Announcements
16 October 2024
MDPI's Newly Launched Journals in September 2024
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) |
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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 |
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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 |
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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.
7 October 2024
MDPI Webinar | World Habitat Day 2024 Webinar, 7 October 2024
MDPI would like to invite all experts recognized in their fields to attend the World Habitat Day 2024 Webinar, which will be held on 7 October 2024.
In order to commemorate World Habitat Day 2024, MDPI is launching a special webinar to encourage researchers to come together, highlight how the exchange of findings facilitates efforts toward sustainable urbanization, housing, and environmental issues, and take action on these issues.
Urban research plays a crucial role in improving the quality of life in cities and communities, addressing global challenges related to housing, reducing inequalities, and developing interventions that lead to inclusive, safe, and resilient living environments.
We look forward to seeing you at the World Habitat Day 2024 Webinar.
Title: World Habitat Day 2024 Webinar
Date: 7 October 2024
Time: 15:30 (CEST)
More Information: https://sciforum.net/event/MWHD2W
This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email on how to join this webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Unable to attend? Register anyway, and we will let you know when the recording of this event becomes available to watch.
Register for free at the following link:
Program
|
Speaker/Presentation |
Time in CEST |
|
Introduction |
15:30–15:35 |
|
Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed |
15:35–15:55 |
|
Q&A Session |
15:55–16:05 |
|
Prof. Dr. Dawn Parker |
16:05–16:25 |
|
Q&A Session |
16:25–16:35 |
|
Prof. Dr. Mark Montgomery |
16:35–16:55 |
|
Q&A Session |
16:55–17:05 |
|
Prof. Dr. Umberto Bernardi |
17:05–17:25 |
|
Q&A Session |
17:25–17:35 |
|
Closing of Webinar |
17:35–17:45 |
Relevant Special Issues:
Conservation
“Plant Species Diversity and Conservation”
Guest Editors: Claudia D. Nicolae, Maria Mihaela Antofie and Oliviu Grigore Pop
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2025
“Emerging Trends in Conservation Funding and Financing of Protected Areas”
Guest Editors: Thomas E. Jones, Minh Hoang Nguyen and Kiyotatsu Yamamoto
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025
Architecture
“Sustainable Built Environments and Human Wellbeing”
Guest Editor: Hing-Wah Chau
Deadline: 31 Dec 2024
Energies
“New Advances in Indoor Acoustics and Thermal Comfort for Sustainable Buildings”
Guest Editors: Davide Borelli and Umberto Berardi
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025
“Smart Energy Systems: Learning Methods for Control and Optimization”
Guest Editors: Ramiro Barbosa and Pedro Faria
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 13 November 2024
“Energy and Buildings: Thermal Storage, Emissions, Transports, Control and Their Effects”
Guest Editors: Mark Bomberg, Paulo Santos and Anna Romańska-Zapała
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2024
Sustainability
“Emerging Topics in the Sustainable Built Environment: Climate Change Adaptation, Energy Poverty and Well-Being”
Guest Editors: Luka Pajek and Ilaria Pigliautile
Deadline: 31 December 2024
“Well-Being and Urban Green Spaces: Advantages for Sustainable Cities”
Guest Editors: Rui Leandro Maia and Nelson Barros
Deadline: 13 January 2025
“Renovation of Buildings and Revitalization of Urban and Rural Areas towards Sustainability”
Guest Editors: Beata Nowogońska and Artur Juszczyk
Deadline: 1 December 2024
Buildings
“Healthy, Low-Carbon and Resilient Built Environments”
Guest Editors: Yingdong He and Ninaping Li
Deadline: 31 January 2025
“Towards Zero-Emission, Hazard-Resilient Buildings and Infrastructure: Advanced Material, Construction, and Energy Systems”
Guest Editor: Chaofeng Wang
Deadline: 28 February 2025
“Natural-Based Solution for Sustainable Buildings”
Guest Editors: Roberto Bruno, Francesco Barreca, Natale Arcuri and Giuseppe Davide Cardinali
Deadline: 30 April 2025
4 October 2024
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #16 - UNGA79 Science Summit, OASPA, Peer Review Week
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 Joins the Science Summit at UNGA79 (23–27 September 2024, New York)
On Friday 27 September, I had the privilege of giving the opening talk at the “Youth at the Science Summit” panel during the Science Summit conference, held in New York at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Together, we discussed the future of science, publishing, innovation, and sustainable development.
It was a great opportunity to learn from our young leaders, whose voices must be included in the conversation as science shapes the future of artificial intelligence, climate mitigation, healthcare, technology, and more. This was also a powerful reminder of how essential global collaboration is in solving the major challenges we face. I left inspired by the dedication of these young researchers to making the world a better place!
