Announcements

Conference: The 72nd JSAP Spring Meeting 2025
Date: 14–17 March 2025
Location: Noda City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan

MDPI will be attending the 72nd JSAP Spring Meeting 2025, which will be held from 14 to 17 March 2025 in Noda City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

Hosted by the Japan Society of Applied Physics (JSAP), one of Asia’s most prominent academic organizations in applied physics, the conference serves as a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration. With a focus on themes such as quantum technology, nanomaterials, optoelectronics, renewable energy systems, and biophysics, the event features keynote speeches, technical sessions, poster presentations, and an exhibition showcasing innovative technologies. The JSAP Spring Meeting is renowned for highlighting Japan’s leadership in applied physics research and its integration with global industrial trends. The 2025 program includes special sessions on sustainable technologies and AI-driven material discovery, reflecting the urgent need for science-based solutions to global challenges. This prestigious event brings together global researchers, engineers, and industry experts to share cutting-edge advancements in applied physics and related fields.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Applied Sciences;
• Atoms;
• Entropy;
• Eng;
• Photonics;
• Sensors;
• Chips;
• Electronics;
• Micromachines;
• Condensed Matter;
• Magnetism;
• Physics.

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://meeting.jsap.or.jp/english.

We are pleased to announce that the 2nd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers (AIS 2025) will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 29 July to 3 August 2025. Building on the success of our previous conference in Singapore, this event promises to be an exciting platform for exploring cutting-edge advances and fostering collaboration in the rapidly evolving field of AI, sensors, and transducers. We expect that the AIS 2025 will host over 600 participants from around the world.

Conference Chairs:

• Prof. Dr. Toshihiro Itoh, Department of Precision Engineering, University of Tokyo, Japan;
• Prof. Dr. Sang-Woo Kim, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Korea;
• Prof. Dr. Chengkuo Lee, Director of Center for Intelligent Sensors and MEMS; Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.

Topics of Interest:

• S1. Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) and MicroTAS;
• S2. Biosensors and Biomedical Devices;
• S3. In-Body IoT Sensing Technology, Electroceuticals and Neural Interfaces;
• S4. Nanophotonics and Metasurface;
• S5. Acoustic, RF, THz Metamaterials and AI-Enabled Metamaterials;
• S6. Neuromorphic Computing, In-Memory Computing and Applications;
• S7. Photonics Integrated Circuits (PICs) and Novel Materials;
• S8. Enabling Technology for Photonic Neural Networks (PNNs) and Applications;
• S9. In-Sensor Computing and Enabling Technology for Edge Computing;
• S10. MEMS/NEMS Sensors;
• S11. Semiconductor Sensors, Photodetectors and CMOS MEMS;
• S12. Piezoelectric MEMS and Resonators—FBAR, SAW and pMUT;
• S13. Piezoelectric Transducers and Energy Harvesters;
• S14. Ferroelectric/Perovskite/2D Materials Thin Film and Applications;
• S15. Gas Sensors and Chemosensors;
• S16. Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Self-Powered Sensors;
• S17. Energy Harvesting Technology and Applications;
• S18. Flexible, Stretchable and Wearable Sensors;
• S19. Wearable AI Sensors;
• S20. AI-Enhanced Tactile Sensors and e-Skin;
• S21. Haptic Technology and Applications;
• S22. Advanced Sensors for Robots and Autonomous Systems;
• S23. Intelligent Sensors and AI-Enhanced Humanoids;
• S24. Enabling Technology for Digital Twin, Metaverse and Smart Sensing Systems;
• S25. AIoT Technology and Applications;
• S26. Sensors for Agriculture Applications and Harsh Environments;
• S27. Industry Forum and Commercialization of Sensors and Transducers;
• S28. Regular Symposium.

Guide for Authors:

Please click the button to submit your abstract before 3 April 2025.

Please click the button to register for this event.

For detailed information, please visit https://sciforum.net/event/AIS2025?section=#instructions.

