Vibrational spectroscopy is one of the key instrumentations that allows for the non-invasive investigation of the structural and chemical composition of both organic and inorganic materials. In recent years, relevant progress has been achieved within the biospectroscopy field, with applications mainly being in clinical chemistry (disease pattern recognition, non-invasive assays, or the screening of neurodegenerative diseases), medical diagnostics (in particular, cancer vs. healthy), or the characterization of biomaterials (e.g., cartilage or bone composition). Instrumental developments with regard to components include fiber lasers, quantum cascade lasers as tunable radiation sources, components for bedside patient monitoring, and instruments for microscopy and imaging.

In precision medicine, spectral histopathology and cytopathology have advanced to deliver results that are ready for application in intraoperative decisions. Spectral data handling for tissue classification poses the challenge of an enormous amount of data, which requires efficient algorithms, chemometric methods, and high computer power with appropriate data storage. Machine learning and deep learning algorithms have been successfully applied to manage large datasets originating from the applications of such techniques.

The related Special Issue, “Advanced Vibrational Spectroscopy Technology: Emerging Trends in Biomedical Applications”, aims to collect and publish recent advances in this interdisciplinary area. Research articles, as well as reviews, dealing with innovative measurement techniques, instrumentation development, and novel applications of all parts of vibrational spectroscopy and AI methods are invited for submission. Manuscripts referring to the analysis of biofluid or tissue biopsy samples, cellular and subcellular investigations, or integral tissue characterization and related innovative methods of data analysis are welcome.

Date: 27 November 2024 at 10:00 a.m. CET | 5:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 819 8482 0659

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information 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 watch.

Register now for free!

 Program:

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

• Dr Mario D’Acunto (Chair), Institute of Biophysics, Italian National Research Council, Italy;
• Dr Francesco Conti, INRIA Centre, Université Côte d'Azur, France;
• Dr Gianmarco Lazzini, Institute of Information Science and Technologies, Italian National Research Council, Italy.

Relevant Special Issue:

“Advanced Vibrational Spectroscopy Technology: Emerging Trends in Biomedical Applications”
Guest Editor: Dr. Mario D’Acunto
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2025

For more information about this webinar, please visit the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/ApplSci-18.

MDPI will be attending the 4th Central European Technology Forum, which will be held from 18 to 19 November 2024 in Krakow, Poland.

This year’s edition of the Forum will be organized by IZTECH, AGH University of Krakow, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, City of Krakow, and the Polish Federation of Engineering Associations.

The Forum will be an ideal opportunity for stakeholders representing 16 countries in Central Europe to discuss and share novel findings and build partnerships that will shape the European technology and industry of tomorrow. The Forum is also expected to put forward some new ideas and proposals aimed at implementing the European technological and scientific agenda for 2025–2030.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

• World;
• Energies;
• Sustainability;
• Materials;
• AI;
• Applied Sciences;
• BDCC;
• Aerospace;
• Technologies;
• Machines;
• Foods;
• JETA.

If you are planning to attend the above-mentioned conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak with 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://cetef.eu/en/main/

The 38th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (IEEE MEMS 2025) will be held in January 2025 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center. This conference is one of the premier annual events reporting research results on every aspect of MEMS and microsystems technology, as well as their relevant technologies and industrial trends. In particular, IEEE MEMS 2025 will bring more industrial elements to broaden the impact of various application scenarios, showing their significance in the more-than-Moore era.

MDPI will be attending the conference as an exhibitor; we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

• Micromachines;
• Sensors;
• Electronics;
• Biomimetics;
• Technologies;
• Applied Sciences;
• Machines;
• Actuators;
• Chemosensors;
• Micro.

If you are planning to attend the above 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 at https://www.mems25.org/.

The Future Technologies symposium will be held from 25 to 28 November 2024 at the Sendai International Centre Exhibition Building. This symposium is the largest symposium in Japan in the field of sensors and micromachine technology and provides a forum for the exchange of information and discussion of research results and ideas among research groups across academic and association boundaries. MDPI will be attending as an exhibitor, and we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

• Sensors;
• Micromachines;
• Biosensors;
• Actuators;
• Applied Sciences;
• Eng;
• JETA;
• Electronics.

If you are planning to attend the above 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 at https://sensorsymposium.org/.

MDPI will be attending the 2nd International Conference on Project Management and Construction Engineering (iCCPMCE), which will be held from 20 to 23 November 2024 in Sydney, Australia.

The iCCPMCE 2024 will feature keynote addresses by world industry and academic leaders in construction management and construction engineering. It will cover a wide range of areas within this research field, offering leading and new researchers and construction practitioners the opportunity to exchange their views and ideas.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

• Buildings;
• Architecture;
• Infrastructures;
• Construction Materials;
• Sustainability;
• Real Estate;
• Applied Sciences.

If you are planning to attend the above 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 at http://www.iccpmce.net.au/Home.aspx.

Welcome to this online seminar, which is technically supported by MDPI. The purpose of this online seminar is to provide a mini forum to promote scientific research on urban underground engineering that has emerged in recent years. With the increasing exploitation of underground space and construction of high-rise buildings in urban areas, numerous underground projects have emerged, constantly expanding in scale and depth. However, during the construction of urban underground engineering, various issues arise such as penetrative destruction, local dewatering, uplift pressure, and corrosivity. While research on urban land and underground space currently focuses primarily on engineering technology, a comprehensive analysis of the entire situation is necessary. To promote the scientific study on urban underground engineering, we have launched a Special Issue in Applied Science entitled “New Challenges in Urban Underground Engineering”.

We have received eight submissions and two of them have been published. We are hoping researchers and scientists who are working on issues related to this Special Issue will consider submitting their papers to this Special Issue. Today, we are happy to have three speakers join this online seminar: Dr. Qian Fang, Dr. Xuesong Cheng, and Dr. Sulei Zhang. These speakers are young doctors and have worked on urban underground engineering-related studies. They will present what they have achieved and what they have found.

Date: 11 November 2024 at 3:00 a.m. CET | 10:00 a.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 874 6557 8652

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information 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 watch.

Register now for free!

Program:

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

• Prof. Dr. Pengfei Li (Chair), Key Laboratory of Urban Security and Disaster Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Technology, China;
• Prof. Dr. Qian Fang, Key Laboratory for Urban Underground Engineering of Ministry of Education, Beijing Jiaotong University, China;
• Dr. Xuesong Cheng, Department of Civil Engineering, Tianjin University, China;
• Prof. Dr. Sulei Zhang, School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, China.

Relevant Special Issue:
“New Challenges in Urban Underground Engineering”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Pengfei Li and Prof. Dr. Qian Fang
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025

For more information about this webinar, please visit the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/ApplSci-17.

Conference: The 10th National Conference on Applied Geochemistry
Date: 1–3 November 2024
Location: Kunming, China

MDPI will be attending the 10th National Conference on Applied Geochemistry, which will be held from 1 to 3 November 2024 in Kunming, China.

The theme of this conference is “Improving the Level of Applied Geochemical Research to Promote a New Round of Prospecting Breakthroughs, Strategic Action, and Healthy Geological Engineering”. The conference will carry out academic exchanges on the following topics: the geochemical exploration of strategic mineral resources; the geochemical investigation and evaluation of health in geology, environment, ecology, and agriculture; geochemical responses to geological disasters; and innovative research in geochemical methods. We seek to apply the principles and methods of geochemistry to all fields of earth science, build an academic platform for sharing knowledge, inspiring innovation and active exchanges, and promote the applied research and academic exchanges of geochemistry in earth science and related fields.

The conference topics include the following:

• The exploration and geochemical principles, methods, technologies, and innovative applications of strategic mineral resources;
• Geochemical tracing and prospecting predictions of key minerals;
• The investigation, evaluation, and application of environmental and ecological geochemistry;
• Health geology and agricultural geochemistry investigation, monitoring technologies, and applications;
• Research and innovative applications of sedimentary geochemistry and energy geochemistry in oil–gas basins;
• Innovative applications of geochemical big data in resource management, environment, and other fields.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Applied Sciences;
• Clean Technologies;
• Geosciences;
• Minerals.

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: http://www.csmpg.org.cn/tzgg2017/202405/t20240506_6967245.html.

The purpose of this online seminar is to provide a mini forum to promote research advances in electric drives and power conversion as agents for improving the efficiency and reliability of the systems in which they are included. This webinar focuses on the regulation of multiphase electric drives.

Addressing the global energy situation requires the application of more competitive technological solutions in both the production and consumption of energy. In this context, green energy generation, electric mobility and more electric industrial processes are considered exciting solutions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and optimize energy consumption. All of these solutions inherently include electric drives and have thus caught the attention of researchers involved in the development of electric vehicles, energy conversion systems and high-performance industrial motor applications. These fields of work focus on enhancing the performance of electric drives from different approaches, ranging from the use of new semiconductor technology to the introduction of new control strategies and from the improved design of electrical machines to new VSC topologies. Multiphase electric drives are a compelling choice for variable-speed industrial applications with more demanding requirements as they offer enhanced fault tolerance and a reduced per-phase current rating without increasing the rated voltage; their control has led to the creation of an extensive field of research. For this reason, this webinar and the related Special Issue aim to provide insight into the state of the art and advances pertaining to electric drives and multiphase electric drives, along with their regulation schemes and other progresses in power conversion. Researchers working on topics related to this Special Issue may wish to submit papers. There will be five speakers attending this online webinar: Prof. Cruz, Dr. Gonçalves, Prof. Rodas, Prof. Ayala and Prof. Duran. They are senior researchers and have worked on multiphase electric drive-related studies.

Date: 23 October 2024 at 4:00 p.m. CEST | 10:00 a.m. EDT | 10:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 814 4229 3439
Webinar website: https://sciforum.net/event/ApplSci-16

Register now for free!

Program:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

If you are unable to attend, register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Webinar Chairs and Keynote Speakers:

• Prof. Ignacio Gonzalez Prieto, Electrical Engineering Department, Industrial Engineering School, University of Malaga, Spain;
• Prof. Juan José Aciego-Gallardo, Electrical Engineering Department, Industrial Engineering School, University of Malaga, Spain;
• Prof. Jorge Rodas, Laboratory of Power and Control Systems, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, Paraguay;
• Prof. Magno Ayala, Laboratory of Power and Control Systems, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, Paraguay;
• Prof. Sérgio Cruz, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Coimbra, Portugal;
• Dr. Pedro F. Gonçalves, Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Hedeager 42, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark;
• Prof. Mario J. Durán, Department of Electrical Engineering of University of Málaga, Spain.

Relevant Special Issue:
“Advances in Electric Drives and Control”
Guest Editors: Juan J. Aciego-Gallardo and Ignacio Gonzalez Prieto
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2025

Five new journals covering a diverse range of subjects launched their inaugural issue in September 2024. Like other journals in MDPI’s portfolio, these journals are dedicated to sharing the latest research through open access, reflecting our commitment to making knowledge accessible to all.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the Editorial Board Members for their dedication to the launch and development of our new journals. Each journal will ensure its high-quality output via excellent editorial and rigorous peer-review processes so that the published articles achieve significant impact and broad visibility.

We invite you to explore and learn more about these new journals below.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Nejat Düzgüneş, University of the Pacific, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	biological therapy and stem-cell therapy; drug therapy; chemotherapy; radiation and other nonsurgical therapeutic strategies | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Magda Tsolaki, Greek Federation of Alzheimer’s Disease, Greece; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece | Editorial | view inaugural issue	surgical/procedural complications; complications; perioperative adverse events; postoperative adverse events | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Steven R. Fassnacht, Colorado State University, USA; Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	ice as a mineral; atmospheric ice; sea ice; freshwater ice; ice sheets; ice caps and ice shelves | view journal scope | submit an article
	Dr. Francisco Epelde, Hospital Universitari Parc Tauli, Spain; University Autonoma of Barcelona, Spain | Editorial | view inaugural issue	hospital management; hospital facilities; hospital services; hospital risk management; health law | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Nicola Ferri, University of Padova, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue	lipids in cells and whole organisms; lipid structure and function; lipid products and processes; dietary lipids and nutrition | 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.

The global celebration of World Food Day in 2024 is scheduled for October 16th at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters, coinciding with World Food Week. The theme for this year’s event is “Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future” which will amplify the voices of numerous international initiatives and campaigns advocating for change throughout October.

In honor of World Food Day 2024, we would like to share with you the following articles published in Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) this year on food processing, food analysis, food safety and quality control, functional food, and food nutrition.

