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Announcements
22 October 2025
Welcoming New Early Career Editorial Members of Minerals
Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X) is pleased to announce the following 98 researchers, who have been added to our group of 2025–2026 Early Career Editorial Board Members. Please join us in congratulating them on becoming part of the Minerals community!
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Name: Dr. Oluwatoosin Agbaje |
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Name: Dr. Vida Strasser |
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Name: Dr. Emeline Raguin |
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Name: Dr. Gábor Botfalvai |
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Name: Dr. Lucian Staicu |
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Name: Dr. Luoyang Li |
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Name: Dr. Yi Zhou |
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Name: Dr. Maxim Rudmin |
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Name: Dr. Wenbin Yu |
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Name: Dr. Qingze Chen |
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Name: Dr. Petros Petrounias |
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Name: Dr. Elena S. Zhitova |
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Name: Dr. Yun Li |
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Name: Dr. Seungyeol Lee Affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea Interests: mineralogy; economic geology; nanogeoscience; planetary science Website: https://sites.google.com/view/mmcbnu/home |
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Name: Dr. Matteo Giordani |
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Name: Dr. Ruggero Vigliaturo |
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Name: Prof. Dr. Shuai Cao |
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Name: Dr. Fan Wang |
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Name: Dr. Xiaobin Gu |
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Name: Dr. Chaorong Chen |
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Name: Dr. Emmanuel Daanoba Sunkari |
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Name: Dr. Jelena T Petrović |
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Name: Dr. Anna Bogush |
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Name: Dr. Fabio Perlatti |
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Name: Prof. Dr. Qiusong Chen |
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Name: Dr. Muhammad Muniruzzaman |
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Name: Dr. Andrea Ceci |
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Name: Dr. Matteo Maron |
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Name: Dr. Yassine Taha |
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Name: Dr. Sumant Avasarala |
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Name: Dr. Hu Li |
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Name: Dr. Jianfeng Wang |
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Name: Dr. Chengang Lu |
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Name: Dr. Qiuming Pei |
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Name: Dr. Jian Li |
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Name: Dr. Wenyan Cai |
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Name: Prof. Dr. Ming Wang |
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Name: Dr. Xinlu Hu |
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Name: Dr. Shuiyuan Yang |
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Name: Dr. Bo Liu |
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Name: Dr. Nan Ju |
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Name: Dr. Byung Choon Lee |
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Name: Dr. Jeffrey Steadman |
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Name: Prof. Dr. Degao Zhai |
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Name: Dr. Ilias Lazos |
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Name: Dr. Ilaria Fuoco |
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Name: Dr. Kyu-Cheul Yoo |
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Name: Dr. Elizaveta Kovaleva |
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Name: Dr. Manuel Toscano |
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Name: Dr. Nadia Mery |
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Name: Dr. Jia Lin |
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Name: Dr. Mohammad Parsa |
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Name: Dr. Sheida Makvandi |
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Name: Dr. Manuel Canovas |
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Name: Dr. Mohammad Maleki |
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Name: Dr. Ziye Wang |
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Name: Dr. Kati Laakso |
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Name: Dr. Srikumar Roy |
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Name: Dr. Seyedalireza Khatibi |
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Name: Dr. Michael Jorgensen |
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Name: Dr. Fenghao Duan |
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Name: Dr. Haibo Yan |
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Name: Dr. Yangyang Wang |
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Name: Dr. Maria Di Rosa |
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Name: Dr. Grazina Skridlaite |
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Name: Dr. Vinod O. Samuel |
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Name: Prof. Dr. Gianni Gallello |
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Name: Dr. Jinhe Pan |
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Name: Dr. Chenwei Li |
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Name: Dr. Yuqiang Mao |
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Name: Dr. Dingzheng Wang |
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Name: Dr. Changtao Wang |
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Name: Dr. Yijiang Li |
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Name: Dr. Mingyang Li |
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Name: Dr. Xinran Zhu |
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Name: Dr. Xiangning Bu |
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Name: Dr. Ningning Liao |
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Name: Dr. Liuyang Dong |
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Name: Dr. Xiaomin Ma |
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Name: Dr. Hainan Wang |
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Name: Prof. Dr. Guixia Fan |
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Name: Dr. Weiping Liu |
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Name: Prof. Dr. Fang Zhou |
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Name: Dr. Shichao Wu |
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Name: Dr. Zhoujie Wang |
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Name: Dr. Tianfu Zhang |
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Name: Dr. Qing Sun |
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Name: Dr. Song Zou |
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Name: Dr. Sultan Ahmed Khoso |
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Name: Dr. Zhijie Chen |
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Name: Dr. Gaofeng Wang |
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Name: Dr. Renji Zheng |
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Name: Dr. Elif Emil Kaya |
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Name: Prof. Dr. Hernán Anticoi |
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Name: Dr. Gauti Asbjörnsson |
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Name: Dr. Mehdi Parian |
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Name: Dr. Theerayut Phengsaart |
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Name: Prof. Dr. Ye Chen |
15 October 2025
Interview with Mr. George Mustoe—Winner of the Minerals Best Paper Award
We are pleased to announce that Mr. George Mustoe’s paper “Silicification of Wood: An Overview” has won the Minerals 2023 Best Paper Award, acknowledging it as an exceptional article published in Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X). As the winner of this award, Mr. George Mustoe will receive CHF 500, a certificate, and a free voucher for article processing fees valid for one year.
The following is a short interview with the winner, Mr. George Mustoe:
1. Congratulations on winning the Minerals 2023 Best Paper Award! Could you please briefly introduce yourself?
I did not start out as a paleontologist. My original training was in geochemistry, and as I got older, I became interested in fossil plants because, in this area, most of the local bedrock is Eocene sediment, that is, full of fossil plants, mostly fossil leaves. There had been some work conducted on that topic, but not a lot, and I finally decided if somebody was going to work on it, it might as well be me—despite the fact I knew almost nothing about botany. This goes back to the mid-1990s, I guess, when I decided, I would start looking at these fossil leaves and try to learn enough botany to make some sense of them. In my early years, I was basically looking at fossil leaves, and I became interested in paleoclimate modeling. I was influenced by a US Geological Survey geologist, Jack Wolf, who invented the first computer model of paleoclimate. So, I started out doing that, and after a while I became more interested in petrified wood, which is abundant in the Western United States. A consistent theme of my research is that I have been interested in how ancient life becomes fossilized. I have performed some taxonomy and some classical paleontology work, but mostly I have been interested in the fossilization process. I started looking at fossil wood, and it became one of my main research interests. I had good analytical skills and was performing a lot of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray fluorescence analysis—tools that were really useful for looking at fossils, particularly fossil wood. Although I have worked on many other projects, fossil wood has remained a continued interest for me. One of the things that has always interested me is the boundary areas between scientific disciplines. The world is not divided into categories like chemistry, geology, and physics, yet that is how it is usually taught. For me, one of the attractions of paleontology is that it sits at the intersection of geology, biology, and, in my case, chemistry as well. I enjoy working in those boundary areas, and almost all of the research I have chosen to do has been in that space. In paleontology, I have always been fascinated by the simple fact that when you hold a fossil in your hand, you are holding something that was once alive. My geology program focused on hard rock geology, petrology, and to some extent geophysics. I took courses in crystallography, mineralogy, and related areas, but those subjects never captivated me as much. I have always been more interested in what has happened on the surface of the Earth rather than deep within it. While hard rock geology certainly has value, my curiosity lies in surface processes and history. Paleontology, for me, is the closest thing to having a time machine.
2. Could you give a brief overview of the main content of your award-winning paper?
A great percentage of the research that has been published about fossil wood has been performed by botanists and biologists who have not had much interest in geology, so the publications have largely focused on taxonomy—what kind of wood it is—and reconstructing the paleoenvironment from the species that were living at the time. There has often been very little discussion of the geologic setting where the fossil wood was preserved, and very little about the processes of fossilization.
Early on, I saw that wood is commonly fossilized in several steps, sometimes with long delays in between. It is not a simple “wood turned to stone” process. A consistent theme of my work has been studying the succession of processes that cause wood to become mineralized. There are simple examples, but mostly very complicated ones. I have continued to follow this path, examining how wood transitions from cellulose and lignin material to mineral replacement.
One commonly repeated idea is permineralization—the belief that the open spaces in wood become filled with minerals while the actual wood tissue remains. This has been repeated in textbooks and journals, but for silicified wood, that interpretation is usually wrong. Permineralization is attractive because of its simplicity, but it has rarely been tested. One of the only attempts I found was by Dr. Saint John, who published a paper around 1927. She treated silicified wood with hydrofluoric acid to dissolve the silica and examined what remained. Of six samples, almost none retained organic matter. Her work, published in the Journal of Economic Geology, was largely ignored because it was not read by paleontologists.
When I examined samples myself, I also found very little organic matter in most silicified wood. I developed a different method: powdering the wood, heating it to about 500°C to burn off any organic matter, measuring the weight loss, and comparing it to the original density of the wood. This gave a semi-quantitative measure of preserved organic matter, which was typically very small. Thus, permineralization is mostly a comfortable fiction; actual testing shows it to be rare. Fossilization is instead a competitive process—while wood degrades through microbial activity or chemical reactions, minerals such as silica infiltrate and replace it. Petrifaction only occurs when the rates of degradation and mineralization balance. If degradation is faster, the wood is destroyed, leaving only a cast. If mineralization is faster, more organic matter may remain. But most often, almost all organic matter is lost as minerals replace it in successive stages.
The structure of wood itself favors petrifaction. Wood provides strength in trees and contains conductive cells for transporting water and dissolved minerals upward, and nutrients downward. This porosity means that, once buried, wood must be in an environment that inhibits decay—often below the water table in anaerobic conditions. If groundwater carries dissolved minerals, these can precipitate. For silica, the first step is attachment to the cell walls due to chemical affinity, followed by filling of the cell interiors, and later, fractures or larger voids. Many fossilized woods show incomplete processes, with preserved cell walls but unfilled interiors, or larger fractures left open.
Two common questions I am asked about fossil wood are “What species is it?” (I do not focus on taxonomy), and “How long does it take to petrify?” The answer to the second is highly variable. In the right conditions, wood can mineralize fairly quickly; in other cases, it never mineralizes. For example, wood in the Canadian Arctic buried in sediments without groundwater can remain as original wood for tens of millions of years. Locally, I have seen Miocene and Pleistocene wood preserved in impermeable clay, essentially sealed, still cuttable with a knife or burnable with a match. More commonly, wood mineralizes in multiple stages, over variable timescales, depending entirely on environment.
3. Could you describe some challenges you have faced during your career?
I grew up in a small town in Nevada, in a family where higher education was not an option. My father grew up on a small homestead ranch in Colorado. His father died of a heart attack in his 40s, leaving eleven children. At age of 14, my father dropped out of school after eighth grade to find work and send money home to support his widowed mother and younger siblings. He worked for ten years as a miner until serving in the army during World War II. After the war, with the mining industry in decline, he spent his life as an auto mechanic.
My mother was also a child of the Great Depression. She graduated from high school, but like my father, wanted something better for us. I had an older brother, Raymond, and my parents hoped we could both attend college, though we had no money. Their plan was simple: when Raymond was a senior in high school, the family would move to a town with a college so we could live at home and attend inexpensively. Scholarships never occurred to us, even though we were good students.
So, we moved to Bellingham, Washington—a place we had never been—because it had a small college. Raymond graduated in anthropology, and I started as a freshman majoring in geology. I worked minimum-wage jobs to pay my way through college while living at home. By the end, I became interested in biochemistry and began graduate school in that field, but my professor died of cancer at age 34, leaving me stranded. Fortunately, I had enough geology credits to complete a master’s degree in geology.
I then worked at the university as a research technician for 40 years. I was never a professor and never earned a PhD, but I had access to laboratories and freedom to study what I wanted. This led to a large publication record and an active research career. I have now been retired for 11 years, but I still have my lab keys, and continue conducting research, and enjoy the freedom of working only when I want to.
I often think about my father, who left school so early but was one of the smartest people I have known. His lack of formal education limited him, but he taught me that there are many ways to learn besides sitting in a classroom. Too often, college can feel like information being poured into your head. But what really matters in life is knowing how to find information when you need it and being willing to keep learning.
If your education ends when you receive a diploma, you can remain ignorant as the world changes. What’s important is staying curious and learning as life goes on. In my time, that meant reading journals and going to the library. Today, everything seems to be online. That makes access easier, but it also brings the challenge of separating accurate information from the enormous amount of misinformation. The real skill is not just finding information—but finding information you can trust.
4. What factors attracted you to submit your paper to Minerals? How was your submission experience?
Well, I am pleased to say I love MDPI publications. I have published in many journals and completed several hundred peer reviews across different outlets. My experience with MDPI has been excellent. The peer review is first-rate, both in the reviews I have received and in those I have conducted as a reviewer. The process is efficient, the editors are responsive, and it is refreshing not to wait six months or more for a paper to appear. Peer review is not perfect anywhere, but MDPI demonstrates a strong commitment to quality, and in my view, it is among the best.
5. What advice would you give to young researchers who aspire to produce high-impact research results?
I really recommend pursuing things that capture your interest. If you focus only on a job title, it may not lead to a very happy life. What really counts is what you do on a day-to-day basis, not what’s written on your office door or desk.
Your passions do not always have to be tied to your career. For example, I have always been devoted to music. I am a woodwind player and have taken years of lessons, and especially in retirement, I have played a lot. The closest I have come to being a professional musician is probably having neighbors who would pay me to stop practicing so much. And that is fine with me—I am glad I never had to rely on music to make a living, since most music or art jobs are not very appealing and are often difficult to sustain. Instead, I had a job I enjoyed, working 40 years in the same place with colleagues I liked.
If you pursue what truly interests you, it might not always be clear where it will lead, but it is likely to take you to a good place. If you pursue something out of ego or vanity, it is less likely to bring fulfillment. My parents, for example, encouraged my brother and me to get an education but never imposed what we should study or become. That freedom was invaluable.
Ultimately, education is less about pouring information into your head and more about giving you time and space to discover your path. It is not a bad thing to be young and undecided—often, that is exactly how you find the direction that is right for you.
6. Minerals is an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts readers and authors?
These days, I try to publish only in open-access journals. I strongly oppose the paywall structure, where access to research is restricted unless you pay a significant fee. Personally, my university library covers access costs for me, but for anyone without that advantage, it creates a huge barrier. To me, making scientific research a profitable enterprise for publishers is problematic. That is why I value MDPI journals for their commitment to Open Access and Creative Commons licensing.
I also see online publishing as the future. Hard copy journals are rarely used now; most people prefer PDFs. I used to publish in the Geological Society of America Bulletin, a leading U.S. geology journal. While technically nonprofit, they still relied heavily on paywalls and were so page-limited that every issue was committed more than a year in advance. That made it nearly impossible to get an article accepted. Online publishing eliminates those barriers, allowing unlimited articles, color illustrations, and interactive links.