Today’s youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow – they are already leading the change today.
Stefan Tochev (second from left) at the UNGA Science Summit 2024: “A great opportunity to learn from our young leaders.”
MDPI Supports the Future Generation of Scientists
This aligns with MDPI’s mission to support the next generation of scientists and early-career researchers by recognizing their achievements through our various MDPI awards, including the Young Investigator Awards, Best PhD Thesis Awards, Travel Awards, and more.
Our presence at this global event showed our commitment to advancing Open Science as a key driver for sustainable development. As a leading Open Access (OA) publisher, MDPI’s role at the summit was to emphasize the critical importance of democratizing scientific knowledge, making it accessible to all, and promoting global collaboration.
Through OA publishing, we aim to address pressing global challenges such as climate change, public health, and inequality, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We aim to address pressing global challenges”
MDPI and the SDGs
In 2020, the SDG Publishers Compact was launched to accelerate implementation of the SDGs by promoting content that informs, develops, and inspires action. MDPI joined this initiative in 2021 and subsequently launched the MDPI SDG Hub in 2022, offering free access to recent research within the scope of each of the 17 SDGs.
During the summit, we highlighted the connection between Open Science and the SDG Publishers Compact, supporting the core objective to “Leave No One Behind” (LNOB). The transformative promise of the SDGs relies heavily on the Open Access model, which serves as a fundamental enabler of Open Science. We advocate for the wider adoption of Open Science practices in order to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
Impactful Research
Presenting at the 1st International Conference of Environmental Medicine
In September, MDPI and our journals IJERPH and Diseases sponsored and participated in the 1st International Conference of Environmental Medicine: Environmental Threats to Human Health: From Genetics to Epigenetics, held in Chieti, Italy.
The conference was organized in collaboration with various societies, including the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA), one of more than 160 societies partnering MDPI journals.
The conference brought together influential figures from the Italian scholarly community, such as Antonio Felice Uricchio (President of the National Agency for University Research Assessment [ANVUR]), Alessandro Miani (President of SIMA), and Liborio Stuppia (Director of ‘Gabriele d’Annunzio’ University of Chieti-Pescara), among others.
MDPI was the sole publishing sponsor of the conference, at which I had the opportunity to present on behalf of the company. I provided an overview of MDPI, covering key facts and figures, the peer-review process, our strong collaboration with the Italian market, and insights into Nobel Prize winners who have published with MDPI, ahead of Sir Richard Roberts’ Nobel lecture.
“As at September 2024, 44 Nobel laureates have contributed to over 115 articles across 35 MDPI journals”
The keynote speaker at the event was Sir Richard Roberts, Nobel Laureate and 1993 Nobel Prize winner in Medicine, recognized for his discovery of split genes.
Nobel Laureates’ Contributions to MDPI
As at September 2024, 44 Nobel laureates have contributed to over 115 articles across 35 MDPI journals. I’ll share more details on this in the October newsletter.
Hosting such prominent figures in their respective fields, who play a significant role in advancing the OA movement, of which we are leaders in, resonates deeply with our editorial teams.
Sponsoring and supporting academic conferences is something we do on a large scale, and it continues to grow. Attending and speaking about MDPI shows our commitment by taking the time to connect with the scholarly community in person.
MDPI’s Presence in Italy
Italy ranks third globally in total MDPI publications, with nearly 130,000 contributions. We collaborate with about 12,000 Editorial Board Members in Italy, over 6,100 of whom have an H-index of more than 25.
We have 83 Editors-in-Chief and 209 Section Editors-in-Chief from Italy. We also support 20 Italian universities through our Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) agreements with major institutions such as Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Milan, and the University of Pisa, among others.
Inside MDPI
Celebrating Peer Review Week, 23–27 September 2024
As we conclude another productive month at MDPI, I am pleased to highlight our participation in this year’s Peer Review Week (PRW), which took place from 23–27 September 2024. This global, community-driven celebration underscores the vital importance of peer review in maintaining the integrity and reliability of academic work. PRW provide a platform for institutions, publishers, and scholars to come together and reflect on the processes that uphold the quality of scholarly communication.
“We remain committed to enhancing the peer review process”
The theme for PRW 2024 was ‘Innovation and Technology in Peer Review.’ At MDPI, we were proud to contribute through various online and in-person events, including webinars from Europe, Asia-Pacific, and a roundtable discussion on innovation and technology in peer review. These events offer an opportunity to explore new tools and technologies that are shaping the future of peer review, particularly the integration of AI. As a company, we remain committed to enhancing the peer review process with innovative solutions while preserving the essential human expertise that makes it effective.
