by Imed Bouchrika
On July 10, 2022, Research.com released the 1st edition of the annual ranking for top scientists in the area of physics. 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 physics.
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 51,000 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 70 if most of their publications were in the field of physics. 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 physics scientists can be found here:
TOP PHYSICS SCIENTISTS RANKING
Scientists from the United States dominate the list with 525 scholars included in 2022 which represents 52.5% of the whole ranking. 6 out of 10 scientists in the top 1% are from the United States.
The United Kingdom ranks second with 102 scientists.
The third spot was taken by Germany, which currently has 84 ranking scientists.
The other leading countries are Italy with 42 scientists, France with 34 scientists, Canada with 24 scientists, Australia with 22 scientists, and Japan with 21 scholars.
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 Max Planck Society is the leader, with 39 scientists affiliated with that institution included in the ranking. Ranking second is the California Institute of Technology with 38 scientists, and the third place is occupied by Harvard University with 28 scholars.
American universities and institutions constitute 70% of the top 10 leading institutions with the other three representing Germany (Max Planck Society), the UK (University of Cambridge), and Italy (National Institute for Astrophysics).
6 out of 10 institutions affiliated with the top 1% of leading scientists are based outside the USA. These spots are occupied by scientists from King's College London (spot 5), University of Belgrade, Serbia (spot 7), University of Cambridge (spot 8), and Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Germany (spot 10).
Physics is recognized as one of the best college majors because it provides students with a solid foundation for various career paths, including research, engineering, and data analysis. As such, its graduates thrive in various research endeavors, as reflected by our 2022 world ranking of top physics scientists. The ranking shows the significant contributions of physicists in advancing research and innovation. Further enriching physics research is the advent of online degree programs, which have opened new avenues for students and scientists to share insights and collaborate on projects.
Online degrees are a game-changer, offering an equivalent level of comprehensive education and training as their traditional, campus-based counterparts while making higher education more accessible to many, regardless of their location or schedule. Students enrolled in an online physics degree program have the opportunity to work with renowned faculty, access cutting-edge research, and collaborate with peers from different parts of the world. This exposure can broaden their perspectives and encourage them to think critically and creatively, leading to even more innovative breakthroughs in research.
For North America, Professor Donald P. Schneider from Pennsylvania State University is on top of the list with a world ranking of no. 1 as well. His h-index is 269.
Professor Bobby Samir Acharya from King's College London leads the top list in Europe with a world ranking of 5 as well. His h-index is 223.
For Asia, Professor Subir Sarkar from Jadavpur University, India is ranked first in the region, with an H-index of 199. He's also listed as no. 26 in the world ranking.
Professor Matt J. Jarvis from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa ranks as the first scientist in Africa, with a world ranking of 70.
Professor Maria-Teresa Dova from the National University of La Plata, Argentina is the highest-ranking scientist from South America with a world ranking of 123.
For Oceania, Professor Joss Bland-Hawthorn from the University of Sydney, Australia ranks 1st on our list of leading scientists in that region. He's also listed as no. 206 in the world ranking.
The average H-index for the top 1% of scientists is 230 against an average of 131 for the top 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 102.
The average number of published articles for the top 1% of scientists in the ranking is 1493 against an average of 556 for the top 1000 scholars.
The average number of citations for the top 1% of scientists is 296,464 against an average of 89,161 for the top 1000 scholars. The highest cited scientist is Joel Nathan Butler from Fermilab with 413,256 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
by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
