By Graham Andrews and Amanda Shaffer
An influential list of researchers most frequently cited by other scientists in their papers shows that researchers based in the United States, and especially those affiliated with AAU member institutions, continue to have broad, significant influence in their fields.
Clarivate’s annual Highly Cited Researchers list identifies scientists and social scientists whose publications rank in the top 1% by citations for their field and year of publication. The bibliometrics company’s latest list shows that, between 2014 and 2024, researchers in the United States were designated as “highly cited researchers” 24,973 times, followed distantly by researchers in mainland China (7,340) and the United Kingdom (5,070).
Clarivate found that a select group of 405 researchers appeared on its Highly Cited Researchers list in each of the past 11 years. Clarivate refers to these impressive scientists who ranked in the top 1% of their field every year since 2014 as the persistent 405. Nearly 60% (241) of this influential group of 405 researchers are based at U.S. institutions, with another 113 in Europe. Mainland China ranks 9th globally with eight highly cited researchers on the persistent 405 list.
Researchers from AAU member universities are well represented on the persistent 405 list. Cornell University; Harvard University; Northwestern University; Stanford University; the University of California, San Diego; and the University of California, Santa Cruz all rank among the top 10 institutions worldwide that have the highest number of these researchers. The data confirm that research in the United States – centered on the leadership of AAU universities – remains unmatched in its global impact.
Yet, the share of highly cited researchers identified by Clarivate in the United States has decreased over time, from almost 53% in 2014 to 36% in 2024. Meanwhile, China’s share of highly cited researchers grew from just under 4% in 2014 to over 20% in 2024.
Data show that China already outperforms the United States in producing peer-reviewed research publications. According to the National Science Board, “China’s publication output has grown rapidly since 2003 and is now more than twice that of the United States.” China’s rapidly expanding research output and rising citation impact suggests that sustaining U.S. leadership in science will require renewed, targeted investments in research.
Graham Andrews is research analyst at AAU; Amanda Shaffer is junior research analyst at AAU.