1. “Application of Natural Edible Coating to Enhance the Shelf Life of Red Fruits and Their Bioactive Content”
by Michele Pellegrino, Jasper Okoro Godwin Elechi, Pierluigi Plastina and Monica Rosa Loizzo
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4552; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114552
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/11/4552

2. “Coniferous Honeydew Honey: Antibacterial Activity and Anti-Migration Properties against Breast Cancer Cell Line (MCF-7)”
by Małgorzata Dżugan, Ewa Ciszkowicz, Monika Tomczyk, Michał Miłek and Katarzyna Lecka-Szlachta
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 710; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14020710
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/2/710

3. “The Baking Quality of Wheat Flour (Triticum aestivum L.) Obtained from Wheat Grains Cultivated in Various Farming Systems (Organic vs. Integrated vs. Conventional)”
by Katarzyna Wysocka, Grażyna Cacak-Pietrzak, Beata Feledyn-Szewczyk and Marcin Studnicki
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 1886; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14051886
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/5/1886

4. “Impact of Different Solvents and Temperatures on the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Rose Fruits (Rosa rugosa) Pomace”
by Andrzej Cendrowski, Marcin Studnicki and Stanisław Kalisz
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 691; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14020691
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/2/691

5. “Physico-Chemical, Sensory, and Nutritional Properties of Shortbread Cookies Enriched with Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus Powders”
by Aneta Sławińska, Ewa Jabłońska-Ryś and Waldemar Gustaw
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 1938; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14051938
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/5/1938

6. “Enhancing the Protein, Mineral Content, and Bioactivity of Wheat Bread through the Utilisation of Microalgal Biomass: A Comparative Study of Chlorella vulgaris, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and Tetraselmis chuii”
by Nancy Mahmoud, Joana Ferreira, Anabela Raymundo and Maria Cristiana Nunes
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 2483; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14062483
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/6/2483

7. “Listeria monocytogenes from Marine Fish and the Seafood Market Environment in Northern Greece: Prevalence, Molecular Characterization, and Antibiotic Resistance”
by Pantelis Peratikos, Anestis Tsitsos, Alexandros Damianos, Maria A. Kyritsi, Christos Hadjichristodoulou, Nikolaos Soultos and Vangelis Economou
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 2725; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14072725
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/7/2725

8. “Assessment of the Baking Properties of Rye Flour Based on the Polysaccharide Content and Properties”
by Sylwia Stępniewska, Grażyna Cacak-Pietrzak, Anna Szafrańska, Ewa Ostrowska-Ligęza, Agnieszka Salamon and Hanna Kowalska
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 2772; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14072772
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/7/2772

9. “Combined Sous-Vide and High Hydrostatic Pressure Treatment of Pork: Is the Order of Application Decisive When Using Minimal Processing Technologies?”
by György Kenesei, Gabriella Kiskó and István Dalmadi
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 3583; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14093583
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/9/3583

10. “Protective Effects of a Combined Herbal Medicine against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Associated Inflammation and Oxidative Stress”
by Eun Jin Yang
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(13), 5386; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14135386
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/13/5386

MDPI will attend the 21st Annual Meeting of CIFST, which will take place from 2 to 4 November 2024 at the Chongqing Yuelai International Convention Center, Chongqing, China.

The 21st Annual Conference of the China Society of Food Science and Technology, sponsored by the China Society of Food Science and Technology, has been jointly organized by Southwest University, the Sichuan Institute of Food Science and Technology and other units.

With the support and active participation of food workers at home and abroad, this conference has been growing in scale and influence, having become one of the largest and most influential annual scientific exchange platforms in the food industry in China.

Fully leveraging its leading role in innovation, the conference will promote industrial developments through scientific and technological innovation and support the creation of new quality productive forces. It will address people's growing needs for a better life and focus on the high-quality development of the industry, with interdisciplinary and comprehensive approaches. Integrating meetings, exhibitions, poster displays, student activities and other activities, this conference provides a platform for food science and technology circles, industries and government departments to exchange ideas, discuss the latest food science and cutting-edge technologies at home and abroad, promote the training of food science and technology talents, and encourage the development of the food industry and science and technology.

We welcome you to visit the MDPI booth, where you can have face-to-face exchanges with our representatives, learn more about our open access publishing services, and acquire gifts.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Foods;
• Nutrients;
• Antioxidants;
• Toxins;
• Applied Sciences.

If you plan to attend this conference, we invite you to visit our booth and converse with our delegates at the conference venue (Chongqing Yuelai International Convention Center, booth number #B18). We are excited to meet you in person and we will address any questions that you may have. For further details about the conference, please visit the following website: http://am.cifst.org.cn/index.html.

Conference: ISPRS Technical Commission IV Symposium 2024
Date: 22–25 October 2024
Location: Fremantle, Perth, Australia

MDPI will attend the ISPRS Technical Commission IV Symposium 2024 which will be held from 22 to 25 October 2024 in Perth, Australia. The ISPRS Technical Commission IV Symposium 2024 is jointly organized by UPINLBS2024, the Geospatial Council of Australia (GCA), and FOSS4G Perth. The ISPRS Technical Commission IV Symposium provides a forum where researchers and practitioners can come together and share their work and ideas, discuss opportunities and challenges, exchange developments or software tools and discuss future directions. The symposium is also a great place for networking and establishing links between academia, governments and business, and young and emerging professionals in the geospatial sciences.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• IJGI;
• Remote Sensing;
• Atmosphere;
• Geographies;
• Data;
• Drones;
• Applied Sciences;
• Technologies;
• Sensors;
• Geomatics;
• Earth.

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth and start a conversation with us. 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 https://www.isprs.org/tc4-symposium2024/index.html.

Conference: The 7th International Conference on Active Materials and Soft Mechatronics (AMSM 2024)
Date: 28–29 October 2024
Location: Incheon, South Korea

MDPI will be attending the 7th International Conference on Active Materials and Soft Mechatronics (AMSM 2024) as an exhibitor which will be held from 28 to 29 October 2024, and we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The conference is organized by The Korean Society for Composite Materials. The theme of AMSM 2024 is “Toward a Smart and Sustainable Future!”. This conference will bring together around 500 scientists and students to share research advances covering a wide range of scientific topics. The topics include, but are not limited to: sustainable energy technologies: state-of-the-art energy storage and conversion, emulating human interaction: advanced soft sensors and actuators, soft robotics and AI, and extreme and active materials.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Actuators;
• Applied Sciences;
• Biomimetics;
• Machines;
• Micromachines;
• 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 #1 and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.amsm2024.org/main/ci_welcome.htm.

MDPI warmly invites you to participate in our upcoming forum The Science Behind the Prize: 2024 Nobel Physics Roundtable, a celebration of the groundbreaking research shaping the future of physics.

Title: The Science Behind the Prize: 2024 Nobel Physics Roundtable
Date: 8 October 2024
Time: 11:00 a.m.–12:10 p.m. (CEST)
More information available here: https://sciforum.net/event/NPR2024

Coinciding with the announcement of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, this forum underscores the importance of recognizing outstanding achievements that push the boundaries of human knowledge and understanding. It is a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas on the advancements driving scientific progress and to inspire the next generation of gifted physicists.

General topics of discussion for this event will include the following:

• Breakthrough research shaping the future of physics;
• Reflecting on past Nobel-Prize-winning work and its legacy;
• The key trends driving innovation in physics today;
• Exploring the societal and scientific contributions of physics research.

This is a free webinar. After registration, you will receive a confirmation email containing information 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 for viewing.

Register for free:

Program:

MDPI will be attending the Asia Communications and Photonics Conference (ACP) held in Beijing from 2 to 5 November 2024. It is one of the largest conferences in the Asia-Pacific region on optical communication, photonics, and relevant technologies, which has been held annually since 2001.

State Key Lab of Information Photonics and Optical Communications (IPOC) was founded by Prof. Peida Ye in 1965. In 2011, the lab became the State Key Lab. In 2024, ACP and IPOC will be jointly held. IPOC has been held five times, and four of which were held jointly with ACP in 2013, 2015, 2020, and 2022, respectively.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Photonics;
• Optics;
• Technologies;
• QuBS;
• Electronics;
• Applied Sciences;
• Telecom;
• Sensors;
• BDCC;
• Network.

If you are planning to attend 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://www.acpconf.com.

In order to further enhance the international influence of the journal Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417), promote academic exchange among young scientists, and support the Editorial Board with additional expertise, Applied Sciences is inviting interested and eligible Early Career Researchers to apply for Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) membership.

Recruitment:
We plan to recruit a total of 100 Early Career Editorial Board Members.

Application eligibility:

• Completed their doctorate/Ph.D. degree in the past 10 years (considering exceptions for career interruptions, including medical and family leave);
• Have a strong and impactful portfolio of publications in their field of applied natural science;
• Researchers who are active and engaged in their community (e.g., experienced at presenting at academic conferences or involved in professional organizations).

Benefits of Early Career Editorial Board Membership include:

• A certificate of being an Early Career Editorial Board Member will be provided. The term of Early Career Editorial Board membership is two years and can be renewed thereafter;
• The achievements of Early Career Editorial Board Members will be publicized on the journals’ various social media platforms to improve academic visibility;
• Opportunities to be promoted to a full Editorial Board Member will be provided contingent upon contributions;
• The journal will regularly acknowledge those who participate in the peer review process on the journal’s website;
• Opportunities to exchange ideas with internationally influential researchers in this field and participate in or host annual meetings and online seminars organized by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members.

Responsibilities of Early Career Editorial Board Members include:

• Publicizing and promoting the journal at academic conferences and among their peers;
• Selecting high-quality articles and preparing media content for their promotion;
• Reviewing at least four manuscripts per year;
• Identifying potential reviewers for specific papers and assessing any potential ethical or policy-based questions that might arise due to the papers’ content;
• Supporting the development of the journal through various means, such as providing suggestions, promoting the journal via academic networks, academic conferences, and new media channels, etc.;
• Inviting submissions from world-leading scientists in their respective research fields through both local and global networks;
• Learning about the scholarly publishing landscape, including gaining an awareness of the manuscript review process, ethical considerations, and the strategies used by publishers.

Applications:
Please fill in the application form here.

Please send your completed application form and your academic resume to [email protected] with the subject line “Applied Sciences Early Career Editorial Board Application + Name + Institute + Research Expertise”.

Application deadline: 31 December 2024.

Selection process:
Initial screening of application materials → selection by the journal’s Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members → email notification → issuing a certificate of appointment.

As a leader in open access publishing, MDPI is eager to explore new collaboration opportunities, including the launch of new journals and the transfer of existing ones. At present, MDPI publishes over 400 journals, more than 160 of which have established partnerships with academic organizations. Additionally, we publish 19 association journals.

In order to enhance exchange and cooperation with scientific researchers and share the results of open science, MDPI invites experts and scholars from various fields to submit proposals for new journal collaboration opportunities. If your proposal is approved, you could take on the role of Editor-in-Chief, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, or Editorial Board Member of the journal. This position allows you to manage the manuscript review process alongside our editorial department, participate in calls for papers, strengthen your network with scholars in the field, expand scientific research cooperation, enhance your personal and academic influence internationally, and play a leading role in academia.

Once the new journal is online, MDPI will provide a variety of promotional channels to market the journal internationally.

MDPI will offer various promotional channels to enhance its visibility and promote it internationally.

How can you determine the theme of a new journal?

• Assess research hotspots/academic frontiers;
• Assess pioneers in the field/key research directions of universities;
• Determine whether MDPI has already established a journal in the field.

You can browse MDPI’s existing journals at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals.

Advantages of collaborating with MDPI:

• MDPI is a global leader in open-access publishing with extensive academic resources.
• MDPI offers a professional publishing team that provides comprehensive support throughout the publishing process.
• MDPI’s diverse promotional platforms and channels help journals quickly increase their international visibility and influence.

We invite you to submit new journal proposal here, and contribute to academic development! In addition, if your institution (university, institute, college, national key laboratory, society, etc.) intends to establish a journal, you can also submit a draft to MDPI on its behalf.

MDPI journals will be attending the Fifth National Conference on Food Biotechnology as exhibitors. This conference will be held in Shanghai, China, from 26 to 27 October 2024.

This conference focuses on artificial intelligence and biotechnology used to drive the high-quality development and new quality productivity of the food industry. The conference aims to bring together the wisdom of experts, scholars and industry representatives in the field of food biotechnology and cross-cutting areas, covering the cutting-edge hotspots, subversive technologies and development directions in this field and promoting the cross-fertilization of biotechnology and the food industry based on the intelligent base of artificial intelligence.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Fermentation;
• BioTech;
• Bioengineering;
• Microorganisms;
• Applied Sciences;
• Foods.

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

MDPI journals frequently grant travel awards to empower junior researchers to showcase their latest research at academic conferences, thereby amplifying their impact within their research fields.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 103 recipients of MDPI's 2023 Travel Awards from different countries and territories for their exceptional presentations. These outstanding individuals were selected by the journal editors based on the strength of their research proposals and the anticipated impact of their presentations at academic conferences. We commend their exceptional contributions and wish them continued success in their academic endeavors.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community. To learn more about the list of awardees, please visit the following pages:

• Biology and Life Sciences;
• Chemistry and Materials Sciences;
• Engineering;
• Environmental and Earth Sciences;
• Medicine and Pharmacology;
• Public Health and Healthcare;
• Others.

About MDPI Awards:

To reward the academic community, especially young researchers, and enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their fields.

To explore more MDPI awards, please click here.

Conference: 2024 7th IEEE International Conference on Unmanned Systems
Date: 18–20 October 2024
Location: Nanjing, China 

The 2024 7th IEEE International Conference on Unmanned Systems (ICUS 2024) aims to provide an academic and technological exchange platform for scientists, engineers, and practitioners all over the world to discuss the latest academic and technical issues related to unmanned systems. It also offers an excellent opportunity for participants to share innovative ideas, recent findings, and best practices on unmanned systems, robotics, automation, and intelligent systems. 

MDPI will be attending the conference as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from various backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us. 

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Drones;
• Biomimetics;
• Sensors;
• Aerospace;
• ASI;
• Automation;
• J. Imaging;
• Robotics;
• Technologies;
• Telecom;
• Vehicles;
• WEVJ;
• Applied Sciences. 

If you plan to attend this conference, please contact us online. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at our booth and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://icus.c2.org.cn/index.html.

Conference: Biomaterials and Novel Technologies for Healthcare, 4th International Biennial Conference BioMaH

Date: 15–18 October 2024

Location: Rome, Italy

MDPI will be attending the Biomaterials and Novel Technologies for Healthcare, 4th International Biennial Conference BioMaH as an exhibitor, and we are welcoming researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

This conference has been organized by the Italian National Research Council, founded in 1923. This event, to be held in Rome in 2024, is estimated to have around 200 attendees.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Applied Sciences;
• Coatings;
• Technologies.

