Stanford University and Elsevier annually compile a ranking of the world's most cited scientists, consistently featuring faculty members from Nazarbayev University (NU). As of August 2024, 35 researchers from NU have been included among the top 2% of scientists globally, with 19 of them actively contributing to ongoing research.
This prestigious ranking is derived from bibliometric data provided by the Scopus database, which monitors over 180,000 leading scientists worldwide. The study, led by Professor John Ioannidis from Stanford University, evaluates scientists across 22 major scientific fields and 174 subfields, utilizing Science-Metrix, an internationally recognized leader in science and technology evaluation.
Several key metrics are considered in the ranking process, including total citation count, the h-index, the hm-index (adjusted for co-authorship), and a comprehensive score (c-score). The study generates two distinct lists: one based on career-long citation data up to the end of 2023 and another focusing on citations received in the past year (2023). A total of 27 NU researchers made the list for the past year.
Among the distinguished researchers from NU’s School of Mining and Geosciences (SMG) are Dean Randy Hazlett, Professor Ata Akcil, Associate Professor Saffet Yagiz and Associate Professor Masoud Riazi, who continue to advance scientific research in their respective fields.