Announcements

22 July 2025
Prof. Dr. Jie Meng Appointed Associate Editor of Particles


We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Jie Meng has been appointed as Associate Editor-in-Chief of Particles (ISSN: 2571-712X).

Prof. Dr. Jie Meng, Cheuang Kong Professor at Peking University, is a world-leading scientist in nuclear physics. He has an excellent reputation and has made seminal contributions to the establishment of relativistic density functional theory for novel nuclear phenomena and chiral symmetry in atomic nuclei. He has established strong and broad collaboration networks with many institutions all over the world.

He is the author of numerous seminal contributions to modern nuclear physics and many-body theory. He has, to his credit, 520+ publications, including 20 in Physical Review Letters, 38 in Physics Letters B, as testified by an outstanding citation of 30,000+ times, h-index of 88 (Google Scholar). He has been recognized internationally by many awards and honors, including the Achievement in Asia Award in 2009, the GENCO Membership Award in 2010, and the Humboldt Research Award in 2022. He was selected as an American Physics Society Fellow in 2012 and as a Member of Academia Europaea in 2018.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Jie Meng, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views on the research area and open access publishing:

1. What appealed to you about the journal and motivated you to accept the role as its Associate Editor-in-Chief?
Particles focuses on particle physics and nuclear physics, covering both theoretical and experimental advances. It provides an important international platform for innovative works and research findings in this field with an interdisciplinary scope. I see this role as an opportunity to contribute to shaping the journal’s academic quality and to promote the exchange of ideas within the global physics community.

2. What is your vision for the journal?
My vision for Particles is to further enhance its impact and international visibility by attracting high-quality submissions across all areas of particle and nuclear physics. I hope the journal will become a dynamic and young researcher friendly platform where innovative ideas, methodological advances, and interdisciplinary research are shared openly and rapidly, fostering collaboration and scientific progress in the field.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?
The future of particle and nuclear physics is full of exciting opportunities. With advances in experimental facilities and computational sciences, such as radioactive beam accelerators and large-scale detectors, we are entering a new era of precision measurements and large-scale simulations. Interdisciplinary approaches, combining nuclear physics with cosmology, astrophysics, condensed matter, and even quantum information science, are opening new research frontiers. I believe the field will continue to provide fundamental insights into the structure of matter and the forces that govern our universe.

4. Do you have any suggestions for young researchers in this field?
I would encourage young researchers to build a solid foundation in fundamental physics and stay informed about the latest developments in both theory and experiment. Active participation in international collaborations and interdisciplinary projects can broaden research perspectives. Most importantly, enjoy the process of discovery—science is a long journey, but a rewarding one.

5. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?
Open access is playing an increasingly important role in scientific publishing. It promotes the rapid and widespread dissemination of research findings, making them accessible to a global audience without barriers. This is especially valuable for fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across different regions and disciplines. While challenges remain in terms of publication costs and quality control, I believe open access will continue to grow and contribute positively to the advancement of science.

The editorial team warmly welcomes Prof. Dr. Jie Meng as the Associate Editor and looks forward to his contributions to the continued success of Particles. For further information about the journal, please click here.

15 July 2025
MDPI’s Journal Cluster of Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics


Gravitation, cosmology, and astrophysics are core areas of modern physics, dedicated to understanding the fundamental forces and phenomena governing the universe. These interconnected fields explore the structure of space–time, the nature of gravity, the origin and evolution of the cosmos, and the dynamics of matter and energy across all cosmic scales. Research in these areas covers a wide spectrum of topics, including the study of black holes, gravitational waves, cosmic microwave background, dark matter and dark energy, high-energy particle interactions, galaxies, and large-scale structure of the universe. This interdisciplinary landscape integrates astronomy and astrophysics, particle and nuclear physics, cosmology, and gravitational physics; each contributing critical insights toward unraveling some of the most profound questions in contemporary physics.

MDPI’s cluster of journals in gravitation, cosmology, and astrophysics is dedicated to advancing research in these dynamic and rapidly evolving areas. Each journal in the cluster provides a peer-reviewed platform for original research, theoretical insights, detailed observations, and innovative proposals, with a focus on advanced computational methods, cutting-edge instrumentation, and interdisciplinary approaches. By promoting open access and fostering collaboration across diverse scientific communities, the cluster supports the dissemination of research outputs and aims to accelerate progress in understanding the fundamental laws and structures of the universe.

