Announcements

30 April 2025
Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller Share the 2024 Tu Youyou Award


We are pleased to announce that the 2024 Tu Youyou Award has been conferred upon Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller, in recognition of their significant contributions to natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

2024 Tu Youyou Award Laureates

Richard DiMarchi
Indiana University, USA
Prof. Richard DiMarchi is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences at Indiana University, USA. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Dr. DiMarchi is a former Group Vice President at Eli Lilly and later at Novo Nordisk. He is recognized for his contributions to the discovery and development of rDNA-derived Humulin®, Humalog®, rGlucagon®, and Forteo®. His academic research has broadened the understanding of glucagon and incretin physiology and pioneered the discovery of single-molecule multi-mechanism agonists for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. The central element to success has been the chemical vision and technology to install within single molecules simultaneous agonism at related G-protein coupled receptors, coupled to the counter-intuitive discovery that glucagon and GIP agonism could synergize the therapeutic efficacy of GLP-1. These peptides and their conceptual approach have transformed the management of excessive body weight to a condition comparable to how hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, and excess cholesterol are medicinally managed.
Professor DiMarchi was recognized by the 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members as being an exceptional leader in the medicinal chemistry of peptides and proteins of natural origin, and as a pioneer in the field of chemical biotechnology. His very important discoveries have led to breakthroughs in new drugs related to the therapy of diabetes and obesity. He has been named as an inventor on a very large number of patents, and he has had initially a highly successful scientific and administrative career in industry, which was followed by over two decades in academia as a distinguished professor.
—Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee
   

Rolf Müller
Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Germany;
Helmholtz Centre for Infections Research (HZI), Germany;
Saarland University, Germany
Prof. Rolf Müller is the Founding and Managing Director of the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and Professor of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Saarland University, Germany. Having received his training from the University of Bonn, he held research positions at the University of Washington, USA, and Braunschweig University of Technology, Germany, prior to his appointment as professor to Saarland University. His laboratory has dedicated itself to the exploration of bacterial natural-product biosynthetic pathways for more than 20 years and has extensive experience in working with myxobacteria and other microbial producer strains. Starting from the isolation and characterization of new microorganisms, the scope of work includes microbiology-, biotechnology-, bioinformatics-, and chemistry-based approaches to exploit these isolates as sources of new drugs with a special focus on novel anti-infectives. Müller and his team apply a variety of state-of-the-art analytical methods and biological assays to perform biological and chemical characterizations of the identified compounds. Prof. Müller has received several awards, including the prestigious Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, the PHOENIX Pharmacy Research Award, the DECHEMA Prize, and the Inhoffen Medal, as well as being an elected member of acatech, Leopoldina, and the German Academy of Sciences and Literature.
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members were highly impressed by the truly outstanding past and ongoing contributions of Professor Müller in both microbial natural products isolation chemistry and in biosynthesis, as well as in the development of lead compounds for their potential in treating human diseases, through his global connections with various major funding agencies. He is also a dedicated teacher who has trained numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and he has lectured on his research in countries all over the world.
—Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee

The achievements of Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller highlight the transformative impact of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. We congratulate them and invite the global academic community and public to join us in celebrating their significant contributions.

2024 Award Committee
Committee Chair:

Committee Members (listed in alphabetical order):

  • Prof. Angelo Fontana, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy;
  • Prof. Binghe Wang, Georgia State University, USA;
  • Dr. Diana Pinto, University of Aveiro, Portugal;
  • Prof. Hideaki Kakeya, Kyoto University, Japan;
  • Dr. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel, University of Strathclyde, UK;
  • Prof. Thomas Prisinzano, University of Kentucky, USA
  • Prof. Wei Li, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA.

About the Tu Youyou Award:
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award includes a total monetary prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs and a medal for each recipient. Established in 2016 to honor the pioneering spirit of Nobel laureate Tu Youyou, the Tu Youyou Award is an international award honoring exceptional scholars dedicated to the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website.

4 July 2025
MDPI’s Newly Launched Journals in June 2025

Six new journals covering a range of subjects launched their inaugural issues in June 2025. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access. We are pleased to present the latest research and to make it accessible to all.

We extend our sincere thanks to all the Editorial Board Members for their commitment and expertise. 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.

