Announcements

Symmetry (ISSN: 2073-8994) is pleased to announce the following 50 researchers who have been added to our group of 2026 Early Career Editorial Board Members. Please join us in congratulating them on joining the Symmetry community!

	Name: Dr. Changqing Xu Affiliation: Guangzhou Institute of Technology, School of Microelectronics, Xidian University, Xi’an, China Research interests: brain-inspired computing; EDA
	Name: Dr. Christian Iandiorio Affiliation: Department of Enterprise Engineering, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy Research interests: nonlinear solid mechanics; analytical methods; finite element modelling; thin-walled structures; flexible multibody; experimental mechanics
	Name: Dr. Chrysoula Markou Affiliation: Theoretical Physics Group, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy Research interests: string theory and scattering amplitudes; supersymmetry and supergravity; cosmology
	Name: Dr. David Zabala Blanco Affiliation: Department of Computing and Industries, Universidad Católica del Maule, Maule, Chile Research interests: machine learning applied; fingerprint and palm vein biometrics; visible light systems (LiFi); OFDM-based systems
	Name: Dr. Di Liu Affiliation: School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China Research interests: failure mechanism analysis; degradation modeling; reliability estimation; prognostics and health management
	Name: Dr. Fabiano F. Santos Affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Campus Universitário do Bacanga, São Luís, MA, Brazil Research interests: black holes; holographic complexity; string theory; entanglement entropy; AdS/BCFT correspondence; Horndeski gravity
	Name: Dr. Ganesh Pattan Siddappa Affiliation: Advanced Technology Research Center, Korea University of Technology and Education, Cheonan, Republic of Korea Research interests: MXene; electrochemistry; nanomaterials; electroactive polymers; environmental chemistry; sensors; fuel cell
	Name: Dr. Geng Yuan Affiliation: School of Computing, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA Research interests: efficient AI; software–hardware co-design; edge computing
	Name: Dr. Guanbin Chen Affiliation: School of Civil Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China Research interests: vortex-induced vibration; flow control; bridge engineering; experimental fluid mechanics
	Name: Dr. Guangjian Liu Affiliation: Institute of Rock Mechanics, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China Research interests: rock joints; scale effects; bolting; surrounding; tunnel engineering; slope engineering
	Name: Dr. Huan Shen Affiliation: Lab of Locomotion Bioinspiration and Intelligent Robots, College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China Research interests: aerodynamics; swarm robotics; control strategy; intelligent material; actuation control; multi-modal perception; bio-inspired structure
	Name: Dr. Jinfeng Li Affiliations: 1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Millimeter Wave and Terahertz Technology, School of Integrated Circuits and Electronics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China 2. School of Interdisciplinary Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China 3. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK Research interests: reconfigurable RF/microwave/millimetre-wave devices; multilevel inverters; power electronics; thermal–hydraulic instrumentation; application security; sentiment analysis
	Name: Dr. Lei Jiang Affiliation: School of Highway, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China Research interests: bridge engineering; steel and composite bridge; concrete-filled steel tubular bridge; structural analysis; fatigue assessment; long-life design theory
	Name: Dr. Lili Pei Affiliation: School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Chang'an University, Xi'an, China Research interests: artificial intelligence-based road detection; road performance prediction and maintenance; traffic big data analysis; integration of transportation and energy
	Name: Dr. Man Zhu Affiliation: Intelligent Transportation Systems Research Center, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China Research interests: optimization management and control of water transportation systems; dynamic modeling; path planning; control and application of USVs
	Name: Dr. Marco Danilo Claudio Torri Affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano and INFN Sezione di Milano, Milano, Italy Research interests: quantum gravity; Lorentz invariance violation; special relativity modification; cosmic ray propagation
	Name: Dr. Michele Piconi Affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy Research interests: approximation theory; real analysis; Fourier analysis; functional analysis; signal and image processing
	Name: Dr. Ming Wu Affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Computer Science, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium Research interests: smart manufacturing; artificial intelligence; microfabrication; non-traditional manufacturing; additive manufacturing
	Name: Dr. Mohammed Al Bahri Affiliation: Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, A’Sharqiyah University, Ibra, Oman Research interests: nanoscience magnetic materials; magnetic nanowires; magnetic domain walls
	Name: Dr. Moran Ju Affiliation: College of Information Science and Technology, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China Research interests: image processing; pattern recognition; deep learning; object detection
	Name: Dr. Nannan Zhao Affiliation: School of Science, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China Research interests: coupled oscillators; nonlinear dynamics; complex networks; theoretical ecology; multi-agent systems; pattern formation
	Name: Dr. Pablo Gutiérrez Sánchez Affiliation: Department of Chemical, Energy and Mechanical Technology, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain Research interests: water treatment; waste valorization; adsorption; advanced oxidation processes; carbonaceous materials
	Name: Dr. Pan-Pan Wang Affiliation: College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China Research interests: tests of new physics effects; gravitational wave detection; data processing; dark matter and dark energy; Lorentz invariance
	Name: Dr. Panpan Yang Affiliation: School of Electronics and Control Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China Research interests: nonlinear control; swarm robots; vehicle platoon control
