Growing representation of UPWr scientists in the prestigious Top 2% Ranking

The Top 2% list, prepared by Stanford University, Elsevier Publishing, and SciTech Strategies, is the result of analyses aimed at identifying the most influential researchers globally. The ranking is based on citation metrics, while accounting for mechanisms that exclude negative phenomena such as self-citations and "citation farms." Two separate lists are created: one that reflects a researcher’s entire career, and another focusing on statistics for the given year.

Best of the best

This year, seven researchers from Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences have been ranked among the top 2% of scientists worldwide based on their entire scientific careers (listed in order of highest rank in the ranking): Professor Joost van Hoof from the Department of Systems Research, Professor Aneta Wojdyło from the Department of Fruit, Vegetable, and Plant Nutraceutical Technology, Professor Adam Figiel from the Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Professor Jan Oszmiański from the Department of Fruit, Vegetable, and Plant Nutraceutical Technology, Professor Cezary Kabała from the Institute of Soil Science, Plant Nutrition, and Environmental Protection, Professor Jan Kazak from the Department of Systems Research, and Professor Ewa Łukaszewicz from the Institute of Animal Breeding.

Top scientists of 2023

When it comes to the most frequently cited researchers in 2023, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences is represented by eleven scientists (six more than last year, listed in order of highest rank):

• Professor Joost van Hoof – Department of Systems Research
• Professor Aneta Wojdyło – Department of Fruit, Vegetable, and Plant Nutraceutical Technology, Functional Plant-Based Foods Research Center (Plants4FOOD)
• Professor Adam Figiel – Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Functional Plant-Based Foods Research Center (Plants4FOOD)
• Professor Jan Oszmiański – Department of Fruit, Vegetable, and Plant Nutraceutical Technology
• Professor Krzysztof Marycz – Department of Experimental Biology, Marycz-LAB (Reg-Med-Lab)
• Professor Jan Kazak – Department of Systems Research, leader of the Sustainable Cities and Regions Research Center (SCR)
• Professor Joanna Kolniak-Ostek – Department of Fruit, Vegetable, and Plant Nutraceutical Technology, Functional Plant-Based Foods Research Center (Plants4FOOD) and Food & Health Research Center
• Professor Paulina Nowicka – Department of Fruit, Vegetable, and Plant Nutraceutical Technology, Functional Plant-Based Foods Research Center (Plants4FOOD)
• Professor Aleksandra Mirończuk – Institute of Environmental Biology, Waste and Biomass Valorization Research Team (WBVG)
• Professor Ewa Łukaszewicz – Institute of Animal Breeding, Poultry Production Research Center – from Field to Fork (DroPOWER) and Future Animal Science (ASc4Future)
• Professor Wojciech Niżański – Department of Reproduction with the Clinic of Farm Animals, leader of Innovative Veterinary Diagnostics and Therapy (Inno-WET)

Top 2% ranking criteria

The ranking’s authors emphasize that while citation metrics are widely used as a measure of a scientist's impact or quality, their interpretation is fraught with challenges. Negative phenomena, such as self-citations and "citation farms" (small groups of authors who massively cite each other’s works), can distort results. As a consequence, these metrics may be misleading and do not always reflect actual scientific contributions. To address these issues, the ranking methodology was designed to exclude such dependencies and provide reliable data.

Key indicators include the number of citations, the Hirsch index, co-authorship, and the ratio of citations to published articles. Only the top 2% of scientists worldwide qualify for the final rankings.

Detailed lists, including the names of scientists across various fields, along with the full ranking methodology, are available on the ranking publisher’s website.

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