Journal Founding Editor-in-Chief Journal Topics (Selected)
Prof. Dr. Chang-Pu Sun,
China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing, China; Computational Science Research Center, China
Editorial | View inaugural issue
quantum information and phenomena; condensed matter physics and statistical physics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; computational physics and mathematical methods
View journal scope | Submit an article
Prof. Dr. Hualiang Lin,
Sun Yat-sen University, China;
Prof. Dr. Jose L. Domingo,
Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain
Editorial | View inaugural issue
green and organic food; green infrastructures; green exercise; environmental impact of the healthcare sector; effects of climate change on human health |
View journal scope | Submit an article
Prof. Dr. Francesco Veglio,
University of L’Aquila, Italy
Editorial | View inaugural issue
ultra-pure substances; water purification; air purification; gas purification; inorganic chemical purification; purification technologies
View journal scope | Submit an article
Prof. Dr. Junxing Zheng,
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
Editorial | View inaugural issue
computer-aided design and engineering; artificial intelligence and machine learning; building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins; robotics and automation in construction; smart sensors and Internet of Things (IoT); intelligent control systems and facilities management
View journal scope | Submit an article
Prof. Dr. Assunta Di Vaio, University of Naples Parthenope, Italy
Editorial | View inaugural issue
sustainability, managerial, and biodiversity accounting; carbon management accounting; corporate social responsibility; artificial intelligence and disclosure
View journal scope | Submit an article
Prof. Dr. Changjun Liu,
Sichuan University, China
Editorial | View inaugural issue
bioeffects of electromagnetic waves; electromagnetic science and engineering; microwave, millimeter-wave, and terahertz technologies; metamaterials and metasurfaces; communication, sensing, and networks; energy, power, and sustainable applications; quantum and emerging technologies; artificial intelligence and advanced fabrication
View journal scope | Submit an article
We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. If you are interested in launching a new open access journal with us, you are welcome to send an application here.

2 July 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #24 - 2024 Impact Factor & CiteScore, MDPI Summits France & USA, Tu Youyou Award

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’s 2024 Impact Factor Highlights

For those of our readers who are new to academic publishing, you may have heard some news in June around the Impact Factor release. Every year, typically in June, Clarivate releases its annual Journal Citation Reports (JCR), which include Journal Impact Factors (JIF). This metric is widely used in academic publishing to reflect the average number of citations received by recent articles in each journal.

While Impact Factor is just one of many indicators of journal influence, it remains a major milestone for authors, editors, and publishers. It’s used to assess journal visibility, researcher recognition, and scholarly reach. Throughout our international meetings and events, it’s clear that the Impact Factor is something many of our authors and editorial board members care about, as it can influence where they choose to submit an article and the funding they receive for their research.

“These results reflect the trust that the scholarly community places in MDPI”

MDPI’s 2024 Impact Factor Highlights

  • 298 MDPI journals received a Journal Impact Factor.
  • 60 journals earned their first-ever Impact Factor
    • To put this in perspective: MDPI’s 60 new journal acceptances into the Web of Science was the second highest number of any publisher in 2024, behind Elsevier and ahead of Springer Nature. Our 87% acceptance rate for journals submitted to Web of Science shows the strength of our editorial process and our proven ability to develop journals aligned with Clarivate’s 24 evaluation criteria.
    • Notably, Textiles, Mathematics, International Journal of Neonatal Screening, Smart Cities, Systems, and Pharmaceutics ranked in the top 10% in their respective categories, highlighting their growing influence and prestige within their academic fields. This shows that high-quality indexing goes beyond visibility; it upholds credibility and trust.
  • 193 MDPI journals are now ranked in the top 50% (Q1/Q2) of their subject categories.
    • What does this mean, and why is it important? Journals are ranked by quartiles within their field, based on their Impact Factor. Q1 represents the top 25% of journals in their category, Q2 the next 25%, and so on. Being in Q1 or Q2 shows that a journal is performing well relative to other journals in its category. Authors and institutions often look at quartile rankings when choosing where to publish – it’s an important indicator of visibility and recognition, within its respective category.
  • 116 of our previously ranked journals increased their Impact Factor.
  • 14 MDPI journals achieved an Impact Factor of 5.0 or higher, suggesting a high degree of influence and visibility.

These results reflect our staff's hard work: from our editorial and production teams to our indexing, communications, and data teams, and beyond. This also reflects the trust that the scholarly community places in MDPI, reinforcing the message that when researchers publish with MDPI, they publish with impact.

Open Access with Impact

As the leading fully open access publisher, our journals have received a total of 18.4 million citations in the Web of Science by the end of 2024, reflecting the growing reach and engagement of research published with MDPI. We are committed to making scientific research freely accessible to everyone, everywhere. With the support of more than 4.2 million contributing authors, we’re proud to support the global shift toward open access.

Further Reading

If you’d like to better understand how journals get indexed and why Impact Factors matter, please read this recent interview with Dr. Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing). It gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the role our indexing team plays in supporting journal indexing and visibility.

You can also read our official news announcement shared last week: MDPI Journals in the 2024 Journal Citation Reports.

Thank you to everyone, from our authors and reviewers to our editors and internal teams, who contributed to the progress of our journal indexing in 2024. We’re continuing to build journals that are recognized and trusted across disciplines.

Impactful Research

MDPI Journals See Continued Growth in 2024 CiteScore Results

Continuing our indexing updates, I’m pleased to share that MDPI has achieved strong results in the latest CiteScore metrics, released on 5 June by Scopus. These results reflect the collective efforts of our editors, reviewers, authors, and internal teams, with their dedication to quality and visibility in scientific publishing. You can read the full announcement here.

