World's Top 2% Scientists

It is a comprehensive database identifying scientists who are among the top 2% globally in terms of citation impact, based on a standardized composite score derived from their publication and citation records.

The list is compiled by a research team led by Professor John P.A. Ioannidis at Stanford University, using Scopus data and in collaboration with Elsevier.

The list is updated annually to reflect new data, including recent publications and citation counts.

No. While inclusion is based on quantitative metrics, it does not constitute a peer-reviewed judgment of research quality, nor does it imply endorsement by Stanford University or Elsevier.

The c-Score (Composite Score) is a bibliometric index developed to evaluate scientific influence. It combines multiple performance indicators, including total citations, h-index, co-authorship-adjusted metrics, authorship positions (e.g., single, first, last), and field-normalized citation impact into a single standardized metric. The calculation method differs slightly between single-year and career-long versions.

A composite score provides a more balanced assessment by integrating multiple dimensions of research performance, offering a broader view than any single metric can provide.

It is less common, but possible—particularly in the single-year rankings—if the researcher has demonstrated unusually high citation impact in a short time frame.

The full dataset is publicly available for academic and non-commercial use here.