For any enquiries regarding the event, please contact [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you at AIS 2025.

MDPI, a pioneer in scholarly open access publishing, and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), Singapore, proudly announce the successful conclusion of the first edition the MDPI Early Career Researcher Awards. The awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to medical and biomedical research, were presented to six exceptional researchers during an awards ceremony held at LKCMedicine HQ Building on 28 November 2024.

Honoring Excellence in Research

The awards recognize exceptional postdoctoral researchers and Ph.D. students who have demonstrated outstanding originality, innovation, and impact in their respective fields. We are honored to announce the winners of the 2024 edition:

Early Career Researcher (Postdoc) Award:

• Dr. Theresia Handayani Mina, “Adiposity and Metabolic Health in Asian Populations: An Epidemiological Study Using Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry in Singapore”;
• Dr. Erfan Rezvani Ghomi, “Wound Healing Improvement by Novel Aligned Antimicrobial Nanofibrous 3D Scaffolds”;
• Dr. Yadollah Ranjbar Slamloo, “Functional Alterations of The Prefrontal Circuit Underlying Cognitive Aging in Mice”.

Early Career Researcher (Ph.D.) Award:

• Pritisha Rozario, “Mechanistic Basis for Potassium Efflux-Driven Activation of the Human NLRP1 Inflammasome”;

• Michelle Law Cheok Yien, “Chikungunya Virus Nonstructural Protein 1 is a Versatile RNA Capping and Decapping Enzyme”;
• Yin Ruoyu, “The Use of Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing Tools in Older Adults: A Mixed Method Study”.

Our collaboration highlights a shared commitment to recognizing exceptional talent and research within the academic community, addressing today’s healthcare challenges, and inspiring continued innovation.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Building on the success of the first edition, MDPI and LKCMedicine are excited to announce that the 2025 MDPI Early Researcher Awards will continue to celebrate excellence and innovation in medical research. The next edition promises to expand its scope, introducing new categories and providing even greater recognition for impactful research.

Further details on the 2025 awards, including nomination criteria and timelines, will be shared in the coming months. We remain committed to fostering a culture of research excellence and collaboration within the global scientific community.

Conference: The 32nd Korean Conference on Semiconductors (KCS 2025)
Date: 12–14 February 2025
Location: Jeongseon, Republic of Korea

MDPI will be attending the 32nd Korean Conference on Semiconductors (KCS 2025), which will be held from 12 to 14 February 2025, as an exhibitor, and we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The conference is organized by the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association. The theme of KCS 2025 is “Future Normal in Semiconductor”. “Future Normal” represents the enduring standards and transformative trends that will define the future, remaining relevant even a decade from now. It embodies the pursuit of groundbreaking insights and influential innovations in semiconductor research, shaping the trajectory of the industry and providing a visionary roadmap for the future.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Electronics;
• Materials;
• AI;
• Applied Nano;
• Applied Sciences;
• Ceramics;
• Chips;
• Electronic Materials;
• Energies;
• Eng;
• Hardware;
• Inventions;
• Micromachines;
• Sensors;
• Technologies.

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 booth #32 and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: http://kcs.cosar.or.kr/2025/index.jsp.

The editorial team at Eng extends our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated reviewers whose expertise and commitment have been key to the journal's success in 2024. Last year, Eng received 998 review reports from 685 reviewers representing 72 countries and regions worldwide.

To recognize the invaluable time, effort, and attention to detail that each reviewer dedicates, Eng expresses its sincere gratitude through an annual acknowledgment of reviewers.

