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Announcements
22 October 2025
Meet Us at the 12th World Sustainability Forum, 21–24 August 2026, Hong Kong, China
We would like to invite you to attend the 12th World Sustainability Forum, organized by MDPI’s Sustainability journal (ISSN: 2071-1050, IF 3.3), which will take place from 21 to 24 August 2026, in Hong Kong, China.
Conference Chair:
- Prof. Dr. Vivien Lu, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
- Prof. Dr. Weiqi Zhou, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Prof. Dr. Mark A. Bonn, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA.
Honorary Chair:
- Prof. Dr. Max Bergman, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Topics of interest:
S1. Emerging Technologies and Integrated Solutions for Sustainable, Resilient Cities and Planet;
S2. Resilient Urban Energy Infrastructure;
S3. Sustainability Education and Innovative Approaches;
S4. Climate Change and Socio-Ecological Systems;
S5. Sustainable Urban Landscapes and Low-Carbon Mobility;
S6. Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency;
S7. Renewable Energy and Smart Grids;
S8. Policy Frameworks for Equitable Green Transitions;
S9. Sustainable Economic Models and Green Finance;
S10. Tourism, Culture, Heritage and Hospitality: Global Strategies for a Sustainable Future;
S11. Inclusive Strategies for Water Quality Improvement, Ecological Restoration and Water Resource Management.
Important dates:
Abstract submission deadline: 29 May 2026;
Abstract acceptance notification: 16 June 2026.
Guide for authors:
To submit your abstract, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1460.
To register for the event, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/WSF-12?section=#registration
For details regarding the submission of abstracts, posters, and slides and publication opportunities, you may refer to the “Instructions for Authors” section: https://sciforum.net/event/WSF-12?subscribe§ion=#instructions.
For any enquiries regarding this event, please contact: wsf12@mdpi.com.
We look forward to seeing you at the 12th World Sustainability Forum.
5 June 2026
MDPI Canada | Summary of the MDPI Subject Workshop—Crossing Boundaries: Transdisciplinarity in the Humanities
On 23 May 2026, MDPI Canada hosted their third North American subject workshop entitled “Crossing Boundaries: Transdisciplinarity in the Humanities”. This event brought together nearly 30 students and experts in the field of humanities to explore innovative, cross-disciplinary research shaping the future of the field. This meeting, held at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, located in downtown Toronto, provided a platform for in-depth scientific exchange.
Our workshop host, Summer Huggard, Operations Manager of MDPI Canada, opened the event with an introduction to our conference chair, Prof. Dr. Albrecht Classen of the University of Arizona. Prof. Dr. Classen welcomed our attendees to the event, outlining three subtopics of the workshop: AI and data in the humanities; environmental humanities; and humanities, literature, and identity. These topics emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing the direction of the humanities in our rapidly changing world. MDPI Canada’s Operating Director, Elvis Wang, then thanked all contributors and spoke about MDPI’s core principles of transparency, trusted service, integrity, and role in promoting excellence and advancing open science.
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The day’s presentations were full of exciting discussion as eleven speakers spoke about their research findings. These eleven presenters included Dr. Michael Bryson, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Elgammal, Prof. Dr. Avi Friedman, Prof. Dr. Nancy S. Steinhardt, Prof. Dr. Tom Roeper, Prof. Dr. Salikoko S. Mufwene, Dr. Lindsay Stern, Prof. Dr. Jeffrey R. Di Leo, Prof. Dr. Albrecht Classen, Dr. Ronald B. Brown, and Dr. Robert Brazeau.
The reports given covered many interesting topics, including the following: AI and data in the humanities; environmental humanities; and humanities, literature, and identity. The talks covered hot topics such as the state of the humanities with the growing prevalence of AI, architecture and urban planning as a tool to understand globalization and exercise habits, the critical role of literature studies in language development, and environmental and health studies.
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The second half of the day began with presentations covering the value of the humanities from a philosophical lens, literature and health study to analyze environmental protection, and concluded with an in-depth analysis of the new interconnected approach to human health studies post-pandemic.Dr. Barnaby Crook, Regional Engagement Editor at MDPI, introduced MDPI, market dynamics, and discussed relevant publishing trends in the humanities field. His presentation allowed audience members to gain greater insight into how MDPI’s journals can support researchers whose work falls within this subject and provided transparency regarding MDPI’s practices.
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During the day’s proceedings, multiple Q&A sessions were held, allowing valuable engagement between speakers and attendees to occur. During these discussions, attendees could further develop conversations around addressing the influence of culture on human health, the effect of politics on environmental care, the benefits of open access publishing, and more. These sessions were a highlight of the event and helped build a platform for meaningful scientific exchange.
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Looking Ahead
The MDPI 2026 Toronto Subject Workshop Crossing Boundaries: Transdisciplinarity in the Humanities was a successful collaboration between MDPI and local academics. We are thankful to all attendees for their part in making this event possible and for contributing to its success.
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We have received positive feedback regarding this event and look forward to continuing to host these subject workshops, with the next being the Montreal Subject Workshop “Microelectronics, Microsystems, Sensors, and Their Applications” in September. For more updates regarding this event and other upcoming workshops, follow MDPI Canada on LinkedIn and Facebook.
4 June 2026
Open Access, Broadly Recognized: 363 MDPI Journals Receive CiteScores for 2025
The 2025 CiteScore metrics have been officially released by Scopus, and the results confirm what has become a consistent pattern for MDPI's journal portfolio: broad recognition across disciplines, steady improvement across the majority of ranked titles, and a growing presence at the top of subject category rankings.
CiteScore, published annually by Elsevier's Scopus database, measures the average citations received by articles published in a journal over a four-year window. As a complement to the Journal Impact Factor, which uses a two-year window based on the Web of Science database, CiteScore provides an alternative, long-term perspective on citation performance.
The 365 MDPI journals in Scopus (as of May 2026) are indexed across a wide range of subject categories, ensuring that open access research remains highly discoverable to a global readership through one of the most widely used platforms in academic publishing.
Data Summary (2025 CiteScores)
- New Additions: 41 MDPI journals received a CiteScore for the first time.
- Trending Upward: 234 of 322 previously ranked journals (73%) saw an increase in their CiteScore compared to last year.
- High Visibility: 314 journals (86%) rank in Q1 or Q2 in at least one subject category.
- Elite Performance: 42 journals rank in the top 10% of their subject categories.
Portfolio Performance
Among the 322 journals that held a CiteScore in 2024, 234 saw an increase this year. Quartile improvements outnumbered declines across the portfolio, with 52 journals moving to a higher quartile and only 20 seeing a decline. Furthermore, no previously ranked journals were removed. The 42 journals now ranked in the top 10% of their subject categories are drawn from a strong foundation of 178 journals holding a Q1 position.
With the large majority of our indexed portfolio ranked in the top half of research fields, researchers can confidently choose MDPI to meet funder mandates for high-quality, fully compliant Open Access publishing.
Exceptional Achievements for Foods and Life
Notably, both Foods and Life achieved a 99th percentile ranking in their respective subject categories for the 2025 CiteScores. This outstanding placement positions them as leading journals in their fields and highlights the high visibility and global impact of the open access research they publish.
Journal Metrics and Beyond
Journal-level metrics describe outlets, not individual articles. An increasing number of funders and institutions—including signatories of DORA and the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment—now explicitly encourage evaluation at the article level rather than by the journal in which research appears. MDPI supports this direction: we report CiteScore alongside the Journal Impact Factor, Journal Citation Indicator, and article-level usage data because no single number captures the full reach and contribution of published research.
Thank You
These results reflect the sustained effort of thousands of editors-in-chief, editorial board members, reviewers, and authors across every field MDPI serves. The metrics are the outcome; the work is yours.
1 June 2026
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO’s Letter #35 – 30 Years of Open Science, Open Access Policies, Spain Summit, MMCS 2026 & Antibiotics 2026
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