2024 Highlights:

  • 322 MDPI journals received a CiteScore (up from 274 last year).
  • 283 journals (88%) are ranked in Q1 or Q2 of their subject categories.
  • 237 journals (85%) saw an increase in their CiteScore compared to last year.
  • 48 journals received a CiteScore for the first time.
  • 39 journals are now placed in the top 10% of their subject areas.

“This growth highlights our commitment to supporting open, trusted science”

What is CiteScore and how is it measured?

CiteScore metrics are developed by Elsevier as an alternative to the Impact Factor. They measure the citation impact of journals and can be accessed freely on Scopus. The metric represents the yearly average number of citations to recent articles published in a journal. If you’re interested in learning more about citation metrics and how we use them, check out this blog post.

Why is this important?

These results show the growing recognition for, and impact of, MDPI journals across disciplines. CiteScore rankings help researchers, institutions, and funders assess where high-quality work is being published. This growth improves our journals’ positioning in the publishing landscape and highlights our commitment to supporting open, trusted science.

Inside MDPI

Highlights from the MDPI USA Summit in Boston (5–6 June)

With several Summits already behind us, I think this is a good time to reflect on the purpose of these Summits.

Why do we organize MDPI Summits?

These one-and-a-half-day, invite-only gatherings are designed to improve our relationships with Chief Editors who lead our journals and are respected voices in their fields. The Summits aim to:

  1. Share MDPI’s values, achievements, editorial practices, and local market collaborations.
  2. Collect feedback on MDPI operations and journal practices.
  3. Empower Chief Editors to confidently represent MDPI beyond the Summit.

While Chief Editors know their journals well, these events help them better understand MDPI. We want them to be ambassadors for our brand. The aim is for them to walk away informed, engaged, and equipped to share positively about MDPI.

About the Boston Summit

Held on 5–6 June, our first USA Summit gathered over 25 Chief Editors to learn more about MDPI’s activities and collaborations in the USA. The program included presentations, Q&A, and a panel discussion.

Agenda Highlights:

Moderated by Summer Huggard (Operations Manager [Toronto], MDPI), the program featured:

  • MDPI Overview and USA Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
  • AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Feichi Lu (Junior Data Scientist, MDPI)
  • MDPI Editorial Process and Research Integrity – Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI)
  • Panel Discussion – Stefan, Feichi, Giulia, Claudia
  • Society Partnerships – Dr. Clàudia Aunós (Society Partnerships Senior Manager, MDPI)
  • Voice of the Customer and Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)

MDPI & the USA: Facts and Figures

  • With over 216,000 publications, the USA is MDPI’s second-largest contributor after China.
  • In 2024, the USA ranked 2nd in total submissions and 2nd in total MDPI publications, with more than 28,200 publications.
  • As of 2020, the cumulative number of authors from the USA until April 2025 was 352,099.
  • As at April 2025, there are more than 12,035 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from the USA, with 55% having an H-index over 26.
  • Among them, 96 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and 218 as section-Editors-in-Chief (SEiC)
  • MDPI has more than 920 Institutional Open Access Program agreements worldwide, with over 130 from the USA.

A special thanks to our Toronto team, and everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this event run smoothly.

Coming Together for Science

Highlights from the MDPI France Summit in Paris (12–13 June)

We completed our first MDPI France Summit in Paris last week, and it was a special event. Attendees were engaged from beginning to end, remaining after hours to network and collaborate.

Why a France Summit?

We chose to host a France Summit in view of the recent challenges MDPI has faced with the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). What we took away from the event is that our authors and editors very much appreciate and enjoy working with us, but we need to address the concerns raised by CNRS, around Article Processing Charges (APCs) and the funding of gold open access publications.

“Our authors and editors very much enjoy working with us”

Some of the claims made in the June 2023 interview with Alain Schuhl, the Deputy CEO for Science at the CNRS, are simply not factual. For example, they state that MDPI’s “average APC charges per article are now around the same as Springer Nature’s.” Here is the relevant passage, reproduced verbatim:

This is not accurate.

A recent preprint analysing APC data from Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, PLOS, MDPI, and Frontiers (2019–2023) shows that MDPI’s average APCs remain significantly lower than those of Springer Nature and several other major publishers.

The MDPI Summits are part of our outreach and communication efforts to address misconceptions and clarify MDPI’s position as one of the most accessible and affordable major gold open access publishers in the world.

Summit Overview

Held on 12–13 June, the France Summit gathered over 20 Chief Editors to learn more about MDPI’s activities and collaborations in France. Many of these editors are influential in their institutions and professional societies. Several also have connections to CNRS, which makes this an important opportunity to clarify how we operate and build trust through open and transparent communication and hopefully turn our editors into informed advocates of MDPI.

Summit Feedback

The feedback has been very positive, with most attendees completing the post-event survey and all rating the experience as Excellent or Good. A few highlights:

  • “The whole thing was highly professional and, above all, provided quantified details that will allow us to better answer questions surrounding MDPI.”
  • “The summit was an opportunity to meet personally various people directly engaged in the organization and policies of MDPI, which made it possible to clarify some important points concerning publishing with MDPI.”
  • “Very well organized! A great opportunity to see all French MDPI partners and editors.”

