World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Networks
H-index 14

Networks

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Computer Science 482 55 61 12
Engineering and Technology 867 26 31 9

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 97
Documents by Best Scientists*: 104
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 7
SCIMAGO H-index: 76
SCIMAGO SJR: 0.873
Impact Factor: 1.3

Overview

Top Research Topics at Networks?

The journal covers a variety of subjects, including Combinatorics, Mathematical optimization, Discrete mathematics, Algorithm and Computer network. In the Combinatorics research discussed, Graph, Time complexity, Vertex (geometry), Chordal graph and Steiner tree problem are all tackled. Chordal graph and Indifference graph are closely related fields of research discussed in the journal.

The studies on Mathematical optimization discussed can also contribute to research in the domains of Routing (electronic design automation), Vehicle routing problem and Set (abstract data type). It dives deep in exploring the relationship between the study of Discrete mathematics and Graph theory. The Algorithm study featured in Networks draws parallels with the field of Shortest path problem.

Shortest path problem research is the primary subject tackled in it with a focus on K shortest path routing. The in-depth study on Computer network also explores topics in the intersecting field of Distributed computing. It links adjacent topics like Spanning tree with Minimum spanning tree.

  • Combinatorics (34.80%)
  • Mathematical optimization (25.56%)
  • Discrete mathematics (24.36%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • A survey of gossiping and broadcasting in communication networks (1112 citations)
  • A generalized assignment heuristic for vehicle routing (864 citations)
  • Complexity of vehicle routing and scheduling problems (860 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Networks:

The journal articles tackle a plethora of topics, such as Mathematical optimization, Combinatorics, Algorithm, Discrete mathematics and Shortest path problem. The journal papers with studies in Mathematical optimization featured incorporate elements of Routing (electronic design automation) and Vehicle routing problem. Algorithm study tackled in the journal publications is connected to the field of Upper and lower bounds.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Computer network
  • Operating system
  • Statistics

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

The objective of Networks is to combine knowledge in the areas of Mathematical optimization, Combinatorics, Vehicle routing problem, Integer programming and Routing (electronic design automation). Topics in Mathematical optimization explored in the journal were investigated in conjunction with research in Flow (mathematics) and Computational complexity theory. Networks explores research in Combinatorics and the adjacent study of Dynamic programming.

While it focused on Vehicle routing problem, it was also able to explore topics like Set (abstract data type), Arc routing and Branch and cut. The study of Integer programming encompasses disciplines such as Combinatorial optimization, as well as fields such as Theoretical computer science, all of which overlap with one another. The journal explores the study of Routing (electronic design automation) to improve our understanding of the broader topic of Computer network.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • Arc routing problems: A review of the past, present, and future (8 citations)
  • Recent challenges in Routing and Inventory Routing: E-commerce and last-mile delivery (6 citations)
  • Future directions in drone routing research (6 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in Networks (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Bruce L. Golden (40 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition,
  • Gilbert Laporte (27 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Frank K. Hwang (22 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Martine Labbé (22 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition,
  • Douglas R. Shier (20 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Networks (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Bell Labs (97 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (64 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition,
  • University of Maryland, College Park (46 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition,
  • University of California, Berkeley (39 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition,
  • University of Waterloo (33 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 5.32% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 6.74% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 7.87% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 19.10% of all publications and 66.29% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Career opportunities in research

A career in research comes with numerous opportunities, especially in areas outlined in our journal, such as Combinatorics, Mathematical optimization, and Discrete mathematics. Many of our readers and contributors have kick-started their research careers by aligning their interests and specializing in these areas. Depending on their professional backdrop, they go on to work in universities, research institutions, or the technology industry. It is essential to consider that venturing into a research career requires a significant investment in education. For individuals who find joy in teaching and collection of historical data, becoming a history teacher could be a fulfilling career path. In a State like Colorado, the amount of time varies based on the path chosen by the individual. In case you're interested in understanding the requirements, you can click on how long does it take to become a teacher in Colorado for a detailed guide. Based on the topics covered in our journal, you can see that each subject area holds potential for a rich and varied career path. Advances in areas such as Algorithm studies or Computer networks could lead to innovative solutions in technology and computing, illustrating just some of the exciting opportunities that a career in research presents.

Top Publications

  • Recent challenges in Routing and Inventory Routing: E-commerce and last-mile delivery

    Claudia Archetti;Luca Bertazzi

    (2021)
    74 Citations
  • A two‐tier urban delivery network with robot‐based deliveries

    (2021)
    53 Citations
  • Delivery systems with crowd‐sourced drivers: A pickup and delivery problem with transfers

    Afonso H. Sampaio;Martin W. P. Savelsbergh;Lucas P. Veelenturf;Tom Van Woensel

    (2020)
    40 Citations
  • Trucks and drones cooperation in the last‐mile delivery process

    Luigi Di Puglia Pugliese;Giusy Macrina;Francesca Guerriero

    (2021)
    36 Citations
  • Modeling the flying sidekick traveling salesman problem with multiple drones

    Mauro Dell'Amico;Roberto Montemanni;Stefano Novellani

    (2021)
    35 Citations
  • Network reliability: Heading out on the highway

    Jason I. Brown;Charles J. Colbourn;Danielle Cox;Christina Graves

    (2021)
    31 Citations
  • “Make no little plans”: Impactful research to solve the next generation of transportation problems

    Niels A. H. Agatz;Mike Hewitt;Barrett W. Thomas

    (2021)
    23 Citations
  • Adaptive large neighborhood search for the vehicle routing problem with synchronization constraints at the delivery location

    Briseida Sarasola;Karl F. Doerner

    (2020)
    22 Citations
  • Large-scale zone-based evacuation planning—Part I: Models and algorithms

    Mohd. Hafiz Hasan;Pascal Van Hentenryck

    (2021)
    21 Citations

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Best Scientists Contributing to This Journal

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