The four participating journals are as follows:

  • Universe (ISSN: 2218-1997) focuses on theoretical, experimental, and observational progress in fundamental and applied physics, from circumterrestrial space to cosmological scenarios. Universe is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Iorio (Ministero dell’ Istruzione e del Merito, Viale Unità di Italia 68, Bari, Italy);
  • Galaxies (ISSN: 2075-4434) focuses on astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology. Galaxies is led by Editor-in-Chiefs Dr. Margo Aller (Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1042, USA) and Dr. Jose L. Gómez (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC), Glorieta de la Astronomía S/N, 18008 Granada, Spain);
  • Particles (ISSN: 2571-712X) covers all aspects of nuclear physics, particle physics and astrophysics science. Particles is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Armen Sedrakian (1 Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS), Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 2 Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland);
  • Astronomy (ISSN: 2674-0346) focuses on observational astronomy, theoretical astronomy and other specific subfields. Astronomy is led by Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Ignatios Antoniadis (Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Hautes Énergies - LPTHE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, France).

Journal

Launch Year

Impact Factor (2024)

CiteScore (2024)

First Decision (Median)

Acceptance to Publication (Median)

APC (CHF)

2015

2.6

5.2

22.6 days

3.4 days

1600

2013

3.8

6.3

23.4 days

4.8 days

1400

2018

2.3

3.0

23.8 days

4.7 days

1600

2022

/

2.3

27.6 days

7.6 days

1000

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

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

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

Selected Special Issues:
The 10th Anniversary of Universe: Standard Cosmological Models, and Modified Gravity and Cosmological Tensions
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Panayiotis Stavrinos, Prof. Dr. Antonino Del Popolo, Prof. Dr. Hermano Velten, Prof. Dr. Tina Kahniashvili, Prof. Dr. Jean-Michel Alimi and Prof. Dr. Yi-Fu Cai
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025

Celebrating the 110th Anniversary of General Relativity: Advances, Challenges and Perspectives
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Iorio and Prof. Dr. Øyvind Grøn
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026

The Evolution of Gravitational Wave Detectors
Guest Editors: Dr. Maddalena Mantovani and Dr. Mattia Boldrini
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025

Theoretical and Observational Approaches to the Hubble Tension in Cosmology
Guest Editors: Dr. Indranil Banik and Dr. Harry Desmond
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2025

Particles and Plasmas in Strong Fields
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. David Blaschke, Prof. Dr. Tamás S. Biró and Prof. Dr. Ralf Schützhold
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025

Current Trends in Cosmology”
Guest Editor: Dr. Paolo Salucci
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025

Selected Articles:
Seven Hints That Early-Time New Physics Alone Is Not Sufficient to Solve the Hubble Tension
by Sunny Vagnozzi
Universe 2023, 9(9), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9090393

Gravitational Condensate Stars: An Alternative to Black Holes
by Pawel O. Mazur and Emil Mottola
Universe 2023, 9(2), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe9020088

Key Science Goals for the Next-Generation Event Horizon Telescope
by Michael D. Johnson, Kazunori Akiyama, Lindy Blackburn, Katherine L. Bouman, Avery E. Broderick, Vitor Cardoso, Rob P. Fender, Christian M. Fromm, Peter Galison, José L. Gómez et al.
Galaxies 2023, 11(3), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/galaxies11030061

Observational Tests of Active Galactic Nuclei Feedback: An Overview of Approaches and Interpretation
by Chris M. Harrison and Cristina Ramos Almeida
Galaxies 2024, 12(2), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/galaxies12020017

Fermion Proca Stars: Vector-Dark-Matter-Admixed Neutron Stars
by Cédric Jockel and Laura Sagunski
Particles 2024, 7(1), 52-79; https://doi.org/10.3390/particles7010004

Lensing with Generalized Symmetrons
by Christian Käding
Astronomy 2023, 2(2), 128-140; https://doi.org/10.3390/astronomy2020009

14 July 2025
Prof. Dr. Omar Benhar Appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of Section “Nuclear and Hadronic Theory” in Particles


We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Omar Benhar has been appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of the “Nuclear and Hadronic Theory” Section in Particles (ISSN: 2571-712X).