Peer Review Innovation and Technology at MDPI
Our efforts to improve peer review extend beyond the activities of this week. We also released a blog article discussing New Tools for Advancing Research Integrity and Peer Review, where we highlight two tools that MDPI has developed to support research integrity: Eureka – Reviewer Recommender and Online Proofreader. We are continually refining SuSy, our in-house submission system, to provide a seamless experience for authors and reviewers alike.
Listening to MDPI’s Authors and Reviewers
We highly value the time of our reviewers, and so do the authors who contribute to our journals. Our editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of over 6,000 diligent, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform designed to ensure efficient processes.
We make it a point to continually improve the experiences of both our authors and our reviewers throughout the entire editorial process, from submission to publication. This is why we regularly ask for feedback by conducting surveys. Here is what some of our respondents recently had to say about working with MDPI:
Coming Together for Science
ICM 2024 – Advances in Material Innovation
I am pleased to share that we held The 5th International Conference on Materials: Advances in Material Innovation (ICM 2024) in Basel, Switzerland this past 25–27 September.
This intimate event brought together leading scientists, researchers, and industry experts to exchange insights on recent advancements in materials characterization, processing, and manufacturing. Key focus areas included nanotechnology in material sciences and engineering, optical, electrical, and magnetic materials, soft, biological, and biomaterials, fibres, membranes, thin films, sensing materials, as well as materials and devices for energy and solar fuels. In addition, discussions featured the integration of AI and machine learning in materials research.
We received 90 abstract submissions. Over the course of the three-day event, 18 posters were displayed, and 34 talks were delivered, including three plenary speeches, seven invited talks, and 24 selected oral presentations.
A special thank-you to our partnering societies The Polish Membrane Society and The North American Thermal Analysis Society, as well as our sponsor, Nanomegas, for their support of the ICM conference. I am also pleased to share that we presented three awards, including the Best Presentation Award and two Best Poster Awards, recognizing the outstanding contributions of our participants.
Upcoming In-Person Event
7–9 October 2024
Non-coding RNA World 2024: Exploring Mechanisms, Designing Medicines
Location: Basel, Switzerland
ncRNA 2024 will explore the latest advances in the field, covering topics from basic biology to medical and technological applications.
Find more upcoming MDPI events here.
Closing Thoughts
Reflections from OASPA 2024 Conference in Lisbon (16–18 September)
Amidst my September travels, I also had pleasure of attending the OASPA 2024 Conference in Lisbon from 16–18 September. It’s the first in-person Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) event in five years, and being in the sunny city of Lisbon made it even better! MDPI has long been a member of OASPA, and attending this conference gave us an opportunity to connect with other key members of the organization to see the latest developments in the OA movement.
“I believe that publishers have a lot to offer in terms of data and insights”
Main Themes from OASPA 2024
The main themes covered were equity and inclusivity, diamond OA, AI and openness, OA books, research integrity, and how OA can address broader societal challenges such as climate change. While it was great to see the latest developments in these areas, it was also clear that certain voices were missing, particularly those of major publishers. Although it’s not easy to incorporate every perspective, I believe that publishers, including MDPI, have a lot to offer in terms of data and insights. During the membership meeting, a few of us raised the point that large-scale publisher input could add value to these discussions.
It’s important to participate in industry conferences such as OASPA in order to be part of the discussions and remain at the forefront of the OA movement.
It’s an opportunity to build meaningful relationships with organizations that share our commitment to OA.
While sponsorship is one way to show our support, it’s clear that being part of the conversation through participating in the OASPA groups and committee is what really makes a difference.
It took the last 20 years for more than 50% of the world's research to be published via open access. This provides a sobering reminder that flipping the remaining 50% will be a big challenge.
An important takeaway for me was that there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution for OA challenges: different regions and different stakeholders need different forms of support, whether it is infrastructure, funding, education, or policy, for example. I also enjoyed Rebecca Ross' presentation on how OA can drive action on climate. A few panellists shared the need for transparency in the peer-review process, advocating for open review reports, which is something we have been offering since 2014.
Speaking of openness, we are excited to celebrate Open Access Week 2024 with the scholarly community from 21–27 October. I look forward to sharing a recap of our activities in the next newsletter.
