Recently, experts from Stanford University released the latest 2024 "World’s Top 2% Scientists" list through Scopus, which is divided into two categories: the "Lifetime Scientific Impact Ranking (1960 - 2023)" and the "Annual Scientific Impact Ranking." These rankings measure scholars' long-term and recent research impact. The data was sourced from the Scopus database as of August 1, 2024, with citation counts accounted for until the end of 2023, covering the time range from 1960 to 2023. The scoring criteria continue to use last year's six key indicators to form a comprehensive score, focusing on overall citation impact and author contributions:
- Total citation count
- Hirsch h-index
- Co-author adjusted Schreiber Hm-index
- Citation count for sole authors
- Citation count for sole or first authors
- Citation count for sole, first, or last authors
Key Highlights for This Year
- The number of scholars listed in the global "Lifetime Scientific Impact Ranking" increased by 6%, while the number from Taiwan rose by 5%.
- The number of scholars in the global "Annual Scientific Impact Ranking" also increased by 6%, but the number from Taiwan decreased by 1%.
- In the "Lifetime Scientific Impact Ranking," among the top 20 countries, China, India, and South Korea all saw growth rates exceeding 10% compared to last year, ranking among the top three in growth.
- In terms of the "Annual Scientific Impact Ranking," China and India had growth rates exceeding 10%, ranking second and third in growth compared to last year, with Saudi Arabia leading at 22%.
In the "Lifetime Scientific Impact Ranking," Taiwan maintained the same number of scholars in Earth and Environmental Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, and History, while other disciplines saw growth. The top five fields were Clinical Medicine, Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Social Sciences, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Public Health and Services. Clinical Medicine had the most significant increase, rising from 273 to 313 scholars, an increase of 90. Fisheries and Forestry, as well as Public Health and Services, both tied for fifth place, with an increase of 6 scholars.
In the "Annual Scientific Impact Ranking," Taiwan saw the most significant increase in Clinical Medicine, which rose from 336 to 357 scholars, an increase of 21. Social Sciences and Public Health and Services increased by 8 and 5 scholars, respectively. Economics and Business, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, Architectural Environment and Design, and Communication and Media Studies each increased by 1. Engineering and History remained stable, while other fields declined, with Physics and Astronomy experiencing the most significant drop, falling from 124 to 107 scholars, a decrease of 17.
Both the global lifetime and annual scientific impact rankings saw an increase of 6% compared to last year, with Taiwan's lifetime ranking increasing by 5% and the annual ranking declining by 1%.
The 2024 version released today indicates that the analysis team selected researchers with publication outputs based on Scopus author profiles. The total number of global researchers rose from 9.6 million last year to 10.25 million this year. The number of scholars in the "Lifetime Scientific Impact Ranking" increased from over 204,000 to over 217,000, reflecting a growth rate of about 6%. The "Annual Scientific Impact Ranking" rose from over 210,000 to over 223,000, also with a growth rate of about 6%. The United States holds the top position in both the "Lifetime Scientific Impact Ranking" and the "Annual Scientific Impact Ranking." China ranks fourth globally in the "Lifetime Scientific Impact Ranking" but second in the "Annual Scientific Impact Ranking." Taiwan ranks 19th in the "Lifetime Scientific Impact Ranking" and 23rd in the "Annual Scientific Impact Ranking." This year, Taiwan has 1,759 scholars listed in the "Lifetime Scientific Impact Ranking," which is a 5% increase from last year, while 1,407 scholars are listed in the "Annual Scientific Impact Ranking," a decrease of 1% from last year.
臺灣入榜領域以應用科學占比最多，其次為健康科學
就整體學科領域涵蓋範圍，區分為應用科學、健康科學、自然科學、經濟與社會科學、人文與藝術五大領域，共有 22 個主學科及 174 個子學科。臺灣不論在「終身科學影響力排行榜」或是「年度科學影響力排行榜」中，應用科學入榜人數最多，在「終身科學影響力排行榜」共 964 位，占 55%，而在「年度科學影響力排行榜」中，應用科學入榜人數最多，有 577 位，占 41%。占比第二為健康科學，入榜人數為 437人，在「年度科學影響力排行榜」中佔有相當大的比重 (31%)。
在今年的「終身科學影響力排行榜」中，臺灣有 17 個學科入榜；而在「年度科學影響力排行榜」中，臺灣的入榜學科數為 18 個，兩者的差別在於心理學與認知科學。 「終身科學影響力排行榜」中入榜超過百位學者的學科依序為工程、臨床醫學、資訊與通訊技術、致能與策略技術、物理天文及化學，共占臺灣入榜的 86%。「年度科學影響力排行榜」中入榜超過百位學者的學科依序為臨床醫學、工程、資訊與通訊技術、致能與策略技術、物理天文，共占臺灣入榜的 71%，皆隸屬於應用科學、健康科學及自然科學領域。與去年入榜人數相比成長最高的是臨床醫學，今年「終身科學影響力排行榜」從 273 增加到 313 ，成長了 40 人，而在「年度科學影響力排行榜」從 336 增加到 357 ，成長了 21 人。此外「年度科學影響力排行榜」入榜人數多於「終身科學影響力排行榜」人數之學科依順序為臨床醫學、經濟與商業、社會科學、公共衛生與服務、心理學與認知科學、傳播與文字研究。