Program Highlights:

Moderated by Miruna Adelina Nicolcioiu (Senior Conference Producer), the program featured:

  • MDPI Overview and France Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO)
  • MDPI Editorial Process and Peer-Review Quality – Dr. Marta Colomer (Public Affairs Specialist)
  • Institutional Partnerships and Open Access Funding Models – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager)
  • AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Daniele Raimondi (Data Scientist)
  • Publication Ethics: Global Trends – Diana Cristina Apodaritei (Research Integrity Specialist)
  • Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev
  • Panel Discussion – Diana, Becky, Prof. Dr. Patrick Da Cost, and Stefan

MDPI & France: Facts and Figures

  • With over 51,000 publications, France is MDPI's tenth-largest contributor, and fifth largest among EU countries after Italy, Spain, Germany, and Poland.
  • As of 2020, the cumulative number of authors from France until April 2025 was 87,592.
  • As at April 2025, there are more than 2,800 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from France, with 59% having an H-index over 26.
  • Among them, 22 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and 61 as section-Editors-in-Chief (SEiC)
  • In 2024, IJMS, JCM, and Molecules were the top three MDPI journals in terms of submissions from French-affiliated authors.

Special thanks to our colleagues from Romanian offices for organizing this successful event.

Closing Thoughts

Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller Share the 2024 Tu Youyou Award

As we wrap up this month’s newsletter, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the winners of the 2024 Tu Youyou Award, presented by our journal Molecules. I am pleased to share that the 2024 Tu Youyou Award has been conferred upon Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller, in recognition of their significant contributions to natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

I invite you to read the editorial co-authored by the Tu Youyou Award Committee, which highlights the significance of the award and the remarkable impact of the recipients’ research.

A sincere thank-you to the 2024 Award Committee for their dedication and selection process, and congratulations once again to this year’s honourees. Your work exemplifies the kind of research MDPI is proud to support and amplify.

About the Tu Youyou Award
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award includes a total monetary prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs and a medal for each recipient. Established in 2016 to honour the pioneering spirit of Nobel laureate Tu Youyou, the Tu Youyou Award is an international award recognizing exceptional scholars dedicated to the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

27 June 2025
Meet Us at ACS Fall 2025, 17–21 August 2025, Washington, DC, USA


Conference: ACS Fall 2025
Date: 17–21 August 2025
Location: Washington, DC, USA 

MDPI will be attending ACS Fall 2025, which will be held from 17 to 21 August 2025 in Washington, DC, USA. 

The Fall 2025 conference of the American Chemical Society (ACS) will be held in Washington, D.C., the center of global policy. As the largest international academic event in the field of chemistry, this session focuses on “Chemistry Powering Multidisciplinary Solutions”, addressing global challenges such as climate change, the public health crisis, and the energy transition, and promoting the strategic shift from basic research to industrial application. The core theme forums mainly include the following points:

  • Breakthroughs in Energy Materials:
  • Stability regulation of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI);
  • Optimization of hydrogen production efficiency through photocatalytic water cracking (target > 15%);
  • Pathways for enhancing the selectivity of carbon dioxide electrocatalytic conversion to C₂+ products.
  • Life Sciences and Health:
  • Clinical transformation of targeted protein degradation (PROTAC) technology;
  • The application of single-cell metabolomics in the early diagnosis of cancer;
  • AI-driven rational design of antimicrobial peptides.
  • Sustainable Development Technologies:
  • Development of plastic chemical recycling catalysts (depolymerization rate ≥ 95%);
  • Trace pollutant adsorption based on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs);
  • Alternative evaluation of green solvents in pharmaceutical processes (PMI index optimization). 

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning to attend the conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website: https://www.acs.org/events/fall.html.

26 June 2025
14 MDPI Journals Celebrate a Decade of Scholarly Publishing


In the year 2025, we are thrilled to share that 14 academic journals are celebrating their 10th anniversary of establishment.

To commemorate this milestone, each journal has launched a dedicated online anniversary webpage to review academic achievements, envision future directions, and express heartfelt gratitude to all contributors—authors, reviewers, editorial board members, and supporters—who have played a pivotal role in the journals’ growth. It is through your dedication and outstanding contributions that these journals have grown and developed into influential platforms for global scholarly exchange.

Over the past decade, these journals have remained committed to the principles of open science, delivering exceptional value within their respective fields.