30 Years of Open Science, Built Together
This month, we officially launched MDPI’s 30th Anniversary campaign and dedicated anniversary website, marking an important milestone in our journey as an open access publisher. What began in 1996 with a single journal and the simple belief that scientific knowledge should be shared openly and freely has grown into a global publishing organization supporting more than 500 journals, 68,000 Editorial Board Members, and millions of researchers worldwide.
The anniversary page, entitled 30 Years of Open Science, Built Together, reflects on the people, milestones, and partnerships that have shaped MDPI over the past three decades. It includes a retrospective of our development, key moments in the evolution of open access, landmark research articles, journal anniversaries, an interview with the CEO, and perspectives from colleagues and partners who have contributed to our success.

Looking back, one of the most striking aspects of our journey is not simply our growth, but the broader transformation of scholarly publishing itself.
Open access has moved from a niche concept to a widely adopted publishing model, helping make research more accessible, discoverable, and impactful for researchers, institutions, policymakers, and society.
MDPI has been part of this transition and continues to invest in the people, technology, partnerships, and research integrity infrastructure needed to support high-quality open science at scale.
While anniversaries naturally encourage reflection, they are also an opportunity to look ahead. The challenges facing scholarly publishing today, including research integrity, artificial intelligence, accessibility, and global participation in science, will require continued collaboration across the research ecosystem. As we celebrate 30 years of publishing, our focus remains on supporting researchers, strengthening trust in open science, and helping shape the future of scholarly communication together.
I encourage you to visit the anniversary page, explore the milestones, and take a moment to reflect on the role each of us has played in contributing to MDPI’s story.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
Impactful Research

Highlights from MMCS 2026 in Beijing (14-17 May)
From 14–17 May, MDPI hosted The 5th Molecules Medicinal Chemistry Symposium (MMCS 2026) in Beijing, China, bringing together academia and industry to explore advances in chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, and drug discovery.
The conference hosted more than 230 attendees from 37 countries and regions, alongside 257 submissions and 145 accepted abstracts. With a significant increase in attendance – up by 100 participants compared with the previous edition – the popularity of MMCS continues to grow in terms of its international profile and scientific relevance within this rapidly evolving field.

