The list of the most cited scientists and social scientists is published annually by Clarivate, a British-American analytical firm. Since 2014, the international database Web of Science, which covers 21 scientific disciplines, has been used to aggregate scientific publications with up to 30 authors and the citation rates received for them.

The editors of the list ranked the most highly cited articles published between 2011 and 2021, i.e. those publications that ranked in the top 1 per cent in their field by number of citations. In the scientific world, citation, i.e. the number of citations to research-based publications, is the measure of scientific impact. The more highly cited a discipline is, the more highly cited publications are needed to get someone mentioned in the rankings, Semmelweis University said in a press release.

Two researchers from Semmelweis and one from ELTE are on the list

This year’s list includes nearly 7,000 researchers, or about one thousandth of scientists from 69 countries. They are the ones who have made the biggest impact on the world’s scientific community, according to the citation data. Four scientists from Hungary are on the list:

• Péter Ferdinandy (Pharmacologist): Vice Rector for Science and Innovations, Director of the Institute of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy at Semmelweis University
• Balázs Győrffy (bioinformatician): Head of the Department of Bioinformatics at Semmelweis University, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA)
• Zsolt Demetrovics (psychologist, addictologist, cultural anthropologist): Professor at the Faculty of Education and Psychology, ELTE, Corresponding Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), Chair at Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming, University of Gibraltar
• Attila Szolnoki (physicist): scientific advisor at the Institute of Technical Physics and Materials Science at Centre for Energy Research, Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA)

Balázs Győrffy, Head of the Department of Bioinformatics at Semmelweis University (Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University)

Péter Ferdinandy and Attila Szolnoki have been included in the list of most cited researchers for the fifth time this year. Péter Ferdinandy was ranked in the pharmacology and toxicology category in 2014 and 2017. This year and the previous two years, he was ranked in the cross-field category. Attila Szolnoki is also included in the cross-field category this year, as he was in 2018, but ranked in the physics category between 2019-2021.

Another professor from Semmelweis University, Balázs Győrffy, who was included for the first time this year, is also ranked in the cross-field category. Zsolt Demetrovics, professor from ELTE, is also on the list for the first time among the most cited researchers in the psychiatry and psychology category.

The citation rate is one of the main evaluation criteria in the various university rankings. Read about the rankings of universities in Hungary this year here:

Semmelweis stands out again: 43rd in the world in cardiology

ELTE and Semmelweis among the world’s top 200 universities

Semmelweis is the first Hungarian university among the top 250 in the world

ELTE among the world’s best universities in nine academic subjects

Four Hungarian universities in the Shanghai rankings of the world’s best universities

SZTE was again ranked as the best Hungarian university in QS list