Key highlights include:

  • Universe—A cornerstone for fundamental and applied physics research, spanning near-Earth space to cosmic phenomena;
  • Batteries—Focuses on the latest research achievements in batteries and closely related disciplines, effectively connecting academic research with industrial practice;
  • Magnetochemistry—Over 1,000 high-impact papers published, attracting worldwide attention in magnetic research;
  • Non-Coding RNA—Evolved from an open-access pioneer to a leading platform in non-coding RNA studies;
  • Safety—Emerged as a vital interdisciplinary platform dedicated to addressing global challenges in safety science, risk management, and injury prevention;
  • Tomography—Provided early career scholars with valuable editorial experience and academic support, fostering their professional growth in medical imaging;
  • Fermentation—Took microbial fermentation engineering as the core, promoting the leap of biomanufacturing from the laboratory to industrialization;
  • Gels—Recorded the revolutionary breakthroughs of gel materials from basic research to intelligent applications;
  • Journal of Imaging—Pioneering intelligent imaging technology to redefine the horizons of scientific discovery;
  • International Journal of Neonatal Screening—Dedicated to the rapid publication and knowledge sharing of newborn screening research;
  • C — Journal of Carbon Research—Explored the infinite possibilities of carbon science;
  • Journal of Fungi—Revealed the mysteries of fungal science, from fundamental research to global public health applications;
  • Beverages—Reshaped the beverage industry with technology, from flavor innovation to the upgrade of healthy consumption;
  • Horticulturae—Restoring the symbiotic bond between humans and nature through innovative green technology.

Journal

Editor-in-Chief

Prof. Dr. Andreas Jossen
Technische Universität München, Germany
Editorial | View journal anniversay page

Prof. Dr. Edgar Chambers IV
Kansas State University, USA
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Prof. Dr. Craig E. Banks
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Dr. Badal C. Saha
Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), USA
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Prof. Dr. David Díaz Díaz
Universität Regensburg, Germany
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Prof. Dr. Douglas D. Archbold
University of Kentucky, USA
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Dr. Ralph Fingerhut
University Children's Hospital, Switzerland
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Prof. Dr. David S. Perlin
The State University of New Jersey, USA
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Prof. Dr. Gonzalo Pajares
University Complutense of Madrid, Spain
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Prof. Dr. Carlos J. Gómez García
Universidad de Valencia, Spain
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Prof. Dr. George A. Calin
The University of Texas, USA
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Prof. Dr. Raphael Grzebieta
The University of New South Wales, Australia
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Prof. Dr. Emilio Quaia
University of Padova, Italy
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Iorio
Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (F.R.A.S.), Italy
Editorial | View journal anniversary page

As we embark on the next stage of our journey, we remain dedicated to upholding the highest standards of academic excellence and fostering a vibrant academic community.

We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported MDPI. Moving forward, we are committed to advancing open science, enhancing publishing services, and fostering the transformation of research outcomes. Together, let us continue to drive academic progress and global scholarly collaboration.

25 June 2025
C — Journal of Carbon Research Receives an Updated Impact Factor of 2.9


We are pleased to share that C — Journal of Carbon Research (ISSN: 2311-5629) was awarded an updated Impact Factor of 2.9 in the 2024 Journal Citation Reports™ released by Clarivate™ in June 2025. C — Journal of Carbon Research ranks in Q3 (257 among 460 titles) in the “Materials Science, Multidisciplinary” category.

The 2024 Journal Impact Factor is calculated by dividing the number of citations received in 2024 to all publications in the journal from 2022 and 2023 by the total number of citable publications from those same years.

To learn more, visit our journal statistics website for detailed metrics or check out our main IF announcement for general information.

The support and dedication of all the editors, reviewers, authors, and readers are an integral part of the journal’s performance. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have contributed to the journal.

23 June 2025
International Women in Engineering Day—“Together We Engineer”, 23 June 2025


International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), observed annually on 23 June, is a global initiative that celebrates the outstanding achievements of women in engineering while inspiring more young women to pursue engineering careers. Established in 2014 by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) in the UK, this observance has become a vital platform for advancing diversity and inclusion in the engineering profession.

Aligned with the 2025 theme, “Together We Engineer” and Goal 5 of the SDG Publishers Compact: Gender Equality, MDPI emphasizes the power of collective action to break down gender barriers and foster a more inclusive engineering culture. In this era of both challenges and opportunities, women engineers are driving technological innovation in unprecedented ways—from sustainable development solutions to AI ethics frameworks, their contributions are fundamentally reshaping our industry.

Join us in celebrating International Women in Engineering Day and supporting initiatives that empower women in STEM. Together, we can build a future where engineering innovation thrives through diversity, and where every aspiring engineer has equal opportunities to shape our world.

Engineering

Actuators;
● Applied Sciences
;
Automation;
Biomimetics;
● 
Buildings;
● 
Eng;
● 
Lubricants;
● 
Machines;
● 
Micromachines;
● 
Processes;
● 
Sensors.

Chemistry & Materials Science

Applied Nano;
● 
C;
● 
Coatings;
● 
JFB;
● 
JMMP;
● 
Materials;
● 
Metals;
● 
Nanomaterials.

Computer Science & Mathematics

Software.

Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities

Challenges;
Education Sciences.