More information about journal awards can be found at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/minerals/awards.
1 October 2025
2024 MDPI Top 1000 Reviewers
We are honored to recognize the 2024 MDPI Top 1000 Reviewers—scholars whose exemplary commitment to rigorous and constructive peer review is vital in upholding the highest standards of academic publishing.
Selected from a distinguished pool of 215,000 reviewers from 65 countries and regions worldwide, these honorees stand out for their exceptional expertise, diligence, and dedication to advancing research through timely and thoughtful reviews. Their constructive and impartial feedback ensures the publication of high-quality, impactful research, while their timely reviews facilitate swift revisions and faster publication of innovative work.
Peer review is the invisible foundation of academic progress. With gratitude and respect, we celebrate these 1000 scholars who made that foundation stronger in 2024. We respected all privacy preferences, with part of nominees opting for limited attribution.
The names of these reviewers are listed below in alphabetical order by first name:
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Abbas Yazdinejad |
Hanane Boutaj |
Oscar De Lucio |
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Abdessamad Belhaj |
Hany H. Arab |
Otilia Manta |
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Abdolreza Jamilian |
Hao Zang |
Panagiotis D. Michailidis |
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Abdul Waheed |
Hatem Amin |
Panagiotis Simitzis |
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Abiel Aguilar-González |
Henry Alba |
Paola Prete |
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Adina Santana |
Hiroyuki Noda |
Paolo Trucillo |
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Aditya Velidandi |
Hitoshi Tanaka |
Patricia Kara De Maeijer |
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Adrian Stancu |
Horst Lenske |
Patrícia Pires |
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Adriana Borodzhieva |
Hossein Azadi |
Paulo Schwingel |
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Adriana Cristina Urcan |
Houlin Yu |
Pavel Loskot |
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Adriano Bressane |
Huaifu Deng |
Pedro García-Ramírez |
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Agbotiname Imoize |
Huamin Jie |
Pedro Pablo Zamora |
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Agustin L. Herrera-May |
Hugo Lisboa |
Pedro Pereira |
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Ahmed Arafa |
Igor L. Zakharov |
Pei-Hsun Wang |
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Ahmet Cagdas Seckin |
Igor Litvinchev |
Pellegrino La Manna |
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Ailton Cesar Lemes |
Igor Vujović |
Petar Ozretić |
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Akash Kumar |
Ildiko Horvath |
Petko Petkov |
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Akihiko Murayama |
Ilya A. Khodov |
Petr Komínek |
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Alain E. Le Faou |
Ilya Zavidovskiy |
Petras Prakas |
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Alain Massart |
Imran Ali Lakhiar |
Petro Pukach |
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Alejandro Plascencia |
Ines Aguinaga-Ontoso |
Petru Alexandru Vlaicu |
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Aleksandar Ašonja |
Ioan Hutu |
Phil Chilibeck |
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Aleksandra Głowacka |
Ioan Petean |
Pia Lopez-Jornet |
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Aleksandra Nesić |
Irena M. Ilic |
Pietro Geri |
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Alessio Ardizzone |
Isaac Lifshitz |
Pingfan Hu |
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Alessio Faccia |
Ismael Cristofer Baierle |
Piotr Cyklis |
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Alexander E. Berezin |
I-Ta Lee |
Piotr Gauden |
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Alexander Lykov |
Itzhak Aviv |
Piotr Gawda |
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Alexander Robitzsch |
Iustinian Bejan |
Pradeep Kumar Panda |
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Alexandre Landry |
Ivan Matveev |
Pradeep Varadwaj |
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Alexey Chubarov |
Ivan Pavlenko |
Presentación Caballero |
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Alexey Morgounov |
Ivana Mitrović |
Pu Xie |
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Alexis Rodríguez |
Iyyakkannu Sivanesan |
Qingchao Li |
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Alfredo Silveira De Borba |
Jacek Abramczyk |
Qinghua Qiu |
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Ali Hashemizdeh |
Jacques Cabaret |
Qingwei Chen |
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Alison De Oliveira Moraes |
Jaime A. Mella-Raipán |
Radoslaw Jasinski |
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Aliyu Aliyu |
Jaime Taha-Tijerina |
Radu Racovita |
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Alok Dhaundiyal |
James Chun Lam Chow |
Rafael Galvão De Almeida |
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Álvaro Antón-Sancho |
James Chung-Wai Cheung |
Rafael Melo |
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Amit Ranjan |
James O. Finckenauer |
Rafal Kukawka |
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Amritlal Mandal |
Jan Cieśliński |
Rafał Watrowski |
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Ana Isabel Roca-Fernández |
Ján Moravec |
Raffaele Pellegrino |
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Ana Tomić |
Jarbas Miguel |
Rajender Boddula |
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Anas Alsobeh |
Jaroslav Dvorak |
Ralf Hofmann |
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Anastasios Karayiannakis |
Jarosław Przybył |
Ran Wang |
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Andre Luiz Costa |
Jasenka Gajdoš Kljusurić |
Ranko S. Romanić |
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Andrea Bianconi |
Jasmina Lukinac |
Ratna Kishore Velamati |
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Andrea Sonaglioni |
Jawad Tanveer |
Rebecca Creamer |
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Andrea Tomassi |
Jean Carlos Bettoni |
Reggie Surya |
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Andrés Fernando Barajas Solano |
Jennie Golding |
Rehan Siddiqui |
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Andrés Novoa |
Jerzy Chudek |
Renato Maaliw |
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Andreu Comas-Garcia |
Jhih-Rong Liao |
Reuven Yosef |
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Andrew Lane |
Jiachen Li |
Ricardo García-León |
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Andrew Lothian |
Jianzhu Liu |
Richard Murray |
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Andrew Sortwell |
Jiaquan Yu |
Robert Boyd |
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Andrius Katkevičius |
Jibing Chen |
Robert H. Eibl |
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Andromachi Nanou |
Jie Gao |
Robert James Crammond |
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Andrzej Kielian |
Jie Hua |
Robert Oleniacz |
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Andrzej Kozłowski |
Jill Channing |
Roberto Passera |
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Andrzej Zolnowski |
Jinfeng Li |
Rodolpho Fernando Vaz |
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Ángel Josabad Alonso-Castro |
Jinle Xiang |
Rodrigo Galo |
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Ángel Llamas |
Jinliu Chen |
Roger E. Thomas |
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Angelo Ferlazzo |
Jinyao Lin |
Roger W. Bachmann |
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Angelo Marcelo Tusset |
Jinyu Hu |
Rogério Leone Buchaim |
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Anil K. Meher |
Jiří Remr |
Roman Trach |
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Animesh Kumar Basak |
Jiying Liu |
Roman Trochimczuk |
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Anita Silvana Ilak Peršurić |
João Everthon Da Silva Ribeiro |
Romil Parikh |
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Anna Kharkova |
Joao Pessoa |
Romina Fucà |
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Anna Lenart-Boroń |
Joaquim Carreras |
Ronald Nelson |
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Anna Piotrowska |
John Adams Sebastian |
Rosie Yagmur Yegin |
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Anne Anderson |
John Van Boxel |
Roxana Lucaciu |
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Antiopi-Malvina Stamatellou |
Jonathan Puente-Rivera |
Rui Sales Júnior |
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Antonia Kondou |
Jordi-Roger Riba |
Rui Vitorino |
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Antonio Miguel Ruiz Armenteros |
Jorge De Andres-Sanchez |
Ruo Wang |
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Anusorn Cherdthong |
Jorge Guillermo Diaz Rodriguez |
Ryoma Michishita |
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Aram Cornaggia |
Jorge Luis Zambrano-Martinez |
Sabina Necula |
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Ariana Saraiva |
José F. Fontanari |
Sabina Umirzakova |
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Ariel Soares Teles |
José Felipe Orzuna-Orzuna |
Said EL-Ashker |
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Aristeidis Karras |
José Francisco Segura Plaza |
Saïf Ed-Dı̂n Fertahi |
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Arnaud Dragicevic |
José Luis Díaz |
Salvatore Romano |
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Artem Obukhov |
José Luis Rivera-Armenta |
Sándor Beszédes |
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Arvind Kumar Shukla |
Jose M. Miranda |
Santiago Lain |
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Arvind Negi |
Jose M. Mulet |
Sara Black Brown |
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Athanasios A. Panagiotopoulos |
Jose Navarro-Pedreño |
Sarat Chandra Mohapatra |
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Augustine Edegbene |
José Pedro Cerdeira |
Sarunas Grigaliunas |
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Aunchalee Aussanasuwannakul |
Jouni Räisänen |
Saša Milojević |
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Aurel Maxim |
Jui-Yang Lai |
Sawsan A. Zaitone |
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Barbara Symanowicz |
Juliana Fernandes |
Scott E. Hendrix |
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Bartosz Płachno |
Julio Plaza Díaz |
Seong-Gon Kim |
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Bela Kocsis |
Juliusz Huber |
Sergii Babichev |
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Benedetto Schiavo |
Jun Liu |
Sergio Da Silva |
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Bernhard Koelmel |
Junyu Chen |
Sérgio Felipe |
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Bhupendra Prajapati |
Karan Nayak |
Sergio Guzmán-Pino |
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Bierng-Chearl Ahn |
Karel Allegaert |
Seyed Kourosh Mahjour |
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Bo Zhou |
Katarina Aškerc Zadravec |
Seyed Masoud Parsa |
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Bohong Zhang |
Katarzyna Kubiak-Wójcicka |
Shedrach Benjamin Pewan |
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Bonface Ombasa Manono |
Katarzyna Peta |
Shehwaz Anwar |
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Bozhidar Stefanov |
Katarzyna Tandecka |
Shengwen Tang |
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Brach Poston |
Katherine Bussey |
Shih-Lin Lin |
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Byeong Yong Kong |
Katsuya Ichinose |
Shilong Li |
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Caio Sampaio |
Kazuharu Bamba |
Shing-Hwa Liu |
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Caius Panoiu |
Kazuhiko Kotani |
Shu Yuan |
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Caiyun Wang |
Kazuhiko Nakadate |
Shuohong Wang |
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Calin Mircea Gherman |
Keigi Fujiwara |
Shuolin Xiao |
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Camelia Delcea |
Keith Rochfort |
Shuping Wu |
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Cardellicchio Angelo |
Kenneth Waters |
Sihui Dong |
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Carlos Alberto Ligarda Samanez |
Keren Dopelt |
Sławomir Rabczak |
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Carlos Almeida |
Kira E. Vostrikova |
Sojung Kim |
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Carlos Balsas |
Kit Leong Cheong |
Songli Zhu |
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Carlos López-de-Celis |
Konstantinos Vergos |
Soonhee Hwang |
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Carlos Marcuello |
Koyeli Girigoswami |
Soo-Whang Baek |
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Carlos Pascual-Morena |
Krzysztof R. Karsznia |
Soufiane Haddout |
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Carlos Torres-Torres |
Krzysztof Szwajka |
Sousana Papadopoulou |
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Casey Watters |
Krzysztof Wołk |
Spiros Paramithiotis |
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Castillo Castillo |
Kumar Ganesan |
Spyridon Kaltsas |
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Changmin Shi |
Lan Lin |
Srecko Stopic |
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Chao Chen |
László Radócz |
Srinivasan Sathiyaraj |
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Chao Gu |
Laurent Donzé |
Stefano Mancin |
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Chao Zhang (China) |
Lei He |
Subhadeep Das |
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Chao Zhang (Singapore) |
Lei Huang |
Sumedha Nitin Prabhu |
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Chellapandian Maheswaran |
Leonard-Ionut Atanase |
Sushant K. Rawal |
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Cheonshik Kim |
Leonardo Henrique Dalcheco Messias |
Svetoslav Todorov |
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Chia Hung Kao |
Leonie Brummer |
Szymon Janczar |
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Chiachung Chen |
Levon Gevorkov |
Tadeusz Kowalski |
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Chiara Cinquini |
Li Fu |
Tadeusz Sierotowicz |
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Chieh-Chih Tsai |
Lidija Hauptman |
Taha Koray Sahin |
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Christian Rojas |
Lin-Fu Liang |
Tahir Cetin Akinci |
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Chu Zhang |
Ling Yang |
Takuo Sakon |
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Chuanyu Sun |
Lingli Deng |
Tamara Lazarević-Pašti |
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Chun-Wei Yang |
Ljubica Kazi |
Tao Zhang |
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Claudia Bita-Nicolae |
Lotfi Boudjema |
Taras P. Pasternak |
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Constant Mews |
Louis Moustakas |
Tarek Eldomiaty |
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Cristian Vacacela Gomez |
Luca Ulrich |
Taro Urase |
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Cristiano Matos |
Luis Adrian De Jesús-González |
Tenzer Robert |
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Cristian-Valeriu Stanciu |
Luis Alfonso Díaz-Secades |
Thawatchai Phaechamud |
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Cristóbal Macías Villalobos |
Luis Filipe Almeida Bernardo |
Thomas Michael |
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Dalia Calneryte |
Luis Nestor Apaza Ticona |
Tiberiu Harko |
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Daniel Hernandez-Patlan |
Luis Puente-Díaz |
Timea Claudia Ghitea |
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Daniele Ritelli |
Luiz Antonio Alcântara Pereira |
Timothy John Mahony |
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Daniel-Ioan Curiac |
Łukasz Rakoczy |
Timothy Omara |
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Daniil Olennikov |
Łukasz Szeleszczuk |
Tomasz Hikawczuk |
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Daodao Hu |
Maciej Kruszyna |
Tomasz M. Karpiński |
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Daqin Guan |
Magdalena Jaciow |
Tomasz Trzepiecinski |
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Daria Chudakova |
Maha Nasr |
Triantafyllos Didangelos |
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Daria Mottareale-Calvanese |
Maharshi Bhaswant |
Tsvetelin Zaevski |
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Dariusz Dziki |
Maksim Zavalishin |
Ulrich J. Pont |
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Dariusz Gozdowski |
Małgorzata Jeleń |
Vadim Kramar |
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David Kieda |
Man Fai Leung |
Vagner Lunge |
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David Luviano-Cruz |
Manickam Minakshi |
Valério Monteiro-Neto |
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Da-Zhi Sun |
Marcel Sari |
Van Giap Do |
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Debra Wetcher-Hendricks |
Marcello Iasiello |
Van-An Duong |
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Demin Cai |
Marco Limongiello |
Vanni Nicoletti |
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Dennis Dieks |
Marco Zucca |
Vasilios Liordos |
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Deokho Lee |
Marconi Batista Teixeira |
Vedran Mrzljak |
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Deyu Li |
Marcos Vinícius Da Silva |
Vicente Romo Pérez |
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Diego Romano Perinelli |
Marek Cała |
Victor-Alexandru Briciu |
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Dimitris Tatsis |
Maria G. Ioannides |
Viktor V. Brygadyrenko |
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Dirceu Ramos |
Maria João Lima |
Vinícius Silva Belo |
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Dmitrii Pankin |
Maria Kantzanou |
Violeta Popovici |
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Dmitriy Yambulatov |
Maria Leonor Abrantes Pires |
Viorel Dragos Radu |
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Dmitry Kultin |
Mariana Buranelo Egea |
Viswas Raja Solomon |
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Dongwei Di |
Mariana Magalhães |
Viviani Oliveira |
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Dorota Formanowicz |
Marija Strojnik |
Vlad Rotaru |
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Dragan Marinkovic |
Marijn Speeckaert |
Vladica Stojanović |
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Drazenko Glavic |
Marina G. Holyavka |
Volodymyr Hrytsyk |
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Duguleana Mihai |
Marina Gravit |
Volodymyr Ponomaryov |
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Dušan S. Dimić |
Mario Cerezo Pizarro |
Waldemar Studziński |
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E Terasa Chen |
Mario Ganau |
Wanming Lin |
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Edoardo Bucchignani |
Mariusz Ptak |
Waseem Jerjes |
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Eduard Zadobrischi |
Marlen Vitales-Noyola |
Wei-Chieh Lee |
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Edwin Villagran |
Marta Forte |
Weiming Fang |
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Eitan Simon |
Martha Rocío Moreno-Jimenez |
Weiren Luo |
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Elena Chitoran |
Marwan El Ghoch |
Weiwei Jiang |
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Elena Marrocchino |
Marzena Włodarczyk-Stasiak |
Wenan Yuan |
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Elisabeta Negrău |
Massimiliano Schiavo |
Wenguang Yang |
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Elisavet Bouloumpasi |
Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali |
Wenluan Zhang |
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Elochukwu Ukwandu |
Mateusz Rozmiarek |
Wiesław Przygoda |
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Emil Smyk |
Matt Smith |
Wilian Paul Arévalo Cordero |
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Emilio Bucio |
Matteo Riccò |
Wilian Pech-Rodríguez |
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Emmanouil Karampinis |
Matthias Müller |
Wislei R. Osório |
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Ericsson D. Coy-Barrera |
Mauro Lombardo |
Wi-Young So |
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Eugeniusz Koda |
Md. Ataur Rahman |
Wojciech Sałabun |
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Ewa Chomać-Pierzecka |
Md. Biddut Hossain |
Wojciech Zabierowski |
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Ewa Tomaszewska |
Meisam Abdollahi |
Xiaofei Du |
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Ezhaveni Sathiyamoorthi |
Meng-Hwan Lee |
Xiaolong Ji |
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Fabio Corti |
Meng-Yao Li |
Xiaomin Xu |
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Fahmi Zairi |
Meysam Keshavarz |
Xiaoshuang Ma |
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Fanzhi Kong |
Michael Eisenhut |
Xiaoying Liu |
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Fasih Ullah Haider |
Michael Gerlich |
Xiao-Yong Wang |
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Fayez Tarsha-Kurdi |
Mihaela Brindusa Tudose |