The scientific program covered seven themes:
- Chemical Biology for Drug Discovery
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Progress
- Natural Products in Drug Discovery
- AI-enabled Drug Discovery
- GPCR & Ion Channel Targeted Drug Development
- Innovative Proximity-Based Drug Modalities
- Biocatalysis for Natural Product & Drug Synthesis
The event featured three plenary speakers, 14 keynote speakers, 35 selected oral presentations, and 98 poster presentations, creating opportunities for open scientific exchange and collaboration. Conference Chair Prof. Dr. Diego Muñoz-Torrero described this edition as one of the most successful MMCS events to date.
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Thanks to our Sponsors
MMCS 2026 secured sponsorship support from 12 industrial partners, 11 of which set up on-site exhibition booths. Covering biopharmaceutical R&D, life science supplies, pharmaceutical experimental instruments, and industrial service sectors, exhibitors were able to connect their businesses directly with attendees and make connections at the conference.

30th Anniversary Celebration of Molecules
During the conference, we also celebrated the 30th anniversary of Molecules, one of MDPI’s flagship journals. The celebration brought together Section Editors-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, MDPI leadership, and editorial colleagues to reflect on the journal’s development, achievements, and continued future growth.

Events such as MMCS 2026 highlight the important role conferences play in creating scientific exchange and collaboration, and in connecting our research communities in person.
They also reflect the continued development of MDPI’s conference portfolio and our commitment to supporting academic engagement beyond publishing alone. Thanks to everyone involved in organizing and contributing to the success of this event.
Inside MDPI

Open Access Policies Continue to Accelerate Globally
One of the clearest indicators of the continued momentum behind open access is the growing number of national and institutional policies supporting, and increasingly requiring, open dissemination of research.
Around the world, governments, funding agencies, and universities are building their open access mandates, with increasing focus on transparency, rights retention, and public accessibility of publicly funded research. While these policies vary across regions, the broader direction is clear: expectations around openness and compliance continue to accelerate.
For researchers, navigating these evolving requirements can be complex and time-consuming. Supporting the research community therefore means not only publishing high-quality open access content but also helping stakeholders better understand changing requirements and emerging opportunities. At MDPI, we see this as an important part of our role within scholarly communication.
“Expectations around openness and compliance continue to accelerate”
Through the MDPI Blog, our Content team continues to publish monthly articles overviewing different countries’ relationships with open access, exploring their histories, policies, opportunities, and statistics. All this information is centralized into an article which contains brief summaries of each country, with links to all the full articles, and is updated monthly.
Recent Policy Developments
South Africa
In 2026, South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation introduced the South African Open Science Policy. The policy states that: “Open access shall be required for publications arising from publicly funded research, and desirable for research from all sources of funding.”
The policy envisions a coordinated and broad approach to open science that will sustainably and ethically drive socio-economic development by increasing the practice of open science through policy, training, incentivization, and infrastructure.
Canada
In Canada, the Tri-Agency OA Policy on Publications was revised, removing the 12-month embargo for research that must be deposited in a repository with an open license and with author rights retained.
The Agencies argue that “societal advancement is made possible through widespread and barrier-free access to cutting-edge research and knowledge.”
Chile
Chile is a collaborative and engaged member of the global open access movement.
The National Research and Development Agency (Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, or ANID) is Chile’s main funding agency for R&D. It mandates that all beneficiaries must deposit the final version of their published scientific output, with an embargo period of up to 12 months, into a repository.
ANID also supports the InES Open Science funding program, which allows universities to request funding for capacity and infrastructure building. Further, Chile is an active participant in various international initiatives, such as Redalyc, SciELO, and Red de Repositorios Latinoamericanos.
Openness Beyond Research
At MDPI, openness remains one of our core values, ensuring that research outputs are freely accessible to anyone. This commitment also extends to sharing knowledge about the scholarly publishing landscape itself, which we practice on the MDPI Blog through various topics, including open access, recent advances in science, and opportunities for researchers.
As the open access landscape continues to evolve, helping researchers, institutions, editors, and partners navigate these changes will remain an important priority for us.