Session 1: Breaking Barriers as Rising Stars Session 2: Legacy Building Through Inclusive Leadership
Date: 23 June 2025, 11:00 a.m. (CEST)
Webinar ID: 834 2423 4697
Free to register for this webinar here!
Date: 23 June 2025, 4:00 p.m. (CEST)
Webinar ID: 835 3354 6710
Free to register for this webinar here!

We are pleased to announce that the first Young Women in Engineering Award is open for nominations. This award was established to acknowledge the achievements of young women investigators in the field of engineering and to inspire young women to consider research and careers in engineering.

Nomination deadline: 30 November 2025.

Prize:

  • CHF 1000;
  • An electronic certificate;
  • A voucher to waive the article processing charges (APCs) for one submission to a journal within the field of engineering (subject to peer review)—valid for one year.

For more details about the award, please visit here. Please feel free to send the nomination letter to ywe-award@mdpi.com.

We are honored to interview several outstanding female scholars in engineering field to share their research journey and your insight into being a female engineer.

Name: Dr. Teresa Donateo
Affiliation: Department of Engineering for Innovation, University of Salento, Italy

“Female engineers often bring a unique set of strengths to academic research, shaped by their life experiences and the challenges they routinely navigate. One particularly valuable strength is the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously, a skill frequently sharpened through balancing professional responsibilities with personal commitments, such as motherhood.”

Please read the full interview here.

Name: Dr. Jelena Svorcan
Affiliation:
Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade, Serbia

“Females are generally very responsible, well organized, do not do everything at the last minute, and can very successfully deal with particular, tedious tasks. They perform well under pressure and are great as team leaders and teachers since they engage more with the younger colleagues, but can also be strict when necessary.”

Please read the full interview here.

Name: Dr. Yong Wei Tiong
Affiliations: 1 Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment (ISCE2), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
2 Singapore Integrative Biosystems and Engineering Research (SIBER), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore

“Female engineers often bring a collaborative, systems-oriented mindset that’s well-suited for complex interdisciplinary problems. They tend to approach problem-solving holistically and with strong communication skills, qualities essential for cross-functional research.”

Please read the full interview here.

Artificial Intelligence for Non-Destructive Imaging in Composite Materials
by Mine Seckin, Pinar Demircioglu, Ahmet Cagdas Seckin, Ismail Bogrekci and Serra Aksoy
Eng 2025, 6(3), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/eng6030046

Disassembly Plan Representation by Hypergraph
by Abboy Verkuilen, Mirjam Zijderveld, Niels de Buck and Jenny Coenen
Automation 2025, 6(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/automation6010010

Probing Solid-Binding Peptide Self-Assembly Kinetics Using a Frequency Response Cooperativity Model
by Taylor Bader, Kyle Boone, Chris Johnson, Cindy L. Berrie and Candan Tamerler
Biomimetics 2025, 10(2), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics10020107

Fast Multi-Distance Time-Domain NIRS and DCS System for Clinical Applications
by Marco Nabacino, Caterina Amendola, Davide Contini, Rebecca Re, Lorenzo Spinelli and Alessandro Torricelli
Sensors 2024, 24(22), 7375; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24227375

Understanding the Effect of Carbon Nanotube Core Designs on Controlling Bandgaps and Wave Directionality in Cement
by Nanziri Esther Kayondo and Shreya Vemuganti
Eng 2024, 5(3), 1811–1822; https://doi.org/10.3390/eng5030096

On the Importance of Solar Radiation and Shading for the Alkali–Aggregate Reaction Prediction of Concrete Arch Dams
by Noemi Schclar Leitão
Eng 2024, 5(3), 1673–1695; https://doi.org/10.3390/eng5030088

Label- and Reagent-Free Optical Sensor for Absorption-Based Detection of Urea Concentration in Water Solutions
by Carlo Anelli, Vanessa Pellicorio, Valentina Bello and Sabina Merlo
Sensors 2024, 24(9), 2754; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24092754

Electromechanical Actuator-Based Solution for a Scissor Lift
by Łukasz Stawiński, Viacheslav Zakharov, Andrzej Kosucki and Tatiana Minav
Actuators 2023, 12(10), 394; https://doi.org/10.3390/act12100394

A Synthesis-Based Stateful Approach for Guiding Design Thinking in Embedded System Development
by Hung-Fu Chang and Supannika Koolmanojwong Mobasser
Software 2023, 2(3), 332–349; https://doi.org/10.3390/software2030016

Special Issues:

New Technologies for Sensors Recent Advances in Compliant Mechanisms
Advanced Sensors and Signal Processing for Psychophysiological Monitoring Digital Twins for Sustainable Industrial Processes
Micro-/Nanofluidic and Lab-on-a-Chip Devices for Biomedical Applications, 3rd Edition Emerging Trends in Materials Engineering for Clean Energy Applications

Effect of Heat Treatment on Polymorphism and Particle Size Distribution of Calcium Carbonate Nanoparticle Synthesized via Mechanochemical Process
by Md Nuruzzaman, Yanju Liu, Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman, Saifullah Omar Nasif and Ravi Naidu
Appl. Nano 2025, 6(2), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/applnano6020008

