Leading academics from the University of Exeter have been recognised as being amongst the world’s most influential researchers, according to a prestigious new ranking.

Fourteen scientists from Exeter, and a further three who are affiliated to the University, feature in an authoritative new list of the most highly cited researchers worldwide, produced by Clarivate Analytics.

Now in its seventh year, the ranking identifies researchers who demonstrated significant influence in their chosen field or fields through the publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade.

They are drawn from the publications that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and publication year in the Web of Science™ citation index.

The methodology that determines the “who’s who” of influential researchers draws on the data and analysis performed by bibliometric experts and data scientists at the Institute for Scientific Information™ at Clarivate. It also uses the tallies to identify the countries and research institutions where these scientific elite are based.

Exeter’s cohort, which has increased from last year, includes some of world’s leading experts in climate and environment research.

They include Professor Peter Cox, Professor Kevin Gaston of the Environment and Sustainability Institute on the Penryn Campus, Professor Neil Adger, Professor James Screen, Professor Michael Depledge from the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, Professor Tim Lenton from Geography and Director of the Global Systems Institute, Professor Katrina Brown and Professor Jack Bowden who all feature in the Cross-Field category.

Leading climate scientist Professor Pierre Friedlingstein and  Professor Tamara Galloway, one of the world’s foremost experts on plastics pollution, feature in the Environment/Ecology category of the ranking, while Professor Friedlingstein again and Professor Stephen Sitch are featured in the Geosciences ranking.

Professor Patrick Devine- Wright (Geography) and Dr Mathew White are ranked in the Social Sciences category.

Professor Adam Scaife is included in the rankings under his affiliation with the Met Office, Professor Penelope Lindeque features under her affiliation with Plymouth Marie Laboratory, while Professor Chris Huntingford (Mathematics) appears primarily for his association with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

Professor Neil Gow, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Impact), said: “We are all delighted and proud that Exeter’s world-class research community has been recognised once again in this influential, global ranking  It is a testament not only to the incredible work and determination of those that feature, but also the support and encouragement that receive from colleagues in their Colleges and the wider University.”

David Pendlebury, Senior Citation Analyst at the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate said: “In the race for knowledge, it is human capital that is fundamental and this list identifies and celebrates exceptional individual researchers who are having a great impact on the research community as measured by the rate at which their work is being cited by others.”

The full 2020 Highly Cited Researchers list and executive summary can be found online here