VCU news

By Emily Komornik
Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation

Virginia Commonwealth University is strongly represented in a new ranking of prominent researchers worldwide. The 2024 Stanford Elsevier Top Scientists List includes 11 VCU researchers who placed within the top 50 of their fields – several of whom rank among global leaders in the entire research universe.

Compiled by Stanford University and analytics firm Elsevier, the list identifies the most influential scholars and scientists worldwide – the top 2% – based on citation metrics, co-authorship and other factors that ensure a diverse roster and representation of researchers. VCU’s prominence reflects the university’s expanding national and international prominence in research excellence, with a focus on advancing knowledge and addressing society’s grand challenges.

From the School of Medicine, three faculty members were ranked in the top 1,000 of all researchers worldwide based on activity from the previous year: Arun Sanyal, M.D., internal medicine (259); Kenneth Kendler, M.D., psychiatry (352); and Jasmohan Bajaj, M.D., internal medicine (848). Based on full-career research, Kendler (69), Sanyal (615) and the School of Medicine’s Russell Barkley, Ph.D., psychiatry (714) placed among the top 1,000.

The Stanford Elsevier list includes 223,252 scientists from 22 scientific fields and 174 disciplines worldwide. In total, 176 VCU faculty were ranked in the top 2% for citations based on 2023 data, showcasing the breadth of research activity on campus. And 241 VCU faculty were ranked in the top 2% for lifetime citations, reflecting the longevity and depth of expertise in their respective fields.

“VCU’s ascent and growing reputation for being a research powerhouse is fueled by the hard work of the university’s incredible faculty members,” said Fotis Sotiropoulos, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “Their dedication to excellence, impact, and access is driving up the university’s national rankings and sponsored research funding, and defining what it means to be an R1 research institution in the 21st century.”

“VCU’s representation on this list is a testament to the quality and impact of our research portfolio,” said P. Srirama Rao, Ph.D., vice president for research and innovation. “Our faculty’s commitment to quality work and groundbreaking research is evident in the accolades and accomplishments we achieve regularly. Thanks to our globally renowned faculty researchers, VCU continues to not only climb research rankings in various disciplines but also be a desired destination for researchers to carry out impactful work.”

In addition to Sanyal, Kendler, Bajaj and Barkley, four more School of Medicine faculty – W. Greg Miller, Ph.D., pathology; Ashraf S. Gorgey, Ph.D., physical medicine and rehabilitation; Steven H. Woolf, M.D.; family medicine; and the late Lindon Eaves, Ph.D., D.Sc., human and molecular genetics – ranked in the top 50 in their fields in the 2024 listing, as did three additional VCU faculty: Shawn O. Utsey, Ph.D., psychology, in the College of Humanities and Sciences; Jonathan M. Bloom, Ph.D., art history, in the School of the Arts; and Richard A. Glennon, Ph.D., medicinal chemistry, in the School of Pharmacy.