Skin Sensitization Potential of Sensitizers in the Presence of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles In Vitro
by Claudia Meindl, Kristin Öhlinger, Verena Zrim, Jennifer Ober, Ramona Jeitler, Eva Roblegg and Eleonore Fröhlich
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(22), 1811; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14221811

Two-Dimensional MoS2 Nanosheets Derived from Cathodic Exfoliation for Lithium Storage Applications
by Alberto Martínez-Jódar, Silvia Villar-Rodil, José M. Munuera, Alberto Castro-Muñiz, Jonathan N. Coleman, Encarnación Raymundo-Piñero and Juan I. Paredes
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(11), 932; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14110932

Gold Nanoparticle-Based Colorimetric and Fluorescent Dual-Mode Lateral Flow Immunoassay for SARS-CoV-2 Detection
by Ying Gan, Hefan Zhang, Jing Liu, Fuqin He, Fengheng Li, Ao Li, Man Xing, Dongming Zhou, Shan-Yu Fung and Hong Yang
J. Funct. Biomater. 2024, 15(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb15030058

Examining the Impact of Intermediate Cooling on Mechanical Properties of 22MnB5 in a Tailored Tempering Process
by Alborz Reihani, Sebastian Heibel, Thomas Schweiker and Marion Merklein
J. Manuf. Mater. Process. 2024, 8(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmmp8010005

Investigating the Effect of Interface Temperature on Molecular Interdiffusion during Laser Transmission Welding of 3D-Printed Composite Parts
by Anh-Duc Le, André Chateau Akué Asséko, Benoît Cosson and Patricia Krawczak
Materials 2023, 16(18), 6121; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186121

Synthesis, Physicochemical Characteristics, and Biocompatibility of Multi-Component Collagen-Based Hydrogels Developed by E-Beam Irradiation
by Maria Demeter, Andreea Mariana Negrescu, Ion Calina, Anca Scarisoreanu, Mădălina Albu Kaya, Marin Micutz, Marius Dumitru and Anisoara Cimpean
J. Funct. Biomater. 2023, 14(9), 454; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb14090454

A Modelling-Based Framework for Carbon Emissions Calculation in Additive Manufacturing: A Stereolithography Case Study
by Vasiliki C. Panagiotopoulou, Aikaterini Paraskevopoulou and Panagiotis Stavropoulos
Processes 2023, 11(9), 2574; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092574

Natural Polyphenols and the Corrosion Protection of Steel: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives for Green and Promising Strategies
by Rossella Sesia, Silvia Spriano, Marco Sangermano and Sara Ferraris
Metals 2023, 13(6), 1070; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13061070

Special Issues:

Recent Developments in Friction Stir Welding Technology and Applications Women’s Special Issue Series: Functional Biomaterials (2nd Edition)
Healthy and Affordable Zero-Emission Buildings: A Challenge for the Near Future Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Biomimetic Surfaces and Interfaces 2025
Advanced Materials and Processing Technologies The 15th Anniversary of Nanomaterials—Women in Nanomaterials

20 June 2025
Young Women in Engineering Award—Open for Nominations


We are pleased to announce that the Young Women in Engineering Award is open for nominations. This award was established to acknowledge the achievements of young women investigators in the field of engineering and to inspire young women to consider research and careers in engineering. All the nominations will be assessed by an Award Evaluation Committee, and winners will be announced online on 8 March 2026.

Prizes:

  • CHF 1000;
  • An electronic certificate;
  • A voucher to waive the article processing charges (APCs) for one submission to a journal within the field of engineering (subject to peer review)—valid for one year.

Number of winners: 2.

Eligibility and requirements:

  • This role is designated for female candidates;
  • Must have received their Ph.D. no more than 10 years prior to 31 December 2025;
  • Must have produced groundbreaking research and made a significant contribution to the advancement of engineering;
  • Must be nominated by senior scientists.

List of documents for nomination:

  • Detailed curriculum vitae, including an updated publication list and a list of the researcher’s own research grants;
  • Scanned copy of doctorate certificate;
  • Signed nomination letters from two established senior scientists.

Schedule:

Open for nominations: 23 June 2025;
Nomination deadline: 30 November 2025;
Winner announcement: 8 March 2026.

Nominations and contact:

All nomination materials and award-related communications must be submitted via our official email: ywe-award@mdpi.com.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to receiving your nominations.

Young Women in Engineering Award Team

20 June 2025
MDPI Webinar | MDPI 2025 International Women in Engineering Day, 23 June 2025


In alignment with International Women in Engineering Day, MDPI emphasizes the power of collective action to break down gender barriers and foster a more inclusive engineering culture. MDPI has invited female engineers to showcase their groundbreaking engineering research and share their personal journeys and insights through roundtable discussion. Join us in building a future for engineering and supporting initiatives that empower women in STEM.

