Announcements

We are thrilled to share the updated Exceptional Reviewers List 2024. This program was designed to recognize and honor scholars who have consistently delivered exceptional review reports to our journal. Committed to fostering rigorous research and promoting knowledge exchange, Polymers (ISSN: 2073-4360) recognizes the significant role our reviewers play in maintaining the quality and integrity of the articles we publish. According to surveys conducted in 2023, 91% of our authors rate the peer review as good or excellent, thanks to our pool of excellent reviewers.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the reviewers who have generously volunteered their time and expertise to assist in Polymers’ peer-review process. Their dedication and attention to detail in evaluating manuscripts, offering valuable feedback, and contributing to academic rigor are truly commendable.

The Exceptional Reviewers List was introduced in April 2024. Each quarter, we will select a group of outstanding reviewers and introduce them here.

Quarter 1:

Name: Prof. Dr. Leno Mascia
Affiliation: Materials Department, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
“During my many years of research work on polymer materials, starting in industry and continued in academia till retirement, I have always displayed a greater enthusiasm for innovation than analysis. For this reason, Polymers became an attractive journal for publishing and reviewing research articles. I became increasingly more involved in the latter role after retiring, not only as a way of keeping updated with research activities in the field but also as an obligation to share my experience with the young generation. Reviewing for Polymers, and MPDI journals in general has been a pleasant and intellectually stimulating experience. I have sensed the enthusiasm of the authors for the work presented and the commitment of the editorial team to assist the reviewer and the authors. I was particularly impressed with the way authors have been given the opportunity to improve their paper even when the reviewers’ comments were not favorable. For this reason, I have always tried to be thorough in my comments and even make suggestions for an eventual resubmission.”

Name: Dr. Pouyan Ghabezi
Affiliation: School of Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
“I've reviewed more than 300 manuscripts for prestigious journals and key conferences. My work spans diverse fields, advancing research in composites, Polymers, 3D printing, and sustainability. Through these engagements, I have supported the dissemination of high-quality research, provided constructive feedback to authors, and helped uphold the standards of academic publishing. My role as a reviewer has been both challenging and rewarding, offering insights into cutting-edge developments across multiple disciplines.”

Name: Dr. Changmin Shi
Affiliation: School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
“I have been reviewing MDPI Polymers for years, and it has been a highly rewarding and enriching experience. As a reviewer, I have had the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research in polymers for batteries. My goal is to support authors in refining their work to meet the high standards of the journal and to contribute to the dissemination of high-quality scientific knowledge. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of polymer science through my role as a reviewer.”

Name: Dr. Vilma Ratautaite
Affiliation: Department of Nanotechnology, State Research Institute Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC), Vilnius, Lithuania
“Writing reviews is a way for me to express my gratitude to all the reviewers who have done a great job improving my articles.”

Name: Dr. Anna Wołowicz
Affiliation: Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Maria Curie Sklodowska University, Maria Curie-Sklodowska Square 2, 20-031 Lublin, Poland

Quarter 2:

Name: Dr. Carlos Bruno Luna
Affiliation: Academic Unit of Materials Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, Brazil
“The experience at Polymers has been beneficial because it has allowed me to read relevant manuscripts on polymer science and stay current on the recent advances, especially through reviewing several established research groups.”

Name: Dr. László Bejó
Affiliation: Institute of Applied Sciences, University of Sopron, 9400 Sopron, Hungary
“It is an honor to be included as an exceptional reviewer. Reviewing scientific articles is an often thankless but crucially important task, and I am happy to help ensure that Polymers publishes high-quality scientific studies.”

Name: Dr. Mridula Nandi
Affiliation: School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States

Name: Prof. Dr. Alun Vaughan
Affiliation: The Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory, Department of Electronics and Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
“Reviewing is a critical element in the process of disseminating new knowledge and one in which I aim to help the authors improve their work. In ideal cases, I also get to learn something new.“

Name: Dr. Chenggao Li
Affiliation: School of Civil Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
Interest: civil engineering; composite structures; fiber-reinforced polymer; material mechanics; durability; new thermoplastic resin composites; material design

Quarter 3:

Name: Dr. Paulo Santos
Affiliation: C-MAST—Centre for Mechanical and Aerospace Science and Technologies, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
Interests: mechanical properties; mechanical testing; mechanical behavior of materials; mechanics of materials; microstructure materials testing; materials processing
“Reviewing scientific articles in the field of composites and mechanical characterisation allows me, firstly, to collaborate in a well-structured process with clear guidelines and supportive feedback that helps to improve understanding and work. Secondly, I get to see first-hand how other colleagues work and how they express their knowledge.”