Prof. Dr. Omar Benhar is a Senior Research Associate at the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Research (INFN) in Rome. He worked extensively in the USA and taught relativistic quantum mechanics, field theory, and gauge theories at Sapienza University of Rome for over two decades. He authored or coauthored two textbooks on these subjects, as well as two monographs on nuclear matter and compact stars, and published more than one hundred and fifty scientific papers on the theory of many-particle systems, the structure and dynamics of neutron stars, and the electroweak interactions of nuclei.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Omar Benhar, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views on the research area and open access publishing:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to also take on the role as its Section Editor-in-Chief?
My decision to accept the invitation to join the Editorial Board of Particles, dating back to 2020, was mainly driven by the wide spectrum of subjects covered by the journal, including the most current issues of nuclear and particle physics and astrophysics. The same motivation is behind my acceptance to serve as Section Editor-in-Chief of the “Nuclear and Hadronic Theory” Section.

2. What is your vision for the journal?
In my view, Particles should be instrumental in building a network of scientists who, in addition to working on their field, are capable and willing to engage in cross-disciplinary collaborations to take on the issues raised by recent and forthcoming experimental developments.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?
In the coming years, the observation of gravitational and electromagnetic signals emitted from neutron stars, as well as a new generation of experimental studies of nuclear and hadron structure, will provide an unprecedent wealth of data, the understanding of which will require the development of suitable theoretical tools. Such a cross-fertilization process has the potential to greatly advance the field.

4. Do you have any suggestions for young researchers in this field?
Avoid focusing on too narrow a subject. Always keep an open mind towards cross-disciplinary research.

5. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?
Open access will be essential, both for making teaching material available to ever broader and more diverse student audiences and for maximizing the dissemination of scientific results.

The editorial team warmly welcomes Prof. Dr. Omar Benhar as the Section Editor-in-Chief of the “Nuclear and Hadronic Theory” Section and looks forward to his contributions to the continued success of Particles. For further information on the journal sections, please click here.

8 July 2025
Dr. Mª Ángeles Pérez García Appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of Section “Astroparticle Physics and Cosmology” in Particles


We are pleased to announce that Dr. Mª Ángeles Pérez García has been appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of the Section “Astroparticle Physics and Cosmology” in Particles (ISSN: 2571-712X).

Dr. Pérez García is a professor of physics at the University of Salamanca (USAL), Spain. She earned her PhD in physics from the University of Oviedo in 2001. She was a postdoctoral researcher at Indiana University (USA) and the University of Oviedo before joining USAL. She is a member of the Einstein Telescope collaboration, which searches for gravitational wave events, and the MAAT/LPQI collaborations at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), which investigate electromagnetic counterparts of merger events. Her research has contributed to the study of the warm low-density equation of state and the so-called “pasta phases” in neutron stars. She has also worked on magnetized ultradense matter, weak interaction processes (including neutrino physics), and beyond the standard model (BSM) physics, notably in dark matter phenomenology within astrophysical scenarios.

The following is a short Q&A with Dr. Mª Ángeles Pérez García, who shared her vision for the journal with us, as well as her views of the research area and open access publishing:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to take on the role as its Section Editor-in-Chief?

I believe that having a dedicated “Astroparticle Physics and Cosmology” Section is essential in any modern physics journal. Astroparticle-related subfields are flourishing, and multimessenger astronomy is opening new, insightful observational windows.

2. What is your vision for the journal?

I envision a section where key, high-impact contributions relevant to the Astroparticle and Cosmology communities are published.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?

The future of this field lies at the forefront of progress in physics. From current experimental observations to new theoretical frameworks, many open questions, such as the nature of dark matter and dark energy, early Universe physics, stellar evolution, extra dimensions, and gravitation, will benefit from cross-disciplinary advances.

4. Do you have any suggestions for young researchers in this field?

Today’s scientific landscape offers a great opportunity for integrating and sharing knowledge across traditionally disconnected disciplines. Technological progress and the availability of advanced tools enable rapid developments in research.

5. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?

Open access provides an excellent opportunity to spread knowledge and accelerate scientific progress.

The editorial team welcomes Dr. Mª Ángeles Pérez García as the Section Editor-in-Chief of the “Astroparticle Physics and Cosmology” Section and looks forward to her contributions to the continued success of Particles. For further information on the journal sections, please click here.

Particles Editorial Office

4 July 2025
MDPI’s Newly Launched Journals in June 2025

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

We extend our sincere thanks to all the Editorial Board Members for their commitment and expertise. Each journal is dedicated to upholding strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

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

2 July 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #24 - 2024 Impact Factor & CiteScore, MDPI Summits France & USA, Tu Youyou Award

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’s 2024 Impact Factor Highlights

For those of our readers who are new to academic publishing, you may have heard some news in June around the Impact Factor release. Every year, typically in June, Clarivate releases its annual Journal Citation Reports (JCR), which include Journal Impact Factors (JIF). This metric is widely used in academic publishing to reflect the average number of citations received by recent articles in each journal.

