Announcements

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 685 Editorial Board Members of our journals – from 39 different countries and territories – who have been recognized as Highly Cited Researchers for 2024 by Clarivate. This distinction highlights their exceptional scientific achievements and significant contributions, which transcend academic boundaries to advance global knowledge, sustainability, security, and well-being.

Clarivate's annual Highly Cited Researcher™ list identifies the most influential scientists of the past decade, whose work has had a profound and widespread impact across various scientific and social science disciplines. Their impactful papers rank among the top 1% by citations in one or more of the 21 fields analyzed within the "Essential Science Indicators," marking them as leaders in their respective domains.

"Highly Cited Researchers have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field(s) of research," according to Clarivate. In 2024, a total of 6,886 Highly Cited Researcher designations were awarded to 6,636 individuals.

The following is a list of MDPI's Editorial Board Members named Highly Cited Researchers in 2024. We congratulate them for their achievement and their contributions to advancing knowledge in their respective fields.

The 12th Singapore International Chemistry Conference (SICC-12) is scheduled to be held on 9 to 13 December 2024. It is hosted by the Singapore National Institute of Chemistry (SNIC) and it will cover organic, organometallic, inorganic and material chemistry. The theme will be “Building Chemistry: Bridging Disciplines” and about 2000 participants from all over the world are expected. We have already gathered an impressive roster of speakers, including Nobel Laureate Professor Aaron Ciechanover. This event will be held in-person only, in Singapore.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Molecules;
• Analytica;
• Colorants;
• Chemistry;
• Compounds;
• Chemosensors;
• Polysaccharides;
• Biosensors.

We are pleased to announce that the 5th International Conference on Symmetry (Symmetry 2025) is scheduled to take place from 16 to 19 May 2025 in Hangzhou, China. The conference, organized by MDPI’s Symmetry (ISSN: 2073-8994, Impact Factor: 2.2), aims to gather researchers, professionals, and experts interested in this field to share their latest research findings, innovations, and experiences.

For this upcoming event, we are proud to announce the following conference chairs and plenary speakers.

Conference Chairs:

• Dr. Sergei D. Odintsov, Institute of Space Sciences, Spain;
• Dr. Changzheng Qu, Ningbo University, China;
• Dr. Jihuan He, Soochow University, China.

Plenary Speakers:

• Dr. Ronggen Cai, Ningbo University, China;
• Dr. Sergei D. Odintsov, Institute of Space Sciences, Spain;
• Dr. Jiping Zhang, Peking University, China.

Topics of Interest and Session Chairs:
S1. Physics

• Session Chair: Shin'ichi Nojiri, Nagoya University, Japan;
• Session Chair: Prof. Tianjun Li, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Henan Normal University, China;
• Session Chair: Prof. Yuxiao Liu, Lanzhou University, China.

S2. Mathematics

• Session Chair: Prof. Qingwen Wang, Shanghai University, China;
• Session Chair: Prof. Shoufeng Shen, Zhejiang University of Technology, China.

S3. Chemistry

• Session Chair: György Keglevich, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary;
• Session Chair: Prof. Weihua Tang, Xiamen University, China.

S4. Engineering

• Session Chair: Prof. Chong Wang, Beihang University China, China;
• Session Chair: Prof. Deming Lei, Wuhan University of Technology, China.

S5. Computer Science

• Session Chair: Prof. Hu Xiong, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, China;
• Session Chair: Prof. Kuo-Hui Yeh, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan.

S6. Symmetry Applications

• Session Chair: Prof. Jihuan He, Soochow University, China;
• Session Chair: Prof. Chunli Zhang, Zhejiang University, China.

Conference Awards:

• Best Oral Presentation Award;
• Best Poster Award;
• Best Speaker Award.

Number of winners: 23.

Prizes:
CNY 1500 (5 winners); a full Article Processing Charge (APC) waiver for Symmetry (6 winners); a 50% APC waiver for Symmetry (12 winners); and a certificate celebrating this achievement (all winners).

Guide for Authors:
To submit your abstract, please click on the following link:
https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1219.

To register for the event, please click on the following link:
https://sciforum.net/event/symmetry2025?section=#registration.

For more information, you may refer to the following:
https://sciforum.net/event/symmetry2025?section=#instructions.

Important Dates:
Abstract Submission Deadline: 16 February 2025
Notification of Acceptance: 9 March 2025
Early-Bird Registration: 16 March 2025
Registration Deadline: 16 May 2025

We look forward to receiving your contribution to Symmetry 2025.

Conference Chairs
Symmetry 2025 Organizing Team (symmetry2025@mdpi.com)

We are honored to announce that Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn will serve as the Chair of the 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee.

Name: Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn
Affiliation: College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, USA

Prof. Dr. Kinghorn is a leading expert in pharmacognosy and natural products research. He is recognized for his key contributions to discovering bioactive compounds from plants, especially in anticancer, cancer chemopreventive, and substances with a sweet taste and taste-modifying agents. His prolific contributions include over 590 peer-reviewed works and edited or co-edited 40 scientific volumes.