	Name: Dr. Peng Cheng Affiliation: Center for Joint Quantum Studies, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China Research interests: black hole physics; low-dimensional quantum gravity
	Name: Dr. Pouria Ayough Affiliation: School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China Research interests: structural engineering; steel and composite structures; finite element modeling; numerical modeling
	Name: Dr. Qiang Li Affiliation: School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China Research interests: statistical data analysis; image recognition and classification based on deep learning and neutral networks; applications of deep neural networks in physics; neural networks in physics
	Name: Dr. Ranran Wang Affiliation: School of Software Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, China Research interests: edge computing; graph mining; information diffusion
	Name: Dr. Shicheng Jiang Affiliation: Minhang Campus, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China Research interests: strong laser–matter interaction; squeezing of quantum light; multi-dimensional spectroscopy
	Name: Dr. Sibo Qiao Affiliation: School of Software, Tiangong University, Tianjin, China Research interests: deep learning; image analysis; edge intelligence
	Name: Dr. Si-Nian Jin Affiliation: College of Information Science and Technology, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China Research interests: wireless communications; deep learning; massive MIMO; intelligent reflecting surface
	Name: Dr. Tao Zhou Affiliation: School of Automation, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China Research interests: power system stability and control; Al applications in power systems; renewable energy integration
	Name: Dr. Topside E. Mathonsi Affiliation: Department of Information Technology, Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, Soshanguve Campus, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0152, South Africa Research interests: wireless communication systems; cybersecurity; blockchain technology; Internet of Things; cloud computing; machine learning; AI
	Name: Dr. Wenxue Cui Affiliations: 1. Department of Physics, College of Science, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China 2. Institute of Quantum Science and Technology, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, China Research interests: quantum physics; quantum information; quantum optics; quantum control; quantum simulation
	Name: Dr. Wen-Di Guo Affiliations: 1. Institute of Theoretical Physics & Research Center of Gravitation, School of Physical Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China 2. Key Laboratory of Quantum Theory and Applications of MoE, Lanzhou Center for Theoretical Physics, Key Laboratory of Theoretical Physics of Gansu Province, Gansu Provincial Research Center for Basic Disciplines of Quantum Physics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China Research interests: extra dimension theory; black hole physics; gravitational wave physics
	Name: Dr. Xi Zhang Affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA Research interests: nuclear images; PET/SPECT images; image reconstruction
	Name: Dr. Xiaoyu Wang Affiliation: School of Physics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China Research interests: theoretical particle physics; high-energy physics phenomenology; nucleon spin structure through spin asymmetries in high-energy scattering processes; transverse momentum-dependent (TMD) factorization and evolution effects
	Name: Dr. Xin Chen Affiliation: College of Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China Research interests: machine learning; optimal control theory; game theory
	Name: Dr. Xiuxiu Ren Affiliation: College of Information Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China Research interests: security of information physical systems; security of unmanned systems
	Name: Dr. Yadong Zhou Affiliation: College of Civil Aviation, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211100, China Research interests: structural dynamics; vibration engineering; impact dynamics; damage mechanics
	Name: Dr. Yan Wang Affiliation: School of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China Research interests: ocean energy harvesting; unmanned intelligent marine equipment; marine Internet of Things sensors
	Name: Dr. Yang Liu Affiliation: School of Science, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China Research interests: uncertainty theory; uncertain statistics; uncertain differential equation
	Name: Dr. Yiyang Chen Affiliation: School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China Research interests: iterative learning control; optimization; artificial intelligence; image processing; robotics
	Name: Dr. Yongfeng Lv Affiliation: School of Electrical and Power Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, China Research interests: adaptive dynamic programming; reinforcement learning; optimal control
	Name: Dr. Yongji Cao Affiliation: Academy of Intelligent Innovation, Shandong University, Jinan, China Research interests: power system stability analysis and control; application of artificial intelligence technology in power systems; renewable energy grid connection; energy storage technology
	Name: Dr. Yujie Tan Affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Fundamental Physical Quantities Measurements, Hubei Key Laboratory of Gravitation and Quantum Physics, National Precise Gravity Measurement Facility (PGMF), School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China Research interests: general relativity; space gravitational wave detection/dark energy
	Name: Dr. Yuyan Pan Affiliation: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA Research interests: traffic signal control; public transit; CAVs; EVs; traffic demand management; machine learning applications in smart mobility; traffic state estimation and prediction; traffic flow theory; transportation network optimization; dynamic traffic assignment
	Name: Dr. Zaidao Wen Affiliation: School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China Research interests: machine learning; machine vision
	Name: Dr. Zhe Zhang Affiliations: 1. School of Electrical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, China 2. College of Electrical and Information Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, China Research interests: fractional system dynamics; nonlinear control theory and technology; robot visual perception and control
	Name: Dr. Zhenghong Jin Affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore Research interests: control and optimization; source seeking; nonlinear systems; multi-agent systems; formation control

