Announcements

Mathematics (ISSN: 2227-7390) is pleased to announce the winners of the Mathematics 2023 Best Paper Award, selecting five research articles and one review among all the peer-reviewed papers published in Volume 11 of the journal. The decision was made by the committee based on an evaluation of the originality and significance of the papers and their number of citations and downloads.

We would like to congratulate the following winners:

“Image Encryption Scheme Based on Newly Designed Chaotic Map and Parallel DNA Coding”
by Shenli Zhu, Xiaoheng Deng, Wendong Zhang and Congxu Zhu
Mathematics 2023, 11(1), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/math11010231

“A Combined Model Based on Recurrent Neural Networks and Graph Convolutional Networks for Financial Time Series Forecasting”
by Ana Lazcano, Pedro Javier Herrera and Manuel Monge
Mathematics 2023, 11(1), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/math11010224

“A Mathematical Investigation of Hallucination and Creativity in GPT Models”
by Minhyeok Lee
Mathematics 2023, 11(10), 2320; https://doi.org/10.3390/math11102320

“A Stochastic Control Approach for Constrained Stochastic Differential Games with Jumps and Regimes”
by Emel Savku
Mathematics 2023, 11(14), 3043; https://doi.org/10.3390/math11143043

“Neimark–Sacker Bifurcation of a Discrete-Time Predator–Prey Model with Prey Refuge Effect”
by Binhao Hong and Chunrui Zhang
Mathematics 2023, 11(6), 1399; https://doi.org/10.3390/math11061399

“A Survey on Active Learning: State-of-the-Art, Practical Challenges and Research Directions”
by Alaa Tharwat and Wolfram Schenck
Mathematics 2023, 11(4), 820; https://doi.org/10.3390/math11040820

The announcement of the winners can be found on the following website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/mathematics/awards/2880.

Mathematics Editorial Office

Mathematics (ISSN: 2227-7390) is proud to present the winner of the Mathematics Best Paper Award— Prof. Dr. Ana Lazcano!

The following is a short interview with Prof. Dr. Ana Lazcano:

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers?  Could you introduce your current research direction and provide an update on your progress?

I earned a PhD in artificial intelligence, with a research focus on the analysis and prediction of time series using neural networks—particularly hybrid models, data preprocessing techniques, and model explainability. I currently serve as Director of the Chair of Artificial Intelligence for the Global Common Good at Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, where I also teach and lead the master’s program in machine learning and artificial intelligence.

My work also embraces a critical reflection on the ethical and social impact of AI, with a particular emphasis on promoting its responsible use for the global common good. In recent years, I have led projects aimed at bringing responsible AI practices closer to business environments, especially in the context of generative AI technologies.

2. Could you please briefly introduce the main content of the winning paper?

The publication focuses on a hybrid model that combines Graph Convolutional Networks (GCNs) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks for the prediction of time series in the economic domain. The process involves transforming the time series into graphs to enable subsequent processing by both types of networks. The results outperformed existing approaches in the literature, introducing a novel methodology that captures temporal dependencies more efficiently.

3. Could you describe the difficulties and breakthrough innovations in this research field?

Currently, time series forecasting using AI-based predictive models is widely studied in the literature. However, major challenges remain in developing efficient techniques that reduce training times, allow the incorporation of new observations without retraining the model, and preserve temporal dependencies.

4. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? How was your experience submitting to Mathematics?

Mathematics has become a leading journal, recognized for its high-quality and interdisciplinary research. Moreover, its fast-processing times enable agile and efficient dissemination of scientific work.

5. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

Research in the field of time series will continue to advance toward more efficient processing of large volumes of observations, without compromising speed or energy consumption. At the same time, research in artificial intelligence will keep progressing in methodologies related to large language models (LLMs).

6. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

It is a pleasure to see more and more young people interested in generating knowledge. It is essential that they understand the importance of rigor in publications, avoid becoming dependent on large language models for scientific writing, and focus their efforts on developing new scientific knowledge.

7. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express or someone you wish to thank most?

Certainly, I am profoundly grateful to those who encouraged me to enter the world of research. This paper is part of my doctoral thesis, the result of much effort and hard work, and I can never thank enough all those who stood by my side and continue to do so.