Thank You
I would like to thank Jack McKenna (Senior Content Specialist, MDPI) from our Content team for his ongoing work on the MDPI Blog series covering global open access policy developments. Initiatives such as this help make complex policy discussions more accessible and useful to the wider research community.
Coming Together for Science

Reflections from the MDPI Spain Summit 2026 in Valencia (21 May)

On 21 May, we hosted the MDPI Spain Summit 2026 in Valencia.
The Summit brought together 30 Editorial Board Members and MDPI colleagues for a discussions on the future of publishing, research integrity, peer review, artificial intelligence, and the evolving research landscape in Spain.
We hosted participants from leading Spanish institutions and spoke on the importance of Spain as a major contributor to global open access (OA) research. In 2025 alone, Spain ranked among the leading countries worldwide for OA publishing, with more than 85% of publications made openly accessible. MDPI also continues to play a significant role within the Spanish research ecosystem.
MDPI in Spain
Spain remains one of MDPI's most important academic markets and a leading contributor to OA research globally. Ever since our Barcelona office opened in 2016 (Happy 10th Anniversary!), MDPI Spain has been actively supporting researchers, institutions, societies, and academic partners across the country. Today, the office plays an important role in creating engagement with the Spanish scholarly community through editorial support, partnerships, conferences, training initiatives, and outreach activities.
A cluster of high-level indicators highlight both the strength of the local research ecosystem and MDPI’s role within it:
- 43,218 total publications in Spain in 2025, of which 35,728 (83%) were open access (49% Gold OA).
- 211,200+ total publications (2021–2025), with 84% published open access.
- 13,444 MDPI publications from Spanish institutions in 2025, representing 14% of all open access publications in Spain.
- More than115,100 MDPI publications from Spanish institutions since 1996.
- More than 4,500 Editorial Board Members from Spain, including more than 150 Chief Editors and 57 Associate Editors.
- 42 institutional partners participating in MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP).
- Spain ranks second globally for MDPI society affiliations, with 26 affiliated society agreements currently in place.
Program Overview
What made this summit special was the openness of the discussions around the research landscape in Spain and the role MDPI plays within the market. General topics of the presentations included:
- MDPI Introduction – Stefan Tochev (CEO).
- Engagement with the Academic Community – Dr. Marta Colomer (External Affairs Lead).
- Latest Developments in the Editorial Process – Dr. Jordi Martinez (Deputy Managing Editor).
- Research integrity and Publication Ethics – Slavomir Nikodijevic (Research Integrity Specialist).
- A 360 View of Academic Publishing – Prof. Dr. Luis Angel Ruiz Fernandez (EBM of Remote Sensing).
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Panel Discussion
We also hosted a panel discussion moderated by Marta, entitled “The Future of Academic Publishing” with Prof. Luis Ruiz, Prof. Marta Feliz (EBM of the journal Catalysts), Dr. Enric Sayas (Product Owner, AI & Technology Innovation), and myself. The discussion looked at the evolving role of editors, the future of peer review, and the growing importance of maintaining trust, ethics, and research integrity in an era increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence.
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Themes from the Summit
Several themes emerged throughout the discussions, reflecting broader conversations taking place across publishing:
- The academic community values efficient publishing workflows, but expectations around scientific quality and editorial rigor continue to rise.
- Reviewer fatigue and long-term sustainability of peer review remain major challenges across the industry.
- AI is rapidly changing scholarly communication and requires transparent and responsible governance.
- Reputation and trust continue to depend on long-term engagement, transparency, and quality-focused decision-making.
“Maintaining an open dialogue with researchers, editors, reviewers, and institutions remains a priority for MDPI”
It was constructive to see the willingness of participants to engage directly and candidly with us. These conversations provide insights that help inform how we continue to develop our editorial processes, engagement activities, and support for the research community. While certain discussions included concerns, there was also recognition that open dialogue between publishers and the research community is essential if we want to improve scholarly communication together.
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Events such as this are increasingly important for MDPI. They allow us to present our perspective, to listen to the experiences, expectations, and concerns of editors, reviewers, and researchers, and to address these accordingly.
Thank You
Thank you to our Barcelona Office and all colleagues involved in organizing the summit, as well as all participants for contributing to these thoughtful and constructive discussions.
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As publishing continues to evolve, maintaining an open dialogue with researchers, editors, reviewers, and institutions remains an important priority for MDPI. Events such as the Spain Summit play an important role in helping us to build relationships, foster trust, and better understand the needs of our community.
Closing Thoughts

Highlights from Antibiotics 2026 in Barcelona (11–14 May)
This week, MDPI hosted the Antibiotics 2026 — Advances in Antimicrobial Action and Resistance conference in Barcelona, bringing together academics and industry experts to discuss one of the most important scientific and public health challenges of our time: antimicrobial resistance.
The conference welcomed 145 attendees from 42 different countries and territories, alongside 265 submissions and 127 accepted abstracts, showing the international reach of the event and the strong scientific interest in this rapidly evolving field.