While Impact Factor is just one of many indicators of journal influence, it remains a major milestone for authors, editors, and publishers. It’s used to assess journal visibility, researcher recognition, and scholarly reach. Throughout our international meetings and events, it’s clear that the Impact Factor is something many of our authors and editorial board members care about, as it can influence where they choose to submit an article and the funding they receive for their research.

“These results reflect the trust that the scholarly community places in MDPI”

MDPI’s 2024 Impact Factor Highlights

  • 298 MDPI journals received a Journal Impact Factor.
  • 60 journals earned their first-ever Impact Factor
    • To put this in perspective: MDPI’s 60 new journal acceptances into the Web of Science was the second highest number of any publisher in 2024, behind Elsevier and ahead of Springer Nature. Our 87% acceptance rate for journals submitted to Web of Science shows the strength of our editorial process and our proven ability to develop journals aligned with Clarivate’s 24 evaluation criteria.
    • Notably, Textiles, Mathematics, International Journal of Neonatal Screening, Smart Cities, Systems, and Pharmaceutics ranked in the top 10% in their respective categories, highlighting their growing influence and prestige within their academic fields. This shows that high-quality indexing goes beyond visibility; it upholds credibility and trust.
  • 193 MDPI journals are now ranked in the top 50% (Q1/Q2) of their subject categories.
    • What does this mean, and why is it important? Journals are ranked by quartiles within their field, based on their Impact Factor. Q1 represents the top 25% of journals in their category, Q2 the next 25%, and so on. Being in Q1 or Q2 shows that a journal is performing well relative to other journals in its category. Authors and institutions often look at quartile rankings when choosing where to publish – it’s an important indicator of visibility and recognition, within its respective category.
  • 116 of our previously ranked journals increased their Impact Factor.
  • 14 MDPI journals achieved an Impact Factor of 5.0 or higher, suggesting a high degree of influence and visibility.

These results reflect our staff's hard work: from our editorial and production teams to our indexing, communications, and data teams, and beyond. This also reflects the trust that the scholarly community places in MDPI, reinforcing the message that when researchers publish with MDPI, they publish with impact.

Open Access with Impact

As the leading fully open access publisher, our journals have received a total of 18.4 million citations in the Web of Science by the end of 2024, reflecting the growing reach and engagement of research published with MDPI. We are committed to making scientific research freely accessible to everyone, everywhere. With the support of more than 4.2 million contributing authors, we’re proud to support the global shift toward open access.

Further Reading

If you’d like to better understand how journals get indexed and why Impact Factors matter, please read this recent interview with Dr. Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing). It gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the role our indexing team plays in supporting journal indexing and visibility.

You can also read our official news announcement shared last week: MDPI Journals in the 2024 Journal Citation Reports.

Thank you to everyone, from our authors and reviewers to our editors and internal teams, who contributed to the progress of our journal indexing in 2024. We’re continuing to build journals that are recognized and trusted across disciplines.

Impactful Research

MDPI Journals See Continued Growth in 2024 CiteScore Results

Continuing our indexing updates, I’m pleased to share that MDPI has achieved strong results in the latest CiteScore metrics, released on 5 June by Scopus. These results reflect the collective efforts of our editors, reviewers, authors, and internal teams, with their dedication to quality and visibility in scientific publishing. You can read the full announcement here.

2024 Highlights:

  • 322 MDPI journals received a CiteScore (up from 274 last year).
  • 283 journals (88%) are ranked in Q1 or Q2 of their subject categories.
  • 237 journals (85%) saw an increase in their CiteScore compared to last year.
  • 48 journals received a CiteScore for the first time.
  • 39 journals are now placed in the top 10% of their subject areas.

“This growth highlights our commitment to supporting open, trusted science”

What is CiteScore and how is it measured?

CiteScore metrics are developed by Elsevier as an alternative to the Impact Factor. They measure the citation impact of journals and can be accessed freely on Scopus. The metric represents the yearly average number of citations to recent articles published in a journal. If you’re interested in learning more about citation metrics and how we use them, check out this blog post.

Why is this important?

These results show the growing recognition for, and impact of, MDPI journals across disciplines. CiteScore rankings help researchers, institutions, and funders assess where high-quality work is being published. This growth improves our journals’ positioning in the publishing landscape and highlights our commitment to supporting open, trusted science.