Xinming Zhang |
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Fekete Mónika |
Mihaela Niculae |
Xinqiao Liu |
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Felipe Jiménez |
Mihaela Tinca Udristioiu |
Xinqing Xiao |
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Feng Wen |
Mihaela Toderaş |
Xuechen Zheng |
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Ferdinando Di Martino |
Mihai Crenganis |
Xueming Zhang |
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Fernanda Tonelli |
Mika Simonen |
Xuezhen Wang |
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Fernando Lessa Tofoli |
Milan Toma |
Xuguang Cai |
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Fernando Viadero-Monasterio |
Miloš Lichner |
Yair Wiseman |
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Fethi Ouallouche |
Milos Seda |
Yang Xu |
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Flavio Arroyo |
MIloš Zrnić |
Yangwon Lee |
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Flor H. Pujol |
Min Xia |
Yanhong Peng |
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Florin Dumitru Bora |
Mina Tadros |
Yao Ni |
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Florin Nechita |
Mingren Shen |
Yaoxiang Li |
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Francesco Di Bello |
Mircea Neagoe |
Yasushige Shingu |
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Francesco Galluzzo |
Mirela-Fernanda Zaltariov |
Yaswanth Kuthati |
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Francisco Haces Fernandez |
Mirjana Ljubojević |
Yaxin Liu |
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Francisco Rego |
Mirko Stanimirović |
Ygor Jessé Ramos |
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Francisco Solano |
Mirza Pojskić |
Yi Xu |
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Frédéric Muttin |
Modesto Pérez-Sánchez |
Yifan Zhao |
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Fredrick Eze |
Mohammad Ali Sahraei |
Yih Jeng |
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Gabriel Milan |
Mohammad Javad Maghsoodi Tilaki |
Yiyang Chen |
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Gabriel Zazeri |
Mohammad Qneibi |
Yoichi Shiraishi |
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Galina Ilieva |
Mohammed Gamal |
Yong Hwan Kim |
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Gary Van Vuuren |
Mohammed Sayed |
Yongqi Yin |
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Gennadiy Kolesnikov |
Mounia Tahri |
Young-joo Ahn |
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George E. Mustoe |
Muhammad Ahsan Asghar |
Yousi Fu |
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George Lazaroiu |
Muhammad N. Mahmood |
Yuan Meng |
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George Xiroudakis |
Muhammad Syafrudin |
Yuefei Zhuo |
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Georgiy Gamov |
Muhammed Yildirim |
Yugang He |
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Gerald Cleaver |
Murilo E. C. Bento |
Yuliia Trach |
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Ghassan Ghssein |
Muthuraj Arunpandian |
Yuliya Semenova |
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Gian Mario Migliaccio |
Narcis Eduard Mitu |
Yuri Jorge Peña-Ramirez |
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Giancarlo Trimarchi |
Naser Alsharairi |
Yuri Konstantinov |
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Gianmarco Ferrara |
Natale Calomino |
Yusheng Xiang |
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Giovanni Tesoriere |
Natanael Karjanto |
Yutaka Ohsedo |
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Giuseppe Brunetti |
Nataša Nastić |
Zaihua Duan |
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Giuseppe Di Martino |
Naveed Ahmad |
Zelaya-Molina Lily Xochilt |
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Giuseppe Losurdo |
Nebojsa Pavlovic |
Zenon Pogorelić |
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Giuseppina Uva |
Neli Milenova Vilhelmova |
Zhang Ying |
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Glauber Cruz |
Nguyen Dinh-Hung |
Zhanni Luo |
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Glenn Morrison |
Nguyen Quoc Khuong |
Zhao Ding |
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Gloria Cerasela Crisan |
Nicola Magnavita |
Zhengmao Li |
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Gordana Wozniak-Knopp |
Nicoleta Dospinescu |
Zhengwei Huang |
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Gordon Alderink |
Nicoletta Cera |
Zhidong Zhou |
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Grazia Giuseppina Politano |
Nidhi Puranik |
Zhijun Li |
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Grigorios L. Kyriakopoulos |
Nikita Osintsev |
Zhixiong Lu |
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Grzegorz Woroniak |
Nikita V. Martyushev |
Zhizhong Zhang |
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Grzegorz Zieliński |
Nikola Stanisic |
Zhong-Gao Jiao |
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Guadalupe Gabriel Flores-Rojas |
Nilakshi Barua |
Zia Muhammad |
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Guangnian Xiao |
Nobuo Funabiki |
Žiga Laznik |
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Guanxi Yan |
Octavian Vasiliu |
Zigmantas Gudžinskas |
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Guoyou Zhang |
Oguzhan Der |
Zishan Ahmad |
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Gustavo Henrique Nalon |
Oimahmad Rahmonov |
Zivan Gojkovic |
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Hai-yu Ji |
Olga Morozova |
Zoran Mijić |
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Hamza Faraji |
Onur Dogan |
Zsuzsanna Bacsi |
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Hamza Sohail |
Ophir Freund |
20 August 2025
Minerals Best Paper Award—Winners Announced
Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X) is pleased to announce the winners of the Minerals Best Paper Award. We selected two research articles and one review among all the peer-reviewed papers published in our journal in 2023. The papers were chosen after a thorough evaluation conducted by the journal’s Award Committee led by the Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Leonid Dubrovinsky.
We would like to congratulate the following winners:
- “Potential Future Alternative Resources for Rare Earth Elements: Opportunities and Challenges”
by Vysetti Balaram
Minerals 2023, 13(3), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13030425
- “Comparison of Quantitative X-ray Diffraction Mineral Analysis Methods”
by Jingyun Xiao, Yougui Song and Yue Li
Minerals 2023, 13(4), 566; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13040566
- “Silicification of Wood: An Overview”
by George E. Mustoe
Minerals 2023, 13(2), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13020206
The announcement of the winners can be found on the following website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/minerals/awards/3569.
Minerals Editorial Office
14 May 2025
Interview with Dr. Elisa Laita and Dr. Chongchong Qi—Winners of the Minerals 2025 Travel Award
We are pleased to announce Dr. Elisa Laita and Dr. Chongchong Qi as the winners of the Minerals 2025 Travel Award. The Minerals Travel Award was launched in 2016, and it is awarded every year to encourage young scientists to present their latest research at academic conferences in the fields of mineralogy, mineral geochemistry and geochronology, economic mineral resources, mineral exploration, innovative mining techniques, and advances in mineral processing. The winners of this award will receive CHF 800 each and a certificate. The winners were chosen by the journal’s award committee—Prof. Dr. Leonid Dubrovinsky, Prof. Hyunjung Kim, Dr. Alexandra Guedes, Dr. Jianxi Zhu, Dr. Alexander R Cruden, and Dr. Paul Alexandre.
Dr. Elisa Laita received a bachelor’s degree in geology in 2015 at the University of Zaragoza (Spain), where she also completed an M.Sc. in geology and an M.Sc. in Secondary Education in 2016 and 2017, respectively. She defended her Ph.D. at the same university in 2022, and she was awarded the extraordinary Ph.D. award. Her research has focused on the mineralogical and geochemical characterization of clay-rich materials, both from paleoclimatic and industrial perspectives. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Geology Department of the University of Jaén (Spain). She has published 16 scientific articles in JCR-indexed journals, participated in five research projects, and completed both predoctoral and postdoctoral research stays at the Institute of Analytical and Physical Chemistry for the Environment and Materials (Pau, France). She has presented her work at seven international conferences and more than ten national ones and has taken part in numerous seminars and webinars. In addition, she actively collaborates in science outreach activities related to geology, aiming to make earth sciences more accessible to the public.
Dr. Chongchong Qi received a B.Sc. in mining engineering from the China University of Mining and Technology (2016) and a Ph.D. in mining engineering from The University of Western Australia (2019), where his thesis, “Machine-Learning Aided Design for Cemented Paste Backfill”, pioneered innovative approaches to mineral-based materials. Since 2019, he has led transformative research in cemented paste backfill (CPB), green mining, and heavy metal remediation—areas central to mineral sciences. He has also published several papers in Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X), with one of them being recognized as the Most Cited & Viewed Paper in Minerals in 2020. Dr. Qi also actively participates in the editorial process of Minerals, having joined the Editorial Board of Minerals and led several Special Issues.
We were honored to interview Dr. Elisa Laita and Dr. Chongchong Qi. The interview is summarized below:
1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us about your field of research?
Dr. Elisa Laita: My name is Elisa Laita, and I am currently a postdoc researcher at the Geology Department of the University of Jaén (Spain). My main research line is focused on the mineralogical and geochemical analysis of clay minerals included in palaeosols and clay-rich rocks with both palaeoclimatic and industrial perspectives.
Dr. Chongchong Qi: My name is Chongchong Qi, and I am an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia. My work focuses on mitigating the environmental impacts of mineral extraction and use, including tailings recycling via cemented paste backfill technology, identification of mining-induced heavy metal pollution, pollution remediation, etc.
2. In your previous collaborations with MDPI, what impressed you the most?
Dr. Elisa Laita: In my previous collaborations with MDPI (as an author, reviewer, and currently as a Guest Editor), I have been most impressed by the efficiency of the editorial process, and I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the scientific community.
Dr. Chongchong Qi: One of MDPI’s major advantages is its fast peer-review process, made possible by the dedication of both the Editorial Office and the reviewers. When timely publication is crucial—such as supporting students’ graduations—MDPI is among the top choices.
3. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
Dr. Elisa Laita: I think that mineralogy will continue to be central for addressing global challenges in the coming years. The role of certain critical raw materials in green technologies will gain importance. I also think that advances in analytical techniques will open new avenues for exploring minerals at micro- and nanoscale levels.
Dr. Chongchong Qi: Today, AI is revolutionizing every stage of research—from idea generation and experimental design to data analysis and manuscript writing. I am confident the minerals community will experience the same transformation, with AI-supported minerals exploration, extraction, utilization, and recycling.
4. As the winner of this award, would you like to take a moment to share your thoughts with our readers or express gratitude to those who have played a significant role in your research accomplishments?
Dr. Elisa Laita: I am very grateful for this award, and I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have supported me through my academic journey. Thank you to my colleagues and mentors at the University of Zaragoza (Spain), as well as to my colleagues from the University of Jaén (Spain) and IPREM (Pau, France) for their guidance, dedication, and support.
Dr. Chongchong Qi: This award means a lot to me, as it offers an invaluable opportunity to present my research at such a prestigious conference. I am deeply grateful to the many wonderful people who have supported me along the way—especially my wife and sons, my supervisors at the University of Western Australia and Central South University, and my friends for their encouragement and assistance.
15 October 2025
MDPI’s Newly Launched Journals in September 2025
Nine new journals covering a range of subjects launched their inaugural issues in September 2025. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.
We extend our sincere thanks to all 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) |
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Prof. Dr. Joseph G. Grzywacz, San José State University, USA |
family formation and dynamics; family relationships; family diversity and structure; family processes; family challenges; global perspectives of family | |
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Prof. Dr. Chengkuo Lee, National University of Singapore, Singapore |
AIoT sensing technologies; distributed AI and federated learning; AI-enhanced edge analytics; sensor fusion in edge computing; low-power AI sensing; security and privacy in edge-AI systems; AI-driven optimization of IoT networks | |
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Prof. Dr. Steven Paul Nistico, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy |
aesthetics; reconstructive surgery and plastic surgery; dermatology; oral and maxillofacial surgery; surgical procedures; non-surgical procedures | |
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Prof. Dr. Mauro Tonelli, University of Pisa, Italy |
plasma physics and technology; atomic and molecular physics; nuclear physics; quantum physics and technology; dielectrics, ferroelectrics, and multiferroics; semiconductor physics and devices; engineering physics; material physics; biophysics| |
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Prof. Dr. Sergej M. Ostojic, University of Agder, Norway; |
biochemical research methods; biochemistry and molecular biology; cell biology; clinical and medicinal chemistry; clinical neurology; endocrinology and metabolism; medicine, general and internal; nutrition and dietetics; toxicology | |
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Prof. Dr. Michele Nappi, University of Salerno, Italy |
foundations and advancements in multimedia technologies; computational social media analytics; human–AI interaction in social contexts; multimedia understanding and generation for social insight; ethics, fairness, and privacy in multimedia systems | |
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Prof. Dr. Philippe Gorce, Toulon University, France |
ergonomic design and evaluation of workspaces, tools, and equipment; biomechanical analysis and ergonomic interventions for musculoskeletal health; cognitive workload assessment and management; human-computer interaction (HCI) and user experience (UX) research; ergonomic wearables; AI-driven ergonomic assessment tools; neuroergonomics | |
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Prof. Dr. Ronald Charles Sims, Utah State University, USA |
bioresources; bioproducts; bioenergy and biofuels; environmental protection; public health protection; biological waste treatment; biomass transformation; circular bioeconomy; bio-based materials and chemicals; bioresidues | |
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Prof. Dr. M. Jamal Deen, McMaster University, Canada |
device design and engineering; circuit design and system integration; applications and emerging technologies; materials and fabrication innovations; testing, reliability, and standards | |
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).
13 October 2025
Meet Us at the 56th International October Conference on Mining and Metallurgy, 22–25 October 2025, Bor, Serbia
Conference: 56th International October Conference on Mining and Metallurgy
Date: 22–25 October 2025
Location: Bor, Serbia
MDPI will be attending the 56th International October Conference on Mining and Metallurgy, which will be held from 22 to 25 October 2025 in Bor, Serbia.
The 56th International Conference on Mining and Metallurgy (IOC 2025), jointly organized by the Technical College of Belgrade University (Bor) and the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (Bor), is the oldest and largest academic conference in the field of mining and metallurgy in Southeast Europe. Since its establishment, this conference has always been committed to providing a high-level communication platform for global scholars, engineers, and industry leaders, as well as promoting innovation and development in mining extraction, metal smelting, and resource recycling technologies. This year's conference, with the theme of "Sustainable Mining and Green Metallurgy", focuses on the technological changes and industrial upgrading paths in the industry under the goal of carbon neutrality.
The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:
If you are planning to attend the conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website: https://ioc.tfbor.bg.ac.rs/.
7 October 2025
MDPI Open Science Insights: MDPI Academic Publishing Workshop at the XXV Conference of PhD Students and Young Scientists (Jubilee Edition), 14 October 2025
In collaboration with the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X) is hosting an author training session designed to educate attendees on MDPI's paper publication process and the ecosystem surrounding open access publishing. The session will cover an introduction to not only Minerals but also MDPI journals as a collective, delving into the editorial process to provide valuable insights and instilling essential skills for structuring papers and replying to reviewers effectively. Additionally, participants will be instructed on methods to improve their scientific writing, with our expert speakers leading the way to ensure a thorough understanding of how attendees can improve their publishing potential.
Date: 14 October 2025
Time: 8:00–10:00
Venue: Room 2.10, Building L2, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 13 Na Grobli Street, 50-421 Wrocław
Registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcrbUaui0g0cwbWMAdV818Fes7GytmCHFM2lQVfk4GT8
oHPw/viewform
Schedule:
|
Speakers |
Programme and Content |
Time |
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Mgr inż. Marek Sompolski |
Official Opening |
8:00–8:05 |
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Dr. Agnieszka Rydz |
Writing Academic Articles |
8:05–9:00 |
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Ms. Anna Krakowka |
MDPI Peer Review Guidelines & Process |
9:00–9:30 |
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Ms. Anna Krakowka |
Overview of MDPI Journals and Services |
9:30–9:35 |
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Dr. Agnieszka Rydz and Ms. Anna Krakowka |
Q&A Session |
9:35–9:55 |
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Mgr inż. Marek Sompolski |
Closing Remarks |
9:55–10:00 |
Speakers:
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Mgr inż. Marek Sompolski is a PhD candidate at Wrocław University of science and technology. After graduating from WroTech, he focused on InSAR applications in polar regions, with a specific interest in calving front position detection. He was an organizing committee member of past editions of the conference of PhD students and young scientists before becoming a conference coordinator.
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Dr. Agnieszka Rydz holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD in chemistry from Jagiellonian University in Krakow, with a specialization in the crystallography of small molecules. She joined MDPI in March 2021 as an Assistant Editor for Crystals, later advancing to Section Managing Editor. She currently serves as a Journal Relations Specialist for the Minerals, Mining, and Vibration journals. In this role, she focuses on maintaining strong communication with Editorial Board Members and supporting journal development by identifying new collaboration opportunities. Dr. Rydz has organized over 100 scholar visits and has represented MDPI journals at seven scientific events. |
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Ms. Anna Krakowka holds a master’s degree in materials engineering from the Czestochowa University of Technology in Poland. She joined MDPI as an Assistant Editor in January 2021 and was promoted to Section Managing Editor later that year, also serving as Group Leader for two sections in Krakow office. Additionally, she worked as the publishing manager for Materials, gaining valuable experience in representing the journal and the company at both in-person and online academic events and meetings. She currently serves as the Journal Relations Specialist for the Materials and Construction Materials journals. |
2 October 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #27 - OASPA 2025, COUNTER 5.1, UK Summit in London, MDPI at the Italian Senate
Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.
In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.
Opening Thoughts