Scientific Exchange on a Global Challenge
Antimicrobial resistance continues to be a global concern, creating collaboration across disciplines, institutions, and regions. The conference program focused on a range of topics including:
- Antimicrobial resistance mechanisms
- One Health approaches to antimicrobial stewardship
- Discovery of novel antimicrobial agents
- Innovation in clinical strategies and treatment approaches
- Ethnopharmacology and emerging therapies
Through keynote plenaries, invited lectures, oral presentations, and poster sessions, the conference created a platform for dialogue and scientific exchange.
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International Participation and Collaboration
One of the highlights of the event was the diversity of participation across both geography and expertise. Researchers and speakers from Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Latin America took part in discussions throughout the conference, highlighting the global nature of both the challenge and the scientific response.
The scientific program included:
- 2 keynote speakers
- 10 invited speakers
- 36 selected talks
- 78 posters
The conference brought together perspectives from academia, healthcare, and industry, helping facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration around future approaches to antimicrobial research and resistance management.
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The Role of Conferences in Scholarly Communication
Conferences are an important platform for collaboration, scientific exchange, and community-building. Events such as Antibiotics 2026 show the value of bringing researchers together in person to discuss emerging challenges, share new findings, and strengthen international networks across disciplines and regions.

Thank You
I would like to thank the conference chairs, speakers, participants, sponsors, and the entire MDPI conference team for their work in making this event a success. The engagement and positive feedback from attendees highlight the importance of our events in addressing some of the most pressing scientific challenges facing society today.

Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
28 May 2026
MDPI Webinar | World Environment Day, 5 June 2026
World Environment Day is celebrated annually in June and encourages awareness and action for the protection of the environment. To contribute to the fight against climate change, MDPI will be holding a webinar in conjunction, in line with 2026’s theme, “A Global Call for Climate Action”, whereby the United Nations Environment Program’s global campaign calls on all of us to step in #NowForClimate and steer a world already in motion.
Register now and join us!
Date: 5 June 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. CEST | 6:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 857 7303 7011
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Register now for free!
Program:
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Speaker/Presentation |
Time in CEST |
Time in CST Asia |
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Host – Natasa Miladinovic |
12:00–12:05 p.m. |
6:00–6:05 p.m. |
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Dr. Chiara Martino |
12:05–12:25 p.m. |
6:05–6:25 p.m. |
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Prof. Dr. Bruce Glavovic |
12:25–12:45 p.m. |
6:25–6:45 p.m. |
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Q&A Session |
12:45–12:55 p.m. |
6:45–6:55 p.m. |
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Host – Natasa Miladinovic |
12:55–1:00 p.m. |
6:55–7:00 p.m. |
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email outlining 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 is available to watch.
Webinar Chairs and Keynote Speakers:
- Dr. Chiara Martino, Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Italy;
- Prof. Dr. Bruce Glavovic, Resource and Environmental Planning Programme, Massey University, New Zealand.
Related Special Issues:
“Drought Risk and Human Vulnerability Under Climate Change: Assessment Frameworks for Water Security and SDGs”
Guest Editors: Dr. João Filipe Santos and Dr. Miguel Potes
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2026
“Renewable Energy and Nearly-Zero Emissions Energy Systems”
Guest Editors: Dr. Nikolaos Sifakis, Dr. Nikolaos Savvakis and Dr. George Arampatzis
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 September 2026
“Air Pollution and Sustainability”
Guest Editor: Dr. Pallav Purohit
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 8 September 2026
“Sustainable Development Pathways and Climate Actions”
Guest Editor: Dr. Md Saidul Islam
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026
Related Journal Cluster:
MDPI’s Journal Cluster of Environmental Sciences
MDPI journals offer a wide range of open access platforms for environmental science researchers to reach their target audience. From broad, wide-reaching mega-journals like Sustainability to more specific, targeted journals like Waste and Aerobiology, we strive to cater to the publishing needs of scientists working across different environmental disciplines.
27 May 2026
Sustainability Webinar | Pathways to a Plastic-Smart and Sustainable Future: Innovations in Monitoring, Mitigation, and Resource Recovery, 17 June 2026
The webinar “Pathways to a Plastic-Smart and Sustainable Future: Innovations in Monitoring, Mitigation, and Resource Recovery” aims to strengthen scientific understanding and promote practical strategies that reduce microplastic contamination and its impact on marine environments. This webinar will feature two presentations that highlight both environmental implications of plastics and emerging resource recovery solutions.
We warmly encourage scientists and researchers to attend this event to enhance discussion, exchange ideas, and raise questions that can help shape the direction of research related on plastics. Your engagement is essential in driving collaborative, interdisciplinary solutions toward a plastic-smart future.
Date: 17 June 2026 at 11 a.m. CEST | 5 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 892 2604 3802
Register now for free!
Program:
| Speaker/Presentation | Time in CEST | Time in CST Asia |
| Dr. Ionut Alexandru Spanu Journal Introduction & Overview of Submission Process |
11:00–11:10 a.m. | 5:00–5:10 p.m. |
| Dr. Layla Hazeem Webinar Opening & Relevant Special Issue Introduction |
11:10–11:15 a.m. | 5:10–5:15 p.m. |
| Prof. Richard Lampitt Changes to Particulate Plastics Over Time in the Natural Environment and the Harms to Ecosystem Structure and Function |
11:15–11:40 a.m. | 5:15–5:40 p.m. |
| Prof. Rabah Boukherroub Upcycling Plastic Waste into Advanced Materials and Fuels |
11:40–12:05 p.m. | 5:40–6:05 p.m. |
| Q&A Session | 12:05–12:25 p.m. | 6:05–6:25 p.m. |
| Dr. Layla Hazeem Closing of Webinar |
12:25–12:30 p.m. | 6:25–6:30 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 let you know when the recording is available to watch.
Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:
- Dr. Layla Hazeem, University of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bahrain;
- Prof. Richard Lampitt, National Oceanography Centre, UK;
- Prof. Rabah Boukherroub, Université Lille, France.
Relevant Special Issue:
“Advancing Marine Ecosystem Sustainability Through Microplastic Pollution Mitigation”
Guest Editors: Layla Hazeem, Abdulkarim Hasan Rashed and Suad Ahmed Rashdan
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 6 January 2027
25 May 2026
Interview with Dr. Cariny Polesca—Winner of the Sustainability Travel Award
1. Congratulations on winning the Sustainability 2026 Travel Award! Could you briefly introduce yourself and explain your research to someone with a limited scientific background?
Thank you very much! I am truly honoured and happy to receive this award.
My name is Cariny, I am from Brazil, and I have a background in chemical engineering. I am a Research Associate at the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London under the supervision of Prof. Jason Hallett. My research focuses on recovering high-value compounds from different types of biomass and industrial waste and using these compounds to develop biomaterials for different types of applications, including biomedical applications, wastewater treatment and food packaging. To make these processes more sustainable, I work with ionic liquids, which are alternative and greener solvents that can be designed for specific applications by selecting different cations and anions, resulting in different properties and costs. These solvents have low volatility and, at the end of the process, can be recovered and reused, making the overall process more cost-effective and sustainable.
2. When and how did you first learn about the journal Sustainability? What was your motivation to apply for our 2026 Travel Award?
I have read some papers related to my research area published in the journal, and while exploring the journal’s website, I found out about the Travel Award. I became interested because this award is a good opportunity to support young researchers in attending international conferences. And to be honest, I had applied previously, so this year I decided to apply again. My main motivation was the opportunity to share my research with the scientific community, establish new collaborations, and keep learning.
3. What was the biggest challenge you encountered during your research? How did you overcome it?
I believe the biggest challenge during my research was developing a multidisciplinary PhD thesis. During my PhD, I was introduced to ionic liquids and their use for protein recovery, which was initially very connected to chemical engineering and separation processes. Then, after optimising the process and characterising the recovered protein, I started developing different biomaterials for several applications, with a special focus on biomedical applications. At that point, my research expanded far beyond my original background and moved more into materials science and biotechnology. I needed to learn new concepts and processes, and started collaborating with different research groups, especially to perform biological tests on the biomaterials. In the beginning, this made me quite anxious because there was so much to learn. However, looking back now, I can say it was one of the best things that happened to me in my academic journey. I accepted the challenge, trusted the process, and developed an interest in each area I worked in. More importantly, I learned how valuable collaboration is and how to work with people from different backgrounds and countries.
4. Which conference do you plan to attend with this funding, and what aspect of your research are you most looking forward to sharing at the conference?
With this funding, I will attend the RRB 2026 in Belgium next month, where I will present two research projects that are very important to my academic journey. The first project is related to my current work at Imperial College. In this work, I have used ionic liquids to valorise lignocellulosic biomass, obtaining high-purity cellulose pulp and lignin without volatile organic solvents, thereby contributing to the development of a simpler and more sustainable process for scale-up and subsequent processing. The second project is related to my PhD and focuses on the use of ionic liquids for dissolving chicken feathers and developing 3D-printed keratin-based scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.
5. Which emerging trends or key research topics in your field do you believe will be of most interest to your research community in the coming years?
I believe that one of the most important research topics in my field will be the development and scale-up of sustainable and circular biorefinery processes for biomass and waste valorisation. This is becoming increasingly important due to the environmental challenges associated with fossil resources and the global need to reduce dependence on petroleum-based processes, chemicals and materials.
6. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?
My main advice would be to stay curious and to not be afraid of stepping outside your comfort zone. During my academic journey, I moved from Brazil to Portugal, worked as a Visiting PhD student in Italy and the UK, and now I have been working in the UK since February 2025. These experiences helped me grow both personally and professionally, teaching me how to adapt, collaborate with different people from different cultures, communicate in different languages, and see research from new perspectives. I also moved into multidisciplinary research areas that were completely new to me, and those challenges became some of the most important experiences in my development as a researcher. So, I believe young researchers should be brave, persistent, and enjoy the journey!
I think the journal already provides important support to the academic community and young researchers, for example, through the Travel Award and the webinars. I believe the journal could further promote these opportunities to ensure more young researchers have access to these opportunities and are encouraged to take part in them.
22 May 2026
Meet Us at the 31st International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP), 21–25 July 2026, Florence, Italy
Conference: 31st International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP)
Date: 21–25 July 2026
Location: Florence, Italy
MDPI will be attending the 31st International Congress of Applied Psychology as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.
ICAP is the flagship congress of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP), an association born more than 100 years ago. As our world becomes increasingly connected and complex, the need for international psychology grows. IAAP serves as a professional home for applied psychologists wishing to expand their international knowledge base and network. IAAP’s mission is to promote the science and practice of applied psychology and to facilitate interaction and communication among applied psychologists around the world. ICAP plays a key role in this mission.
The following open access journals will be represented at the conference:
- Behavioral Sciences;
- Disabilities;
- Adolescents;
- Psychology International;
- J. Intell.;
- Youth;
- Sustainability;
- JMMS;
- Social Sciences;
- IJERPH;
- EJIHPE.
If you are planning to attend the above conference, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.
For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.icap2026.org/.
21 May 2026
International Day for Biological Diversity —“Acting Locally for Global Impact”, 22 May 2026
The International Day for Biological Diversity, a global observance dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of biodiversity, is celebrated on 22 May. The theme of the 2026 International Day for Biological Diversity is “Acting Locally for Global Impact”. Biodiversity is critical to life—healthy ecosystems provide food, clean water, climate regulation, and disease control, supporting all forms of existence on Earth. Local actions such as restoring habitats, protecting endangered species, and promoting sustainable agriculture collectively generate global benefits for nature and people. However, rapid biodiversity loss continues to undermine these vital contributions, with profound impacts on human well-being and planetary stability. Echoing the mission of protecting biodiversity for a resilient future, established MDPI journals in the Biology&Life Sciences subject serve as platforms for scientific communication, fostering collaboration and innovation in biodiversity conservation to tackle the global nature crisis.


