UD among world's top universities for production, impact of scientific papers

10 a.m., Oct. 16, 2012--The University of Delaware is listed among the top universities in the world, based on a new report on the production and impact of scientific papers.

The 2012 Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities, released Oct. 9 by National Taiwan University, is based on statistics of scientific papers that reflect three major performance criteria: research productivity, research impact and research excellence.

Honors Stories

National Medal of Science

President Barack Obama recently presented the National Medal of Science to University of Delaware alumnus Rakesh Jain.

Warren Award

Rosalind Johnson, assistant dean for student success in the NUCLEUS Program in UD's College of Arts and Sciences, was presented the John Warren Excellence in Leadership and Service Award during a May 26 ceremony.

• Warren Award
• Athletic training accolades
• Outstanding student teachers
• Library recognition

In the rankings of the world's top universities by fields, UD is listed at 298 overall, just after Sichuan University and just ahead of Shandong University and the University of Nebraska.

In addition to the overall ranking, the report also included rankings of individual subjects areas and fields.

By subject, UD had three in the world’s top 100. Chemical engineering was ranked 38, just behind the University of Minnesota and the University of Queensland and just ahead of the University of Colorado, the University of British Columbia, Hanyang University and Stanford University. Mechanical engineering was ranked 85 and civil engineering 91.

Other subject areas ranked were: Chemistry, which was ranked 129; materials science, 132; environment and ecology, 142; geoscience, 162; electrical engineering, 188; physics, 199; mathematics, 244; plant and animal science, 278; and computer science, 285.

By field of study, UD earned world rankings in engineering, 135; natural sciences, 180; agriculture, 197; and social sciences, 242.

“These rankings highlight the substantial impact being made by our research and scholarship,” said Nancy Brickhouse, interim provost. “Our faculty are thought leaders whose contributions to their fields are impacting fellow scholars around the globe, and we are proud to again be listed among the world's top universities.”

The Taiwan ranking, formerly published by HEEACT (the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan), evaluates both short-term and long-term research performance of a university. 

HEEACT published its first worldwide university ranking based on scientific paper performance in 2007.

Photo by Evan Krape