We are pleased to announce that Prof. Dr. Sergio Ulgiati has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Environments (ISSN: 2076-3298).

Name: Prof. Dr. Sergio Ulgiati
Homepage: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sergio-Ulgiati
Affiliation: Department of Science and Technology, Parthenope University of Naples, Italy; School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P.R. China
Interests: life cycle assessment, energy–exergy–energy, environmental impact assessment, and circular economy; urban metabolism and sustainability, food and water security, disparity in access to energy sources; large efforts invested in energy and resource efficiency, prosperous way down, and environmental integrity.

Prof. Dr. Sergio Ulgiati is a retired professor (2021) of environmental chemistry and life cycle assessment at the Parthenope University of Naples (Italy) and an honorary contract professor (2022-2026) of environmental accounting at the School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, China.

Prof. Dr. Ulgiati is included in the prestigious World’s Top 2% Scientists list created by scientists at Stanford University (2017 to date). He was appointed High-End Foreign Expert by the State Administration of Foreign Experts of the Chinese Government within the framework of the “National One Thousand Foreign Experts Plan” (2013-2019). He was the recipient of the International ATLAS Award 2017 “Research for a Better World” and the 1992 Fulbright Award in Physics as Research Scholar at the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences of the University of Florida (joint research with Prof. Howard T. Odum).

Additionally, he has been the organizer and chair of the BIWAES (Biennial International Workshop “Advances in Energy Studies”) since 1998, as well as of the Biennial International Emergy Research Conference since 1999. He is a member of several organizing committees or scientific advisory boards for international workshops and conferences worldwide, as well as a foundation member of the ISAER (International Society for the Advancement of Emergy Research; 2008), a member of the board of directors since 2009, and the president in 2011 and 2012. Since 2018, he has been a foundation member and coordinator for the Matteo Ricci Network, which involves 26 Chinese and Italian universities collaborating and exchanging students and scholars. He has been a visiting professor in the USA, Brazil, China, and European universities and research centers. He is the coordinator of a large number of international and national research projects, and has approximately 400 scientific peer-reviewed papers and book chapters published in collaboration with more than 150 international co-authors (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sergio-Ulgiati; https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=6701799759).

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Sergio Ulgiati, who shared his vision for the Journal with us, as well as his views on the research area and open access publishing.

1. What attracted you about the journal that made you want to take on the role of Editor-in-Chief?
I think the main characteristic of this journal is its interdisciplinarity, which makes it possible to combine diverse aspects into a multi-dimensional vision. Although we certainly need specialized journals to host research results on specific topics and allow researchers to exchange detailed and particular outcomes and doubts on their work, we also need journals that provide broader pictures and visions of the present and future of this planet and its environmental dynamics. This requires the accurate management and modeling of environmental evolution, its impacts and risks, as well as a careful look at natural capital and species protection, the development of environmental economics and policies and, finally, the perception that the acceptance of diversity is what makes our society sustainable and resilient. I hope that we can develop joint technological, economic, and living patterns and roadmaps toward a planet that allows the survival and well-being of all species.

2. What are your plans and vision for the journal?
Expanding the journal´s opportunities is beyond just publishing a good paper. The journal can provide opportunities for webinars, discussions on hot topics and the organization of research networks for funding applications. It is important to identify priorities to address, challenges to overcome, and roadmaps to follow, in order to provide support to everyone’s research. Of course, traditional tools can also be considered, such as Special Issues, Awards, discounts and fee waivers, among others.

3. What does the future of this field of research look like?
The future of environmental research looks both challenging and appealing. Day by day, policymakers, governments, businesses, and stakeholders are increasingly understanding the importance of appropriate environmental management to prevent planetary boundaries from worsening and thus decreasing the well-being and happiness of all. This awareness is growing in the field of academic and industrial research as well as among common people, and we can therefore push for more research and more funds for the purpose of environmental care. A journal like Environments may become an appropriate tool to further develop awareness, spread knowledge, and make new scientific results achievable.

4. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?
In spite of some criticisms concerning the publication costs in the open access procedure, I am convinced that it offers a good opportunity for scientific development in countries that are still unable to invest in research and purchase of written materials. Making papers available to everybody, researchers and students, will push knowledge ahead and favor understanding, research, and new results, becoming a good complement to the spread of internet and computers. Papers available online become immediately usable for reviews, master’s and Ph.D. studies, and dissertations, and provide a comparison of research results. Open access should be accompanied by a discount and fee waiver policy for scholars in countries with low income and funding availability.

We warmly welcome Prof. Dr. Sergio Ulgiati as the new Editor-in-Chief and we look forward to him leading Environments to many more milestones.