If you are planning on attending this conference, please do not hesitate to contact us. 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://biomah.ism.cnr.it/.

The goal of the Editor’s Choice Articles project is to promote high-quality articles published in Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417). Please find below the list of articles carefully handpicked by the scientific editors of the journal, which we believe will be of interest to you. The full list of Editor's Choice Articles can be viewed at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/editors_choice.

1. “Crop Prediction Model Using Machine Learning Algorithms”
by Ersin Elbasi, Chamseddine Zaki, Ahmet E. Topcu, Wiem Abdelbaki, Aymen I. Zreikat, Elda Cina, Ahmed Shdefat and Louai Saker
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(16), 9288; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13169288
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/16/9288

2. “Data Augmentation Method for Plant Leaf Disease Recognition”
by Byeongjun Min, Taehyun Kim, Dongil Shin and Dongkyoo Shin
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1465; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031465
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1465

3. “Modelling and Control Methods in Path Tracking Control for Autonomous Agricultural Vehicles: A Review of State of the Art and Challenges”
by Quanyu Wang, Jin He, Caiyun Lu, Chao Wang, Han Lin, Hanyu Yang, Hang Li and Zhengyang Wu
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7155; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127155
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/7155

4. “Review of Studies on Emotion Recognition and Judgment Based on Physiological Signals”
by Wenqian Lin and Chao Li
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2573; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042573
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2573

5. “Variational Autoencoders for Data Augmentation in Clinical Studies”
by Dimitris Papadopoulos and Vangelis D. Karalis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8793; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158793
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8793

6. “TeleFE: A New Tool for the Tele-Assessment of Executive Functions in Children”
by Carlotta Rivella, Costanza Ruffini, Clara Bombonato, Agnese Capodieci, Andrea Frascari, Gian Marco Marzocchi, Alessandra Mingozzi, Chiara Pecini, Laura Traverso, Maria Carmen Usai et al.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1728; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031728
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1728

7. “Review on Wearable Technology in Sports: Concepts, Challenges and Opportunities”
by Ahmet Çağdaş Seçkin, Bahar Ateş and Mine Seçkin
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(18), 10399; https://doi.org/10.3390/app131810399
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/18/10399

8. “Digital Twins: The New Frontier for Personalized Medicine?”
by Michaela Cellina, Maurizio Cè, Marco Alì, Giovanni Irmici, Simona Ibba, Elena Caloro, Deborah Fazzini, Giancarlo Oliva and Sergio Papa
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7940; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137940
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7940

9. “Speech Emotion Recognition Based on Two-Stream Deep Learning Model Using Korean Audio Information”
by A-Hyeon Jo and Keun-Chang Kwak
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2167; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042167
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2167

10. “Structural Health Monitoring and Management of Cultural Heritage Structures: A State-of-the-Art Review”
by Michela Rossi and Dionysios Bournas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6450; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116450
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6450

11. “Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) and Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) as Food-Grade Nanovehicles for Hydrophobic Nutraceuticals or Bioactives”
by Chuan-He Tang, Huan-Le Chen and Jin-Ru Dong
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1726; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031726
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1726

12. “A Review of the Relationship between Gut Microbiome and Obesity”
by Dorottya Zsálig, Anikó Berta, Vivien Tóth, Zoltán Szabó, Klára Simon, Mária Figler, Henriette Pusztafalvi and Éva Polyák
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010610
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/610

13. “Pasteurization of Food and Beverages by High Pressure Processing (HPP) at Room Temperature: Inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Other Microbial Pathogens”
by Filipa Vinagre M. Silva and Evelyn
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021193
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1193

14. “Edible Packaging: A Technological Update for the Sustainable Future of the Food Industry”
by Surya Sasikumar Nair, Joanna Trafiałek and Wojciech Kolanowski
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(14), 8234; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148234
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8234

15. “Comparison of the Spreadability of Butter and Butter Substitutes”
by Małgorzata Ziarno, Dorota Derewiaka, Anna Florowska and Iwona Szymańska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2600; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042600
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2600

16. “Quality Assessment of Banana Ripening Stages by Combining Analytical Methods and Image Analysis”
by Vassilia J. Sinanoglou, Thalia Tsiaka, Konstantinos Aouant, Elizabeth Mouka, Georgia Ladika, Eftichia Kritsi, Spyros J. Konteles, Alexandros-George Ioannou, Panagiotis Zoumpoulakis, Irini F. Strati et al.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3533; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063533
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3533

17. “Comparative Analysis of Primary Photosynthetic Reactions Assessed by OJIP Kinetics in Three Brassica Crops after Drought and Recovery”
by Jasenka Antunović Dunić, Selma Mlinarić, Iva Pavlović, Hrvoje Lepeduš and Branka Salopek-Sondi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3078; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053078
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3078

18. “Teeth Segmentation in Panoramic Dental X-ray Using Mask Regional Convolutional Neural Network”
by Giulia Rubiu, Marco Bologna, Michaela Cellina, Maurizio Cè, Davide Sala, Roberto Pagani, Elisa Mattavelli, Deborah Fazzini, Simona Ibba, Sergio Papa and Marco Alì
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7947; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137947
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7947

19. “New Trends in 4D Printing: A Critical Review”
by Somayeh Vatanparast, Alberto Boschetto, Luana Bottini and Paolo Gaudenzi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7744; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137744
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7744

We would like to thank all of the research groups that authored these exceptional papers for their contribution. We sincerely hope you find these articles of Applied Sciences as useful and insightful as we have found them.

MDPI’s Best PhD Thesis Awards are granted to promising young scholars whose PhD theses are deemed exceptional within their respective research fields. These awards aim to encourage young scholars to continue their outstanding accomplishments and further contribute to their field.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 54 winners of the 2023 Best PhD Thesis Awards and wish them success with their future research endeavors.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community. To learn more about all the awardees and their research projects in your field of study, please visit the following pages:

About MDPI Awards:

To reward the academic community, especially young researchers, and enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their fields.

To explore more MDPI awards, please click here.

“Extraction of Novel Bioactive Peptides from Fish Protein Hydrolysates by Enzymatic Reactions”
by Rhessa Grace Guanga Ortizo, Vishal Sharma, Mei-Ling Tsai, Jia-Xiang Wang, Pei-Pei Sun, Parushi Nargotra, Chia-Hung Kuo, Chiu-Wen Chen and Cheng-Di Dong
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5768; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095768
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/9/5768

“TeleFE: A New Tool for the Tele-Assessment of Executive Functions in Children”
by Carlotta Rivella, Costanza Ruffini, Clara Bombonato, Agnese Capodieci, Andrea Frascari, Gian Marco Marzocchi, Alessandra Mingozzi, Chiara Pecini, Laura Traverso, Maria Carmen Usai et al.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1728; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031728
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1728

“Recent Advancements in the Valorization of Agro-Industrial Food Waste for the Production of Nanocellulose”
by Parushi Nargotra, Vishal Sharma, Mei-Ling Tsai, Shu-Ling Hsieh, Cheng-Di Dong, Hui-Min David Wang and Chia-Hung Kuo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6159; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106159
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/6159

“Variational Autoencoders for Data Augmentation in Clinical Studies”
by Dimitris Papadopoulos and Vangelis D. Karalis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8793; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158793
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8793

“Comparison of Two Cuff Inflation Protocols to Measure Arterial Occlusion Pressure in Males and Females”
by Pat R. Vehrs, Chase Blazzard, Hannah C. Hart, Nicole Kasper, Ryan Lacey, Daniela Lopez, Shay Richards and Dennis L. Eggett
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031438
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1438

“Radiation Damage on Thaumatin: A Case Study of Crystals That Are Larger Than the Microfocusing X-ray Beam”
by Ki Hyun Nam
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1876; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031876
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1876

“Obtaining Bacterial Cellulose through Selected Strains of Acetic Acid Bacteria in Classical and Waste Media”
by Justyna Płoska, Monika Garbowska, Simona Klempová and Lidia Stasiak-Różańska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6429; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116429
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6429

“Formulation and Evaluation of Hydrogels Based on Sodium Alginate and Cellulose Derivatives with Quercetin for Topical Application”
by Beata Szulc-Musioł, Wioletta Siemiradzka and Barbara Dolińska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7826; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137826
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7826

“An In Vitro Study of the Healing Potential of Black Mulberry (Morus nigra L.) Extract in a Liposomal Formulation”
by Adriana Ramona Memete, Florina Miere (Groza), Vasile Laslo, Cornelia Purcarea, Laura Vicas, Mariana Ganea, Angela Antonescu and Simona Ioana Vicas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 1041; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021041
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1041

“Individualized Stress Mobile Sensing Using Self-Supervised Pre-Training”
by Tanvir Islam and Peter Washington
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(21), 12035; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132112035
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/21/12035

“Artificial Neural Networks for Navigation Systems: A Review of Recent Research”
by Dah-Jing Jwo, Amita Biswal and Ilayat Ali Mir
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4475; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074475
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4475

“Artificial Intelligence Applications in Electric Distribution Systems: Post-Pandemic Progress and Prospect”    
by Sungjoo Chung and Ying Zhang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 6937; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13126937
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/6937

“A Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Nanosensors for Structural Health Monitoring in Bridge Maintenance: Innovations, Challenges, and Future Perspectives”         
by Daguang Han, Haidar Hosamo, Chunli Ying and Ruimin Nie
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(20), 11149; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132011149
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/20/11149

“Comprehensive Evaluations of NLOS and Linearization Errors on UWB Positioning”
by Yan Li, Zhouzheng Gao, Qiaozhuang Xu and Cheng Yang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6187; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106187
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/6187

“Multi-Attribute Machine Learning Model for Electrical Motors Performance Prediction”           
by Maria Raluca Raia, Sebastian Ciceo, Fabien Chauvicourt and Claudia Martis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1395; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031395
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1395

“A Declarative Application Framework for Evaluating Advanced V2X-Based ADAS Solutions”
by András Wippelhauser, András Edelmayer and László Bokor
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1392; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031392
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1392

“Polarization Effect on the Performance of On-Chip Wireless Optical Point-to-Point Links”
by Giovanna Calò, Gaetano Bellanca, Franco Fuschini, Marina Barbiroli, Velio Tralli and Vincenzo Petruzzelli
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3062; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053062
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3062

“Interacting Multiple Model Filter with a Maximum Correntropy Criterion for GPS Navigation Processing”     
by Dah-Jing Jwo, Jen-Hsien Lai and Yi Chang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1782; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031782
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1782

“Optimising a Biogas and Photovoltaic Hybrid System for Sustainable Power Supply in Rural Areas”
by Carlos Roldán-Porta, Carlos Roldán-Blay, Daniel Dasí-Crespo and Guillermo Escrivá-Escrivá
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2155; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042155
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2155

“Combined Use of LoRaWAN Medium Access Control Protocols for IoT Applications”
by Luca Leonardi, Lucia Lo Bello, Gaetano Patti, Alessio Pirri and Mattia Pirri
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2341; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042341
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2341

1. Congratulations on your award! Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?

Hi, my name is Can. I graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in clinical psychology. After that, I started my Ph.D. in Information Engineering, which is quite an unusual combination. My research now focuses on how video games affect emotions.

In my Ph.D. project, I mainly work on detecting emotions while people are playing video games. To do this, we improved and applied convolutional neural networks to analyze emotions during serious games. We also collect data from users ECG and PPG biosignals to understand the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Essentially, we're trying to understand how different reactions and facial expressions are linked to video games. Our goal is to create a complex model to determine the exact impact of video games on emotions.

2. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

That is a great question. Honestly, if you had asked me three years ago where I would be today, I wouldn’t have expected to find myself in information engineering. Even six years ago, if you had asked me, I probably would have said I would be more focused on clinical psychology, given my master’s degree. But looking back, my best advice would be to embrace a multidisciplinary approach. Science today, especially with advancements in artificial intelligence and human–computer interaction, requires a broader perspective. It is crucial to consider how technologies and applications impact human life from various dimensions. We shouldn't confine ourselves to just one area. There are many fields within science, and it is important to explore and integrate different branches. This approach is especially valuable for younger people entering the field, and even for myself, as I continue to learn and grow. But the main perspective should be more focused on socialization, especially nowadays. Scientists are increasingly expected to communicate effectively, which is more important than ever before.

For example, last year, I spent three months in Japan and three months in Korea as a research assistant, while my Ph.D. is based at the University of Florence, Italy. I found that building connections through email and communication was crucial. It is essential for improving your networking and broadening your perspective. Meeting new people and experiencing different cultures can significantly impact your outlook and career. This kind of interaction is really valuable, in my opinion.

3. How supportive might this kind of award be for researchers? Do you have any suggestions on how our journal could further support the academic community?

First of all, thank you for organizing such award programs for early career researchers like me. When you come from countries where the research budget is limited—covering just travel, conference registration, even meals—you start to realize the significance of rewards and funding. When you attend a conference, you need to eat, after all.

That is why I always advise my colleagues and new Ph.D. students to keep track of these things because they will be crucial later on. Maybe not in the first year of your Ph.D., but definitely in the final year when your budget might be exhausted from summer schools, conferences, and publications. You will need that financial support, and it is frustrating if your professor doesn’t have the budget to cover it. For instance, if your paper gets accepted at a prestigious conference, what do you do? Conference registration and travel costs are quite high these days. Sadly, it is the reality we face. Ph.D. students often need to create their own budget for research. If you need a server for testing or other resources, you might have to seek out sponsorships or other solutions. While institutions are supposed to handle these needs, the current world isn’t always ideal, so finding your own solutions is sometimes necessary.

4. Do you have any suggestions for our journal, how we could further support young researchers and the academic community?