The 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee, under Prof. Dr. Kinghorn's guidance, will focus on identifying innovative research in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. The committee will aim to identify groundbreaking work with the potential to lead to significant advancements in these areas.

We are confident that, with Prof. Dr. Kinghorn at the helm, the 2024 Tu Youyou Award will continue to inspire excellence and innovation in the related fields.

About the Tu Youyou Award
Established in 2016, the Tu Youyou Award seeks to honor those who excel in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. This award offers a total prize of CHF 100,000, which will be equally divided among the winners if there is more than one, with each recipient receiving an award medal.

The 2024 Tu Youyou Award remains open for nominations until 31 December 2024. We encourage all eligible candidates to participate in this prestigious recognition, as this award not only honors individual achievement but also encourages further scientific exchange, exploration and discovery in critical areas of medicine.

If you are interested in participating, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website for more information on the nomination requirements.

MDPI invites all esteemed experts to join the webinar of Molecules (ISSN: 1420-3049) titled “Recent Advances in Redox Active Species”. This webinar will delve into the latest breakthroughs in redox biology, focusing on reactive nitrogen, sulfur, and selenium species and their complex roles in cellular function. These reactive species serve as both damaging agents and essential signaling molecules, making them central to our understanding of disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies.

We look forward to your participation in this discussion. 

Title: Recent Advances in Redox Active Species
Date: 28 November 2024
Time: 09:00 a.m.–10:35 a.m. (CET) | 04:00 p.m.–05:35 p.m. (CST Asia)

This is a free webinar. After registration, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized. 

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

Register for free:

Program:

MDPI successfully held an author training session at Kasetsart University, Thailand's leading agricultural institution. This event took place against the backdrop of Kasetsart University's participation in MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP). The session, which was conducted on 5 November 2024, aimed to equip students with the essential knowledge and skills for maneuvering through the paper publication process, enhancing their English writing proficiency, understanding data visualization in academic papers, and exploring the applications of artificial intelligence in the publishing field.

Ms. Watinee Khemakarothai, the Deputy Director of Kasetsart University Library, shared her thoughts on the valuable collaboration between Kasetsart University (KU) and MDPI, emphasizing the significance of joint efforts that support and empower the academic community. She expressed her gratitude to MDPI Thailand for organizing this event, which was customized to meet the requirements of the university’s authors.

In the first presentation, Dr. Janenipa Saupsor, the Deputy Office Manager of MDPI Thailand, provided insights into MDPI’s development from its establishment in 1996 to its current status as a prominent open access academic publisher. She emphasized MDPI’s dedication to making scientific research freely accessible through its extensive collection of over 400 journals and its global presence. Dr. Saupsor also introduced a selection of key journals, such as Polymers, Sustainability, Foods, Animals and Molecules, which serve as valuable options for researchers seeking the ideal journal for their work. Additionally, she highlighted the successful collaboration between MDPI and Kasetsart University on the Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP), reinforcing support for open access publishing.

The second session, presented by Ms. Ploy Assavajamroon, MDPI’s regional journal relations specialist in Asia-Pacific, was titled “How to Write Scientific Papers in English”. The session began with the literature search and introduction to the analysis program to investigate the research topic to ensure novelty. Next, she illustrated the front matter, main text, and back matter, the three fundamental manuscript structures, before sharing useful examples to help the audience better understand how to write each section. Last but not least, she introduced the English Language Editing and Figure Editing services provided by MDPI Author Services, all of which support authors in manuscript preparation.

The third session, “Data Visualization for Scientific Papers”, was shared by Mr. Suvicha Sasivimolkul, MDPI’s Training Group Leader for Asian offices. He initiated the session by pointing out why data are so crucial due to the increasing amounts of data every minute. Data visualization is an approach through which we can maintain our perceptual and cognitive abilities to understand trends and patterns of the data by presenting data graphically in figures, graphs, or tables. He then explained and emphasized MDPI Figure and Table formatting, the points that the author should pay more attention to and the points that the author should avoid.

The author training program concluded with the topic “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Scientific Publishing”, presented by Dr. Kamolchanok Deesrisak, Scientific Advisor of MDPI journal Healthcare. After providing an overview of AI technology in daily life, its capabilities and impacts on scientific publishing were elaborated, with a focus on the current advancements and challenges. In line with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) position statement, the guidelines on AI, authorship, and the peer-review process were thoroughly explained. Before ending the session, the AI tools developed by MDPI's AI team were introduced. These will assist both internal and external users in improving processes and services.

After each presentation, students, faculty members, and MDPI speakers engaged in a vigorous exchange of ideas. Even after the training, many attendees remained and continued to communicate with us, praising the event for its well-structured curriculum and the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals.

