MDPI North America | MDPI São Paulo Editors Salon 2026 Summary—Bringing the Salon Series to Brazil

On 9 April 2026, MDPI hosted the MDPI São Paulo Editors Salon, marking the first Salon held in Brazil. The event brought together over 50 editors, researchers, and academics for a day of discussion and exchange, supporting stronger connections between MDPI and the Brazilian research community, while also marking the introduction of our Salon series to the region. Held at the Pullman São Paulo Hotel, the Salon featured a range of presentations, discussions, and networking opportunities. The conversations throughout the day reflected a strong interest in collaboration and a shared commitment to advancing scholarly communication within Brazil and beyond.

The program focused on sharing MDPI’s publishing practices with transparency, reinforcing the importance of research integrity, and engaging with the opportunities and priorities shaping the academic landscape in Brazil.

For a breakdown of the most important presentations and highlights of the 2026 MDPI São Paulo Editors Salon, please see below:

Opening of the Event:

• Dr. Sally Wu, Regional Journal Relations Specialist and host of the 2026 MDPI São Paulo Editors Salon, opened the event by warmly welcoming attendees, thanking them for joining, and presenting the format of the session.

Opening Speech:

• Ms. Summer Huggard, MDPI Canada OM, delivered the opening speech and outlined the opportunities this development presents for MDPI and its stakeholders in South America.

MDPI Overview and Services:

• Mr. Bob Vrooman continued with an inside look at MDPI’s operations in North America and worldwide, expounding on the continued growth of MDPI in all areas and presenting a broad overview of MDPI as a whole and its goals for the future. This overview covered key MDPI topics, including the fundamentals of open access, a brief outline of the editorial process, and various MDPI initiatives, concluding with the relevance of MDPI’s work to researchers in Brazil and opportunities to publish with MDPI.

MDPI Editorial Processes and Special Issue:

• Ms. Diana Ribeiro Tosato, Journal Relations Specialist and External Affairs Coordinator—Brazil, presented on MDPI’s proprietary editorial processes and approach to Special Issues, along with their benefits. This presentation delved into the requirements for manuscript submission and the steps from submission to publication, and highlighted notable differences between regular submissions and Special Issue submissions.

Invited Scholar Presentation: “ELANS Research Trajectory Through Nutrients Publications - The Latin American Nutrition and Health Survey- a Decade of Impact”:

• Dr. Mauro Fisberg, Collection Editor of IJERPH and a Guest Editor on Nutrients, presented “ELANS research trajectory through Nutrients publications - The Latin American Nutrition and Health Survey- a Decade of Impact” which not only detailed his experience with in all aspects of MDPI’s Nutrients journal, but also how the research published by Nutrients has impacted Latin American markets and their progression over the previous decade.

Best Contribution Award & Presentation:

• Crystal awards were presented to acknowledge our three chosen Best Contribution Award winners, celebrating our most dedicated editors and recognizing their contributions to their journals, MDPI, and publishing as a whole. Our three award winners gave acceptance speeches detailing their current research and overall contributions to their respective fields of research.

IOAP and Society Partnerships:

• Dr. Ryan Siu discussed MDPI’s amassed portfolio of IOAP and Society partnerships and outlined the benefits of collaboration, along with MDPI’s many success stories in these areas.

Invited Scholar Presentation: “Publishing from the Editor’s Perspective: What Makes a Paper Stand Out?”:

• Dr. Francisco Tustumi, Guest Editor of Biomedicines, then gave his presentation on “Publishing from the Editor’s Perspective: What Makes a Paper Stand Out?” which delved into the nuts and bolts of academic publishing, discussing achieving targets, formatting, ethics, and Impact Factors.

MDPI Ethics and Research Integrity:

• Presented by MDPI Canada OM, Ms. Summer Huggard, this session covered critical topics in MDPI’s Ethics and Research Integrity guidelines, outlined key aspects of our review processes, highlighted MDPI’s Research Integrity Team and their inter-departmental growth, and addressed common misconceptions.

AI in Publishing:

• Dr. Barnaby Crook, the Regional Journal Relations Specialist and specialist in AI, discussed AI in publishing, along with its relevance in the modern age and its various applications. In doing so, Dr. Crook covered both the positive and negative aspects of AI in the field, including its use in technical editing, the importance of AI declarations, and preventing AI from infiltrating the publishing space in the wrong ways, along with methods to both recognize and prevent misuse.

Invited Scholar Presentation: “Publishing from the Editor’s Perspective: What Makes a Paper Stand Out?”

• Dr. Francisco Tustumi, Guest Editor of Biomedicines, then gave his presentation on “Publishing from the Editor’s Perspective: What Makes a Paper Stand Out?” which delved into the nuts and bolts of academic publishing, discussing achieving targets, formatting, ethics, and Impact Factors.

Invited Scholar Presentation: “Two Hats, One Publisher: Some Notes from an MDPI Guest Editor and Author”:

• Dr. Andréa Cristina Fogaça, Guest Editor of Microorganisms, delivered a presentation, “Two Hats, One Publisher: Some Notes from an MDPI Guest Editor and Author,” where she shared her experience as a guest editor for an MDPI journal, focusing on her work in tropical medicine and infectious diseases.

Invited Speakers:

Feedback and Discussion Panel:

• Four of the previous MDPI presenters (Mr. Bob Vrooman, Ms. Summer Huggard, Dr. Ryan Siu, and Dr. Barnaby Crook) participated in a feedback and discussion panel, where attendees were encouraged to ask various questions relating to their own experiences with MDPI. Topics covered included the specifics of MDPI’s peer review processes, AI and its ever-increasing role in the publishing industry, MDPI’s various initiatives and their uses, and much more. The constructive exchange between scholars and publishers alike represents a critical part of events like this, allowing direct communication between our internal decision-makers and our external experts and fostering collaboration in real-time to address issues and foster improvement in both the present and future.

Closing remarks and networking:

• Ms. Summer Huggard delivered closing remarks, in which she thanked all attendees for sharing their valuable time with us and for showing up to make history at MDPI’s first Brazil Editors Salon. Attendees were then welcomed to engage in the final networking session of the day before leaving the venue, marking an end to the day’s insightful proceedings.

Best Contribution Awards:

The MDPI Best Contribution Award is presented to editors in recognition of their exceptional dedication and impactful support of their journals. It highlights standout contributions in several areas, including providing thorough and insightful reviews, making informed and fair decisions, ensuring publication quality and integrity, and facilitating the timely submission of high-quality manuscripts. The award also celebrates each recipient’s commitment to their journal’s growth and success through ongoing collaboration with authors and the editorial team. This prestigious honor acknowledges the vital and demanding role editors play in upholding academic excellence and credibility.

The following three winners were recognized at the MDPI 2026 São Paulo Salon for their contributions:

Looking Ahead:

The São Paulo Salon was a celebration of academic excellence and, more importantly, marked a meaningful milestone as our first-ever Salon in South America. Set against the energy and dynamism of São Paulo, the event provided a strong foundation as we aim to expand more globally, reinforcing our commitment to supporting affiliated scholars with the tools they need to effectively disseminate and elevate their research on a global stage.

Just as importantly, the Salon reflected the collaborative spirit that defines Brazil’s research community: open, engaged, and forward-looking. Across both in-person and virtual exchanges, conversations flowed with ease and purpose, transforming informal dialogue into tangible opportunities for shared growth, refinement, and long-term impact. Many connections were made, and new friendships formed. South America, we will see you again!