MDPI at OASPA 2025: Embracing the Complexity of Open Access
From 22 to 24 September, I joined the OASPA 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium, where the theme, “Embracing the Complexity – How do we get to 100% Open Access?” tackled the hard questions about the future of scholarly communication.
With MDPI a longstanding member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) and Platinum sponsor of the conference, I was invited to present and participate in important discussions on how we can continue to move the needle in Open Access (OA) publishing.
From 50% to 100% Open Access
Last year’s OASPA conference celebrated a major milestone – reaching 50% of global research outputs published as OA. But, as noted during the conference, this was the “easy” part. The challenge ahead is much tougher: how do we take OA from 50% to 100%? For many academics and institutions, OA is still relatively new, and thus it is essential for us to continue educating people as to what OA is, how it works, and why it matters.

Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) presenting at OASPA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium.
MDPI’s perspective
At MDPI, we are fully committed to this. As a 100% OA publisher, our growth is inseparable from the success of OA itself. In many ways, MDPI is a byproduct of the global adoption of OA, and we play an important role in helping to advance it further.
I had the opportunity to share MDPI’s perspective in the panel discussion entitled: "Hello from the other side: views from fully Open Access journals using APCs," alongside industry colleagues from PLOS, eLife, AOSIS, and Frontiers.
Instead of giving a standard presentation, I highlighted aspects of MDPI that the audience might not be aware of. I also presented on the opportunities and challenges facing publishers that are already fully OA, the importance of diverse models in achieving 100% OA, and why OA is the baseline while Open Science is the future.
Recognizing Gold OA
As part of the panel, I had undertaken to make some bold and provocative statements. I therefore emphasized a point that is sometimes overlooked: we didn’t reach 50% OA without Gold OA – it accounts for more than half of all OA publications today. And we certainly won’t reach 100% OA without it.
“By educating the community and working together, we can continue to take Open Science to the next level”