8. What is your opinion of the open access model of publishing?

It is essential to open research to all scientists who wish to access scientific output. The open access model enables easy, accessible, and free consultation of existing literature, which helps to increase production and train younger generations.

Mathematics plays a pivotal role in all academic disciplines. From a methodological standpoint, research depends heavily on statistical testing and modeling. From a technical standpoint, math is critical in applied disciplines, such as engineering and architecture. From a theoretical standpoint, the rich history of logic and philosophy of mathematics has built the foundation for all scientific inquiries.

MDPI’s journal cluster of mathematics and its applications promotes the open exchange of contemporary ideas and developments in mathematical science. MDPI offers journals with broader scopes and readership, such as Mathematics (IF 2.2), as well as more specialized outlets for subdisciplines in pure and applied mathematics. Together, the aim is to provide more options to authors of varying situations.

The nine member journals in the cluster are the following:

• AppliedMath (ISSN: 2673-9909) focuses on studies that apply mathematical concepts, theories and methods to other subjects, such as physics, engineering, medicine, chemistry, biology, information science, energy, environmental science, finance, business, computer science, industry and social sciences. AppliedMath is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Takayuki Hibi (Osaka University, Japan);
• Axioms (ISSN: 2075-1680) focuses on studies related to mathematics, mathematical logic and mathematical physics. Axioms is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Humberto Bustince (Public University of Navarra, Spain);
• Computation (ISSN: 2079-3197) focuses on computational science and interdisciplinary applications, including computational engineering, computational chemistry, computational biology, and computational social science. Computation is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Ali Cemal Benim (Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences, Germany);
• Fractal and Fractional (ISSN: 2504-3110) focuses on fractals and fractional calculus and their applications in different fields of science and engineering. Fractal and Fractional is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Carlo Cattani (University of Tuscia, Italy);
• Geometry (ISSN: 3042-402X) focuses on the diverse theories and applications of geometry. Areas of special interest include Euclidean geometry, differential geometry, algebraic geometry, complex geometry, discrete geometry, computational geometry, geometric group theory, geometric analysis, and convex geometry. Geometry is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Yang-Hui He (Royal Institution, UK);
• International Journal of Topology (IJT, ISSN: 2813-9542) focuses on differential topology, algebraic topology, manifolds, geometry, and related applications. Its purpose is to provide a platform for research and development in various fields of topology, expand topology to a wider range of applications, and promote the development of mathematics. International Journal of Topology is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Michel Planat (Université de Franche-Comté, France);
• Logics (ISSN: 2813-0405) focuses on all aspects of logic, including logical systems, methods and theories, mathematical logic, computational logic, philosophical logic and the history of philosophy of logic and mathematics. The journal also encompasses applications of logic to the sciences, such as computer science, cognitive science, and linguistics. Logics is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Valentin Goranko (Stockholm University, Sweden);
• Mathematics (ISSN: 2227-7390) focuses on studies related to mathematical sciences, including all areas of pure and applied mathematics. Mathematics is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Francisco Chiclana (De Montfort University, UK);
• Symmetry (ISSN: 2073-8994) focuses on research on symmetry/asymmetry phenomena wherever they occur in all aspects of natural sciences. Symmetry is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Sergei Odintsov (Institute of Space Sciences, Spain). Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Ronggen Cai (Ningbo University, China) and Prof. Dr. Jiping Zhang (Peking University), Academicians of CAS, are serving as Honorary Editors-in-Chief.

Journals	Launch Year	Impact Factor (2024)	CiteScore (2024)	First Decision (Median Days)	Acceptance to Publication (Median Days)	APC (CHF)
	2021	0.7	1.1	23.5	6.9	1200
	2012	1.6	/	21.6	2.8	2400
	2013	1.9	4.1	16.7	5.6	1800
	2017	3.3	6.0	19.9	2.7	2700
	2024	/	/	19	4	1000
	2024	/	/	19	4	1000
	2023	/	/	/	/	1000
	2013	2.2	4.6	18.4	2.4	2600
	2009	2.2	5.3	17.1	2.8	2400

MDPI’s mission and values:

