Stanford University announced the “2024 World’s Top 2% Scientists” list on September 16th, with over 220,000 scientists making the cut. Among them, 122 researchers from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) secured spots in the “Lifetime Scientific Influence Ranking,” and 89 in the “Annual Scientific Influence Ranking,” positioning NYCU as the third most influential university in Taiwan.
Notably, Dr. Liang-Kung Chen, a physician at Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH) and Director of the Center for Healthy Longevity and Aging Sciences at NYCU has been named Taiwan’s top clinical medicine scientist for the fifth consecutive year. His leadership in developing health-promoting communities and fostering international collaborations has significantly enhanced Taiwan’s global influence in aging research.
World’s Top 2% Scientists List: NYCU’s Continued Impact Across Fields
Now in its fifth year, the World’s Top 2% Scientists list, compiled by experts at Stanford University using data from Scopus, is regarded as a major event in the global scientific community. The ranking is divided into the Lifetime Scientific Influence Ranking (covering 1960-2023) and the Annual Scientific Influence Ranking, based on six key metrics, including total citations, Hirsch h-index, and citations as first or last author, among others. These metrics highlight a researcher’s academic influence and contributions.
This year’s rankings were highly anticipated due to the global decline in citation rates caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 220,000 scientists listed, 1,407 from Taiwan appeared in the Annual Scientific Influence Ranking, including 89 from NYCU. The NYCU’s influence spans multiple fields, including engineering, clinical medicine, and information and communication technologies, solidifying its position as the third most influential university in Taiwan, following National Taiwan University (NTU) with 176 scholars and National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) with 102.
A standout among the honorees is Dr. Liang-Kung Chen, who has led Taiwan’s clinical medicine field for five years running, with his global ranking improving from 4,513th in 2023 to 2,620th this year. Grateful for the recognition, Dr. Chen humbly credits the support of TVGH and NYCU, as well as the hard work of his research team, for his success.
TVGH Surpasses NTUH for the First Time: Dr. Liang-Kung Chen Leads Six Physicians into Top Clinical Medicine Rankings
This year, TVGH surpassed National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) for the first time, with six doctors making it into the top 20 in the field of Clinical Medicine, an increase of three from last year. Leading the list is Dr. Liang-Kung Chen, Director of NYCU’s Aging and Health Research Center and Superintendent of Guandu Hospital. Other notable rankings include Dr. Shih-Jen Tsai, Director of the Department of Psychiatry at TVGH and Professor at the Institute of Brain Science at NYCU, who ranked 6th, and Dr. Shuu-Jiun Wang, Director of the Neurology Center at TVGH and Dean of the School of Medicine at NYCU, who placed 8th.
Additionally, Dr. Peng-Hui Wang, Director of Women’s Medicine at TVGH, ranked 13th; Dr. Tzeng-Ji Chen, Director of the TVGH Hsinchu Branch, ranked 17th; and Dr. Mu-Hong Chen, Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at TVGH and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYCU, ranked 19th.
Dr. Liang-Kung Chen stated that no matter how well-written a research paper is, if it remains confined to libraries for consultation and reading, its benefit to society is limited. Therefore, during his first three years at Guandu Hospital, he initiated the development of age-friendly communities, achieving preliminary results. With support from the Veterans Affairs Council and TVGH President Dr. Wei-Ming Chen, the plan will first be expanded to TVGH branch hospitals under the “One Branch, One Community” initiative, and further extended to veterans’ hospitals in other communities under the Veterans Affairs Council. This will allow cutting-edge international research to be translated into services that people can practically use.
Grateful for NYCU’s interdisciplinary support, Dr. Chen noted that the collaboration between medical, scientific, and digital technology teams has strengthened Taiwan’s aging research capabilities. This partnership, driven by cooperation with the TSMC Charity Foundation and TVGH, sets a model for Taiwan’s global influence in research and community health initiatives.
NYCU’s impressive performance in the World’s Top 2% Scientists list underscores its exceptional research across disciplines. With a commitment to international collaboration and practical application, NYCU continues to transform cutting-edge research into societal solutions, positioning itself as a leader in applied science, health science, and natural science.