Invited speakers:
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Prof. Dr. Edward L. Braun, Department of Biology, University of Florida, USA |
Dr. Isabel L. Maurício, Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal |
Dr. Vittorio Capozzi, Institute of Sciences of Food Production, Italian National Research Council, Italy |
Register for this webinar for free here!

“Distribution Patterns and Habitat Preferences of Five Globally Threatened and Endemic Montane Orthoptera (Parnassiana and Oropodisma)”
by Apostolis Stefanidis, Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis, Konstantina Zografou, Georgios Fotiadis, Luc Willemse, Olga Tzortzakaki and Vassiliki Kati
Ecologies 2025, 6(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies6010005
“Spatial Cumulative Assessment of Impact Risk-Implementing Ecosystem-Based Management for Enhanced Sustainability and Biodiversity in the Black Sea”
by Elena Bisinicu, Valeria Abaza, Laura Boicenco, Filimon Adrian, George-Emanuel Harcota, Oana Marin, Andra Oros, Elena Pantea, Alina Spinu, Florin Timofte et al.
Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4449; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114449
“Using Citizen Science to Document Biodiversity on a University Campus: A Year-Long Case Study”
by Peter M. Baker, Brendon Samuels and Timothy J. A. Hain
Conservation 2024, 4(3), 533-546; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation4030032
“Illegal Activities for Survival: Understanding the Influence of Household Livelihood Security on Biodiversity Conservation in Tanzania”
by Gasto Jerome Lyakurwa, Edwin Sabuhoro and Mercy Chepkemoi Chepkwony
Conservation 2024, 4(3), 339-356; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation4030022
“Algal Biodiversity of Nine Megaliths in South-East Bulgaria”
by Maya Stoyneva-Gärtner, Miroslav Androv, Blagoy Uzunov, Kristian Ivanov and Georg Gärtner
Life 2024, 14(8), 948; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14080948
“Shifts in Microbial Community Structure and Co-occurrence Network along a Wide Soil Salinity Gradient”
by Yan Li, Juan Wang, Eryang Li, Xiaodong Yang and Jianjun Yang
Microorganisms 2024, 12(7), 1268; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12071268
“Exploring mtDNA Databases to Evaluate the Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Tursiops truncatus in the Atlantic Ocean: Implications for the Conservation of a Small, Offshore Populatio”
by Gasto Jerome Lyakurwa, Edwin Sabuhoro and Mercy Chepkemoi Chepkwony
Ecologies 2024, 5(2), 170-187; https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies5020011
“Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Rhizobium Improve Nutrient Uptake and Microbial Diversity Relative to Dryland Site-Specific Soil Conditions”
by Rosalie B. Calderon and Sadikshya R. Dangi
Microorganisms 2024, 12(4), 667; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12040667
“Diversity of Parasitoid Wasps and Comparison of Sampling Strategies in Rice Fields Using Metabarcoding”
by Liyang Wang, Hongxuan Wu, Wei He, Guihong Lai, Junxi Li, Siling Liu and Qiang Zhou
Insects 2024, 15(4), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15040228
“Weed Species’ Diversity and Composition as Shaped by the Interaction of Management, Site, and Soil Variables in Olive Groves of Southern Greece”
by Petros Vahamidis, Demosthenis Chachalis, Antigoni Akrivou, Evangelos Karanasios, Maria Ganopoulou, Apostolia Argiri, Athanasia Mandoulaki, Evangelos Hatzigiannakis, Georgios Arampatzis, Andreas Panagopoulos et al.
Agronomy 2024, 14(3), 640; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030640
“Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation via Urban Ecosystem Regeneration”
by Gad Perry and Robert D. Cox
Diversity 2024, 16(3), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16030131
“Global Subterranean Biodiversity: A Unique Pattern”
by Louis Deharveng, Anne Bedos, Tanja Pipan and David C. Culver
Diversity 2024, 16(3), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16030157
“Odonata Assemblages in Urban Semi-Natural Wetlands”
by Marina Vilenica, Andreja Brigić, Ana Štih Koren, Toni Koren, Mirela Sertić Perić, Bruno Schmidt, Tomislava Bužan and Sanja Gottstein
Insects 2024, 15(3), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15030207
“The Influence of Sugar Beet Cultivation Technologies on the Intensity and Species Biodiversity of Weeds”
by Barbora Kotlánová, Pavel Hledík, Stanislav Hudec, Petra Martínez Barroso, Magdalena Daria Vaverková, Martin Jiroušek and Jan Winkler
Agronomy 2024, 14(2), 390; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14020390