As a pioneer of academic open access publishing, MDPI has been serving the scientific community since 1996. Our aim is to foster scientific exchange in all forms across all disciplines. MDPI's guidelines for disseminating open science are based on the following values and guiding principles:

• Open Access—All of our content is published in open access and distributed under a Creative Commons License, providing free access to science and the latest research, allowing articles to be freely shared and content to be re-used with proper attribution;
• Timeliness and Efficiency—Publishing the latest research through thorough editorial work, ensuring a first decision is provided to authors in under 32 days and papers are published within 7-10 days upon acceptance;
• Simplicity—Offering user-friendly tools and services in one place to enhance the efficiency of our editorial process;
• High-Quality Service—Supporting scholars and their work by providing a range of options such as journal publication at mdpi.com, early publication at preprints.org, and conferences on sciforum.net to make a positive impact on research;
• Flexibility—Adapting and developing new tools and services to meet the changing needs of the research community, driven by feedback from authors, editors, and readers;
• Rooted in Sustainability—Ensuring the long-term preservation of published papers and supporting the future of science through partnerships, sponsorships, and awards.

By adhering to these values and principles, MDPI remains committed to advancing scientific knowledge and promoting open science practices.

Selected Topics:

• “Fractional Calculus, Symmetry Phenomenon and Probability Theory for PDEs, and ODEs”;
• “Fixed Point Theory and Measure Theory”;
• “Recent Trends in Nonlinear, Chaotic and Complex Systems”;
• “Distributed Optimization for Control, 2nd Edition”.

Selected articles:

AppliedMath
“Some Comments about the p-Generalized Negative Binomial (NBp) Model”

Geometry
“Rigidity of Holomorphically Projective Mappings of Kähler and Hyperbolic Kähler Spaces with Finite Complete Geodesics”

International Journal of Topology
“Persistent Homology on a Lattice of Multigraphs”

Logics
“Logics for Epistemic Actions: Completeness, Decidability, Expressivity”

Mathematics
“Fractional Differential Equations with the General Fractional Derivatives of Arbitrary Order in the Riemann–Liouville Sense”

Computation
“Computational Modelling and Simulation of Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering”

Axioms
“Integrable Couplings and Two-Dimensional Unital Algebras”

Symmetry
“Uniform in Number of Neighbor Consistency and Weak Convergence of k-Nearest Neighbor Single Index Conditional Processes and k-Nearest Neighbor Single Index Conditional U-Processes Involving Functional Mixing Data”

Fractal and Fractional
“An Overview of Mathematical Modelling in Cancer Research: Fractional Calculus as Modelling Tool”

We are excited to announce that MDPI will be attending the Forty-Second International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML), taking place from 13 to 19 July 2025 in Vancouver, Canada.

Join us at this globally renowned event where leaders in machine learning and artificial intelligence come together to share groundbreaking discoveries, cutting-edge innovations, and impactful solutions shaping the future of technology and science.

Why visit MDPI’s booth?

• Explore our open access journals covering machine learning, data and cognitive computing, AI, algorithms, mathematics, and more;
• Meet our team and learn how to publish your research with MDPI;
• Discover partnership opportunities and learn how MDPI supports the scientific community;
• Receive exclusive conference materials and gifts.

The following MDPI journals will be presented at the conference:

• MAKE;
• BDCC;
• Data;
• Entropy;
• BioMedInformatics;
• Biomimetics;
• AI;
• Algorithms;
• Knowledge;
• Stats;
• Future Internet;
• Computers.

Our representatives are eager to connect with you in person and answer any questions you may have. For full conference details, please visit the following website: https://icml.cc/Conferences/2025. Be sure to visit MDPI’s booth at Table 4 in Section 235 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. We look forward to meeting you!

Six new journals covering a range of subjects launched their inaugural issues in June 2025. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access. We are pleased to present the latest research and to make it accessible to all.