Awards are valuable and competitive, but often they are one-time opportunities. To be honest, this is a common issue with such awards. Currently, one idea will be to support small projects through specific calls. For instance, researchers can apply for funding for small projects, which may be supported for several months. This approach provides opportunities for both new and established researchers to engage in meaningful work. If we consider implementing a system similar to annual European projects, such as Horizon 2020, it could be beneficial. By opening calls for projects on a regular basis, we would provide ongoing opportunities rather than one-off rewards. This would encourage consistent engagement from the research community.

5. What is your experience with our service from the point of view of an author and reviewer?

In my opinion, my experience with MDPI journals, such as Bioengineering and Algorithms, has generally been good. Of course, there are times when some reviewers can be a bit persistent and make the process more challenging, but that is understandable and part of the process. On the whole, the editorial progress is faster than usual, which I am quite happy about. However, I have noticed that MDPI conferences are relatively rare compared to other publishers. For example, publishers host a lot of conferences, but MDPI has only started doing so in the past five years. This limited number of conferences can decrease opportunities for researchers to connect and network.

One suggestion I have is that MDPI could increase its involvement in conferences. When you publish in a journal and then have the chance to participate in a conference supported by that journal, it creates more opportunities for collaboration and networking. Creating a community involves more than just publishing papers; it is about setting goals and fostering interactions. This way, researchers can build connections and collaborate more effectively. For instance, one of my professors is on the editorial board of Bioengineering and we share a professional connection. If MDPI wants to build a stronger community, it needs to create more opportunities for interaction. Otherwise, it risks just being a platform where people publish their work without building an engaged audience. Networking is crucial, and conferences are a great way to facilitate these connections.

6. How have you heard about this award, and do you have any suggestions to improve the visibility of this award?

OK, this is quite important. For example, how I focus and become aware of opportunities like this is through my professor, Antonio Lanata. He's a fantastic, social man and engineer. We were talking about different opportunities, and he told me to look at these awards because they are quite nice and worth winning. We discussed them, and basically, when you share information with your editorial board, it's nice, but professors receive a lot of emails.

When they get something from a journal, they might read it and forget it. This is not unexpected. In my opinion, to reach people effectively, maybe target university branches. For example, there are university clubs. European universities have this kind of culture. In my case, we had a group for Information Engineering Ph.D. students. The university itself will publish information about these opportunities because they want to support their students. It makes things much easier.

Finally, I would like to thank my supervisors and teammates Andrea Guazzini, Antonio Lanata and Mirko Duradoni who supported me and were always with me as I approached the end of my Ph.D. journey.

1. Congratulations on winning the 2022 Best Paper Award! Could you briefly introduce yourself and the main content of the winning paper to our readers?

Hello, my name is Dr. Chetana Singh. I am currently engaged in the research field of machine-learning and artificial intelligence at Central Queensland University, Australia. I collaborate with my professors, Santoso and Shariman Grandes, on various projects. Our work primarily focuses on advancing smart crop technologies and developing machine learning applications for diagnosing skin diseases. My background is in computer science, which has significantly contributed to our exploration of these emerging technologies. Looking ahead, my research interests lie in two main areas. Firstly, I am interested in developing AI applications designed to support and assist people, ensuring that these tools provide accurate solutions rather than causing confusion. Secondly, our publications have been instrumental in highlighting the potential of these technologies in medical sciences, particularly in diagnosing and treating skin diseases, as well as addressing agricultural challenges. In agriculture, we have teams at Central Queensland University who have made significant strides in understanding and combating crop diseases. But what we are trying to achieve is solutions for the future, for our generations and for our kids. Thank you for supporting us and helping us to highlight the importance of this research field and publish our research.

2. Do you have any advice for aspiring researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

Research is driven by personal passion and dedication. My advice to aspiring researchers is to remain committed to their interests and seek mentorship and support. It is important to collaborate and connect with experienced academics. For instance, my professors were instrumental in guiding me toward the right vision and field. Researchers should not hesitate to reach out to established academics through university emails or contact details available in research papers. Collaboration often yields better results than working in isolation. MDPI’s open access platform facilitates such connections, enabling researchers to collaborate and share their work more effectively.

3. Do you have any suggestions for our journal as to how we could further support researchers and the academic community?

MDPI offers significant support to the academic community. They provide a platform for researchers to submit proposals and abstracts, which are reviewed by experts in the field. This process ensures that only high-quality research is published. Additionally, MDPI’s open access nature allows for greater visibility and collaboration opportunities.

From my experience, MDPI has been supportive not only in publishing my work but also in recognizing it through awards and monetary prizes. This recognition motivates researchers to continue their work and strive for excellence.

One area where MDPI could enhance support for researchers is by providing access to specialized software and applications. For example, during my research, I faced challenges with processing data on standard CPUs and required GPUs. Having access to such resources would greatly benefit researchers, especially during times like the COVID-19 pandemic when travel and access to facilities were limited.

Furthermore, creating a blog-like environment within the research community could foster more interaction and collaboration. Researchers could discuss their projects, share insights, and seek advice, creating a more dynamic and supportive research ecosystem.

4. What do you think, how can we improve the visibility of this award?

I always feel that our discussions, if we could have them live with everyone involved, would be incredibly valuable. When we bring people together to talk about new fields and ideas, it can lead to groundbreaking research. It's always a pleasure for me because people are genuinely interested in these new topics and conversations.

I’ve published in a lot of journals, but MDPI stands out. The way they recognize, and honor research is something special. When an award is given, it’s truly an honorable moment for us. It brings immense joy. Personally, I was overjoyed, but my professors were even happier than I was. They insisted that I share this achievement widely and encouraged me to publish it. I joked that it was my first time experiencing something like this, but my professors reminded me of the hard work I put in. We worked diligently on this project for about a year and a half. It required immense effort, persistence, and dedication, in addition to lots of hard work, tears, and even blood. It wasn't easy at all. It's not easy, and when you receive an award after all that effort, the happiness you feel is indescribable. It's a deep, profound joy that stays with you.

5. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express or someone you wish to thank the most?

MDPI has been an invaluable partner in my research journey. Their support and recognition have greatly contributed to my work. I encourage young researchers to take advantage of the resources and opportunities provided by MDPI, to collaborate, and to remain dedicated to their research interests. Together, we can achieve remarkable advancements in our respective fields. Thank you.

6. Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research and how did you overcome them?

Conducting research in the field of sentiment analysis using deep learning presents several challenges, particularly due to the inherent complexity and variability of human language. One major difficulty is handling the nuances of sentiment such as sarcasm, idioms and contextual polarity, which can significantly skew the results. Deep learning models often struggle with these subtleties because they rely heavily on the data they are trained on, and if the training data is not diverse or comprehensive enough, the models may fail to generalize well to real-world scenarios. Additionally, the requirement for large, labeled datasets to train deep learning models is another significant hurdle. Obtaining and labeling sufficient data, especially for specific domains, can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, making it difficult to build robust models.

To overcome these challenges, I focused on enhancing the quality and diversity of the training data by leveraging data augmentation techniques and incorporating domain-specific knowledge into the models. By using techniques like transfer learning, I was able to adapt pre-trained models to specific sentiment analysis tasks, reducing the need for extensive labeled datasets. Additionally, I experimented with advanced neural architectures, such as the attention mechanism, which are better at capturing long-range dependencies and context, thus improving the model’s ability to understand nuanced sentiments. Combining these approaches allowed me to build more accurate and reliable sentiment analysis models, capable of handling the complexities of human language more effectively.

7. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? What benefits do you think authors can gain when publishing their articles in Applied Sciences?

What appealed to me about Applied Sciences as a journal was its broad interdisciplinary focus and its commitment to advancing research that bridges the gap between fundamental science and practical applications. The journal’s emphasis on cutting-edge developments across a wide range of scientific disciplines, including engineering, computer science, and applied physics, aligns perfectly with the innovative nature of my research. Additionally, the rigorous peer-review process and the journal's reputation for publishing high-quality, impactful research were significant factors that motivated me to submit my paper. The global visibility and accessibility provided by the open-access model of Applied Sciences also assured me that my work would reach a diverse and extensive audience, further contributing to the scientific community and beyond.

Authors who publish in Applied Sciences can gain several substantial benefits. The journal’s interdisciplinary scope allows researchers to reach a broader audience, facilitating cross-disciplinary collaborations and enhancing the impact of their work. Moreover, the open access nature of the journal ensures that their research is widely accessible, increasing citation potential and visibility within the scientific community. The journal’s commitment to a swift and thorough peer review process also means that authors can expect timely feedback and publication, which is crucial for maintaining the momentum of their research projects. Overall, Applied Sciences provides a platform that not only showcases research but also amplifies its reach and impact, making it an ideal choice for authors looking to contribute to both their specific field and the broader scientific discourse.

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

In the coming years, the research community in deep learning is likely to focus on several emerging and critical topics that push the boundaries of current capabilities and address key challenges. These topics include the development of more efficient and interpretable models, the integration of deep learning with other areas such as neuroscience and quantum computing, and the ethical implications of deploying AI systems. As deep learning continues to evolve, there will be a strong interest in models that require less computational power while maintaining or even improving accuracy, addressing the growing concern over the environmental impact and accessibility of AI technologies. Additionally, enhancing the interpretability and explainability of deep learning models will be crucial for increasing trust and adoption in critical sectors like healthcare and finance. The intersection of deep learning with other scientific domains also holds great promise, particularly in areas like personalized medicine and autonomous systems, where these techniques can lead to groundbreaking innovations.

Research Topics of Interest:

• Interpretability and Explainability: Improving the transparency of deep learning models to enhance trust and usability in critical applications;
• Quantum Machine Learning: Exploring the integration of quantum computing with deep learning for solving complex problems more efficiently;
• Ethical AI and Bias Mitigation: Addressing the ethical implications and biases in AI systems to ensure fairness and accountability;
• Personalized Medicine: Applying deep learning to healthcare for the development of personalized treatment plans and diagnostics;
• AI for Climate Change: Utilizing deep learning to model, predict, and mitigate the effects of climate change.

MDPI will be attending the 18th European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV 2024) in MiCo Milano, Italy, which will take place from 29 September to 4 October 2024. The European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV) is a premier biennial research conference in Computer Vision and Machine Learning, managed by the European Computer Vision Association (ECVA). It is held on even years and gathers the scientific and industrial communities within these areas. The first ECCV was held in 1990 in Antibes, France, and the conference has subsequently been organized all over Europe.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Applied Sciences;
• Electronics;
• AI;
• Future Internet;
• Inventions;
• Journal of Imaging;
• Machine Learning and Knowledge Extraction;
• Mathematics;
• Remote Sensing;
• Technologies.

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 link: https://eccv.ecva.net/.

Conference: The 29th Ibero-American Catalysis Congress (XXIX CICAT)
Date: 23–27 September 2024
Location: Bilbao, Spain

After the last two congresses in Mexico and Brazil being entirely virtual, the XXIX CICAT will be an opportunity to gather together in the city of Bilbao, to share experiences in person, and for closer contact and collaboration between researchers, professionals, and students. This year’s theme is “Catalysis: Innovating for a Changing World” and is aimed at attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. The emphasis will be on areas of importance for the Ibero-American community.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Catalysts;
• Biomass;
• Applied Sciences;
• Applied Nano;
• Colloids & Interfaces;
• Materials;
• Organics;
• Processes.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to stop by our booth (#4) and start a conversation with us. 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 link: https://www.cicat2024.com/.

“Research Progress and Applications of Fe-Mn-Si-Based Shape Memory Alloys on Reinforcing Steel and Concrete Bridges”
by Xuhong Qiang, Yapeng Wu, Yuhan Wang and Xu Jiang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3404; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063404
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3404

“Application of Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) for the Prediction of Blast-Induced Ground Vibration”
by Yewuhalashet Fissha, Hajime Ikeda, Hisatoshi Toriya, Tsuyoshi Adachi and Youhei Kawamura
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3128; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053128
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3128

“A Review of Detection Technologies for Underwater Cracks on Concrete Dam Surfaces”
by Dong Chen, Ben Huang and Fei Kang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3564; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063564
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3564

“A Review on the Implementation of the BIM Methodology in the Operation Maintenance and Transport Infrastructure”
by Jorge Jerez Cepa, Rubén M. Pavón, Marcos G. Alberti, Angelo Ciccone and Domenico Asprone
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3176; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053176
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3176

“Current Trends in Fluid Viscous Dampers with Semi-Active and Adaptive Behavior”
by Luca Zoccolini, Eleonora Bruschi, Sara Cattaneo and Virginio Quaglini
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(18), 10358; https://doi.org/10.3390/app131810358
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/18/10358

“Hybrid Random Forest-Based Models for Earth Pressure Balance Tunneling-Induced Ground Settlement Prediction”
by Peixi Yang, Weixun Yong, Chuanqi Li, Kang Peng, Wei Wei, Yingui Qiu and Jian Zhou
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2574; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042574
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2574

“Recycling of Macro-Synthetic Fiber-Reinforced Concrete and Properties of New Concretes with Recycled Aggregate and Recovered Fibers”
by Guanzhi Liu, Nikola Tošić and Albert de la Fuente
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2029; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042029
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2029

“A Comparative Study of Damage-Sensitive Features for Rapid Data-Driven Seismic Structural Health Monitoring”
by Yves Reuland, Panagiotis Martakis and Eleni Chatzi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2708; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042708
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2708

“Development of Geospatial Data Acquisition, Modeling, and Service Technology for Digital Twin Implementation of Underground Utility Tunnel”
by Jaewook Lee, Yonghwan Lee and Changhee Hong
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4343; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074343
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4343

“Effectiveness of Tuned Mass Damper in Reducing Damage Caused by Strong Earthquake in a Medium-Rise Building”
by Lucas Mazzon, Giada Frappa and Margherita Pauletta
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6815; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116815
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6815

MDPI’s Young Investigator Awards recognize promising early career scientists, acknowledge their contributions, and foster collaboration within the scientific community. We are proud to announce the recipients for 2023, who were carefully selected by the journals’ esteemed Award Evaluation Committee.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 79 winners of MDPI’s 2023 Young Investigator Awards for their excellent contributions in their research field. We look forward to seeing these rising stars continue to contribute to the advancement of science.