Inside MDPI

Highlights from the MDPI USA Summit in Boston (5–6 June)

With several Summits already behind us, I think this is a good time to reflect on the purpose of these Summits.

Why do we organize MDPI Summits?

These one-and-a-half-day, invite-only gatherings are designed to improve our relationships with Chief Editors who lead our journals and are respected voices in their fields. The Summits aim to:

  1. Share MDPI’s values, achievements, editorial practices, and local market collaborations.
  2. Collect feedback on MDPI operations and journal practices.
  3. Empower Chief Editors to confidently represent MDPI beyond the Summit.

While Chief Editors know their journals well, these events help them better understand MDPI. We want them to be ambassadors for our brand. The aim is for them to walk away informed, engaged, and equipped to share positively about MDPI.

About the Boston Summit

Held on 5–6 June, our first USA Summit gathered over 25 Chief Editors to learn more about MDPI’s activities and collaborations in the USA. The program included presentations, Q&A, and a panel discussion.

Agenda Highlights:

Moderated by Summer Huggard (Operations Manager [Toronto], MDPI), the program featured:

  • MDPI Overview and USA Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
  • AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Feichi Lu (Junior Data Scientist, MDPI)
  • MDPI Editorial Process and Research Integrity – Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI)
  • Panel Discussion – Stefan, Feichi, Giulia, Claudia
  • Society Partnerships – Dr. Clàudia Aunós (Society Partnerships Senior Manager, MDPI)
  • Voice of the Customer and Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)

MDPI & the USA: Facts and Figures

  • With over 216,000 publications, the USA is MDPI’s second-largest contributor after China.
  • In 2024, the USA ranked 2nd in total submissions and 2nd in total MDPI publications, with more than 28,200 publications.
  • As of 2020, the cumulative number of authors from the USA until April 2025 was 352,099.
  • As at April 2025, there are more than 12,035 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from the USA, with 55% having an H-index over 26.
  • Among them, 96 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and 218 as section-Editors-in-Chief (SEiC)
  • MDPI has more than 920 Institutional Open Access Program agreements worldwide, with over 130 from the USA.

A special thanks to our Toronto team, and everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this event run smoothly.

Coming Together for Science

Highlights from the MDPI France Summit in Paris (12–13 June)

We completed our first MDPI France Summit in Paris last week, and it was a special event. Attendees were engaged from beginning to end, remaining after hours to network and collaborate.

Why a France Summit?

We chose to host a France Summit in view of the recent challenges MDPI has faced with the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). What we took away from the event is that our authors and editors very much appreciate and enjoy working with us, but we need to address the concerns raised by CNRS, around Article Processing Charges (APCs) and the funding of gold open access publications.

“Our authors and editors very much enjoy working with us”

Some of the claims made in the June 2023 interview with Alain Schuhl, the Deputy CEO for Science at the CNRS, are simply not factual. For example, they state that MDPI’s “average APC charges per article are now around the same as Springer Nature’s.” Here is the relevant passage, reproduced verbatim:

This is not accurate.

A recent preprint analysing APC data from Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, PLOS, MDPI, and Frontiers (2019–2023) shows that MDPI’s average APCs remain significantly lower than those of Springer Nature and several other major publishers.

The MDPI Summits are part of our outreach and communication efforts to address misconceptions and clarify MDPI’s position as one of the most accessible and affordable major gold open access publishers in the world.

Summit Overview

Held on 12–13 June, the France Summit gathered over 20 Chief Editors to learn more about MDPI’s activities and collaborations in France. Many of these editors are influential in their institutions and professional societies. Several also have connections to CNRS, which makes this an important opportunity to clarify how we operate and build trust through open and transparent communication and hopefully turn our editors into informed advocates of MDPI.

Summit Feedback

The feedback has been very positive, with most attendees completing the post-event survey and all rating the experience as Excellent or Good. A few highlights:

  • “The whole thing was highly professional and, above all, provided quantified details that will allow us to better answer questions surrounding MDPI.”
  • “The summit was an opportunity to meet personally various people directly engaged in the organization and policies of MDPI, which made it possible to clarify some important points concerning publishing with MDPI.”
  • “Very well organized! A great opportunity to see all French MDPI partners and editors.”