Session 1Breaking Barriers as Rising Stars

Keywords: women in engineering, female engineers, inspiring women, together we engineer, breaking barriers
Date: 11:00 a.m. CEST | 7:00 p.m. AEST| 5:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 834 2423 4697
Webinar Page: https://sciforum.net/event/2025INWED-1

Register now for free!

Speaker/Presentation

Time in CEST

Time in AEST

Dr. Giulia Scalet
Chair’s Introduction

11:00–11:10 a.m.

7:00–7:10 p.m.

Dr. Kyriaki-Evangelia Aslani
Effect of Micromagnetorotation on Blood Flows under Strong Magnetic Fields

11:10–11:30 a.m.

7:10–7:30 p.m.

Dr. Athanasia Tolkou
Novel Approaches in Water and Wastewater Treatment

11:30–11:50 a.m.

7:30–7:50 p.m.

Dr. Sabina Alexandra Nicolae
Dark Solutions for a Brighter Future: Sustainable Carbon Materials for Environmental Application

11:50 a.m. –12:10 p.m.

7:50–8:10 p.m.

Dr. Giulia Scalet, Dr. Miriam Filippi, Dr. Sabina Alexandra Nicolae, Dr. Kyriaki-Evangelia Aslani, Dr. Athanasia Tolkou
Roundtable Discussion

12:10–12:50 p.m.

8:10–8:50 p.m.

Dr. Giulia Scalet
Closing of Webinar

12:50–1:00 p.m.

8:50–9:00 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 to view.

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

  • Dr. Giulia Scalet, University of Pavia, Italy;
  • Dr. Miriam Filippi, ETH Zurich, Switzerland;
  • Dr. Kyriaki-Evangelia Aslani, University of the Peloponnese, Greece;
  • Dr. Athanasia Tolkou, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece;
  • Dr. Sabina Alexandra Nicolae, National Institute of Materials Physics, Romania.

Session 2Legacy Building Through Inclusive Leadership

Keywords: Women in Engineering, Female Engineers, Inspiring Women, Together We Engineer,Leadership
Date: 4:00 p.m. CEST | 10:00 a.m. EDT| 10:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 835 3354 6710
Webinar Page: https://sciforum.net/event/2025INWED-2

Register now for free!

Speaker/Presentation

Time in CEST

Time in EDT

Prof. Dr. Sabina Merlo
Chair’s Introduction

4:00–4:10 p.m.

10:00–10:10 a.m.

Prof. Dr. Sabina Merlo

4:10–4:25 p.m.

10:10–10:25 a.m.

Dr. Fabiola Pineda
Towards Thermosolar Storage Efficiency: The Use of 2D Nanomaterials to Enhance Molten Salts

4:25–4:40 p.m.

10:25–10:40 a.m.

Dr. Camélia Ghimbeu
Role of Carbon Materials in Energy Storage Landscape

4:40 p.m. –4:55 p.m.

10:40–10:55 a.m.

Dr. Maria Graça Rasteiro
A Travel Through Particle Technology

4:55–5:10 p.m.

10:55–11:10 a.m.

Prof. Dr. Sabina Merlo, Prof. Dr. Yuliya Semenova, Dr. Camélia Ghimbeu, Dr. Maria Graça Rasteiro, Dr. Fabiola Pineda, Dr. Tatiana Ferreira
Roundtable Discussion

5:10–5:50 p.m.

11:10–11:50 a.m.

Prof. Dr. Sabina Merlo
Closing of Webinar

5:50–6:00 p.m.

11:50 a.m. –12:00 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 to view.

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

  • Prof. Dr. Sabina Merlo, University of Pavia, Italy;
  • Dr. Fabiola Pineda, Universidad Mayor, Chile;
  • Dr. Camélia Ghimbeu, Institute of Materials Science of Mulhouse, France;
  • Dr. Maria Graça Rasteiro, University of Coimbra, Portugal;
  • Prof. Dr. Yuliya Semenova, Technological University Dublin, Ireland;
  • Dr. Tatiana Ferreira, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

13 June 2025
C—Journal of Carbon Research Receives an Increased CiteScore of 3.4

We are pleased to share that C—Journal of Carbon Research (ISSN: 2311-5629) has received an increased CiteScore of 3.4 in June 2025. The CiteScore ranks the journal 122 out of 271 titles (Q2) in the “Environmental Science (miscellaneous)” category and 106 out of 232 titles (Q2) in the “Materials Science (miscellaneous)” category, an impressive achievement for a journal running in Volume 11.

You can find more statistics on our website.

The current CiteScores measure the average number of citations within a journal over a four-year window (2021–2024). The Scopus database provides a comprehensive suite of metrics that support informed publishing strategies, research evaluation and enable benchmarking of journal performance.

This achievement reflects the collective efforts of our authors, reviewers, and editors. Together we will continue to track the progress of C—Journal of Carbon Research and its growing impact in carbon materials, carbon research, and their applications.

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