“When people speak about Gold OA and MDPI, they should ‘put some respek on our name.”
MDPI is a leader in Gold OA and has been a driver of this progress at scale.
While Gold OA and MDPI are sometimes slighted, both deserve recognition for their contributions to advancing Open Science globally.
I closed my presentation with a reminder that the good we do is sometimes overlooked, and that when people speak about Gold OA and MDPI, they should "put some respek on our name."
I’m pleased to have seen attendees sharing positive experiences with MDPI, reminding us that we bring real value to the OA movement and deserve a stronger reputation. We also engaged in constructive conversations about various topics, including cost transparency.
A few themes that I took away from the conference:
- Quality and integrity matter as much as access. OA publishers must not lose sight of research integrity, inclusivity, and sustainability while pursuing 100% OA.
- Global collaboration is essential. Policies, funding models, and infrastructure differ around the world, and we will need cross-border collaboration to make OA a truly global reality.
- Open Science is the bigger story. OA is just the first step – the future lies in open data, open peer review, research reproducibility, etc.
“MDPI’s scale allows us to better support authors, reinvest in communities, and push Open Science forward”
How we communicate MDPI’s role
For us at MDPI, this is also a reminder of how we communicate externally. When we tell our story, we shouldn’t forget to start with the bigger picture – Open Science and Open Access. Then we connect it to MDPI, our journals, services, and initiatives, exemplifying the fact that we are part of a mission larger than ourselves.

