Coatings 2021 Outstanding Reviewer Award: Announcement and Interview with the Winner Dr. Catalin Pruncu

The Coatings Editorial Board and Editorial Team would like to acknowledge the time and energy dedicated by the reviewers of manuscripts submitted to Coatings. Based on the quantity, timeliness, and quality of the reviews we received in 2021, we congratulate one of the winners, Prof. Dr. Catalin Pruncu, on his excellent performance and wish him all the best for his future career.

• Interview with the Winner:
  • What is your current research focus and why did you choose this research field?
  My research focuses on developing innovative design and manufacturing solutions to improve the society we live in. To conduct my research, I use different advanced techniques such as electron backscatter diffraction analysis and optical microscopy. I chose this research field because society requires innovative solutions for further development and to tackle different challenges that human society faces.

  2.

  Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

  In my opinion, a very hot topic for the research community is how we link machine learning and design for manufacturing in order to achieve net-zero emission.

  3.

  What qualities do you think young scientists need?

  A young scientific should be enthusiastic, a good learner, and very resilient.

  4.

  If you have the opportunity, will you actively apply to attend academic conferences? What do you think you could gain from participating in conferences that you could not learn working in a lab?

  Conferences are a massive opportunity to engage with different research partners (colleagues) around the globe directly and discuss any curiosity and concerns without barriers.

  5.

  What do you consider the main criteria that should be taken seriously in the process of reviewing manuscripts?

  I have reviewed numerous manuscripts and I think that the main criteria which the authors must consider when they draft their research work are the novelty; how the work can improve society’s knowledge; whether that work is valuable for industry; the quality of the work; a good description of the methods used; careful presentation of results; and an appropriate discussion and conclusion from the work.

  6.

  We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts reviewers and authors?

  In my opinion, open access journals are the ultimate platform for an accessible interaction between readers and researchers. For authors, open access helps massively when it comes to distributing/sharing knowledge with the wider research and industrial community without any barriers. From the reviewer’s point of view, I believe good work always generates curiosity and many potential opinions which can be used to improve the knowledge and perspective of authors.