We extend our sincere thanks to all the Editorial Board Members for their commitment and expertise. Each journal is dedicated to upholding 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.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Chang-Pu Sun, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing, China; Computational Science Research Center, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	quantum information and phenomena; condensed matter physics and statistical physics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; computational physics and mathematical methods View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Hualiang Lin, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Prof. Dr. Jose L. Domingo, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain Editorial | View inaugural issue	green and organic food; green infrastructures; green exercise; environmental impact of the healthcare sector; effects of climate change on human health | View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Francesco Veglio, University of L’Aquila, Italy Editorial | View inaugural issue	ultra-pure substances; water purification; air purification; gas purification; inorganic chemical purification; purification technologies View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Junxing Zheng, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	computer-aided design and engineering; artificial intelligence and machine learning; building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins; robotics and automation in construction; smart sensors and Internet of Things (IoT); intelligent control systems and facilities management View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Assunta Di Vaio, University of Naples Parthenope, Italy Editorial | View inaugural issue	sustainability, managerial, and biodiversity accounting; carbon management accounting; corporate social responsibility; artificial intelligence and disclosure View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Changjun Liu, Sichuan University, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	bioeffects of electromagnetic waves; electromagnetic science and engineering; microwave, millimeter-wave, and terahertz technologies; metamaterials and metasurfaces; communication, sensing, and networks; energy, power, and sustainable applications; quantum and emerging technologies; artificial intelligence and advanced fabrication View journal scope | Submit an article

MDPI will be attending the 11th National Conference on Nonlinear Biodynamic Systems, which will be held in Beijing, China, from 3 to 6 July 2025.

Nonlinear biological dynamical systems are an important research direction in biomathematics and have extensive applications in various fields, such as ecosystems, infectious disease transmission, complex networks, biomedicine, and system biology. Since the first National Academic Conference on Nonlinear Biological Dynamical Systems was held in Chongqing in 1993, the Professional Committee of Biomathematics of the Chinese Mathematical Society has hosted ten such conferences, providing significant academic exchange opportunities and platforms for biomathematicians in China. This conference will invite renowned experts and scholars from China and abroad to give conference reports, jointly explore the cutting-edge issues in the field of nonlinear biological dynamical systems, and promote interdisciplinary integration.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Mathematics;
• Fractal and Fractional;
• BioMedInformatics;
• AppliedMath.

If you plan on attending this conference, feel free to stop by our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please see the following link: https://csmb.xjtu.edu.cn/info/1022/1233.htm.

International Asteroid Day 2025 highlights the growing capabilities of planetary defense against asteroid threats. With advanced systems now tracking over 36,000 near-Earth objects and deflection technologies like NASA’s successful DART mission, we are better equipped than ever to detect and mitigate potential impacts. As we prepare for Apophis’ close approach in 2029, this global awareness day emphasizes the importance of international cooperation and public participation in safeguarding our planet.

On International Asteroid Day, we highlight cutting-edge research and innovative planetary defense initiatives that protect Earth from cosmic threats. We invite you to explore our curated resources on asteroid detection, deflection technologies, and global preparedness efforts. Together, we can advance our collective mission to defend our planet from near-Earth objects and build a more secure future for all.

Keynote Speakers:

Dr. Marco Fenucci Earth Object Coordination Centre, Italy	Dr. Josep Maria Trigo Rodriguez Institute of Space Sciences, Spain

Feel free to register for the webinar here!

“Orbital Analysis of a Dual Asteroid System Explorer Based on the Finite Element Method”
by Linli Su, Wenyu Feng, Lie Yang, Zichen Fan, Mingying Huo and Naiming Qi
Aerospace 2024, 11(12), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11120993

“Trajectory Design of Potentially Hazardous Asteroid Exploration with Reusable Probes from Cislunar Space”
by Chao Peng, Renyong Zhang and Yang Gao
Aerospace 2024, 11(7), 546; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11070546

“Applications of Ground-Penetrating Radar in Asteroid and Comet Exploration”
by Wei Guan, Yan Su, Jiawei Li, Shun Dai, Chunyu Ding Chunyu Ding and Yuhang Liu
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(12), 2188; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122188

“Mitigation of the Collision Risk of a Virtual Impactor Based on the 2011 AG5 Asteroid Using a Kinetic Impactor”
by Marco Cinelli
Mathematics 2024, 12(3), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/math12030378