MDPI will continue to support and recognize the academic community. To explore details about the awardees by field, please visit the individual pages listed below:

Congratulations to all the winners for their exceptional contributions and dedication to advancing scientific research.

About MDPI Awards:
To support the academic community, particularly young researchers, and to enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help to elevate the profiles of talented individuals who have made outstanding achievements and are making significant contributions to advancements in their respective fields.

To find out more about MDPI awards, please click here.

MDPI will be attending the Physical Society of Japan 2024 annual meeting, which will be held from 16 to 19 September 2024 in Hokkaido, Japan.

The Physical Society of Japan (JPS) holds nationwide scientific meetings in the spring and autumn of each year and categorizes all the fields of physics into 19 divisions. During the annual meeting, recent research from all these divisions is discussed at one venue. The autumn meetings are held at different venues, covering the 13 divisions of condensed matter physics and other fields. As many as 5,000 researchers take part in both the spring and autumn meetings, where more than 3,000 presentations and active discussions take place.

The following topics will be covered:

• Theoretical Particle Physics;
• Experimental Particle Physics;
• Theoretical Nuclear Physics;
• Experimental Nuclear Physics;
• Cosmic Rays/Astrophysics;
• Beam Physics.

Division 1: Atomic and Molecular Physics, Quantum Electronics, Radiation;

Division 2: Plasma;

Division 3: Magnetism;

Division 4: Semiconductors, Mesoscopic Systems and Quantum Transport;

Division 5: Optical Properties of Condensed Matter;

Division 6: Metal Physics [Liquid Metals, Quasicrystals], Low Temperature Physics [Ultralow Temperatures, Superconductivity, Density Waves;

Division 7: Molecular Solids;

Division 8: Strongly Correlated Electron Systems;

Division 9: Surfaces & Interfaces, Crystal Growth;

Division 10: Structural Property(Dielectrics, Ferroelectricity, Lattice Defects and Nanostructures, Phononic Properties, and X-ray and Particle Beams);

Division 11: Fundamental Theory of Condensed Matter Physics, Statistical Mechanics, Fluid Dynamics, Applied Mathematics, Socio- and Econophysics;

Division 12: Soft Matter Physics, Chemical Physics, Biophysics;

Division 13: Physics Education, History of Physics, Environmental Physics.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

• Applied Science;
• Galaxies;
• Plasma;
• Atoms;
• Optics;
• Surfaces;
• Instruments;
• Technologies;
• Fluids;
• Magnetochemistry;
• Physics;
• Mathematics;
• Condensed Matter.

If you are planning to attend the above 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.

Conference: 2024 BMES Annual Meeting
Date: 23–26 October 2024
Location: Baltimore, USA

MDPI will be attending the 2024 BMES Annual Meeting as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

Established in 1968, the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) is a professional society for students, faculty, researchers, and industry professionals in the field of biomedical engineering. The conference aspect covers cancer treatment, heart disease, women’s health, global health disparities, and more. The meeting allows members to advocate for their innovative solutions, demonstrating their commitment to our society’s core value of health equity for all individuals. The Biomedical Engineering Society is governed by the BMES Board of Directors, and this board is elected from members of the society.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Bioengineering;
• Sensors;
• Biomedicines;
• Biomechanics;
• Micromachines;
• Technologies;
• Applied Sciences;
• BioChem;
• BioTech;
• CIMB.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us before visiting. 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://www.bmes.org/bmes2024.

“An Overview of Industrial Robots Control and Programming Approaches”
by Pietro Bilancia, Juliana Schmidt, Roberto Raffaeli, Margherita Peruzzini and Marcello Pellicciari
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(4), 2582; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042582
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2582

“Additive Manufacturing for Lightweighting Satellite Platform”
by Alberto Boschetto, Luana Bottini, Luciano Macera and Somayeh Vatanparast
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(5), 2809; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13052809
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/2809

“A Bearing Fault Diagnosis Method Based on Wavelet Denoising and Machine Learning”
by Shaokun Fu, Yize Wu, Rundong Wang and Mingzhi Mao
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(10), 5936; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13105936
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/5936

“Vibration Attenuation in a High-Rise Hybrid-Timber Building: A Comparative Study”
by Suvash Chapain and Aly Mousaad Aly
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(4), 2230; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042230
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2230

“Digitalization Trend and Its Influence on the Development of the Operational Process in Production Companies”
by Michal Adamczak, Adam Kolinski, Justyna Trojanowska and Jozef Husár
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(3), 1393; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031393
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1393

“Equivalent Stress Intensity Factor: The Consequences of the Lack of a Unique Definition”
by Sérgio M. O. Tavares and Paulo M. S. T. de Castro
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(8), 4820; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084820
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4820

“Topology Optimization for Minimum Compliance with Material Volume and Buckling Constraints under Design-Dependent Loads”
by Yuanteng Jiang, Ke Zhan, Jie Xia and Min Zhao
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(1), 646; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010646
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/646

“Dynamical Effects of the Increase of the Axle Load on European Freight Railway Vehicles”
by Nicola Bosso, Matteo Magelli and Nicolò Zampieri
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(3), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031318
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1318

“Development of a Collaborative Robotic Platform for Autonomous Auscultation”
by Daniel Lopes, Luís Coelho and Manuel F. Silva
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(3), 1604; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031604
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1604

“Proactive Mission Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Fleets Used in Offshore Wind Farm Maintenance”
by Zbigniew Banaszak, Grzegorz Radzki, Izabela Nielsen, Rasmus Frederiksen and Grzegorz Bocewicz
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(14), 8449; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148449
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8449

In May, MDPI Romania held three author training sessions – one endorsing an external event and two stand-alone sessions.

The National Session of Scientific Student Communications took place at Technical University Cluj on 17 and 18 May 2024. MDPI Romania sponsored this event and contributed an author training session on the production of research papers and case study analyses. JRS Norbert Kiss gave a presentation called The World of Open Access to explain different open access publishing models and the benefits of open access publishing. His presentation highlighted the impact of open access publishing on scientific progress and innovation.

On 29 May 2024, MDPI Romania hosted an author training session for Ph.D. students, early career researchers, and professors at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy. In collaboration with Prof. Andreea Arsene, JRS Ioana Paunescu prepared two presentations: The Steps of the Publishing Process and Elaboration of a Peer Review Report. In her first presentation, she delved into MDPI’s history and mission, MDPI’s editorial process, and MDPI journals of various scopes that are accepting submissions. Her second presentation outlined the types of peer review, the contents of a peer review report by an MDPI reviewer, and the responsibilities of an MDPI reviewer.

MDPI Romania also hosted an author training session at the Iasi University of Life Sciences on 29 May 2024. JRSs Laurentiu Preda and Cosmin Artan gave four presentations: Efficient Writing of an ISI-Indexed Scientific Article, Benefits of Publishing in the Open Access Model, Various Methods of Open Access Publishing, and MDPI Guide for the Article Review Process. The first three presentations offered guidance on how to improve academic writing, the fourth focused on how to write peer review reports. A highly interactive discussion followed the presentations, during which the JRSs provided extensive answers to attendees’ questions.

MDPI is grateful for all the attendees, speakers, and organizers involved in these events. Through their enthusiasm and dedication, these events were great successes.

“Robots in Inspection and Monitoring of Buildings and Infrastructure: A Systematic Review”
by Srijeet Halder and Kereshmeh Afsari
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2304; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042304
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2304

“A Comparative Study for Control of Quadrotor UAVs”
by Marco Rinaldi, Stefano Primatesta and Giorgio Guglieri
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3464; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063464
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3464

“Assessing the Relationship between Cognitive Workload, Workstation Design, User Acceptance and Trust in Collaborative Robots”
by Tommaso Panchetti, Luca Pietrantoni, Gabriele Puzzo, Luca Gualtieri and Federico Fraboni
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1720; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031720
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1720

“Non-Parametric Calibration of the Inverse Kinematic Matrix of a Three-Wheeled Omnidirectional Mobile Robot Based on Genetic Algorithms”
by Jordi Palacín, Elena Rubies, Ricard Bitrià and Eduard Clotet
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 1053; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021053
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1053

“Integrating Virtual, Mixed, and Augmented Reality to Human–Robot Interaction Applications Using Game Engines: A Brief Review of Accessible Software Tools and Frameworks”
by Enrique Coronado, Shunki Itadera and Ixchel G. Ramirez-Alpizar
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1292; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031292
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1292

“Metamodelling of Manufacturing Processes and Automation Workflows towards Designing and Operating Digital Twins”
by Panagiotis Stavropoulos, Alexios Papacharalampopoulos, Kyriakos Sabatakakis and Dimitris Mourtzis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1945; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031945
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1945

“Robotics in Search and Rescue (SAR) Operations: An Ethical and Design Perspective Framework for Response Phase”
by Hareesh Chitikena, Filippo Sanfilippo and Shugen Ma
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1800; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031800
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1800

“Study on Actuator Performance Evaluation of Aerial Water-Powered System for Firefighting Applications”
by Thinh Huynh, Dong-Hun Lee and Young-Bok Kim
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1965; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031965
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1965

“Exploring the Influencing Factors on User Experience in Robot-Assisted Health Monitoring Systems Combining Subjective and Objective Health Data”
by Caterina Neef, Katharina Linden and Anja Richert
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3537; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063537
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3537

“We Do Not Anthropomorphize a Robot Based Only on Its Cover: Context Matters too!”
by Marion Dubois-Sage, Baptiste Jacquet, Frank Jamet and Jean Baratgin
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8743; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158743
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8743

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Laura Clarizia, an assistant professor at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy, has won the Applied Sciences 2024 Travel Award. As the winner, she will receive an honorarium of CHF 600 and a certificate.

The following is an interview with Dr. Laura Clarizia:

1. Congratulations on your award! Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?

I am an assistant professor at the University of Naples Federico II, Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering. I work in the field of industrial chemistry with specific applications in wastewater treatment and energy recovery, particularly hydrogen generation through photocatalytic processes. These processes are activated by sunlight and utilize specific catalysts. My research focuses on developing efficient catalysts to recover energy from sunlight using wastewater or other waste streams, including solid waste streams.

The main goal of my research is the decontamination of contaminated matrices, such as water and soil, while simultaneously achieving energy recovery in the form of hydrogen gas. This dual objective addresses both environmental and energy concerns.

The Travel Award will provide me with the opportunity to travel and connect with other researchers, enhancing collaboration and knowledge exchange.

2. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

For young researchers, it is important to connect with other researchers and build both a local and international network. They should also seek grants specifically for young researchers.

In my professional opinion, there are two key aspects to be considered: building a network with other young researchers and consistently looking for grants and opportunities. Additionally, spending some time abroad in other countries is crucial. I spent part of my research activity in the US at the University of Cincinnati, and it was very important for my career.

3. How supportive might these kinds of awards be for researchers? Do you have any suggestions on how our journal could further support the academic community?

This is very important because we don't have a large amount of funding available for these kinds of events. While there is funding for some research projects, there is no specific funding for traveling. Therefore, this opportunity is crucial for me to connect with my network.

4. Do you have any suggestions for our journal regarding how we could further support young researchers and the academic community?

Yes, for example, you could promote a Special Issue led by young researchers with specific expertise in a particular field. Additionally, you could promote opportunities for young women to develop their careers. As you know, it can be more difficult, especially for those with families or children, so providing more opportunities for young women is important.

In Italy, if you look at the percentage of women and men in STEM research, there is gender equality at the Ph.D. level, with 50% women and 50% men. However, at the full professor level, it is about 90% men and 10% women, which is a significant problem.

5. What is your experience with our service from the point of view of an author and reviewer?

According to my experience with MDPI journals, their service is always very quick. When we submit papers, the assistance from the journals is always prompt and efficient. Overall, my experience with MDPI has been excellent, and their email communication is outstanding.

For more information about the journal awards, please click on the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/awards.

The following is an interview with Prof. Dr. Pooya Davari:

My name is Pooya Davari, and I am an Associate Professor and leader of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)/Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) in Power Electronics Research Group at Aalborg University in the Department of Energy. I joined Aalborg University in 2014 as a postdoc after completing my Ph.D. at Queensland University of Technology in Australia. My research primarily focuses on power electronics, specifically on the electromagnetic compatibility of power electronics and the noise generated by power converters.

The winning paper originated from a project on hydrogen production using power electronics and was later expanded to explore other fields like electric steam methane reformer. Given the current interest in hydrogen through electrolyzers and the performance of different power converters, we aimed to provide an overview of various configurations and their potential future advancements. This paper has received positive feedback from the industry for its insights into the current and future states of power electronics.

One of the things I appreciate about Applied Sciences is its efficiency. The journal has a fast peer review process, ensuring quick reviews and publication. While there are article processing charges, there are also opportunities for discounts or free publication. Additionally, Applied Sciences does a great job of increasing the visibility of the authors' work, which is crucial for both academic and industry recognition. The journal's rising impact factor also reflects its growing reputation and the high quality of work it publishes.

My current research continues to focus on power electronics, particularly on power quality and compatibility with the power grid. With the shift towards greener technologies, power electronics play a vital role, especially in renewable energy sources like wind and Photovoltaic (PV), as well as emerging applications such as power-to-X. The unintentional noise generated by power electronics is a significant challenge, and my goal is to ensure that power converters are compatible with each other and the power grid. This field is essential for advancing sustainable energy solutions.

