MDPI Singapore 2nd Appreciation Dinner Recap: Connecting Minds, Forging Futures, 28 November 2025

MDPI Singapore hosted its second Appreciation Dinner on Friday, 28 November 2025, gathering academic partners, authors, and Editorial Board Members for an evening of recognition and celebration. Held in the elegant Cuscaden Room at the Conrad Singapore Orchard, the dinner embraced the theme “Connecting Minds, Forging Futures.”

A Night of Networking and Vision

The evening commenced with a lively cocktail reception, providing a relaxed atmosphere for guests to mingle, network, and exchange insights before the formal proceedings began.

The program was officially opened by Caleb Snider, MDPI’s Managing Director of Asia. Mr. Snider delivered a compelling address that highlighted MDPI’s key milestones and positive performance throughout 2025, reaffirming the company’s commitment to supporting open science and the scholarly community in the Asia-Pacific region.

Honoring Academic Excellence

The evening's most anticipated moment was the award ceremony, dedicated to recognizing the invaluable contributions of MDPI's leading scholars and partners. A total of four categories were celebrated, honoring six distinguished winners for their dedication to advancing scholarly publishing:

• Best Contributing Winner: Prof Dr. Zhi Dong Zhou

• Outstanding Guest Editor: Prof Pak Kwong Chan and Holden King-Ho Li

• Best Contributing Editorial Board Member: Prof Lawrence Loh and Prof Kum Fai Yuen

• Outstanding Contributor: Prof Chengkuo Lee

The attending award winners—Prof Dr. Zhi Dong Zhou, Prof Pak Kwong Chan, Prof Lawrence Loh, and Prof Kum Fai Yuen— delivered inspiring messages, expressing their gratitude and reflecting on their collaborative work with MDPI.

Following the ceremony, guests were treated to a dinner prepared by Basilico, the Conrad Singapore Orchard’s renowned Italian restaurant, celebrated for its authentic and sophisticated Italian cuisine.

The evening served as a perfect testament to the theme of "Connecting Minds, Forging Futures", culminating in an uplifting and celebratory atmosphere that reinforced the spirit of collaboration and mutual success between MDPI and its academic community.