Program Highlights:

Moderated by Miruna Adelina Nicolcioiu (Senior Conference Producer), the program featured:

  • MDPI Overview and France Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO)
  • MDPI Editorial Process and Peer-Review Quality – Dr. Marta Colomer (Public Affairs Specialist)
  • Institutional Partnerships and Open Access Funding Models – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager)
  • AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Daniele Raimondi (Data Scientist)
  • Publication Ethics: Global Trends – Diana Cristina Apodaritei (Research Integrity Specialist)
  • Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev
  • Panel Discussion – Diana, Becky, Prof. Dr. Patrick Da Cost, and Stefan

MDPI & France: Facts and Figures

  • With over 51,000 publications, France is MDPI's tenth-largest contributor, and fifth largest among EU countries after Italy, Spain, Germany, and Poland.
  • As of 2020, the cumulative number of authors from France until April 2025 was 87,592.
  • As at April 2025, there are more than 2,800 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from France, with 59% having an H-index over 26.
  • Among them, 22 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and 61 as section-Editors-in-Chief (SEiC)
  • In 2024, IJMS, JCM, and Molecules were the top three MDPI journals in terms of submissions from French-affiliated authors.

Special thanks to our colleagues from Romanian offices for organizing this successful event.

Closing Thoughts

Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller Share the 2024 Tu Youyou Award

As we wrap up this month’s newsletter, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the winners of the 2024 Tu Youyou Award, presented by our journal Molecules. I am pleased to share that the 2024 Tu Youyou Award has been conferred upon Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller, in recognition of their significant contributions to natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

I invite you to read the editorial co-authored by the Tu Youyou Award Committee, which highlights the significance of the award and the remarkable impact of the recipients’ research.

A sincere thank-you to the 2024 Award Committee for their dedication and selection process, and congratulations once again to this year’s honourees. Your work exemplifies the kind of research MDPI is proud to support and amplify.

About the Tu Youyou Award
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award includes a total monetary prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs and a medal for each recipient. Established in 2016 to honour the pioneering spirit of Nobel laureate Tu Youyou, the Tu Youyou Award is an international award recognizing exceptional scholars dedicated to the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

30 June 2025
Meet Us at GR24 and Amaldi16, 14–18 July 2025, Glasgow, UK


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

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

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

The following MDPI journals will be presented at the conference:

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

19 June 2025
Meet Us at the 16th Asia Pacific Physics Conference (APPC16), 19–24 October 2025, Haikou, China


Conference: The 16th Asia Pacific Physics Conference
Organization: Association of Asia Pacific Physical Societies (AAPPS); The Chinese Physical Society (CPS)
Date: 19–24 October 2025
Place: Haikou, China

MDPI journals will attend the 16th Asia Pacific Physics Conference as an exhibitor. The conference will take place in Haikou, China, from 19 to 24 October 2025.

As a triennial conference series organized by AAPPS, APPC brings together physicists from across the region to share and discuss cutting-edge research and education in all areas of physics. Hosted by CPS in 2025, APPC16 will provide a unique opportunity for scholars to foster collaborations, strengthen friendships, and exchange ideas with colleagues from the Asia–Pacific community.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://appc16.scimeeting.cn/en/web/index/24735.

3 June 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #23 - MDPI Summits Spain & Italy, Ei Compendex, and Editorial Independence

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

Highlights from the MDPI Spain Summit in Barcelona (21-22 May)

In May we hosted the MDPI Spain Summit in Barcelona – our second summit in the city following the inaugural one in November 2023.


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) at the MDPI Spain Summit in Barcelona, 22 May 2025.

Creating a space for exchange of views

The goal of our summits is to bring together Chief Editors of MDPI journals from across disciplines and institutions. These intimate gatherings provide a platform to present the latest developments at MDPI and to initiate open conversations about our journals, the future of open access, and the evolving landscape of scientific publishing.

Most importantly, these are opportunities for in-person connection, providing a more meaningful space for the exchange of views and for building long-term relationships.

Exploring the future of scientific publishing in Spain

The summit took place on 21–22 May and featured a mix of MDPI presentations (including two guest presentations), roundtable discussions, and Q&A sessions. On the first day, we held a focused session with our Chief Editors to gather feedback and have open discussions on their journal development, the peer-review process, and local accreditation systems.


Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI, presents MDPI’s Editorial Process and Peer Review Quality Metrics at the MDPI Spain Summit in Barcelona, 22 May 2025.