Several topics are gaining attention. Power-to-X applications, data centers, and electric vehicles are key areas where power electronics can make a significant impact. Unlocking the full potential of wide band gap devices and their application in these fields is crucial. In my opinion, now we are missing advancements on magnetics. Additionally, improving the reliability and lifetime of power converters is important for sustainability.

Research always comes with challenges. High-risk projects may not always succeed, and accurately modeling complex systems remains difficult. Simplifying models can help, but funding and finding the right team members are constant challenges. There is also a trend for researchers to prefer industry over academia due to salary differences and the daily challenges of academic research. Despite these obstacles, perseverance and adaptability are key to overcoming them.

My advice is to be patient. Significant results take time and effort. While it may seem like others are achieving quick success, there is usually a substantial amount of work behind those achievements. Focus on your research, put in the effort, and be patient. Over time, your work will gain visibility and recognition. Stay committed to your goals, and don't be discouraged by initial setbacks.

I really like open access because I can see that there are some regions or areas with limitations in accessing some publishers since they have to pay for a membership and so on. Open access helps by, first of all, providing the latest work as soon as it gets published, so we stay aware of what is going on. Additionally, it's easily accessible with no restrictions, benefiting both academia and industry, which may not always afford membership fees for accessing these publications. Many journals like Applied Sciences are flexible by offering discounts or even free access in some cases, which really helps researchers to contribute.

I’m really grateful for this award. When I saw the email, I was very surprised. We knew as a team that we did our best, but we didn’t do it just to get awards. I think I should appreciate the Department of Energy at Aalborg University because of the facilities and nice environment they provided, allowing us to conduct research on this topic. I am very grateful. And, of course, Professor Frede Blaabjerg himself has been a great mentor. I have learned a lot from him. Now, I have my own research group running, but from the beginning, I have learned a lot from his advice on how to look into the future strategically.

I think you are doing an excellent job, to be honest. Running a lot of Special Issues is quite important. Based on the impact factor increase, it shows that you are already doing great. One suggestion could be to engage more with conferences. This could help because selecting parts of the conference proceedings for publishing as Special Issues in the journal could motivate people to contribute more to Applied Sciences.

More information about journal awards could be found at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/awards.

The following is a short interview with winner Dr. Vanni Nicoletti:

I am currently a postdoc at Università Politecnica delle Marche in Ancona, Italy, and in September 2024, I will start as an assistant professor there. The paper I wrote, together with my colleagues, is based on research that we conducted about four years ago on a newly built bridge in Italy. We conducted extensive experiments on the bridge, focusing on both its before- and after-construction phases. The paper particularly details the experimental part conducted during the proof test. It was a very detailed, two-day test campaign where we described all the tests and the main outcomes.

I know Applied Sciences is a good journal with a solid ranking, which has recently increased. The journal collects high-quality papers, and one of the main benefits for authors is the fast-publishing process. The quality and speed of publishing are key points.

My research field is mainly structural health monitoring (SHM), focusing on monitoring buildings and infrastructures, like bridges. I work mainly in the field of data-driven SHM, which involves collecting data on-site, setting up monitoring systems, and analyzing the collected data. My team and I are also starting to analyze satellite data for monitoring structures.

Monitoring structures is an increasingly relevant topic, especially in Europe and Italy, where public programs are heavily investing in monitoring bridges. Monitoring will be a major topic, and improving methodologies to analyze and correlate data with the real conditions of structures will be crucial.

Performing research is challenging, especially with the limited time academics have due to other responsibilities like teaching and securing funding. Finding time to dedicate to research amidst these tasks is difficult.

Choose a research topic you like because research should be like a hobby, you need to be passionate about it. Stay updated with the current state of the art and know what other researchers around the world are doing in your field. Start from a well-established point and build upon it.

Open access is important because it provides easy access to articles. Academics sometimes struggle to access certain journals, so open access makes finding articles and information more convenient. Also, Applied Sciences is not as expensive as other journals, which is a strong advantage.

I want to thank all my co-authors and colleagues who helped me with my research. The work we did was a team effort. Without their support, I could not have prepared the materials to write the paper.

Your journal already provides good support through awards and recognitions, such as best paper awards and travel awards. These initiatives support both young and experienced researchers and enhance the journal's activities.

More information about journal awards could be found at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/awards.

Conference: 4th European Mineralogical Conference
Date: 18–23 August 2024
Location: Dublin, Ireland

MDPI will be attending the 4th European Mineralogical Conference as an exhibitor which will be held from 18 to 23 August 2024, and we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The conference is organized by the Mineralogical Society of the UK and Ireland. The idea for a joint conference amongst the European mineralogical societies was “to foster exchange of new research results between the European countries”.

Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X) is an international open access journal that covers the broad fields of mineralogy, mineral geochemistry and geochronology, economic mineral resources, mineral exploration, innovative mining techniques, and advances in mineral processing. Minerals will participate in this event as an exhibitor together with three other MDPI journals, among which Minerals will have journal representatives at our booth.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Minerals;
• Applied Sciences;
• Crystals;
• Geosciences.

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 and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://emc-2024.org/.

The ASME 2024 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference will take place in August 2024. This year's event, IDETC/CIE 2024, will highlight emergent technologies that impact the critical engineering issues of product design and development, manufacturing, and the management and integration of information systems throughout a product’s life cycle. These events are key international meetings for design and manufacturing engineers in academia, government, and industry.

MDPI will attend the International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference 2024 (IDETC-CIE 2024), which will take place from 25 to 28 August 2024 at the JW Marriott Washington, Washington, DC, USA.

The divisions of the booths constitute the DED and the CIE:

• The Design Engineering Division (DED) fosters understanding and research, covering the art, science, and application of design engineering to the product realization process, including the conception, evolution, and manufacturing of products;
• The Computers and Information in Engineering Division (CIE) is a forum for understanding the application of emerging technologies that impact critical engineering issues of representation, product design, and product development.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Machines;
• Systems;
• Logistics;
• Technologies;
• Inventions;
• Electronics;
• NDT;
• JMMP;
• Vehicles;
• JLPEA;
• Applied Sciences;
• Robotics
• Vibration.

If you plan to attend this conference, we invite you to visit our booth and converse with our delegates at the conference venue (JW Marriott Washington). We are excited to meet you in person and address any questions that you may have. For further details about the conference, please visit the following website: https://event.asme.org/IDETC-CIE.

Conference: The 2024 International Conference on Guidance, Navigation and Control

Date: 9−11 August 2024

Location: Changsha, China

The International Conference on Guidance, Navigation and Control (ICGNC) is a biennial event and is also one of the leading events in the field of Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC).

MDPI will be attending the conference as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from various backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Drones;
• Electronics;
• Aerospace;
• Applied Sciences;
• ASI;
• Biomimetics;
• J. Imaging;
• Technologies;
• Telecom;
• Vehicles;
• Automation;
• Robotics;
• WEVJ.

If you plan to attend this conference, please contact us online. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at our booth and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://icgnc.buaa.edu.cn/enindex.htm.

MDPI will be attending the 26th IUPAC International Conference on Physical Organic Chemistry in Beijing, China, that will take place from 18 to 22 August 2024. The conference is organized by Tsinghua University, China, and the venue will be the Beijing Friendship Hotel, a prestigious location for academic conferences and events. The conference will focus on four main topics: organic structure and chemical reactivity; reaction mechanism and application; supramolecular assembly, and AI and new POC frontiers.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Molecules;
• Applied Sciences;
• AppliedChem;
• Catalysts;
• Chemistry;
• Colorants;
• Foundations;
• Molbank;
• Organics;
• Reactions.

If you are participating in this conference, please feel free to contact us online prior to attendance. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #D10 and answering any questions you may have. For more information regarding the conference, please visit the following link: https://www.icpoc26.tsinghua.edu.cn/column/home.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. André Furtado has won the Applied Sciences 2023 Early Career Investigator Award.  As the winner, he will receive an honorarium of CHF 1000, an offer to publish one paper free of charge in Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) after peer review before the end of 2024, and an electronic certificate.

Dr. André Furtado (World’s Top 2% Scientists list across all fields in 2021, according to scientists from Stanford University) is an Assistant Professor of structural engineering at Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal. Dr. André Furtado’s research interests focus on seismic engineering, structural engineering, experimental testing, numerical modeling, masonry infill walls, reinforced concrete structures, seismic vulnerability assessment, and retrofitting. Dr. André Furtado received his Ph.D. in 2020 and has an outstanding publication record, comprising over seven publications in peer-reviewed international journals in the last two years. Dr. André Furtado’s Scopus Scientific Citations number is 1553 and his Hirsch index is 24. He is a rising star in the field of structural engineering.

The following is a short interview with the winner Dr. André Furtado:

My name is André Furtado, and I’m working right now as an Assistant Professor at the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon. So, my expertise is related to the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete structures, particularly the interaction between reinforced concrete structures and masonry infill walls. I also have another focus on my investigation–the seismic behavior of precast concrete structures.

Try to be original and believe in your capacity. Sometimes it's not easy, and one of the things that I was wondering about during my early research career was being original and trying to put all my imagination into my papers, develop new things, and try not to copy other existing works, but instead of that, take a good inspiration from them and do different things. Also, since we are currently in a very competitive research environment, my best recommendation is to be persistent, resilient, and ambitious, believe in your skills, and learn to work as a team with colleagues.

I think that these types of awards for young investigators are very important because they are usually targeted at senior investigators and somehow this is a recognition that the young investigators who have made huge efforts to be recognized by the scientific community can also make impactful research activities despite their shorter careers. I believe that these types of awards will stimulate many more outstanding early career investigators to improve their research and increase their impact on science and society. I also believe that this will stimulate many other early career investigators in the future to apply for this award. The journal can support the academic community by being more active in conferences and trying to have meetings with the authors or the Editorial Board Members to strengthen collaborations. Another thing that I would like to suggest, and I believe that you have started already, is to start with some webinars with specialists where you can be associated. Imagine that applied sciences are associated with a series of webinars related to earthquake engineering. This can be useful.

One of the things you could do is focus on gender equality. Of course, there are some fields where there is an unbalanced number of genders, but the distinction with awards for all genders will stimulate the attention of all genders, attract more young researchers, and the results will be fruitful. Not only in my case for structural engineering, but I believe for other disciplines.

For more information about the journal awards, please click on the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/awards.

MDPI will be participating in the upcoming International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ICTAM2024), scheduled to take place from 25 to 30 August 2024 in Daegu, Republic of Korea.

ICTAM 2024 marks the 26th edition of this congress, held once every 4 years. The event is hosted by the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM), a global entity dedicated to fostering collaboration in the realms of theoretical and applied mechanics.

Anticipated to attract prominent researchers, professionals, and students from across the globe, ICTAM 2024 aims to facilitate the exchange of cutting-edge developments and progressions within the field of theoretical and applied mechanics. The congress will include a diverse array of activities such as plenary lectures, symposia, workshops, and technical sessions encompassing a wide range of topics in theoretical and applied mechanics.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Applied Sciences;
• Applied Mechanics;
• IJTPP;
• Fluids;
• Modelling;
• Physics;
• Symmetry.

If you are considering attending this conference, we warmly welcome you to visit our booth and interact with our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website at http://www.ictam2024.org/.

All papers published in 2022 in Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) were considered for this award. After a thorough evaluation of the originality and significance of the papers, citations, and downloads, the winner was selected:

“Educational AI Chatbots for Content and Language Integrated Learning”
by Kleopatra Mageira, Dimitra Pittou, Andreas Papasalouros, Konstantinos Kotis, Paraskevi Zangogianni and Athanasios Daradoumis
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(7), 3239; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073239

The winners will receive CHF 500 and a chance to publish a paper free of charge after peer review in Applied Sciences in 2024.

Author names: Kleopatra Mageira, Dimitra Pittou, Andreas Papasalouros, Konstantinos Kotis, Paraskevi Zangogianni and Athanasios Daradoumis
Affiliation: University of the Aegean, Greece
Research Interests: AI chatbots; CMS; cultural informatics; digital culture; IoT; knowledge representation; linked data; semantic trajectories; semantic web; web apps

The following is a short interview with the correspondence author Dr. Konstantinos Kotis:

1. Congratulations on winning the 2022 Best Paper Award! Could you briefly introduce yourself and the main content of the winning paper to our readers?

My name is Konstantinos Kotis and I am a tenure track associate professor at the University of the Aegean, Dept. of Cultural Informatics and Communication, Intelligent Systems Lab, Greece. My research interests include knowledge engineering, semantic web technologies, semantic data management, the semantic web of things, and KG-based conversational AI (chatbots). I have published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed international journals and conferences (Google Scholar h-index 22, citations>2200) and served as a reviewer and PC member for several journals and conference events. I have also contributed to several national and European projects, holding different roles/positions. For more, please visit http://i-lab.aegean.gr/kotis.

The main content of the winning paper is a report of an educational chatbot, designed to support content- and language-integrated learning, specifically, English and French language with cultural content learning.

2. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? What benefits do you think authors can gain when publishing their articles in Applied Sciences?

It has a high impact and quality and an interdisciplinary character, along with fast publishing.

3. What is your current research and why did you choose this field?

My current related research is about Large Language Models (LLMs) and chatbots, specifically how to use LLMs to automatically create dialogues from structured content, e.g., from LLM-generated Knowledge Graphs (KGs).

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

Large Language Models (LLMs), Robotics, AI in general (both generative and conversational AI). Neurosymbolic AI will be also developed fast and be at the forefront of future research.

5. Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research and how did you overcome them?