We are honored to recognize the reviewers who allowed us to publish their names each year. The names of these reviewers are listed below in alphabetical order by first name:

Nine new journals covering multiple subjects launched their inaugural issues in December 2024. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all of the Editorial Board Members, and each journal will ensure its high-quality output by using excellent editorial and rigorous peer-review processes, to ensure that the articles achieve high impact and visibility.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Zhaoyang Dong City University of Hong Kong, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	energy storage technologies; energy storage system management; energy storage applications; strategies in renewable energy generation grid integration; distributed storage systems; economics and markets for energy storage View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Yang-Hui He 1. London Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Royal Institution, UK 2. University of Oxford, UK Editorial | View inaugural issue	Euclidean geometry; differential geometry; algebraic geometry; complex geometry; discrete geometry; computational geometry; geometric group theory;  convex geometry View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Michel Planat Université de Franche-Comté, France Editorial | View inaugural issue	differential topology; algebraic topology; manifold topology; homology theory; low-dimensional topology; fuzzy sets View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Rashid Al Abri 1. Sultan Qaboos University, Oman 2. Oman Medical Association, Oman Editorial | View inaugural issue	clinical practices as well as research and innovation in medical education, risk management in healthcare, and patient safety View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Ecevit Bilgili* New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA *Prof. Dr. Ecevit Bilgili passed away before the completion of the inaugural issue. His dedication and vision for JPBI will always be remembered and serve as a guiding inspiration. Editorial | View inaugural issue	early drug discovery and development; product characterization and pre-clinical testing; drug delivery systems and drug design; active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Weiyong Liu Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	theories, methodologies, technologies, and applications in the fields of laboratory medicine and clinical chemistry View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Manuel Pedro Rodríguez Bolívar University of Granada, Spain Editorial | View inaugural issue	scientometrics; informetrics; bibliometrics; altmetrics; webometrics; research evaluation View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Fei Fan Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	regional growth theory and methods; regional system modeling and optimization; regional development policy; regional spatial evolution; environmental policy and instrument choice View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Kevin Cianfaglione Université Catholique de Lille, France Editorial | View inaugural issue	wild species and their habitats; wild environments and biodiversity; natural environment management; wild land preservation View journal scope | Submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee ([email protected]) if you would like to create more new journals.

MDPI will attend the Optical Society of Korea 2025 Winter Academic Conference (OSK 2025) as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Busan, Republic of Korea, from 11 to 14 February 2025.

The OSK was established in 1989 and has been a leading academic organization in the field of optics and related application technology in the Republic of Korea, with 10,000 current members and 9 specialized divisions. It was founded with the purpose of advancing optical technology and allied fields of science and engineering, both academically and technologically. The OSK publishes the domestic academic journal Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics, the SCIE-level international academic journal Current Optics and Photonics (COPP), and the optical magazine K-Light. The OSK also promotes communication and academic exchange among OSK members through annual conferences in summer and winter, with additional conferences that are specific to each research division. In addition, the OSK has been maintaining international exchanges with 18 optics-related societies overseas.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Photonics;
• Micromachines;
• Applied Sciences;
• Technologies;
• Eng;
• Bioengineering;
• Plasma;
• Materials;
• Sensors;
• Quantum Reports;
• Spectroscopy Journal;
• Optics;
• Atoms;
• Physics;
• Biosensors.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit http://engnew.osk.or.kr/conference/event/index.php?cfrid=118.

More than 100 German universities and research institutions have entered into a national agreement with MDPI. The publication agreement negotiated by ZB MED comes into effect on 1 January 2025 and is valid until the end of 2026. Joining the consortium is still possible until the beginning of 2025. We are delighted by the high level of interest this agreement has already garnered, reflecting the strong demand for accessible and cost-effective open access publishing solutions among German research institutions.

This new cooperation aims to make scientific gold open access publishing more affordable and less administratively burdensome for researchers in Germany. The agreement includes substantial discounts on article processing charges (APCs) for corresponding authors from participating institutions. It offers flexible payment options, including centralized invoicing or individual payment of fees by researchers or their institutions. Additionally, the agreement features a flat-fee model that enables institutions to precisely plan expenses and optimize their library budgets.

"MDPI can look back on over a decade of successful partnerships with German research institutions," says Peter Roth, MDPI Head of Publishing. "The new agreement marks another milestone in the long-standing co-operation between MDPI and the German scientific community. It emphasizes our commitment to developing up-to-date and inventive solutions for the diverse needs of scientific institutions to promote open research for the benefit of researchers."

