by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
On March 28, 2022, Research.com released the 1st edition of the annual ranking for top scientists in the area of microbiology. This list of leading scholars is designed to offer the academic community more visibility and exposure to the influential research contributions made by those at the forefront of microbiology.
What is more, we hope it will inspire researchers, decision-makers, and entrepreneurs around the world to find out where leading experts are heading. It is a great opportunity for all of us to learn who are the leading experts in different research areas, in different countries, as well as within different universities and research institutions.
For the 2022 edition of the ranking, more than 5,700 scientist profiles on Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Graph have been examined with several indicators and metrics reviewed in order to consider each scientist’s inclusion in the ranking.
The h-index threshold for approving a scholar to be considered was set to 40 if most of their publications were in the field of microbiology. The inclusion criteria for scholars to be considered into the ranking of top scientists are based on the discipline h-index, the proportion of contributions made within the given discipline in addition to the awards and achievements of the scientists.
The full ranking for the 2022 list of top microbiology scientists can be found here:
TOP MICROBIOLOGY SCIENTISTS RANKING
Scientists from the United States dominate the list with 441 scholars included in 2022 which represents 44.1% of the whole ranking. However, only 3 out of 10 scientists in the top 1% are from the United States, with the other countries represented being France, Switzerland, China, Canada, and Finland.
The United Kingdom ranks second with 88 scientists.
The third spot was taken by France, which currently has 70 ranking scientists.
The other leading countries are Germany with 53 scientists, the Netherlands with 44 scientists, Australia with 41 scientists, Canada with 27 scientists, and Japan with 27 scholars as well.
Please note that the country associated with a scientist is based on their affiliated research institution according to MAG, not on their actual nationality.
In the 2022 edition of our ranking, the US National Institutes of Health is the leader, with 32 scientists affiliated with that institution included in the ranking. Ranking second is Institut Pasteur with 23 scientists, and the third place is occupied by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with 21 scholars.
Among universities, Harvard University is the leader, with 15 scientists being included in our ranking.
American universities constitute 60% of the top 10 leading institutions with the leading non-American ones being Institut Pasteur, the University of Paris, the University of Hong Kong, and the University of Oxford.
Only 3 out of 10 institutions in the top 1% of leading scientists are based in the USA. Other top spots are occupied by Aix-Marseille University, France (1st spot), the University of Helsinki, Finland (3rd spot), the University of Hong Kong, China (4th spot), Institut Pasteur, France (5th spot), the University of British Columbia, Canada (6th spot), the University of Fribourg, Switzerland (7th spot), and the University of British Columbia, Canada (9th spot).
Online microbiology programs can help to enrich the research community in the field by providing access to education and training for a broader range of individuals. These programs can attract talents who may not have had the opportunity to attend traditional on-campus programs due to geographic, financial, or personal constraints.
By expanding the pool of potential researchers, online microbiology programs, including relevant degrees such as biology degree online programs, can increase the diversity of perspectives and approaches brought to the field, which can ultimately lead to more innovative and impactful research. As investigated by Mcclunie-Trust et al. (2022), a multi-site collaborative research setup online is able to generate collective knowledge and skill from a wider pool of brain power, thus enabling new approaches. Their study published in the International Journal of Qualitative Methods recognizes the important role of technology in this setup, which allows researchers to connect, communicate and share knowledge online.
Likewise, online microbiology programs can help to foster a culture of lifelong learning and professional development among researchers in the field. By offering convenient and accessible continuing education opportunities, online programs can help researchers stay up-to-date with the latest advances in the field and develop new skills that can enhance their research. This can ultimately lead to more impactful and innovative research that addresses important challenges in microbiology and related fields.
So, when one posits, what can I do with a biology degree online? the answer goes beyond providing you with a job with a $75,000+ median salary (Indeed, 2023), but with research paths in biotechnology, public health laboratories and university research institutions, thanks to one’s research network nurtured through online education.
For Europe, Professor Didier Raoult from Aix-Marseille University, France is ranked first in the region, but he's also listed no. 1 in the world ranking, with an H-index of 175.
For North America, Professor Martin J. Blaser, from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey ranks 2nd on our list of leading scientists with a high H-index of 153.
Professor Kwok-Yung Yuen from the University of Hong Kong, China leads the top list in Asia with an H-index of 149 and a world ranking of 4.
For Oceania, Professor Edward C. Holmes from the University of Sydney, Australia is on top of the list with a world ranking of 16.
Professor Job J. Bwayo who is affiliated with the University of Nairobi, Kenya is the first in Africa with a world ranking of 507.
Professor Arnaldo Lopes Colombo from the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil is the highest-ranking scientist from South America with a world ranking of 923.
The average H-index for the top 1% of scientists is 145 against an average of 77 for all 1000 scientists included in the ranking.
The scholar with the lowest index value who made it to the ranking in 2022 has an H-index of 62.
The average number of published articles for the top 1% of scientists in the ranking is 688 against an average of 236 for all 1000 scholars.
The average number of citations for the top 1% of scientists is 86,094 against an average of 23,787 for all 1000 scholars. The highest cited scientist is Didier Raoult from Aix-Marseille University, France with 138,437 citations.
You can learn more about the methodology used to create the ranking here.
All research was coordinated by Imed Bouchrika, PhD, a computer scientist with a well-established record of collaboration on a number of international research projects with different partners from the academic community. His role was to make sure all data remained unbiased, accurate, and up-to-date.
Research.com is the number one research portal for science rankings. Our mission is to make it easier for professors, research fellows, and those studying for a PhD or a master’s degree to progress with their research and to ensure they are always up-to-date with the latest conferences around the world and publications related to their work. Research.com is also involved in the publication of an annual ranking of leading scientists in a wide range of scientific disciplines.
by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
