Announcements

Dr. Edoardo Sanità completed his Ph.D. in structural geology and tectonics at the University of Firenze, Italy, working on the tectono-metamorphic evolution of low-grade units exposed in collisional belts. Subsequently, he moved to the University of Pisa, Italy, as a postdoc researcher where he studied the origin, deformation mechanisms, and metamorphic history of mélanges exposed in the northern Apennines, Corsica, and Western Alps. During this period, he developed advanced strategies with which to unambiguously reconstruct the metamorphic history of low-grade units by merging chemical data from conventional (e.g., EPMA-WDS) and unconventional (e.g., TEM-EDS) devices with forward and inverse thermodynamic modeling and the study of deformation mechanisms from the micro- to nanoscale.

The following is an interview with Dr. Edoardo Sanità:

1. Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?

I am a postdoc researcher in structural geology and tectonics. My research interests focus on 1) reconstructing the tectono-metamorphic history of subducted rocks, including mélanges; 2) elucidating the deformation mechanism of rock-forming minerals from the micro- to the nanoscale; 3) studying fluid–rock interactions and how these processes control the rheological behavior of rocks deformed and metamorphosed at the depth of the seismogenic zone; 4) developing advanced strategies using conventional (e.g., EPMA-WDS and EDS) and unconventional (e.g., TEM-EDS) devices to unambiguously constrain the pressure and temperature history of subducted rocks by integrating forward and inverse thermodynamic modeling.

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

In the coming future, the world’s energy security needs will depend less on uninterrupted access to fossil energy sources and more on clean energy technologies, materials, and components.

Attention has been paid to developing a sound methodological approach to addressing energy security through critical core technological elements supporting the respective clean energies. However, the development of advanced strategies aimed at identifying how clean energy technologies, materials, and components can best work is closely linked to rapid and high-quality research. This requires a multidisciplinary approach involving experts from more than one scientific discipline. The geosciences have a key role to play here, as they can provide a comprehensive view of the natural processes responsible for the accumulation of strategic resources useful for the energy transition. Basic research is and will remain essential to improve our knowledge of clean energy, maximize its potential, and ensure a rapid and safe energy transition.

3. Have you encountered any difficulties in your research? How did you overcome them?

Surely, the main difficulty is to really understand what your research of interest will be, as I encountered at the beginning of my research life. My scientific curiosity and the will to do something to address societal issues gave me the opportunity to make the right choices on the path to follow up until now.

4. Can you briefly describe the key to a happy laboratory life?

In my opinion, the secret to a happy laboratory life is a positive synergy and collaboration between the staff members, as well as a good organization plan.

5. What qualities do you think young scientists need?

As a very young early career researcher, I am not sure I am the best person to respond. However, I think that the key driving mechanisms are 1) scientific curiosity based on the fact that a scientist has the responsibility and duty to explore as much as possible in their fields of interest; and 2) to be convinced that, despite a young age, an early career researcher can push forward the current state-of the-art contributing to scientific progress.

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Stanisław Mazur has been appointed Associate Editor of the “Mineral Exploration Methods and Applications” Section of Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X) as of March 2025.

Prof. Dr. Stanisław Mazur is a professor at the Institute of Geological Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, currently serving as director. His main research interests are tectonics, structural geology, basin analysis, and applied geophysics. He obtained his Ph.D. in structural geology from the University of Wrocław, followed by training in structural geology at University College Dublin (1994) and a postdoctoral fellowship at GeoforschungsZentrum Potsdam (2003-2004). Before joining the Institute of Geological Sciences, he worked for 11 years in British geophysical consulting companies (Getech, ARKeX), where he was responsible for the technical supervision of multi-client projects. He was also a visiting research fellow at the University of Leeds from 2008 to 2011 and from 2014 to 2020. He has been a participant in scientific expeditions to Greenland, Spitsbergen, British Columbia, and Northern Labrador. In 2013, he received the Jules Braunstein Memorial Award for the best poster at the AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, 2012, Long Beach, California, USA. He is a member of the American Geophysical Union, the European Geosciences Union, and the Polish Geological Society. Since 2018, he has led the Depositional Systems Research Group (DEPOS) in the Research Centre in Kraków. Stanisław Mazur is the author of approximately 100 research papers that have received over 2,500 independent citations (Web of Science) and have achieved a Hirsch index of 32. Since January 2020, he has been a corresponding member of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

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

1. What inspired you to take on the role of Associate Editor for this journal?

I was motivated to take on this role because of my deep interest in advancing research in the field of mineral exploration and Earth sciences. Minerals has established itself as a reputable journal that fosters high-quality, open access research, and I see this as an excellent opportunity to contribute to its growth. Additionally, I am passionate about ensuring rigorous peer review and facilitating the dissemination of cutting-edge studies that shape our understanding of mineral ores, their formation, and exploration strategies.