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Lazaros Moysis, Assistant Professor at the University of Nova Gorica in Slovenia, has won the Symmetry 2025 Young Investigator Award. As the winner, he will receive an honorarium of CHF 2000, an electronic certificate, and a voucher to fully cover the Article Processing Charge valid for one year.

Dr. Lazaros Moysis is an assistant professor at the Centre for Information Technologies and Applied Mathematics at the University of Nova Gorica in Slovenia. He obtained his BSc, MSc, and PhD in Mathematics, Systems, and Control from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, in 2011, 2013, and 2017, respectively, and has completed multiple postdoctoral fellowships in chaotic systems and secure communication. His research interests include observer design, chaotic systems modeling, signal processing, and system identification, as well as chaos applications in data encryption, random number generation, and area surveillance. He has published numerous peer-reviewed papers in renowned journals, authored academic books, and served as a guest editor and conference committee member.

The following is an interview with Dr. Moysis:

1. How did you first learn about Symmetry, and what are your impressions of it?
I first came across Symmetry several years ago, likely through social media or Google Scholar, where I noticed a number of publications closely related to my field. Since then, I’ve come to see it as a well-established journal, and my experience with it has been very positive. I regularly follow and read articles from Symmetry that are relevant to my research.

2. Could you briefly introduce your current research focus and share some recent progress in your work?
I work in chaos theory, focusing on modeling chaotic systems and exploring their applications. In recent years, my research has centered on chaotification, which basically means trying to generate new families of chaotic systems by utilizing existing ones. Given the vast body of literature and the abundance of known chaotic systems, the goal is to develop techniques that allow us to systematically transform or extend existing systems into new chaotic models. Ideally, this approach enables us to design families of systems with specific, desired chaotic properties. In addition to this, I am also working in control theory, particularly on observer design. In this area, the objective is to estimate unknown internal variables of a system based on already available measurements. Currently, I am working on progressing in both fields. Control theory is especially challenging; however, little by little, I have been making steady progress, gathering new results regarding new qualification techniques as well as new types of observers.

3. What was the biggest challenge you faced during your research?
Looking back over the past ten years of my work, one of the biggest challenges I faced, especially while I was in Greece, was securing funding. There are very limited opportunities for research positions there, which makes it difficult to obtain a stable job and maintain consistent research activity over time. I am currently based in Slovenia, but during my time in Greece, this was a significant obstacle. So, the main difficulty was not the research itself but rather sustaining a continuous and stable position over the years.

