien, “Chikungunya Virus Nonstructural Protein 1 is a Versatile RNA Capping and Decapping Enzyme”;
• Yin Ruoyu, “The Use of Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing Tools in Older Adults: A Mixed Method Study”.

Our collaboration highlights a shared commitment to recognizing exceptional talent and research within the academic community, addressing today’s healthcare challenges, and inspiring continued innovation.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Building on the success of the first edition, MDPI and LKCMedicine are excited to announce that the 2025 MDPI Early Researcher Awards will continue to celebrate excellence and innovation in medical research. The next edition promises to expand its scope, introducing new categories and providing even greater recognition for impactful research.

Further details on the 2025 awards, including nomination criteria and timelines, will be shared in the coming months. We remain committed to fostering a culture of research excellence and collaboration within the global scientific community.

Conference: ACS Spring 2025
Organization: American Chemical Society
Date: 23−27 March 2025
Place: San Diego, CA, USA
Booth ID: 3749

A number of MDPI journals will be attending ACS Spring 2025 as exhibitors, an exciting event being held in San Diego, CA, USA, from 23 to 27 March 2025.

ACS Meetings & Expositions are the prime location for chemistry professionals to meet in order to exchange ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. By attracting thousands of professionals in the field of chemistry, the meetings provide excellent opportunities for peers to engage with one another and share their passion for chemistry, connecting with one of the world's largest scientific societies and helping to advance careers in this ever-changing global field.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Molecules;
• Crystals;
• DDC;
• Laboratories;
• Materials;
• Polymers;
• Separations;
• Analytica;
• AppliedChem;
• Batteries;
• Chemistry;
• Fibers;
• Inorganics;
• Molbank;
• Organics;
• Reactions.

If you are attending the above conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth, booth #3749. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

Of the participating journals, one is celebrating its anniversary:

The year 2025 also marks the 10th anniversary of Batteries (ISSN: 2313-0105), a peer-reviewed, open access journal of chemistry, published online on a monthly basis by MDPI. With an Impact Factor of 4.6 and a CiteScore of 4.0, the journal is indexed in Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), Inspec, Ei Compendex, CAPlus/SciFinder, and other databases.

We value the contributions made by our editors, authors, and reviewers.