MDPI colleagues Clàudia Aunós (Society Partnerships), Marta Colomer (External Affairs), Stefan Tochev (CEO), and Nikola Paunovic (Scilit), at OASPA’s 2025 Annual Conference in Leuven, Belgium.
The journey to 100% OA will not be simple. But by educating the community and working together, we can continue to take Open Science to the next level.
Impactful Research

MDPI becomes COUNTER 5.1 compliant across 480+ Journals
I’m pleased to share that MDPI has officially become COUNTER 5.1 compliant and has joined the COUNTER Registry.
For those who might not be familiar with it, COUNTER provides international standards for tracking and reporting how research is being used. By becoming COUNTER 5.1 compliant, MDPI can now deliver credible, comparable, and transparent usage reports across our entire journal portfolio.
“MDPI is showing that they want to be measured against the same yardstick as other publishers”
Why is this important?
Because usage statistics aren’t just numbers: they’re powerful tools that help our authors, institutions, and consortia understand the real impact of their research. With COUNTER compliant reports, our institutional partners can now make more informed decisions about publishing agreements, funding allocations, and the long-term value of Open Access.
In practical terms, MDPI will now provide Platform, Title, and Item Reports, with standardized usage views available at the institute and consortium level. These reports cover usage from January 2024 onwards and will be updated monthly. Institutions will be able to access them via SuSy, or automatically through the COUNTER API.

