Number of York academics recognised in prestigious list of top scientists continues to rise

Posted on Wednesday 14 October 2026

The list is a publicly accessible database that aims to rank the world's most-cited scientists, and provide an overview of their research impact. This year, 221 scientists from across the University of York are featured, an increase from 205 the previous year.

Professor Sarah Thompson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of York, said: “It’s wonderful to see the number of York researchers recognised among the world’s most influential scientists growing year on year. This recognition spans all our faculties, reflecting the incredible breadth and collaborative strength of our research community.

“Congratulations to all our colleagues on this list, their inclusion is one of many examples of how our commitment as a University to driving positive change through research and innovation is stronger than ever.”

The Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientist Rankings are based on data from Elsevier’s Scopus database which includes citations up to the end of 2024. The list uses metrics like the h-index, co-authorship adjustments, and a composite citation score (c-score) to reflect a scientist’s influence rather than just their publication count. Scientists are ranked based on Scopus data, with the top 100,000 or those in the top 2% of their field included.

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