4. As a recipient of this Young Investigator Award, what advice or insights would you share with contemporary young researchers?
It really comes down to the ups and downs of the academic career. For those pursuing research, especially in more theoretical fields, it’s important not to give up. The first ten years, in particular, can be quite unstable. Early on, it’s often difficult to secure a steady job or a consistent income, and many researchers have to move frequently between institutions or even countries. For example, it’s common to complete a PhD in one country, followed by one or more postdoctoral positions in different places. This constant transition makes the path quite challenging, and it’s one of the reasons many people eventually leave academia. However, persistence is key during these early years. If you stay active and engaged in research, things generally improve over time. Generating ideas, publishing papers, and contributing to the field are usually not the main obstacles for committed researchers. The real challenge lies in maintaining continuity and staying connected to the field while also securing financial stability. With patience and persistence, however, these difficulties tend to ease as your career progresses.

5. What are your thoughts on the impact of open access (OA) publishing on authors in academia?
OA publishing gives research very high visibility, which ensures that articles can reach their target audience effectively.

6. Do you have any suggestions or advice for our journal Symmetry?
The journal has very high visibility, which is a significant advantage. This is one of the key benefits of open access publishing in general, as it ensures that research reaches a wider audience. That said, there is one aspect I tend to disagree with, not only in this journal, but across many journals and publishing houses. There is often strong pressure to minimize publication and peer review times. In my view, this emphasis on speed is not always justified, especially in more mathematical fields. Some papers require careful and thorough evaluation, which naturally takes time, and rushing the review process can be counterproductive. I think that waiting one month is perfectly acceptable. The real issue comes when the process takes up to ten months. Overall, I am very satisfied with the journal’s high visibility. After investing significant effort into preparing a paper, it is important that the work reaches readers and has an impact.

7. Can you share your acceptance speech?
I greatly appreciate this recognition. It's a very nice recognition for my work. It is a result of many years of work, as well as the support of an excellent research group. I have had the opportunity to collaborate with outstanding colleagues from different countries, and together we have built a fruitful partnership. I am really grateful for this recognition.

MDPI will be participating in the upcoming 2026 Academic Conference on Graph Theory, Combinatorics and Applications.

This conference is jointly organized by the China Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (CSIAM) and Hebei Normal University. It aims to provide a high-level academic exchange platform for researchers and industry experts in the fields of graph theory, combinatorics and their applications. The event will showcase the latest theoretical advances and practical achievements in these areas, while promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and shared development. The program will include plenary lectures, thematic workshops, forums and contributed presentations.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Axioms;
• Mathematics;
• Applied Math;
• Fractal and Fractional;
• Geometry;
• International Journal of Topology;
• Symmetry.

If you plan to attend the conference, we warmly invite you to visit our booth and meet our representatives. We look forward to seeing you in person and assisting you with any questions you may have.

For more details about the conference, please visit the official website:
https://csiam-gtca2026.casconf.cn/page/2015076221179793408.

Conference: The 3rd International Conference Mathematical Analysis and Applications in Science and Engineering (ICMASC’26)
Date: 21–23 June 2026
Location: Porto, Portugal

MDPI will be attending the 3rd International Conference Mathematical Analysis and Applications in Science and Engineering as an exhibitor. The conference will be held from 21 to 23 June 2026. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

ICMASC’26 invites original research contributions in all areas of mathematical analysis and applications. We welcome theoretical developments, computational methods, and practical applications that advance scientific knowledge and engineering practice.

Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Partial and ordinary differential equations;
• Fractional calculus and applications;
• Numerical analysis and scientific computing;
• Optimization and control theory;
• Linear algebra and matrix analysis;
• Operations research;
• Discrete mathematics;
• Probability and statistics;
• Computational mathematics;
• Mathematical modeling in engineering;
• Applications in biological systems;
• Finance and economics applications;
• Image processing and computer vision;
• Robotics and automatic control;
• Mechanics and viscoelasticity;
• Thermal engineering applications.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Mathematics;
• Fractal Fract;
• Foundations;
• Symmetry;
• Axioms;
• AppliedMath;
• Fluids.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with 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://icmasc2026.app.earendelplatform.com.

We are honored to announce that Prof. Dr. William Gerwick will serve as the Chair of the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee.

A world-renowned authority in marine natural products chemistry and pharmacology, Professor Gerwick is a Distinguished Professor at both the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). His pioneering work at the intersection of ocean sciences and drug discovery makes him a fitting leader for an award centered on transformative medicinal breakthroughs.