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“Diversity and Phylogeny of Fungi” |
“Effect of Biological Invasion on Aquatic Ecosystem” |
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“Microbial Diversity in Different Environments” |
“Diversity, Adaptation, and Biogeography of Gastropods” |
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“Island Ecosystems as Natural Laboratories: Biodiversity, Threats, and Conservation Opportunities” |
“Changing Coral Reef Biodiversity and Function in the Anthropocene” |

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13 May 2026
MDPI Webinar | International Day of Light, 15 May 2026
Celebrated each year on 16 May and led by UNESCO, the International Day of Light recognizes the profound impact of light and light-based technologies on science, culture, education, and sustainable development.
This occasion also commemorates the first successful operation of a laser, which was carried out in 1960 and was a breakthrough that continues to shape modern innovation, from advanced research to everyday applications.
This webinar brings together experts across disciplines to explore how light is driving progress in fields such as optics, photonics, materials science, and sustainability.
We look forward to welcoming you to this webinar and hope the session will inspire new ideas, foster meaningful discussions, and encourage future collaborations.
Date: 15 May 2026
Time: 1:00 p.m. CEST | 7:00 p.m. CST (Asia) | 7:00 a.m. EDT
Webinar ID: 863 0596 4340
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Website: https://sciforum.net/event/IDL2026
Register now for free!
Program:
| Speaker | Presentation | Time (CEST) | Time (CST Asia / SGT) |
| MDPI Introduction | 1:00–1:10 p.m. | 7:00–7:10 p.m. | |
| Dr. Aung Ko Ko Kyaw | Advanced Interface Engineering: Unlocking the Full Potential of Perovskite Solar Cells | 1:10–1:30 p.m. | 7:10–7:30 p.m. |
| Dr. Lorenzo Giuffrida | Laser-Driven Particle Acceleration: From Fundamental Physics to Sustainable Applications | 1:30–1:50 p.m. | 7:30–7:50 p.m. |
| Dr. Yannis Paulus | Photoacoustic, OCT, and Fluorescence Multimodal Imaging-Guided Retinal Stem Cell Therapy | 1:50–2:10 p.m. | 7:50–8:10 p.m. |
| Q&A Session | 2:10–2:25 p.m. | 8:10–8:25 p.m. | |
| Closing of Webinar | 2:25–2:30 p.m. | 8:25–8:30 p.m. |
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email on how to join the webinar. 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.
Webinar Keynote Speakers:
- Dr. Dr. Aung Ko Ko Kyaw, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, China;
- Dr. Lorenzo Giuffrida, The Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC, ELI Beamlines Facility, Czech Republic;
- Dr. Yannis Paulus, Department of Ophthalmology and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Wilmer Eye Institute, USA.
















































































