June 30, 2009
LA JOLLA—The Salk Institute for Biological Studies garnered the top discovery spot in the latest international ranking in the category “Neuroscience and Behavior” by Science Watch, a scientific organization that measures the citation impact of research published worldwide. Citations are an important measure of the value and influence of scientists’ work and reflect the impact made by that work on scientific understanding.
“The importance of this ranking is conferred by the judgment of peers in the same field, who mark the research of Salk scientists as points of departure for their own work,” says Salk president William R. Brody. “Paper for paper they wield tremendous influence and set the direction for the future.”
Naturally, big institutions publishing large numbers of papers have a greater likelihood of collecting more citations than smaller institutions publishing fewer papers. In order to reveal the “heavy hitters” based on per paper influence, not mere overall output, all rankings are based on citation per paper.
Science Watch, produced by Thomson Reuters in Philadelphia, openly publishes institutional impact scores for different areas of science only intermittently, but in the company’s online evaluation system Essential Science Indicators and related databases, the Salk Institute consistently emerges in top spots. Last year, for example, it ranked second worldwide in the category “Molecular Biology and Genetics”.
“The consistency of our high rankings at the Salk Institute reaffirms our belief in the power of curiosity, creativity and problem-driven science,” says Brody. “The international impact of our faculty’s work reveals the extraordinary quality of Salk science.”
The Science Watch rankings draw upon publication and citation date from Thomson Reuter’s Essential Science Indicators database, which covers the last ten years and surveys original research reports and review articles.
To view the complete Science Watch listings please click here for:
Neuroscience and Behavior (http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/09/apr26-09_1D/)
Molecular Biology and Genetics (http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/08/may25-08_4/)
About the Salk Institute for Biological Studies: The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is one of the world’s preeminent basic research institutions, where internationally renowned faculty probe fundamental life science questions in a unique, collaborative, and creative environment. Focused on both discovery and mentoring future generations of researchers, Salk scientists make groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of cancer, aging, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders by studying neuroscience, genetics, cell and plant biology, and related disciplines.
Faculty achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including Nobel Prizes and memberships in the National Academy of Sciences. Founded in 1960 by polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk, M.D., the Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark.
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