I had the pleasure of opening the Summit with a welcome address and an overview of MDPI’s recent milestones. The agenda then included the following sessions:

  • MDPI and Recent Developments in the Spanish Market – Dr. Marta Colomer (Public Affairs Specialist, MDPI)
  • MDPI Editorial Process and Peer Review Quality Metrics – Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI)
  • Open Access in Spain – Dr. Remedios Melero (Researcher, CSIC – guest speaker)
  • AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Dr. Enric Sayas (Business Analyst, MDPI), Daniele Raimondi (Data Scientist, MDPI), and Dr. Alexandre López-Borrull (Researcher, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya – guest speaker)
  • Publication Ethics – Ana Stankovic (Research Integrity and Publication Ethics, MDPI)
  • Opening and Closing remarks were provided by Rocksy Zhang (Editorial Director, MDPI)

We are extremely grateful for the strong engagement shown by our Editors, who were clearly appreciative of the event and the discussions we had. They felt seen and heard, which is a vital prerequisite for building open channels of communication and cultivating productive long-term collaborations.


MDPI colleagues during MDPI Spain Summit in Barcelona (22 May 2025).

A big thank-you to the entire Barcelona team for organizing such a successful event!

Upcoming MDPI Summit events:

  • Italy Summit – Rome (26–27 May)
  • US Summit – Boston, MA (5–6 June)
  • France Summit – Paris (12–13 June)
  • US Summit – Houston, TX (26–27 June)
  • UK Summit – London (16–17 September)
  • Germany Summit – Berlin (18–19 September)
  • Romania Summit – Bucharest (23–24 October)
    ...with more in between, and more to follow.

Impactful Research

50 MDPI Journals Now Indexed in Ei Compendex

Indexing is a key indicator of a journal’s scientific impact. An indexed journal gives research greater visibility and credibility within the global academic community and is recognized for its quality and relevance. While many of our journals are included in major databases such as Web of Science and Scopus, MDPI also places strong emphasis on journal inclusion in subject-specific indexing platforms that align with each journal’s scope. This ensures that when you publish with MDPI, you publish with impact.

I’m pleased to share that as at May 2025, 51 of our journals are now indexed in Ei Compendex, a leading bibliographic database for engineering and applied sciences. This is a major milestone that reflects both the quality or our editorial processes and the relevance of the research we publish in these fields.

“When you publish with MDPI, you publish with impact”

Discoverability and reach

Inclusion in Ei Compendex means greater discoverability for our authors and broader reach of our journals in the fields of engineering and technology. It improves our ability to support global research and innovation, while building MDPI’s reputation in the applied sciences. This recognition is the result of the dedicated work of our editorial teams, reviewers, and authors, and of our overall commitment to excellence in publishing.

You can read our full announcement here.

Appreciative thanks to everyone involved in reaching this milestone.

Inside MDPI

 

One Year of MDPI’s Seoul Office

On 29 April, we marked one year since the opening of our Seoul office, MDPI’s first local hub in South Korea. South Korea is a key market for MDPI, currently ranking as our sixth-largest contributor to the company’s total publications, with over 89,000 MDPI articles authored by individuals affiliated with Korean institutions. Over the past 12 months, the Seoul team has made great strides in building our visibility, networks, and presence in the region.

A few highlights from the past year


Claude Seo (MDPI Korea Office Manager, Seoul)

Claude Seo, who has over 15 years of experience in the academic publishing industry, is the Office Manager of the Seoul office.

In its inaugural year, the Seoul office focused primarily on marketing and promotional activities to support the MDPI brand locally. During that time, the team concentrated on scholar visits to local institutions, attending academic conferences, and hosting editorial board meetings.

The team also secured 10 Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) renewals, signed three new IOAP agreements, and established one new Society affiliation.

The Seoul office also hosted its first library book fair and reached over 1,000 followers on its LinkedIn channel, which is an encouraging indication of local visibility and engagement.

“The Seoul team has made strides in building our visibility, networks, and presence in the region”

Growth plans

Later this year, we are working on opening a new Seoul office in a more central location, with room for our growing team. The new space will bring us closer to other publishing partners and provide easier access to and from the airport. The Seoul office will continue to expand its efforts in outreach and engagement as its builds its presence in South Korea.

Warm thanks to the entire Seoul team for their hard work and dedication, and to all MDPI colleagues who have contributed to this exciting chapter in our global journey.

Coming Together for Science

Highlights from the MDPI Italy Summit in Rome (26–27 May)

We closed the month of May by hosting the first MDPI Italy Summit in Rome. This was an important event for us, as Italy has consistently ranked among the top ten countries globally for open access publications over the past decade.

