Institutional positions in the ranking are determined by the cumulative D-index (Discipline H-index) of all ranked scholars affiliated with a university, whose primary publication focus is Engineering and Technology. The D-index calculation is discipline-specific, considering solely publications and citation data relevant to the examined field.
Scope of Research and Selection Criteria
The creation of this ranking involved examination of 279,971 scientist profiles sourced from a wide array of bibliometric repositories, with an in-depth analysis of 50,429 individuals specializing in Engineering and Technology. To qualify for assessment, each scientist had to maintain a D-index threshold of 30, and their majority of tier publications had to be associated with Engineering and Technology.
Further enriching the evaluation, scientists’ awards and field-specific achievements were also taken into consideration. The D-index threshold is dynamically set—in increments of 10—tailored to the estimated total number of scholars in each discipline, ensuring integration of the top 1% of leading scholars in every field. Additionally, there is a requirement that the proximity between a scientist’s general H-index and their D-index is 30% or less, upholding disciplinary relevance.
Overall, a holistic approach is employed, which recognizes both quantitative metrics and qualitative excellence in the selection of top researchers.
Additional Verification and Quality Assurance Practices
Understanding that raw data should not be viewed as the exclusive criterion for appraising scholarly output, our evaluators carried out comprehensive manual verification of all scientist profiles. This process involved cross-referencing individuals’ records with publications from a diverse range of authoritative sources, ensuring the highest levels of data integrity and accuracy.
While the number of publications in high-impact journals and leading conference proceedings is not a direct factor in determining a researcher’s position in the Research.com ranking, it serves as a valuable secondary indicator of academic contribution in the respective discipline.
Institutional positions in the ranking are grounded in robust and objective measures—each researcher’s H-index as reported by OpenAlex and CrossRef, which are two of the most respected and widely recognized bibliometric databases within the academic community.
For further insight into the procedures and criteria used, please consult our methodology page.
Research.com Agenda and Mission
At Research.com, our overarching mission is to inspire scientists, business leaders, and policymakers globally to pursue fresh avenues of research by identifying where top experts are channeling their efforts. Our rankings provide the broader research community with reliable avenues to discover who the leading authorities are in specific scientific disciplines—be it on a national, institutional, or global scale—thus fostering greater transparency and collaboration in science.
Key Results of the 4th Edition Ranking
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Top 3 Australian institutions by number of leading scientists in Engineering and Technology:
- University of New South Wales – 43 scientists
- University of Sydney – 41 scientists
- University of Queensland – 30 scientists
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Global representation: The world’s most prominent scholars in Engineering and Technology are affiliated with distinguished institutions such as Rice University, Pennsylvania State University, University College Dublin, HEC Montréal, Quaid-i-Azam University, Northwestern University, Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, Penn State Harrisburg, and The University of Texas at Arlington.
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Leading individual scholars:
- Professor Frederick E. Shelton (Johnson & Johnson, United States) – Ranked #1 globally with a D-index of 257
- Menachem Elimelech (Rice University) – Ranked #2 globally with a D-index of 200
- Bruce E. Logan (Pennsylvania State University) – Ranked #3 globally with a D-index of 163
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Institutional averages:
- Average total D-index for the top 5% universities: 2,073
- Average total D-index for all 1,290 institutions: 305
- Average number of published articles (top 5%): 10,087
- Average number of published articles (all universities): 1,480
- Average citations for researchers at top 1% universities: 1,279,971
- Average citations for researchers at all universities: 71,259
This comprehensive and methodical approach ensures that the Research.com ranking provides a highly credible, data-driven resource for identifying institutional and individual excellence in the field of Engineering and Technology. We invite academic leaders, researchers, and policymakers to explore these results and engage with our methodology page for a detailed understanding of our processes.
