World’s top 2% scientists list includes several Lankans

Six researchers from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ) have been named to the prestigious world’s top 2% scientists list published by Elsevier.

The list is based on data from Scopus, the world’s largest abstract and citation database, and includes scientists from all fields of research, the University said.

Among these six researchers, three are from the Faculty of Applied Sciences, two are from the Faculty of Technology and one is from the Faculty of Engineering). They are: Prof Meththika Vithanage Faculty of Applied Sciences, Dr Anushka Upamali Rajapakse - Faculty of Applied Sciences, Dr Bhagya Nathali Silva - Faculty of Engineering, Dr K K Asanka Sanjeewa - Faculty of Technology, Dr Dhanushka Udayanga - Faculty of Technology and Dr Kasun M Thambugala - Faculty of Applied Sciences.

“The inclusion of six USJ researchers in the prestigious top 2% scientists list is a proud moment for the university and Sri Lanka. It is a recognition of the excellence of the university’s research and the dedication of its researchers. I thank them all for contributing to our university’s research ranking,” said Senior Prof Pathmalal M Manage, Vice Chancellor of USJ.

Forty-two Sri Lankan researchers have been featured in this top 2% researchers list published in October 2023, with Professor Meththika Vithanage from USJ holding the highest position among Lankan researchers.

The list is based on a composite indicator called the c-score, which considers several factors, including the number of citations a scientist has received, the h-index, and the field-normalized citation impact. The c-score is designed to be a more comprehensive measure of scientific impact than traditional metrics, such as the total number of citations.

To be included in the top 2% scientists list, a researcher must either be in the top 100,000 scientists by c-score (with and without self-citations) or have a 2% or above percentile rank in their sub-field.

The top 2% scientists list is a valuable resource for identifying the most influential scientists in the world. It can be used to identify potential collaborators, track scientific research trends, and inform funding decisions.