Bhubaneswar: In a global recognition of its research strength, 29 faculty members and a PhD graduate of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela figure among the world’s top 2 per cent of scientists in a prestigious Stanford University-backed ranking.
The list, prepared by Stanford professor John PA Ioannidis and team, identifies the world’s top 1,00,000 scientists, as well as researchers ranking among the top 2 per cent in their respective sub-fields, based on a composite indicator.
The list shows that NIT Rourkela researchers represent a wide spectrum of disciplines, including life sciences, metallurgical and materials engineering, mathematics, chemical engineering, biotechnology and medical engineering, humanities and social sciences, ceramic engineering, food process engineering, electronics and communication engineering, physics and astronomy, civil engineering and mining engineering.
Describing the recognition as a proud moment for the institute, NIT Rourkela Director Prof K Umamaheshwar Rao said it reflected the quality, consistency and global relevance of research being carried out at NIT Rourkela. He congratulated the researchers for their contribution to advancing knowledge and expressed confidence that their work would continue to inspire students and young researchers.
The citation-based assessment considers several parameters, including the number of citations received by a researcher’s publications and the h-index, which measures research productivity and citation impact. It also takes into account researchers’ contributions to individual publications to provide a broader assessment of their scholarly influence.
Additionally, 19 researchers have also been featured in the Stanford World’s Top 2% Scientists List 2026 under the career-long impact category, reflecting their sustained contributions to research and academia.