In conclusion, the author training session at Kasetsart University marked a crucial step in promoting academic publishing and research dissemination for MDPI. Meanwhile, it emphasized the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the constantly evolving landscape of higher education and the publishing industry. This initiative represented a reinforcement.

Please do not hesitate to start a conversation with us at bangkok@mdpi.com if you would like to hold an author training session with MDPI in Thailand.

The application deadline of the Early Career Editorial Board Members for Molecules is extended. Entries will be accepted until 30 June 2025. We are looking forward to applications from all over the world.

In order to further enhance the international influence of the journal Molecules (ISSN: 1420-3049), promote the academic exchange of young scientists, and support the Editorial Board with additional expertise, Molecules is inviting interested and eligible early career researchers to apply for Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) membership.

A total of 80 Early Career Editorial Board Members are planned to be recruited. Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) members will hold the position for two years with the possibility of renewal for a second term.

Application Eligibility:

• Completed their doctorate/Ph.D. degree in the past 10 years (considering exceptions for career interruptions, including medical and family leave);
• Evidence of significant research achievements in the field of chemistry;
• Willingness to dedicate their time to the development of the journal with passion and enthusiasm;
• Researchers that are active and engaged in their community (e.g., experienced at presenting at academic conferences or involved in professional organizations).

Benefits of an Early Career Editorial Board Member:

• A certificate of appointment as an Early Career Editorial Board Member will be provided;
• The achievements of Early Career Editorial Board Members are publicized on journal media platforms to improve academic visibility;
• An opportunity to be promoted to Editorial Board Member based on contributions;
• The journal will regularly acknowledge those who participated in the peer-review process on the journal website;
• Opportunities to participate in or host annual meetings and online seminars organized by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board Members.

Responsibilities of an Early Career Editorial Board Member:

• Publicizing and promoting the journal at academic conferences and among peers;
• Selecting high-quality articles and preparing bilingual media content for promotion;
• Reviewing at least four manuscripts per year;
• Providing input on any new initiatives of journal development;
• Inviting submissions from local and overseas world-leading scientists in respective research fields.

Applications:
Please fill in the application form here.

Please send the application form and your academic resume to molecules@mdpi.com with the subject of “Molecules Early Career Editorial Board Application + Name + Institute + Research Expertise”.

Application deadline: 30 June 2025.

Selection Process and Announcement:
The selection process: initial screening of application materials → selection by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members → email notification → issuing a certificate of appointment.

The selection will be made within one month of the application deadline, and the results will be announced on the journal website.

We are thrilled to announce an author training session jointly hosted by MDPI and Kasetsart University, Thailand. Similar to MDPI’s successful collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, this training session will explain the purpose and goals of open access publishing and enable the sharing of valuable perspectives.

This training session is being held due to MDPI and the university’s common interest in academic research and paper publication. MDPI, as a renowned international open access publisher, offers a high-quality publishing platform and services to scholars worldwide. Meanwhile, Kasetsart University, as a leading academic institution in Thailand, has taught many talented researchers. Hence, we aim to teach students about MDPI’s paper publishing process, enhance their English paper writing proficiency, help them to better understand paper data visualization, and discuss the applications of artificial intelligence in publishing.

Date: 5 November 2024
Time: 9:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Venue: Meeting Room, 5th Floor, Kasetsart University Library
Registration link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/89K9F8F

Schedule:

MDPI speakers:

Five new journals covering a diverse range of subjects launched their inaugural issue in September 2024. Like other journals in MDPI’s portfolio, these journals are dedicated to sharing the latest research through open access, reflecting our commitment to making knowledge accessible to all.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the Editorial Board Members for their dedication to the launch and development of our new journals. Each journal will ensure its high-quality output via excellent editorial and rigorous peer-review processes so that the published articles achieve significant impact and broad visibility.

We invite you to explore and learn more about these new journals below.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Nejat Düzgüneş, University of the Pacific, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	biological therapy and stem-cell therapy; drug therapy; chemotherapy; radiation and other nonsurgical therapeutic strategies | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Magda Tsolaki, Greek Federation of Alzheimer’s Disease, Greece; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece | Editorial | view inaugural issue	surgical/procedural complications; complications; perioperative adverse events; postoperative adverse events | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Steven R. Fassnacht, Colorado State University, USA; Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	ice as a mineral; atmospheric ice; sea ice; freshwater ice; ice sheets; ice caps and ice shelves | view journal scope | submit an article
	Dr. Francisco Epelde, Hospital Universitari Parc Tauli, Spain; University Autonoma of Barcelona, Spain | Editorial | view inaugural issue	hospital management; hospital facilities; hospital services; hospital risk management; health law | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Nicola Ferri, University of Padova, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue	lipids in cells and whole organisms; lipid structure and function; lipid products and processes; dietary lipids and nutrition | view journal scope | submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com) if you would like to create more new journals.