MDPI and Italy: Facts & Figures

  • With over 144,000 publications (as at 31 May 2025), Italy is MDPI’s third largest contributor after China and the USA.
  • In 2024, MDPI was the second-largest publishing house in Italy.
  • The 7,165 Editorial Board Members (EBMs) drawn from Italian institutions represent 8.9% of all MDPI academic editors.
  • Among these, 319 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiCs) or Section Editors-in-Chief (SEiCs).
  • Eleven Italian EBMs were recognized as 2024 Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers.
  • In 2024, MDPI received 24,873 review reports and collaborated with 88,578 reviewers from Italy.
  • 23,131 Guest Editors from Italian institutions led 4,827 Special Issues across 248 MDPI journals.
  • MDPI partners with over 900 institutions globally, of which 17 are in Italy.

The MDPI Italy Summit in Rome


Dr. Prof. Giulio Cerullo, EiC of Applied Sciences, at the MDPI Italy Summit in Rome (27 May 2025).

Held on 26–27 May, the MDPI Italy Summit brought together 25 Chief Editors from across our journal portfolio, including some of our largest journals such as Applied Sciences, to discuss MDPI’s latest developments and collaborations in the Italian market, our use of data intelligence and AI to support strategic decision-making, a look into our editorial process, peer-review quality metrics, and conversations around research integrity and community engagement.

The Summit featured MDPI presentations followed by Q&A and concluded with a roundtable discussion. On the evening of the 26th, we hosted a dinner with our Editors to connect personally, learn more about their research, and hear feedback on journal operations and the broader academic landscape in Italy.


Gathering of Editors-in-Chief and MDPI staff at the MDPI Italy Summit in Rome (27 May 2025).

Event Agenda – 27 May

Moderated by Maddalena Favaretto (Conference Scientific Advisor, MDPI), the program featured:

  • MDPI Overview, Achievements, Latest News and Future Developments – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
  • Country Report: Italy – Dr. Laura Perez Martin (Conference Assistant, MDPI)
  • AI in Publishing and MDPI’s Actions – Dr. Andrea Perlato (Head of Data Analytics, MDPI)
  • MDPI Editorial Process and Research Integrity – Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI)
  • Panel Discussion – Stefan, Andrea, Giulia


Panel Discussion with Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI), Dr. Andrea Perlato (Head of Data Analytics, MDPI) during the MDPI Italy Summit in Rome (27 May 2025).

A big thank-you to our Conference team and everyone who worked behind the scenes to make these events run smoothly.

Closing Thoughts

Upholding Editorial Independence in Scholarly Publishing

A recent MDPI blog post written by Dr. Ioana Craciun (Scientific Communications Specialist, MDPI), “Editorial Independence and Publisher Support: Collaborating to Uphold Integrity,” highlights the important balance between editorial autonomy and publisher collaboration in academic publishing.

As the leading fully Open Access scholarly publisher, we are proud to champion editorial independence within our publishing process.

Drawing from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, the article emphasizes that while editors must have the freedom to make decisions based on scholarly merit, publishers play a critical role in providing the necessary infrastructure and tools to support the editorial process. This collaborative approach ensures the integrity of the peer review process, builds trust among authors and readers, and upholds the quality and relevance of published content.

MDPI highlights its commitment to this model by investing in research integrity specialists, AI tools for plagiarism detection, and administrative support, all aimed at empowering editors to make independent, informed decisions.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

29 May 2025
Meet Us at the 12th Congress of the Balkan Physical Union, 8–12 July 2025, Bucharest, Romania


The 12th Congress of the Balkan Physical Union will be held from 8 to 12 July 2025 in Bucharest, Romania, and is organized by the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest. 

The Balkan Physical Union (BPU) is a non-governmental, non-profit scientific organization, established in 1986. The first Balkan Physical Union Council meeting was held in Bucharest in 1987, when the first BPU Constitution was adopted. Starting from 2023, BPU became a legal entity with its headquarters established at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The Congress will consist of the following activities: atomic, molecular and optical physics; biophysics, life sciences, medical physics; condensed matter, materials and applied physics; etc.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning to attend the above-mentioned conference, we warmly welcome you to visit our booth and engage with our representatives. We look forward to meeting you in person and are here to assist with any questions that you may have. For more information about this conference, please visit the official website at https://bpu12.ucv.ro/.

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