Name: Prof. Dr. Chao-Tsai Huang
Affiliation: Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Tamkang University, New Taipei City 251, Taiwan
Interests: polymer processing and simulation; polymer rheology; lightweight technology; fiber microstructure characterization and validation; precision injection molding; special injection molding technologies
“The experience of reviewing manuscripts has afforded me the opportunity to engage with experts and scholars from various related disciplines globally in a relatively brief timeframe. Additionally, this process has motivated me to offer constructive feedback from diverse perspectives, thereby assisting authors in enhancing the quality of their submissions.”

Name: Dr. Ana-Maria Resmerita
Affiliation: “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania
Interests: polymers, polyrotaxanes, macrocycle molecules, supramolecular encapsulation, cross-linked polyrotaxanes

Name: Dr. Sheikh Ali Ahmed
Affiliation: Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Faculty of Technology, Linnaeus University, Georg Lückligs Plats 1, 351 95 Växjö, Sweden
Interests: Wood anatomy, properties, modification, and preservation
“Reviewing for Polymers is a seamless experience. The submission process is easy, efficient, and the platform is user-friendly. Fast publication process, promoting rigor and making a significant impact on science.”

Name: Dr. Islam M. Minisy
Affiliation: Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, 162 00 Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: conducting polymers; polypyrrole; polyaniline; PEDOT; conductivity; drug delivery; adsorption; QCM sensors
“I am deeply committed to reviewing the papers assigned to me, not only as a way to pay back the valuable contributions of other reviewers but also to engage with my passion for polymers and their applications.”

Quarter 4:

Name: Prof. Dr. Francesco Ciardelli
Affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interest: Polymer Materials (Structural and Functional) and Catalysis ( for Industrial Processes)
“My referee experience started almost 50 years ago when I became a full Professor of Polymer Science at the UNiversity of Pisa. In my reviews I have tried to avoid, in case of low level ms, advising rejection; rather, I have provided suggestions for improving the quality of the contributions and presentations for successive submission. I have been on the editorial board of more than ten different journals and have made myself for examining papers presented by any journal editors, only refusing when I have a lack of expertise in the presented area.”

Name: Young-Wook Chang
Affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea; BK21 FOUR ERICA-ACE Center, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
Interest: polymer blend, nanocomposite, shape memory polymers, self-healing polymers, elastomers

Name: Dr. Ramanathan Yegappan
Affiliation: Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Corner College and Cooper Roads, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Interest: Biopolymers, Tissue Engineering, Wound Healing, Skin Substitutes, Hydrogels, Venom Proteins, Biomolecular Delivery, Cellular Assays
“Contributing to peer review enhances my understanding of new trends, deepens my appreciation for diverse perspectives, and strengthens the integrity of research.”

Name: Dr. Yuki Nagamatsu
Affiliation: Division of Biomaterials, Department of Oral Functions, Kyushu Dental University, Kitakyushu 803-8580, Japan
Interest: Dental materials, biomaterials, electrolyzed water, anti-microbial effect, biosafety
“Peer review is an essential process for the advancement of academic research, and I always strive to provide fair and constructive feedback. Reviewing for Polymers has been a rewarding experience, allowing me to engage with a wide range of research topics.”

Name: Dr. Evangelia Tarani
Affiliation: Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Devices, School of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interest: Polymers; composites; HDPE; graphene; XRD; crystallinity; TGA; dsc; thermal properties; thermal stability; kinetics; degradation; coatings; pack cementation; oxidation resistance
“Reviewing for Polymers is a rewarding experience, allowing me to support high-quality research, ensure scientific integrity, and stay engaged with the latest advancements in polymer science.”