I’d like to highlight and thank Becky Castellon, our Institutional Partnerships Manager, who has played a key role in driving this project forward. Becky captured it perfectly when she said: "Through these usage reports, our global research community can access trustworthy data about how their work is being used and accessed
This information is often vital for reviewing publishing partnership agreements and for making informed decisions about future funding allocations."
We also received encouraging feedback from Tasha Mellins-Cohen, Executive Director at COUNTER Metrics:
"We’re delighted to see born-OA publishers engaging with COUNTER. Our normalised usage metrics are relied on as the basis for credible return-on-investment calculations by libraries worldwide. By adopting the COUNTER standard, MDPI is showing that they want to be measured against the same yardstick as other publishers."
For MDPI, this milestone is another step in our commitment to transparency, trust, and impact. By adopting COUNTER’s standards, we’re not just aligning with best practice; we’re ensuring that Open Access publishing is measured on the same terms as traditional publishing, proving its value in concrete and globally recognized ways.
This is an important milestone for MDPI, but more importantly for the researchers, librarians, and institutions we serve. Transparency builds trust, and COUNTER compliance helps us show the global reach and influence of Open Access publishing in the clearest way possible.
Inside Research

Lin Li (Publisher, MDPI), Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI, Prof. Chengkuo Lee (Editor-in-Chief, AI Sensors), and Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing) at restaurant in Basel, Switzerland.
Welcoming Prof. Lee (EiC of AI Sensors) to Basel
On 11 September, we welcomed Prof. Dr. Chengkuo Lee, Editor-in-Chief of our new journal AI Sensors, to our Basel office. Prof. Lee is a high profiled researcher (h-index 104, 37,000+ citations), a longtime collaborator with MDPI (25 published articles), and has already chaired several AI Sensors (AIS)-related conferences with us, including the recent event in Kuala Lumpur, where AI Sensors held its first editorial board meeting.

Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) showing Special Issue reprint books as part of a tour of MDPI’s Basel office.
Every journal has a story
During his visit, we exchanged ideas on how to build the journal’s identity and impact. A key takeaway that I shared was that every journal has a story: its vision, its purpose, and the community it brings together.
That story is what connects with readers and authors, beyond metrics alone.
I encouraged everyone working on journals to reflect: What is the story of your journal? And how can you bring that story to the forefront in how you communicate about it?
How MDPI supports new journals

Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing, MDPI) presenting on the MDPI indexing process at the company’s headquarters in Basel.
We also shared with Prof. Lee how MDPI supports journals through our Institutional Open Access Program, indexing expertise, and the work of our Journal Relationship Specialists.
Launching a new journal is ambitious, but with our strong track record (93% Scopus and 87% Web of Science acceptance rates in 2024), Prof. Lee felt confident that AI Sensors will find its place in the scholarly landscape.
Having spent some hours together, it’s clear that Prof. Lee is not only an Editor-in-Chief but also an ambassador for MDPI. His leadership and collaboration reflect the mission MDPI by which MDPI lives: accelerating Open Access and advancing Open Science.
Special thanks to Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing), Ting Leng (JRS, Managing Editor, AI Sensors), Lin Li (Publisher, AI Sensors), Aimar Xiong (Publisher), and Christian Eberhard (Office Administrator, Basel), for organizing and hosting the meeting.
Coming Together for Science

Highlights from the MDPI UK Summit in London
I was pleased to be back in the UK in September, supporting our Manchester team in hosting their first MDPI Summit in London. This day-and-a-half private event brought together 25 Chief Editors and Associate Editors to exchange knowledge, learn about latest developments at MDPI, and engage in discussions on advancing Open Science. The program included MDPI and guest presentations, and Q&A sessions.
Why these summits matter
Our Summits provide a platform to:
- Share updates on the latest developments at MDPI, our editorial processes, research integrity practices, and indexing.
- Highlight collaborations with institutions and societies in the region.
- Offer external perspectives from guest speakers.
- Create space for Chief Editors to share their insights, ask questions, network, and help shape MDPI’s path forward.
These gatherings are more than updates: they improve our relationships with Chief Editors, who serve not only as leaders of their journals but also as ambassadors for MDPI within the research community. We often hear that this type of event is unique, something many other publishers do not provide. It shows that we care and are willing to go the extra mile to recognize and engage our key collaborators.
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MDPI and the UK: Key facts
- With over 80,000 publications, the UK is MDPI’s eighth-largest contributor.
- MDPI is the fourth-largest publisher in the UK, accounting for 11% of the country’s 89,526 Open Access publications in 2024.
- We collaborate with more than 4,000 active UK Editorial Board Members, 48% of whom have an H-index above 26. This includes 49 Editors-in-Chief and 74 Section Editors-in-Chief.
- MDPI maintains over 1,000 IOAP agreements worldwide, with 63 from the UK.
“We are willing to go the extra mile to recognize and engage our key collaborators”
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Agenda highlights:
- MDPI Overview, Open Access, and UK Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
- MDPI Editorial Process – Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead, MDPI)
- Research Integrity and Publication Ethics – Daisy Fenton (Research Integrity Specialist, MDPI)
- Institutional Partnerships – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager, MDPI)
- Promoting and Developing Your Journal – Prof. Fabio Tosti (Editor-in-Chief of NDT)
- Indexing to Impact – Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead, MDPI)
- Engaging our Academic Community – Jaime Anderson Anderson (UK Operations Manager, MDPI)
- Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)

MDPI colleagues Stefan Tochev (CEO), Jaime Anderson Anderson (UK Operations Manager), Dr. Michael O’Sullivan (Scientific Quality Advisor Lead), Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager), Daisy Fenton (Research Integrity Specialist) at the MDPI UK 2025 Summit in London.
Thank you!
A special thank-you to the Manchester team and all colleagues behind the scenes who made this Summit a success. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. We look forward to building on this momentum with future Summits in Europe and beyond.
Closing Thoughts

Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI) and Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) participating in a press conference at the Italiane Senate in Rome to promote the 2nd International Conference on Environmental Medicine (ICEM)
MDPI at the Italian Senate: Promoting Environmental Medicine and Open Science
On 16 September, Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead) and I had the honour of participating in a press conference at the Italian Senate in Rome, organized by the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA) to promote the upcoming 2nd International Conference on Environmental Medicine (ICEM) (20–21 November 2025).
This is an important event for MDPI, as we are the exclusive publishing partner for ICEM and have recently launched a new journal with SIMA, further building our presence both in Italy and within this important field of research.
Why this matters
- The promotion of ICEM has received extensive national media coverage (more than 15 mentions in major Italian outlets; see links below).
- The press conference brought together leading policymakers, academics, and Nobel Laureates to emphasize the impact of environmental exposures and epigenetics on human health.
- We were introduced to government ministries, university rectors, and influential stakeholders, which helps us bolster MDPI’s visibility and reputation in Italy.
Highlights
Nobel Laureate Sir Richard Roberts joined the discussion, underlining the importance of environmental medicine in shaping future health outcomes. Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. Tong Zhu (Peking University) will also speak at the November conference.
Institutional representatives included the Italian Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, the Italian Undersecretary for Health, and senior officials from the World Health Organization.
In my closing remarks, I highlighted that:
“Over the past five years, about 65% of research published in Italy has been Open Access, compared to an average of 55% worldwide.”
Italian research ranked seventh among the top 20 countries in average citations during this period, reflecting its strong international influence. Not only is Italy producing a high volume of research; it is also producing research of outstanding quality.
MDPI’s role
This event was not only about promoting ICEM but also about showcasing MDPI’s commitment to Open Access and our ability to connect scientific publishing with leading academic, medical, and policy institutions.
As Giulia Stefenelli noted:
“This event was highly relevant for MDPI, as it not only showcased our strong commitment to OA but also emphasized our role in advancing important fields such as Environmental Medicine.”
Learn more
- Watch the full press conference (Radio Radicale)
- Giulia’s speech: 33:20 (in Italian)
- Stefan’s speech: 57:50 (in English)
- ICEM 2025 Conference Program
- Selected media coverage:
This moment at the Italian Senate shows how MDPI can connect publishing with science, policy, and society to help advance both Open Science and environmental health research on a global stage.
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In Rome with Sir Richard Roberts (photo left) and Prof. Giuseppe Novelli (EiC of MDPI journal COVID).
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
30 September 2025
Nobel Prize — The Science Behind the Prize
Nobel Prizes are the world’s most prestigious recognition of scientific breakthroughs, honoring discoveries that push the boundaries of knowledge and reshape entire fields. They bring into the public eye researchers whose work might otherwise remain known only within specialized circles.
For many, winning a Nobel Prize is a surreal experience. Laureates often describe a mix of joy, humility, reflection, and gratitude for the teams and collaborators whose contributions made the achievement possible. Behind every Nobel-winning idea lies years of careful, incremental work—a process that often goes unseen.
When Prof. Steven Weinberg won the Nobel Prize in Physics in October 1979, his wife Louise, a legal scholar, reminded him to keep doing the ordinary hard work of science, joking: “Now you have to write some unimportant papers.” True to form, Weinberg continued to push the boundaries of our understanding of the Universe, showing that curiosity and dedication extend far beyond the moment of recognition (Hofmann 2025: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/17/6/840).
Discover the science behind the world’s most transformative ideas
Over the years, dozens of Nobel laureates have published their work with MDPI, entrusting our open access journals to disseminate their findings to a global audience. As of 2024, more than 40 laureates have contributed over 115 articles across 35 journals, ranging from pioneering research on microRNAs and mRNA therapeutics, to fundamental insights in theoretical physics, and advances in structural biology.
We regularly spotlight how Nobel Prize–winning research intersects with the contributions of our authors. This not only celebrates the achievements of the laureates, but also underscores the role of open access in ensuring that transformative science reaches the widest possible audience.
On this page, we invite you to explore selected works by Nobel laureates within the MDPI portfolio, and to join us in celebrating the global impact of their ideas.

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 has been awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.

The Science Behind the Prize: 2025 Nobel Physiology or Medicine Roundtable
6 October 2025, 03:30 pm (CEST)
You are welcome to watch the recording here!
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.

The Science Behind the Prize: 2025 Nobel Physics Roundtable
7 October 2025, 02:30 pm (CEST)
You are welcome to watch the recording here!

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi for the development of metal-organic frameworks. MDPI sincerely invites you to explore research in a related field.


























































































































