We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Vasilis K. Oikonomou has been appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of the “Engineering Science and Symmetry/Asymmetry” Section.

Name: Prof. Dr. Vasilis Oikonomou
Interests: cosmology; inflationary cosmology; modified theories of gravity; physics of the early universe; dark energy; dark matter; supersymmetry; mathematical physics; high-energy physics; theoretical physics; epistemic game theory; game theory
Website: https://www.physics.auth.gr/en/sections/1/people/237

Prof. Dr. Vasilis K. Oikonomou is a tenured member of the academic staff at the Physics Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His Ph.D. focused on theoretical high-energy and mathematical physics, but his research interests cover a large range of topics, including theoretical cosmology, theoretical astrophysics, mathematics, mathematical economics, game theory, complex systems, and applied mathematics, in which he has published over 230 research articles in leading high-impact factor journals and is highly cited. He is an honorary professor at the Tomsk State Pedagogical University and has been awarded silver and bronze medals for academic achievements.

Prof. Dr. Oikonomou is now leading the Special Issue "Symmetry: Recent Developments in Engineering Science and Applications", in which feature papers will be published. For more information about the “Engineering Science and Symmetry/Asymmetry” Section, please visit: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/symmetry/sections/engineering_science_and_symmetry_asymmetry.

In this multidisciplinary Section, we welcome original research articles with top-level mathematical modeling or experimental outcomes and a strong substantiation of the conclusions and results, as well as relevant analytical reviews, on all aspects of symmetry or asymmetry in engineering, materials, energy sciences, and other interdisciplinary areas.

The topics covered in this Section include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials engineering;
• Nanotechnology;
• Power systems and thermal engineering;
• Mechanical engineering, mechatronics, and robotics;
• Automation and control engineering;
• Electronic engineering;
• Communication engineering;
• Chemical and molecular engineering;
• Optical engineering and technology;
• Other areas of interest associated with engineering and materials science where a multidisciplinary approach is required. 

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Vasilis K. Oikonomou, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views of the research area and open access publishing:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to take the role as its Section Editor-in-Chief?

The journal Symmetry has developed to become one of the leading journals in physics, engineering and computer science in the last 12 years, achieving high-impact factor and quarterly indices. Being Section Editor-in-Chief is a demanding and challenging task, in a field with continuous changes and considerable competition, but my main aim is excellence in the published research in the journal. Scientific excellence in scientific journals is the main aim of any successful editorial team.

2. What is your vision for the journal?

My vision is to further strengthen the appeal and soundness of the journal in engineering science. The academic developments in engineering science in our times are striking, and my vision is focused on publishing state-of-the-art articles in the journal, making Symmetry one of the leading journals in engineering science.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?

Engineering science is constantly changing every year, and thus the future seems promising from a scientific point of view. My motivation is excellence in published research and, thus, our editorial team aims to make Symmetry a leading and up-to-date database of excellent research articles in the field.

4. What do you think of the development of Open Access in the publishing field?

The journal Symmetry supports Open Access science, and Open Access publishing schemes are, in my opinion, the future of scientific research, since the author holds the copyright of his research. Open Access schemes can be further modified with the synergy of journals and academic institutions, offering individual authors the possibility of retaining the copyright.

We wish Prof. Dr. Oikonomou every success in his new position, and we look forward to his contributions to the journal.