2. What is your vision for the journal?

My vision for Minerals is to further enhance its reputation as a leading platform for innovative research in mineralogy, geochemistry, and exploration geophysics. I aim to encourage interdisciplinary studies that bridge fundamental science with applied research, including mineral resources and exploration methods. Additionally, I hope to expand the journal’s reach by attracting high-quality contributions from diverse global research communities while maintaining the highest editorial and ethical standards.

3. How do you see the future of this research field evolving?

The field of mineralogy and mineral exploration is rapidly evolving, driven by technological advancements and the increasing demand for critical minerals. In the coming years, I anticipate significant progress in areas such as the following:

1. The role of minerals in sustainable energy solutions, including battery materials and carbon capture;
2. Advances in analytical techniques, such as high-resolution geophysical imaging and geochemical modeling, which will refine our understanding of mineral formation and transformation;
3. Increased integration of machine learning and big data approaches in mineral exploration and characterization;
4. A stronger focus on environmental and ethical aspects of mineral resource utilization.

These developments will not only advance fundamental scientific knowledge but also address global challenges related to resource sustainability and climate change.

4. What are your thoughts on the development of open access in academic publishing?

Open access (OA) has transformed academic publishing by making research more accessible and increasing its impact. It promotes transparency, collaboration, and the rapid dissemination of knowledge, which is particularly crucial in fields like mineralogy and mineral exploration, where interdisciplinary insights drive innovation. However, challenges remain, including the sustainability of OA funding models and concerns about predatory publishing. Moving forward, I believe that a balance must be struck between affordability, quality control, and broad accessibility, ensuring that OA continues to benefit both researchers and the wider scientific community.

We wish Prof. Dr. Stanisław Mazur every success in this position, and we look forward to his contributions to the journal.

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Zhiyong Gao has been appointed Section Editor-in-Chief of the “Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy” Section of Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X) as of March 2025.

Prof. Dr. Zhiyong Gao received his Ph.D. degree in minerals processing engineering from Central South University (CSU), China, in 2013, and has been a Professor and Vice Dean in the School of minerals processing and bioengineering at CSU since 2019. His research interests embrace mineral crystal chemistry, flotation reagent design, and grinding media technology. The surface broken bond density (Db) index proposed by Prof. Dr. Zhiyong Gao has been widely accepted as a rapid way to study mineral surfaces and to assess their surface reactivity. This Db index has interestingly become widely recognized and applied in different areas such as material science, crystal growth, geochemistry, mineralogy, etc. Prof. Dr. Zhiyong’s research activities have also included extensive use of AFM and DFT on molecular recognition for the development of a series of novel collectors and reagent mixtures for improving the separation selectivity when treating different minerals. Prof. Dr. Zhiyong has developed a method to regulate the crystal surface exposure and hence particle reactivity of different minerals by optimizing the grinding media parameters. Based on these fundamental studies, various new reagent schemes and grind technologies have been developed and utilized to optimize the currently used separation process and address key environmental and energy-related challenges in mineral processing.

Prof. Dr. Gao has published 90+ papers with an H-index of 44 and 6000+ citations (Google Scholar). He also holds 30+ authorized patents. He has received numerous awards and honors including the MEI Young Person’s Award (2019), IJMMM Young Scientist Award (2024), the China-Australia Young Scientist Exchange Award (2020), the World's Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University, and the Young Elite Scientists Award by China Association for Science and Technology (2017). Prof. Dr. Gao has contributed significantly to the scientific community by serving, for example, on the editorial boards of several journals (including Physicochemical Problems of Mineral Processing since 2016, Minerals since 2017, Minerals Engineering since 2021, IJMMM since 2023) and committee memberships. In 2017, Prof. Dr. Gao initiated and chaired the 1st China International Conference of Young Scholars in Mineral Processing, which is now a well-known annual event in mineral processing community. He has been invited to give plenary/keynote/invited presentations and chair sessions in International Mineral Processing Congress, International Flotation Conferences, International Mineral Processing and Recycling Conference, SME, TMS, etc. He and his international collaborators also established the China–Australia/China–South Africa Joint Research Centre for Mineral Flotation Chemistry.