“Assessment of Asteroid Classification Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks”
by Victor Bacu, Constantin Nandra, Adrian Sabou, Teodor Stefanut and Dorian Gorgan
Aerospace 2023, 10(9), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10090752

“Pyroxene and Hydroxyl Signatures in Vesta Newly Calibrated Data from Dawn Mission”
by Giuseppe Massa, Andrea Longobardo, Ernesto Palomba, Marianna Angrisani, Chiara Gisellu, Fabrizio Dirri, Maria Cristina De Sanctis, Andrea Raponi, Filippo Giacomo Carrozzo and Mauro Ciarniello
Universe 2023, 9(6), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9060296

“The Formation of a Rubble Pile Asteroid: Insights from the Asteroid Ryugu”
by Tsutomu Ota, Christian Potiszil, Katsura Kobayashi, Ryoji Tanaka, Hiroshi Kitagawa, Tak Kunihiro, Chie Sakaguchi, Masahiro Yamanaka and Eizo Nakamura
Universe 2023, 9(6), 293; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9060293

“Numerical Study on Asteroid Deflection by Penetrating Explosion Based on Single-Material ALE Method and FE-SPH Adaptive Method”
by Pengfei Han, Qiguang He, Xiaowei Chen and He Lv
Aerospace 2023, 10(5), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10050479

“Solar Sail Trajectories to Earth’s Trojan Asteroids”
by Alessandro A. Quarta and Giovanni Mengali
Universe 2023, 9(4), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9040186

“Feasibility Analysis of Autonomous Orbit Determination and Gravity-Field Recovery around Asteroids Using Inter-Satellite Range Data”
by Haohan Li and Xiyun Hou
Aerospace 2023, 10(3), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10030304

“Insights in Planetary Geology” Guest Editors: Dr. Paola Manzari and Dr. Maria Pedone Submission deadline: 30 September 2025	“Advances in Asteroid Dynamics” Guest Editors: Dr. Marta Ceccaroni and Dr. Marco Fenucci Submission deadline: 31 October 2025
“Detection and Tracking of Near-Earth Asteroids” Guest Editor: Dr. Haibin Zhao Submission deadline: 27 February 2026	“The Hidden Stories of Small Planetary Bodies” Guest Editors: Dr. Emese Forgacs-Dajka and Dr. Csaba Kiss Submission deadline: 28 February 2026

MDPI is excited to announce a special webinar in celebration of International Asteroid Day on 30 June 2025. International Asteroid Day’s goal is to raise public awareness about the asteroid impact hazard and to inform the public about the crisis communication actions to be taken at the global level in case of a credible near-Earth object threat.

The theme of the webinar is “Exploring Near-Earth Objects: Challenges and Opportunities”. We are very much looking forward to seeing you at the MDPI Asteroid Day Webinar 2025. Please find below an outline of the presentations.

Date: 30 June 2025
Time: 11:00 a.m. CEST
Webinar ID: 821 8607 0803

Register now for free!

Program

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with 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.

Invited Speakers:

• Dr. Marco Fenucci, ESA NEO Coordination Centre/Deimos Italia;
• Prof. Dr. Josep M. Trigo-Rodríguez, Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC/IEEC).

For more information about this webinar, please visit the following link:
https://sciforum.net/event/IADW2.

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

MDPI Webinar Secretariat

Conference: GR24 and Amaldi16
Organization: The Institute for Gravitational Research at the University of Glasgow and the Institute of Physics
Date: 14−18 July 2025
Place: Glasgow, UK
Booth ID: 03 

A number of MDPI journals will attend GR24 and Amaldi16 as exhibitors, an exciting event being held in Glasgow, UK, from 14 to 18 July 2025. 

The 24th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation (GR24) and the 16th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves (Amaldi16) will be held together as a joint meeting, bringing together experts from across classical and quantum gravity, mathematical and applied relativity, gravitational-wave instrumentation and data analysis, multimessenger astronomy, relativistic astrophysics and cosmology. 

The following MDPI journals will be presented at the conference:

• Universe;
• Galaxies;
• Astronomy;
• Particles;
• Quantum Reports;
• Atoms;
• Physics;
• Entropy;
• Mathematics. 

If you are attending the above conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth #03. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.