Under Professor Gerwick’s stewardship, the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee will focus on recognizing innovative and impactful research in natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry, particularly work with the potential to drive meaningful advances in both scientific understanding and human health.

To provide further insight into his perspectives, we include below an interview with Professor Gerwick, in which he reflects on his scientific journey, his views on the field, and his vision for the Tu Youyou Award.

A Conversation with the Chair

1. Could you please introduce yourself and your research journey?

My research focuses on the natural products of marine algae and cyanobacteria, their application in medicine, their biosynthesis using genomic approaches, and innovative methods in the structure elucidation of natural products.

I received my BS degree from the University of California at Davis, my PhD from the University of California at San Diego, and conducted postdoctoral work at the University of Connecticut. After a couple of years in a junior faculty position at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico, I spent 21 years as Professor of Pharmacy at Oregon State University. In 2005, I returned to my PhD institution at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at UC San Diego, where I am currently a Distinguished Professor of Oceanography and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to advancing the field through both leadership and mentorship. I have served as president of the American Society of Pharmacognosy, chaired and co-chaired several major research conferences, and served as an associate editor for the Journal of Natural Products. I am a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and of the American Society of Pharmacognosy. I have trained over 100 doctoral and postdoctoral students, and my research group has published nearly 500 papers and more than 25 patents on topics in the natural product sciences and medicinal chemistry.

2. What motivated you to accept the role of Chair of the 2026 Tu Youyou Award Committee?

Of course, I am a huge supporter of all awards that are given in recognition of excellent scientific research, and especially so in the natural products sciences and medicinal chemistry. However, this award is truly special in that it recognizes scientific excellence as well as impact, and is given in the name of an individual, Tu Youyou, who clearly had many challenges along the path to reach the pinnacle of her success. Not only was she the first Chinese person to win a Nobel prize in this area, but she was also the first Chinese woman to receive a Nobel prize, and this was achieved without graduate education in China or elsewhere. It’s a true testament to what can be achieved by hard work, determination, and vision. To read the history of her extraordinary approach to discovering novel antimalarial compounds from Traditional Chinese Medicine is truly inspirational. It is, therefore, the inspiration provided by the extraordinary life and career of Tu Youyou that motivated me to accept the Chair of the Award Committee for 2026.

3. How do you view the role of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry in today’s scientific landscape, and what major advances over the past decade have shaped this field?

A quite remarkable integration of fields is currently transforming natural products science and medicinal chemistry. In natural products, we are seeing integration of different omics methods, from metabolites to proteins to nucleic acids. Sophisticated biological and pharmacological approaches are driving the discovery of exquisitely potent and selective natural products. Advances are being made to integrate molecular-level recognition of natural products with chemical ecological studies, and sophisticated methods of structure determination using Artificial Intelligence or pioneering new tools such as microED are being applied with increasing frequency. High-level synthetic methodologies, such as protecting group-free synthetic routes, are enhancing medicinal chemistry, accelerating the identification of lead molecules with attractive pharmaceutical properties at an increasing pace.

4. How do you consider the balance between fundamental discovery (e.g., new molecules or mechanisms) and practical impact (e.g., therapeutic applications)?

Many individuals are excellent scientists and mentors, and have essential roles in developing our culture that values science and the scientific method. It should also be pointed out that not all scientific discoveries are going to have a broad societal impact, but they are nevertheless critical to the overall body and structure of science. But it is a truly remarkable individual who makes a key scientific discovery, recognizes its potential value to society in general, and then has the skills and determination to bring it forward as a useful product. That was the type of person the Tu Youyou is, and that is the type of person who is honored by the prize in her name.