Petra Labriga, Head of Strategic License Management at ZB MED, highlighted the agreement's significance: "As one of the world's leading Gold OA publishers, MDPI plays a central role in the German publishing landscape. We are particularly pleased that we were able to achieve considerable potential cost savings for scientific institutions and their authors at a national level through our negotiations."

The partnership reflects a common goal of advancing the idea of open access and supporting researchers in making their scientific excellence internationally visible.

"We would like to thank the ZB MED consortium team for their excellent collaboration," added Adrian Stefan Zamfir, MDPI Institutional Partnership Manager for the DACH region. "We are delighted that this agreement will give even more researchers in Germany access to our tried-and-tested and reliable publication platform."

Franziska Fischer (right), Commercial Director at ZB MED, an Peter Roth (left), Head of Publishing at MDPI, celebrate the signing of the new national open access agreement between MDPI and the ZB MED Consortium.

More Information

• Conditions and participation opportunities (German): Link
• Frequently asked questions (German): Link

Contact

• ZB MED: Team Konsortiallizenzen ([email protected]) - Website
  MDPI: Adrian Stefan Zamfir, Institutional Partnership Manager ([email protected])
  
  

About ZB MED

ZB MED - Information Centre for Life Sciences is an infrastructure and research centre for life science information and data. Its aim is to support and strengthen research for people and the environment: from medicine to biodiversity and environmental protection.

The work of ZB MED is orientated towards the strategic guidelines:

• Research + Networking: We conduct research together with the regionally, nationally, European and globally networked research community.
• Data science: We enable data analyses and generate new knowledge through research.
• Access to information: We provide sustainable access to information, literature and data as a central information infrastructure.
• Open + FAIR: We promote open and reproducible science in line with open science and FAIR principles.
• Knowledge and skills transfer: We actively impart knowledge, competences and skills.

More information at www.zbmed.de.

About MDPI

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, MDPI is one of the world's leading open access publishers with a current portfolio of more than 440 journals in all scientific disciplines. MDPI‘s goal is to advance open science worldwide through greater transparency, efficiency and collaboration. To date, more than 3.7 million researchers have published their results in MDPI journals. The editorial process is overseen by a large network of dedicated reviewers and editors and supported by more than 6500 MDPI employees. MDPI currently works with over 800 academic institutions and 180 scientific societies worldwide, which benefit from a wide range of MDPI services and products.

We are pleased to announce a series of updates to our template, aimed at improving the readability and overall aesthetics of our publications. These changes have been meticulously designed to enhance the user experience and ensure consistency across all our publications. The updated template will be available for download from the Instructions for Authors page.

The following updates will be applied to articles published in the 2025 volumes, starting on 24 December 2024:

• Main text: The line spacing has been increased to improve the readability of publications;
• Header and footer: The link to the journal website will be removed, as a hyperlink has been integrated into the journal logo. Additionally, the DOI link will be moved from the left-hand side to the right-hand side, and both the header and footer will be slightly raised to achieve a better balance;
• Left information bar: The information provided here has been rearranged for better organization; the CC-BY logo will be removed;
• Font size: The font size used for the abstract, keywords, and first-level headings will be increased.

Furthermore, MDPI journals will continue to use article numbers. This approach enables us to maintain a rapid and efficient production process by being able to define pagination as soon as a paper is accepted.

We hope that the new version of the template will provide users with a better experience and make the process more convenient.

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions or suggestions.

Starting from Volume 6, Issue 1, the publication frequency of Eng (ISSN: 2673-4117) will be changed from quarterly to monthly. This decision has been made by our Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board Members, and the journal’s Editorial Office. This change aims to provide more frequent and timely access to cutting-edge research and insightful articles within our field. The publications of our journal will be delivered more frequently to partnering databases and will be easier to discover for the global research community. We eagerly anticipate this exciting new phase and deeply appreciate your continued support for our journal.