High publication fees in open access journals. Waivers are one way around this issue, grants are another.

6. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

Always keep trying, do not quit, no matter what. Eventually, the effort will be rewarded.

7. Applied Sciences is an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts the authors?

Significantly, since results are distributed fast, making ‘things’ move faster!

8. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express or someone you wish to thank most?

This award signifies the teamwork of the academic community, especially when this involves students and researchers at different levels and backgrounds. I would like to personally thank my postgraduate and Ph.D. students (Dimitra, Kleopatra, Paraskevi) for their persistent contributions and my colleauges (Andreas and Thanasis) for their key involvement and advice towards achieving this milestone.

9. Do you have any suggestions for our journal as to how we could further support researchers and the academic community?

• Continous update of editors’ and reviewers’ lists of academics of high impact (h-index) or/and fame;
• Provide more awards (e.g., returning open access fees to authors after winning the prize).

MDPI will be attending the 9th International Building Physics Conference (IBPC 2024) that will be held in Canada, Toronto, from 25 to 27 July 2024.

IBPC 2024 is the ninth edition of the official triennial conference of the International Association of Building Physics (IABP). The IBPC conferences unite researchers, practitioners, educators, and students from the building science and building physics sectors worldwide.

The committee meets to exchange new research and innovative technologies and to discuss current and future challenges and sustainable solutions within building physics, while we support innovative discoveries related to climate change challenges.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Buildings;
• Energies;
• Architecture;
• Sustainability;
• Urban Science;
• Applied Sciences;
• Smart Cities;
• Climate;
• Clean Technol.;
• Air;
• CivilEng.

Our representatives, Mr. David Hu and Mr. Zach Churcher, are eager to answer your questions and address any queries that you may have.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.ibpc2024.org/.

Five new journals covering multiple subjects have launched their inaugural issue in June 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 the Editorial Board Members and each journal will ensure its high-quality output 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. Marco Ranucci, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue	anaesthetic medications; blood and fluid management; pain management; critical care; critical illness | view journal scope | submit an article
	Dr. Giovanni E. Cacciamani, University of Southern California, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	surgical/procedural complications; complications; perioperative adverse events; postoperative adverse events | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr.  Gassan Hodaifa, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain | Editorial | view inaugural issue	laboratory management; laboratory safety; protective equipment; laboratory problems and challenges; laboratory Innovation | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Jan S. Suchodolski, Texas A&M University, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	companion animals health and disease; veterinary care and nutrition; genetics and genomics; behavior and welfare; human-animal relations | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Pierfrancesco De Paola, University of Naples Federico II, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue	real estate appraisal; economic and financial valuation of real estate projects; sustainable real estate; housing and urban economics | 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.

1. “A Review of the Relationship between Gut Microbiome and Obesity”
by Dorottya Zsálig, Anikó Berta, Vivien Tóth, Zoltán Szabó, Klára Simon, Mária Figler, Henriette Pusztafalvi and Éva Polyák
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010610
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/610

2. “Insight into the Impact of Food Processing and Culinary Preparations on the Stability and Content of Plant Alkaloids Considered as Natural Food Contaminants”
by Natalia Casado, Gema Casado-Hidalgo, Lorena González-Gómez, Sonia Morante-Zarcero and Isabel Sierra
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1704; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031704
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1704

3. “Comparison of the Spreadability of Butter and Butter Substitutes”
by Małgorzata Ziarno, Dorota Derewiaka, Anna Florowska and Iwona Szymańska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2600; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042600
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2600

4. “Quality Assessment of Banana Ripening Stages by Combining Analytical Methods and Image Analysis”
by Vassilia J. Sinanoglou, Thalia Tsiaka, Konstantinos Aouant, Elizabeth Mouka, Georgia Ladika, Eftichia Kritsi, Spyros J. Konteles, Alexandros-George Ioannou, Panagiotis Zoumpoulakis, Irini F. Strati et al.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3533; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063533
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3533

5. “Plant-Based Fish Analogs—A Review”
by Malgorzata Nowacka, Magdalena Trusinska, Paulina Chraniuk, Jagoda Piatkowska, Anna Pakulska, Karolina Wisniewska, Anna Wierzbicka, Katarzyna Rybak and Katarzyna Pobiega
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4509; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074509
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4509

6. “Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Affecting the Color of Fresh Beef Meat—Comprehensive Review”
by Alejandro Poveda-Arteaga, Johannes Krell, Monika Gibis, Volker Heinz, Nino Terjung and Igor Tomasevic
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4382; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074382
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4382

7. “Edible Packaging: A Technological Update for the Sustainable Future of the Food Industry”
by Surya Sasikumar Nair, Joanna Trafiałek and Wojciech Kolanowski
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(14), 8234; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148234
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8234

8. “Suitability of Apples Flesh from Different Cultivars for Vacuum Impregnation Process”
by Marcin Kidoń, Elżbieta Radziejewska-Kubzdela, Róża Biegańska-Marecik and Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1528; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031528
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1528

9. “Clitoria ternatea Flower and Its Bioactive Compounds: Potential Use as Microencapsulated Ingredient for Functional Foods”
by Ribi Ramadanti Multisona, Shwetali Shirodkar, Marcellus Arnold and Anna Gramza-Michalowska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2134; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042134
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2134

10. “Characterization of the Aroma Profile of Commercial Prosecco Sparkling Wines”
by Davide Slaghenaufi, Giovanni Luzzini, Matteo Borgato, Anita Boscaini, Andrea Dal Cin, Vittorio Zandonà and Maurizio Ugliano
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3609; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063609
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3609

11. “Electronic Nose Analysis to Detect Milk Obtained from Pasture-Raised Goats”
by Andrea Balivo, Simone Cipolletta, Raffaella Tudisco, Piera Iommelli, Raffaele Sacchi and Alessandro Genovese
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 861; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020861
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/861

12. “Determinants of Honey Consumption with Special Reference to the Influence of Nutritional Knowledge and Health Status on Consumption Habits”
by Iwona Kowalczuk, Dagmara Stangierska, Katarzyna Widera, Beata Fornal-Pieniak  and Piotr Latocha
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 979; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020979
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/979

13. “Immunomodulatory Properties of Probiotics and Their Derived Bioactive Compounds”
by Christina Thoda and Maria Touraki
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4726; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084726
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4726

14. “Berry Seeds—A By-Product of the Fruit Industry as a Source of Oils with Beneficial Nutritional Characteristics”
by Agata Górska, Iga Piasecka, Magdalena Wirkowska-Wojdyła, Joanna Bryś, Kinga Kienc, Rita Brzezińska and Ewa Ostrowska-Ligęza
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 5114; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13085114
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/5114

15. “Development and Characterization of N/S-Carbon Quantum Dots by Valorizing Greek Crayfish Food Waste”
by Achilleas Kechagias, Christos Lykos, Vassilios K. Karabagias, Stavros Georgopoulos, Viktoria Sakavitsi, Areti Leontiou , Constantinos E. Salmas, Aris E. Giannakas and Ioannis Konstantinou
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8730; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158730
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8730

16. “Effect of Biofortification with Iodine by 8-Hydroxy-7-iodo-5-quinolinesulfonic Acid and 5-Chloro-7-iodo-8-quinolinol on the Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Potato Tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.) in a Pot Experiment”
by Joanna Krzemińska, Sylwester Smoleń, Iwona Kowalska, Joanna Pitala, Olga Sularz and Aneta Koronowicz
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4659; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084659
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4659

17. “PFAS: A Review of the State of the Art, from Legislation to Analytical Approaches and Toxicological Aspects for Assessing Contamination in Food and Environment and Related Risks”
by Consolato Schiavone and Chiara Portesi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6696; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116696
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6696

18. “Response Surface Methodology as a Tool for Optimization of Extraction Process of Bioactive Compounds from Spent Coffee Grounds”
by Rita Brzezińska, Agata Górska, Magdalena Wirkowska-Wojdyła and Iga Piasecka
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7634; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137634
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7634

19. “Potentialities of the Extraction Technologies and Use of Bioactive Compounds from Winery By-Products: A Review from a Circular Bioeconomy Perspective”
by Adriana Rodrigues Machado, Tugba Atatoprak, Joana Santos, Elisabete M. C. Alexandre, Manuela Estevez Pintado, Jorge A. P. Paiva and João Nunes
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7754; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137754
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7754

20. “Marine Bioactives and Their Application in the Food Industry: A Review”
by Tharindu R. L. Senadheera, Abul Hossain and Fereidoon Shahidi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(21), 12088; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132112088
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/21/12088

1. “Comparing Vision Transformers and Convolutional Neural Networks for Image Classification: A Literature Review”
by José Maurício, Inês Domingues and Jorge Bernardino
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5521; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095521
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/9/5521

2. “Blockchain Integration in the Era of Industrial Metaverse”
by Dimitris Mourtzis, John Angelopoulos and Nikos Panopoulos
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 1353; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031353
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1353

3. “ChatGPT Challenges Blended Learning Methodologies in Engineering Education: A Case Study in Mathematics”
by  Luis M. Sánchez-Ruiz, Santiago Moll-López, Adolfo Nuñez-Pérez, José Antonio Moraño-Fernández and Erika Vega-Fleitas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6039; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106039
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/6039

4. “Knowing Knowledge: Epistemological Study of Knowledge in Transformers”
by Leonardo Ranaldi and Giulia Pucci
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 677; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020677
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/677

5. “Explainable AI for Machine Fault Diagnosis: Understanding Features’ Contribution in Machine Learning Models for Industrial Condition Monitoring”
by Eugenio Brusa, Luca Cibrario, Cristiana Delprete and Luigi Gianpio Di Maggio
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2038; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042038
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2038

6. “Exploring the Potential Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on International Students in Higher Education: Generative AI, Chatbots, Analytics, and International Student Success”
by Ting Wang, Brady D. Lund, Agostino Marengo, Alessandro Pagano, Nishith Reddy Mannuru, Zoë A. Teel and Jenny Pange
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6716; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116716
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6716

7. “Countering the Novelty Effect: A Tutorial for Immersive Virtual Reality Learning Environments”
by Ines Miguel-Alonso, Bruno Rodriguez-Garcia, David Checa and Andres Bustillo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010593
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/593

8. “An Artificial Intelligence Approach for Improving Maintenance to Supervise Machine Failures and Support Their Repair”
by Izabela Rojek, Małgorzata Jasiulewicz-Kaczmarek, Mariusz Piechowski and Dariusz Mikołajewski
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4971; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084971
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4971

9. “Low Rate DDoS Detection Using Weighted Federated Learning in SDN Control Plane in IoT Network”
by Muhammad Nadeem Ali, Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Salah ud din and Byung-Seo Kim
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1431; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031431
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1431

10. “Is It Worth It? Comparing Six Deep and Classical Methods for Unsupervised Anomaly Detection in Time Series”
by Ferdinand Rewicki, Joachim Denzler and Julia Niebling
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1778; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031778
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1778

11. “Recent Advances in Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Ultrasound Scanning”
by Rebeca Tenajas, David Miraut, Carlos I. Illana, Rodrigo Alonso-Gonzalez, Fernando Arias-Valcayo and Joaquin L. Herraiz
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3693; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063693
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3693

12. “A Secure and Decentralized Authentication Mechanism Based on Web 3.0 and Ethereum Blockchain Technology”
by Adrian Petcu, Bogdan Pahontu, Madalin Frunzete and Dan Alexandru Stoichescu
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2231; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042231
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2231

13. “Fuzzy Logic with Deep Learning for Detection of Skin Cancer”
by Sumit Kumar Singh, Vahid Abolghasemi and Mohammad Hossein Anisi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8927; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158927
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8927

14. “Blockchain-Based Decentralized Federated Learning Method in Edge Computing Environment”
by Song Liu, Xiong Wang, Longshuo Hui and Weiguo Wu
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1677; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031677
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1677

15. “Deep Learning-Based Network Intrusion Detection Using Multiple Image Transformers”
by Taehoon Kim and Wooguil Pak
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 2754; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13052754
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/2754

16. “Security and Privacy Issues in IoT-Based Big Data Cloud Systems in a Digital Twin Scenario”
by Christos L. Stergiou, Elisavet Bompoli and Konstantinos E. Psannis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 758; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020758
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/758

17. “Crop Disease Diagnosis with Deep Learning-Based Image Captioning and Object Detection”
by Dong In Lee, Ji Hwan Lee, Seung Ho Jang, Se Jong Oh and Ill Chul Doo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3148; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053148
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3148

18. “A Machine-Learning-Algorithm-Assisted Intelligent System for Real-Time Wireless Respiratory Monitoring”
by Chi Zhang, Lei Zhang, Yu Tian, Bo Bao and Dachao Li
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3885; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063885
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3885

19. “Control System Design and Methods for Collaborative Robots: Review”
by Ayesha Hameed, Andrzej Ordys, Jakub Możaryn and Anna Sibilska-Mroziewicz
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 675; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010675
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/675

20. “Retinex-Based Relighting for Night Photography”
by Sou Oish and Norishige Fukushima
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1719; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031719
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1719

MDPI will be attending the CI’s 40th International Symposium—Emphasizing Energy Transition, in Milan, Italy, which will take place from 21 to 26 July 2024. The event will be held at the Allianz MiCo Congress Center. The biennial symposium provides a scientific venue for sharing ideas and experiences on the applications of combustion.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Energies;
• Fire;
• Fuels;
• Methane;
• Thermo;
• Sustainability;
• Applied Sciences.

If you are participating in this conference, please feel free to engage with us online prior to attendance. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #B16 and answering any questions you may have. For more information regarding the conference, please visit the following link: https://www.combustionsymposia.org/2024/.