5. What do you see as the key challenges or opportunities currently facing the field?

We are on the crux of an amazing revolution in many of the sciences, including natural products and medicinal chemistry; the purposeful application of Artificial Intelligence to solving many of the difficulties involved in the search for new pharmaceuticals from Nature. AI is transforming how we select organisms for study, what pharmaceutical targets to go after, rapidly resolving the chemical structures of new compounds, identifying efficient routes to their chemical synthesis, understanding their molecular mechanisms of action, and finally, designing their clinical application. The role of people in these pursuits is changing. Increasingly, the human role will be providing overall vision: what can we do? What should we do? And it is important to remember that AI is providing hypotheses, not truth. Scientists with expert domain knowledge will be critical for discerning the correctness of hypotheses put forth by AI. Altogether, advances in technology, expanding knowledge, and the appropriate use of AI methods are preparing society to be able to address emerging diseases, such as pandemics, as well as conditions that are not effectively treated by currently existing therapeutics.

6. How do you expect the Tu Youyou Award to contribute to the advancement of natural product chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and human health over the coming years?

The Tu Youyou Award is potentially transformative for the broad fields of natural products science and medicinal chemistry as it brings a significantly increased level of visibility to these topics and their contributions to human health. It will be crucial to have excellent communication to news agencies, social media and other communication outlets so that the general public is informed and educated on the high impact of these natural product/medicinal chemistry contributions. This will bring increased funding, attract promising students, and generally enrich the interface of these fields with the health sector.

7. What message would you like to convey to the research community and the public during this open nomination phase?

This prize gives broad societal visibility to the role that natural products have had in shaping a majority of our current medicines, as well as understanding the life forms with whom we share the planet. Further, it recognizes a woman scientist working under sub-optimal conditions who could persevere and make discoveries of global impact. The prize and what it represents, therefore, inspires current and future generations to engage in the study of Nature and its relationship to Human Health, to overcome adversity, and to aspire to making one’s life impactful.

About the Tu Youyou Award

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

The 2026 Tu Youyou Award is open for nominations until 31 October 2026. We encourage all eligible candidates to participate in this prestigious recognition, as this award not only honors individual achievement but also encourages further scientific exchange, exploration and discovery in critical areas of medicine.

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

Our portfolio of journals available for publishing up-to-date research in immediate open access format has been further expanded. In the first quarter of 2026, nine new journals released their inaugural issues and three transferred journals released their first issue as part of MDPI, covering the subjects of clinical medicine, chemistry, computer science & mathematics, engineering, environment & ecology, and social sciences & psychology.

We extend our gratitude to the Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, and Editorial Board Members who will shape the future course of these brand-new journals. 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.

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

Conference: 2026 Asia-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting (APRIM2026)
Date: 4–8 May 2026
Location: Hong Kong, China

MDPI is excited to participate as an exhibitor at the 2026 Asia-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting, which will be held from 4 to 8 May 2026. We welcome researchers from various backgrounds to visit our booth and share their latest ideas with us.

APRIM2026 will provide all participants with an enriched and full IAU science program experience. We aim to leave a legacy of significant impact in astronomy and related sciences across the Asia Pacific through collaboration. Aware of regional and national contexts in our diverse communities, we will endeavor to make APRIM2026 in Hong Kong a happy, respectful, tolerant, collegiate and inclusive event, promote both co-operation and competitiveness across our research, and bring about innovation through strong, regional collaborations.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Galaxies;
• Universe;
• Astronomy;
• Atoms;
• Dynamics;
• Physics;
• Symmetry;
• Time and Space.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at the booth and answering any questions that you may have. For more information, please visit https://aprim2026.org/.

MDPI is excited to announce a special webinar in celebration of World Quantum Day on 14 April 2026. This event aims to promote public understanding of quantum science and technology and to highlight their profound impact on modern society.

Date: 14 April at 2:00 p.m. CEST | 8:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 894 4233 6040
Webpage: https://sciforum.net/event/MWQDW2026-3

Register now for free:

Program:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic and 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. Davi Geiger, Courant Institute, New York University, USA;
• Dr. Michael C. Parker, University of Essex, UK.

MDPI is excited to announce a special webinar in celebration of World Quantum Day on 14 April 2026. This event aims to promote public understanding of quantum science and technology and to highlight their profound impact on modern society.

Date: 14 April at 8:00 a.m. CEST | 2:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 831 5594 6905
Webpage: https://sciforum.net/event/MWQDW2026-2

Register now for free:

Program:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic and 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. Dario Ferraro, University of Padova & ThinkQuantum, Italy;
• Dr. Lock Yue Chew, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore;
• Dr. Marco Avesani, Physics Department, University of Genoa, Italy.