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
29 September 2024
MDPI New Journal Proposal—Invitation to Shape the Future of Open Science Together
27 September 2024
MDPI’s 2023 Travel Awards—Winners Announced
23 September 2024
Meet Us at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting 2024, 9–13 December 2024, Washington, D.C., USA
19 September 2024
Meet Us at the 23rd International Conference “Life Sciences for Sustainable Development”, 26–28 September 2024, Cluj, Romania
14 September 2024
Sustainability Webinar | Insights from the 2023 Sustainability Carbon Neutrality Award Winners, 26 September 2024
We are pleased to invite you to the Sustainability 2023 Carbon Neutrality Award Ceremony, which will be held online at 6:00 PM CST on September 26, 2024.
The Sustainability 2023 Carbon Neutrality Award was established in 2022 to recognize scholars who have made unique and outstanding contributions, both academically and societally, to carbon neutrality or related issues.
During the ceremony, we will have the opportunity to learn more about the two award winners and hear their presentations on their latest groundbreaking research pertaining to carbon neutrality.
Date: 26 September 2024 at 12.00 p.m. CEST | 6:00 a.m. EDT | 6:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 833 6873 7175
Sustainability Carbon Neutrality Award
Sponsored by the MDPI journal Sustainability, this award recognizes applicants who have made exceptional academic or societal contributions to carbon neutrality, either in general or in relation to a specific carbon-neutrality-related issue.
Additionally, we are pleased to announce that Sustainability is now inviting applicants for the Sustainability 2024 Carbon Neutrality Award. All applications will be assessed by an Evaluation Committee led by our Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Marc A. Rosen.
More information can be read here: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/awards/2912.
Register now for free!
|
Speaker/Presentation |
Time in CEST |
Time in CST Asia |
|
MDPI Introduction |
12:00–12:10 p.m. |
6:00–6:10 p.m. |
|
Dr. Monica Louise Trivino |
12:10–12:40 p.m. |
6:10–6:40 p.m. |
|
Dr. Rui Jing |
12:40–1:10 p.m. |
6:40–7:10 p.m. |
|
Q&A Session |
1:10–1:40 p.m. |
7:10–7:40 p.m. |
|
Closing of Webinar |
1:40–1:45 p.m. |
7:40–7:45 p.m. |
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will inform you when the recording is available.
Keynote Speakers:
- Dr. Monica Louise Trivino, Technology Innovation Institute—Renewable and Sustainable Energy Research Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates;
- Dr. Rui Jing, College of Energy, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
13 September 2024
Sustainability Webinar | Smart Transportation and Urban Planning for the Underserved, 18 September 2024
This webinar will explore the latest research on transportation challenges in urban and rural settings, particularly for underserved populations. It will also offer insights on the future of transportation planning in urban and rural landscapes, from enhancing safety to reducing emissions to improving equitable access across diverse demographics. Attendees will be introduced to interdisciplinary, community engagement strategies for practical applications of smart transportation. We hope to facilitate a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in creating inclusive, resilient, and sustainable transportation systems that serve the needs of all populations.
Date: 18 September 2024
Time: 11:00 p.m. CEST | 5:00 p.m. EDT | 5:00 a.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 816 2276 3912
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Webinar Announcement: https://sciforum.net/event/Sustainability-12
Register now for free!
| Speaker/Presentation | Time in CEST | Time in EDT |
| Prof. Dr. Wei Li Chair Introduction Autonomous Vehicles for Small Towns |
11:00 p.m.–11:30 p.m. | 5:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. |
| Prof. Dr. Xinyue Ye Enhancing Urban Navigation with Real-Time Weather Data Integration |
11:30 p.m.–11:50 p.m. | 5:30 p.m.–5:50 p.m. |
| Prof. Dr. Tara Goddard Let’s Be Smart (Cities) about Evacuation Planning: Open Questions and Research Needs |
11:50 p.m.–12:10 a.m. | 5:50 p.m.–6:10 p.m. |
| Q&A Session | 12:10 a.m.–12:20 a.m. | 6:10 p.m.–6:20 p.m. |
| Prof. Dr. Wei Li Concluding Remarks |
12:25 a.m.–12:30 a.m. | 6:20 p.m.–6:30 p.m. |
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic or institutional email addresses will be prioritized.
Unable to attend? Feel free to still register; we will inform you when the recording is available.
Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:
- Prof. Dr. Wei Li, Texas A&M University, USA;
- Prof. Dr. Xinyue Ye, Texas A&M University, USA;
- Prof. Dr. Tara Goddard, Texas A&M University, USA.
Relevant Special Issue:
“Smart Planning, Urban Transportation and Sustainability”
Guest Editor: Dr. Wei Li
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2024
12 September 2024
Meet Us at the British Ecological Society Annual Meeting 2024 (BES 2024), 10–13 December 2024, Liverpool, UK