MDPI will attend the 36th International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors (ICPS), at the Shaw Convention Centre, Ottawa, Canada, from 28 July to 2 August 2024.

The ICPS is a flagship conference of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics Commission on Semiconductors (C8). ICPS has a long tradition of bringing together scientists from around the globe working in this active and exciting field with great societal impact. The ICPS meeting is the premier forum for reporting all aspects of semiconductor physics, including their electronic, structural, optical, magnetic, and transport properties. The conference will reflect the state of the art in semiconductor physics as the basis for technology that currently permeates all our lives. In addition, recognizing the current drive in and public excitement for quantum, we plan to make quantum technology an important component of the ICPS in 2024.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Electronics;
• Materials;
• Applied Sciences;
• Chips;
• Electronic Materials;
• Foundations;
• Magnetism;
• Micromachines;
• Quantum Reports;
• Photonics;
• Physics;
• QuBS.

If you are planning on attending this conference, please do not hesitate to stop by our booth #6 and start a conversation with us. 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://uottawacpd.eventsair.com/QuickEventWebsitePortal/icps2024/info.

MDPI will be attending the 26th International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM 2024) in Turin, Italy, which will take place from 1 to 4 September 2024. The International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM) has established itself as an influential and recognized international event, being the only major international conference that is entirely devoted to electrical machines. Started in London in 1974, ICEM is now held every two years.

The 26th International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM 2024) will be held at Politecnico di Torino (Italy), one of the most prestigious public institutions at both the international and Italian levels in the fields of education, research, technological transfer and services in all sectors of architecture and engineering.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Machines;
• Applied Sciences;
• Energies;
• WEVJ;
• Vehicles;
• Inventions;
• NDT;
• Electricity;
• Actuators;
• Micromachines;
• Eng;
• Technologies;
• JSAN.
  

If you are planning to attend the conference, please do 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://www.symposium.it/en/events/2024/26th-international-conference-on-electrical-machines-icem-2024.

MDPI will be attending the 31st International Carbohydrate Symposium (ICS2024), which will be held from 14 to 19 July 2024 in Shanghai, China.

ICS2024 will follow the convention of the previous ICS symposiums to provide a global forum for researchers engaging in all aspects of carbohydrates. Besides classical topics on carbohydrate chemistry, chemical glycobiology, and glycobiology, the current developments of carbohydrates and glycotechnologies in the fields of the diagnosis and therapy of diseases, nutrients and cosmetics, agriculture and biofuels, and materials will be highlighted. ICS2024 will reflect the state-of-art as well as future trends of the glycosciences and forge communication and corporations between glycoscientists from various areas and disciplines.

The following topics will be covered:

• Glycochemistry;
• Glycobiology;
• Carbohydrate drugs;
• Sugar vaccines;
• Carbohydrate materials.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

• Nutrients;
• IJMS;
• Molecules;
• Nutraceuticals;
• Foods;
• Biomolecules;
• Marine Drugs;
• Vaccines;
• CIMB;
• BioChem;
• Applied Sciences;
• Antibodies.

If you are planning to attend the above 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 at https://ics2024.casconf.cn/.

MDPI will be attending the 28th International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy – ICORS 2024, in Rome, Italy, which will take place from 28 July to 2 August 2024. The XXVIII International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy will be held at Sapienza University. Building on the legacy of Enrico Fermi’s work, the conference has been committed through the years to scientific excellence, up to the recent Nobel prize in Physics awarded to Giorgio Parisi.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Condensed Matter;
• Crystals;
• Applied Sciences;
• Atoms;
• Galaxies;
• Optics;
• Physics.

If you are planning to attend 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://icors2024.org/.

We are thrilled to share the updated Exceptional Reviewers List 2024. This program was designed to recognize and honor scholars who have delivered consistently exceptional review reports to our journal. Committed to fostering rigorous research and promoting knowledge exchange, Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) recognizes the significant role our reviewers play in maintaining the quality and integrity of the articles we publish. According to recent surveys conducted in 2023, 91% of our authors rated the peer review as good or excellent, thanks to our pool of excellent reviewers.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the reviewers who have generously volunteered their time and expertise to assist in Applied Sciences’ peer-review process. Their dedication and attention to detail in evaluating manuscripts, offering valuable feedback, and contributing to academic rigor are truly commendable.

The Exceptional Reviewers List was introduced in May 2024. Each quarter, we will be selecting a group of outstanding reviewers and introduce them here.

Q1

• Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Skrzypkowski, AGH University of Krakow, Poland
  Interests: underground mining methods; rock bolting; non-destructive testing; backfilling; rock mass monitoring; model test; computer-aided design in mining and geoengineering
  “The review process is always very reliable and effective. A big advantage is the editor's care, who ensures punctuality and decision-making.”

• Dr. Jozef Krajňák, Technical University of Košice, Slovakia
  Interests: flexible coupling; vibrations; noisiness; gaseous medium
  “I think that the articles in MDPI are of high quality, as well as the process of processing submitted articles or creating reviews. I like this idea and I will support it in the future as well.”

• Dr. Jacek Abramczyk, Associate Professor, Rzeszow University of Technology, Poland
  Interests: buildings; structural systems

Q2

• Dr. Tao Wang, China University of Mining and Technology, China
• Dr. Jimmie Miller, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA
  “A reviewer is a sifter. A reviewer is a refiner. A reviewer is an examiner. A reviewer is an appraiser. A reviewer is an illuminator. A reviewer is a teacher. A reviewer is a mentor.”
• Dr. Keshav Bhattarai, University of Central Missouri, USA
  “As a reviewer, I evaluate papers with respect and care, focusing on writing quality, relevance, and research credibility. My goal is to provide constructive feedback that aids both authors and editors.”

Q3

• Dr. Carlos Marcuello, CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
  “The reviewing activity was pleasant and the website platform treasures of an intuitive interface that makes an excellent experience.”
• Dr. Aristeidis Karras, University of Patras, Greece
  “I have really enjoyed reviewing for Applied Sciences, enabling this meaningful discourse alongside many who engage in impactful research in our field.”
• Dr. Itzhak Aviv, MTA and University of Haifa, Israel
  “Reviewing for Applied Sciences has been enriching and rewarding. The review allowed me to be on top of the latest in my research work and stimulate research worldwide. Thanks to contributing to the peer-review process, I have helped consign colleagues and make sure that the best of the scientific work is elevated. I have enjoyed collaborating with the editorial team, who have created a collaborative and professional review environment. It is a privilege to be chosen to the 2024 Exceptional Reviewers List, and I'm excited to continue my efforts in the development of our scientific community by using MDPI's exceptional platform.”

International Women in Engineering Day is an international awareness campaign to raise the profile of women in engineering and focus attention on the amazing career opportunities available to girls and women in this exciting industry.

The theme for this year is “Enhanced by Engineering”, we will be celebrating the amazing work that women engineers around the world are doing to support lives and livelihoods every day.

To showcase the immense contribution of women in the field of engineering, Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) has collected open access academic research on the topic of engineering. We want to use this special day to share new scientific knowledge from women researchers.

1. “Chatbot-Based Natural Language Interfaces for Data Visualisation: A Scoping Review”
by Ecem Kavaz, Anna Puig and Inmaculada Rodríguez
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7025; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127025
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/7025

2. “In Vivo Bone Progression in and around Lattice Implants Additively Manufactured with a New Titanium Alloy”
by Anne-Françoise Obaton, Jacques Fain, Dietmar Meinel, Athanasios Tsamos, Fabien Léonard, Benoît Lécuelle and Madjid Djemaï
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7282; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127282
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/7282

3. “Optical Convolutional Neural Networks: Methodology and Advances (Invited)”
by Xiangyan Meng, Nuannuan Shi, Guangyi Li, Wei Li, Ninghua Zhu and Ming Li
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7523; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137523
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7523

4. “Sensory Profile, Consumers’ Perception and Liking of Wheat–Rye Bread Fortified with Dietary Fibre”
by Sylwia Żakowska-Biemans and Eliza Kostyra
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020694
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/694

5. “Design and Development of a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) with Open Source Tools for the Processing of Data Monitored in a Set of Photovoltaic (PV) Plants”
by David Trillo-Montero, Samuel Cosano-Lucena, Miguel Gonzalez-Redondo, Juan Jesus Luna-Rodriguez and Isabel Santiago
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1357; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031357
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1357

6. “Visible—Light Driven Systems: Effect of the Parameters Affecting Hydrogen Production through Photoreforming of Organics in Presence of Cu2O/TiO2 Nanocomposite Photocatalyst”
by Marica Muscetta, Laura Clarizia, Marco Race, Roberto Andreozzi, Raffaele Marotta and Ilaria Di Somma
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2337; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042337
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2337

7. “A Review of Image Reconstruction Algorithms for Diffuse Optical Tomography”
by Shinpei Okawa and Yoko Hoshi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 5016; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13085016
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/5016

8. “A Stratified Characterization of Surface Quality of Beech Processed by Profile Milling”
by Luminița-Maria Brenci and Lidia Gurău
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(1), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14010129
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/1/129

9. “A New Method for Defining the Optimal Separation Gap Distance and the Acceptable Structural Pounding Risk on Multistory RC Structures”
by Maria G. Flenga and Maria J. Favvata
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 1165; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14031165
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/3/1165

10. “Hydrophobic and Photocatalytic Treatment for the Conservation of Painted Lecce stone in Outdoor Conditions: A New Cleaning Approach”
by Laura Bergamonti, Marianna Potenza, Federica Scigliuzzo, Sandro Meli, Antonella Casoli, Pier Paolo Lottici and Claudia Graiff
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 1261; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14031261
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/3/1261

Conference: Conference on Complex Systems 2024
Organization: Northeastern University London and the University of Exeter
Date: 2–6 September 2024
Place: Exeter, UK

We are pleased to announce that MDPI journals will be attending the Conference on Complex Systems 2024 as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Exeter, UK, from 2 to 6 September 2024.

The CCS is the flagship annual meeting for the complex systems research community, operating within the framework of the Complex Systems Society. This special 20th anniversary conference is being organised through a collaboration between Northeastern University London and the University of Exeter, UK. The event is following up on previous editions that were held in Salvador da Bahia 2023, Mallorca 2022, Lyon 2021, Online 2020, Singapore 2019, Thessaloniki 2018, and Cancun 2017.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Entropy;
• Systems;
• BDCC;
• Mathematics;
• Sustainability;
• Applied Sciences;
• Computation;
• Information;
• Data;
• Algorithms;
• MCA;
• Physics;
• Dynamics;
• Environments;
• Quantum Reports.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to engage with us while you are there. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the event, please visit the following website: https://ccs24.cssociety.org/.

We are pleased to share that Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) has received an updated Impact Factor of 2.5 in the 2023 Journal Citation Reports released by Clarivate in June 2024. Applied Sciences now ranks Q1 in the “Engineering, Multidisciplinary” category (upgraded from Q2), Q2 in the “Chemistry, Multidisciplinary” (upgraded from Q3) and “Physics, Applied” categories, and Q3 in the “Materials Science, Multidisciplinary” category.

For further statistics, please visit: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/stats. For more information about MDPI flagship journals’ citation metrics, please see here.

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

Our journals have received over 13 million citations in the Web of Science, making us the most cited open access publisher. With over 800 institutional partners, MDPI continues to demonstrate its dedication to providing reliable and collaborative publishing services.

Applied Sciences Editorial Office

MDPI will be attending the 50th International Micro and Nano Engineering Conference (MNE 2024) held in Montpellier, France, from 16 to 19 September 2024.

The scientific topics of the conference cover all the domains impacted by micro/nano engineering activities:

• T1 – METHODS and PROCESS: micro/nano fabrication methods and processes;
• T2 – STRUCTURES and DEVICES: fabrication and integration of micro/nano structures and devices;
• T3 – SYSTEMS: micro/nano systems for computing, communication, sensing and quantum applications;
• T4 – BIO: micro/nano engineering for life and analytical sciences;
• T5 (New) – SUSTAINABILITY: energy efficiency of micro/nano engineering and environmental and ecological applications.

The MNE conference is the flagship event of the International Society for Micro- and Nanotechnology (iMNEs). It has always been the leading international conference for micro- and nano-fabrication, manufacturing techniques and applications of the fabricated micro/nanostructures, devices and microsystems in electronics, photonics, energy, environment, chemistry and life sciences. The MNE brings together researchers and experts from all over the world to meet and discuss the latest research results and their applications. Furthermore, the conference aims to promote, involve and train young talent in the field of micro and nano engineering.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Micromachines;
• Nanomaterials;
• Fibers;
• Applied Nano;
• Micro;
• Eng;
• Technologies;
• Sensors;
• Machines;
• Bioengineering;
• Applied science;
• Nanomanufacturing;
• JETA.

If you plan on attending this conference, feel free to stop by our booth at #42. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please see the following link: https://mne2024.imnes.org/.

MDPI is pleased to announce the inclusion of 237 journals in the 2024 release of the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and share the key results (see above).

This year, journals covered in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) received category ranks together with journals in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI). Overall, 139 MDPI journals indexed in ESCI are included in the new unified rankings for the first time.

Enhanced Comparability of Data

According to Clarivate, "the creation of unified category rankings [provides] a simpler and more complete category view for the evaluation of journal performance. [...] The category-first approach simplifies journal performance assessment with a holistic view of all journals in each subject category."

We are thrilled to announce that 72% of our ranked MDPI journals (171 of 237) are above average, in Q1 or Q2. Twenty-nine of our journals received their first Impact Factor this year, accounting for more than 5% of the journals accepted into the Web of Science last year.

MDPI Journals Ranked in JCR

The following data includes all MDPI journals indexed in SCIE, SSCI, ESCI and AHCI.