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

MDPI will be attending the 11th National Congress of the Chinese Society for Mineralogy Petrology and Geochemistry (CSMPG), which will be held in Wuhan, China, from 18 to 20 April 2025. The CSMPG 2025 is organized by the Chinese Society for Mineralogy, Petrology, and Geochemistry and co-organized by the School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, and Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The conference aims to facilitate academic exchanges in mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry, and related research fields.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Minerals;
• Geosciences;
• Sustainability;
• Resources.

If you plan to attend the conference, please pay a visit to our booth. 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://csmpg.meeting666.com/.

MDPI will be attending the XVI International Mineral Processing and Recycling Conference, which will be held in Belgrade, Serbia, from 28 to 30 May 2025. IMPRC 2025 is organized every two years by the Technical Faculty in Bor, a member of the University of Belgrade, and co-organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. The conference aims to create an international forum for academics, researchers, and scientists from around the world to present their latest research results, ideas, and developments regarding issues related to mineral processing and recycling technologies and related areas.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Minerals;
• Recycling;
• Environments;
• Processes;
• Sustainability;
• Waste;
• Metals.

If you are attending the conference, please visit our booth. 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://imprc.tfbor.bg.ac.rs/.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Pura Alfonso has been appointed Associate Editor of the “Mineral Deposits” Section of Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X) as of March 2025.

Dr. Pura Alfonso is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mining, Industrial and ICT Engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Spain, where she teaches mineralogy, mineral deposits, and environmental geology. She is also the Director of the Valentí Masachs Geology Museum at the UPC, which is dedicated to promoting the field of geology and educating the public on the applications of minerals. In 1984, she completed her degree in geology at the University of Barcelona. Subsequently, she worked on gold deposits in Nicaragua, and once again at the University of Barcelona she presented her doctoral thesis on the petrogenesis of the rare-element pegmatites of Cap de Creus. She has extensive experience in modeling mineral deposits. In this sense, thanks to a grant, she worked for two years at the Scottish Research and Environmental Centre, carrying out isotopic studies on volcanic-hosted massive deposits and sedimentary exhalative deposits. She has actively participated in multiple EU-funded, competitive research projects focused on the processing of critical raw materials.

She is currently conducting research on a diverse range of mineral deposit types together with researchers from other countries, mainly Iran, Mexico, and Bolivia. She has an ongoing collaboration on rare-element projects. She also has a research interest in artisanal mining and actively collaborates on projects aimed at making this activity more efficient and environmentally sustainable.

She has published 98 peer-reviewed articles, 30 of them as a first author, and more than 100 conference presentations. She has supervised numerous bachelor's, master's, and doctoral theses.

The following is a short Q&A with Dr. Pura Alfonso, who shared her vision for the Section with us as well as her views on the research area and Open Access publishing:

MDPI is pleased to share a significant milestone in its mission to advance scholarly research and promote the dissemination of knowledge—300+ MDPI journals are now indexed in Web of Science (WoS). This milestone highlights the global recognition, interdisciplinary impact and enhanced visibility of our journals. It also reflects our adherence to rigorous editorial standards, scientific integrity, and our mission to foster open scientific exchange in all forms, across all disciplines. 

To explore the full list of our journals indexed in WoS, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals/wos. Beyond expanding the coverage of our publications in the leading academic databases, we are dedicated to ensuring that our journals are included in as many scope-specific databases as possible. This increases the visibility of our authors’ work and extends the reach of their significant data. 

This milestone would not have been possible without the efforts and expertise of our academic editors, reviewers and authors. Their commitment and collaboration have been instrumental in creating an inclusive, accessible, and impactful publishing platform. We also extend our gratitude to the global research community for their trust as we continue to break new ground in academic publishing. This milestone is not just a celebration of MDPI’s progress but also recognition of the collective strides made by researchers worldwide. 

As we celebrate this remarkable accomplishment, MDPI remains steadfast in its commitment to open access publishing and ensuring that high-quality research reaches and inspires a global audience.

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.