Each scientist's position in the ranking is determined by their D-index (Discipline H-index), a metric that considers only the publications and citation data relevant to the examined discipline—Plant Science and Agronomy in this case. This targeted approach allows for a refined evaluation of a researcher’s contribution within a specific scholarly domain.
Scope of Research and Qualification Criteria
In establishing this ranking, an extensive examination was conducted on 279,971 scientist profiles sourced from diverse bibliometric databases, encompassing all academic disciplines. Specifically, within the discipline of Plant Science and Agronomy, 14 researchers located in Ireland were identified for inclusion.
To qualify for the ranking, a scientist’s D-index needed to be at least 30, and a majority of their tier publications had to be directly related to Plant Science and Agronomy. Additionally, a scientist’s awards and notable achievements within this field were carefully considered to further validate their scholarly impact.
The threshold for inclusion based on the D-index is dynamically adjusted in increments of 10 according to the estimated total number of scholars in each discipline. This approach ensures that approximately the top 1% of leading scholars are incorporated into the list. Furthermore, we maintained a stringent condition that the proximity between a scientist’s general H-index and their discipline-specific D-index should be no greater than 30%, thereby guaranteeing relevant disciplinary focus in the evaluation.
Additional Verification and Methodological Rigor
The Research.com team acknowledges that raw bibliometric data alone is insufficient to fully and fairly evaluate the scholarly output of researchers. Accordingly, all scientist profiles were manually verified and cross-correlated against publications from a broad spectrum of trustworthy academic sources.
While the number of papers published in prominent journals and conference proceedings is not a factor that directly influences a researcher’s ranking position, it is recognized as a valuable secondary indicator of a scientist’s contribution to the field.
The final position in the ranking is established solely based on each researcher’s D-index, calculated using data from OpenAlex and CrossRef—two of the most prominent bibliometric databases available to the global research community. For a detailed exposition of the methodology and data curation practices involved, we encourage readers to visit our methodology page.
Research.com’s Mission and Vision
At Research.com, our mission is to inspire researchers, companies, and policymakers worldwide to explore the trajectories of leading experts across disciplines and geographic regions. This ranking serves as a transparent and reliable resource, enabling the entire scientific community to identify and connect with top experts in specific areas of study, within countries, and across academic institutions.
Through meticulous data collection, rigorous verification, and thoughtful presentation, we aim to foster a more informed, collaborative, and impactful research ecosystem.
