Top row (L-R): Professor Dave Goulson and Professor Ian Scoones. Bottom row (L-R): Professor Anil Seth and Professor Benjamin Sovacool

Four professors from the University of Sussex have been recognised as world-leading researchers after being named on the Highly Cited Researchers 2023 list published last week.

The annual list, compiled by global analyst Clarivate Analytics, recognises researchers from across the globe who demonstrated significant influence in their chosen field or fields, reflected through the publication of multiple papers which rank in the top 1% by citations over the last decade.

This year, four researchers from the University of Sussex have been acknowledged:

• Professor of Biology, Dave Goulson, ranked for the sixth year running
• Professor Ian Scoones, Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, ranked for the fourth year
• Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Anil Seth, ranked for the fifth year running
• Professor of Energy Policy, Benjamin Sovacool, also ranked for the fifth year running.

6,938 researchers from 69 countries and regions have been named this year and the four researchers to be named at Sussex are among 579 researchers recognised across the UK.

Prof Keith Jones, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research said:
“I’m delighted to once again see Sussex researchers featured in the Highly Cited index. This is a real testament to the impact that their work is having on the research community and highlights the broad expertise that we have at the University.

“I’d like to congratulate Professors Dave Goulson, Anil Seth, Benjamin Sovacool and Ian Scoones as well as those that have supported them for their achievements and research influence.”

Professor Goulson, a globally-leading expert in bee ecology, is celebrating his sixth consecutive year on the list. He said:
“It is an honour to make the list for the sixth year in a row, but the real credit must go to my superb PhD students and postdocs over the last 30 years, and to the insects we study for being so fascinating, weird and wonderful.”

Professor Scoones, who works on agrarian and environmental change, particularly in Africa, and holds a particular interest in the connections between science, policy and the politics of sustainability, said:
“I’m delighted that for the fourth year in a row this list has recognised international, interdisciplinary, and engaged social science research, which is too often neglected in research assessments. Of course, individual citation scores reflect sustained collaborative teamwork and the efforts of many people; in my case especially long-term research partners in Africa.” 

Professor Seth, one of the world’s leading neuroscientists in consciousness and Director of the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science, which is one of the University’s Centres of Excellence, said:
“It is an honour to be listed as a Highly Cited Researcher again. All the credit of course goes to my brilliant students, postdocs, and colleagues, who did all the work. This recognition also highlights the broad and deep influence of consciousness research, which we have long pioneered at Sussex and which is now embodied in a new Centre of Excellence for Consciousness Science”

Professor Sovacool, a leading consultant on issues pertaining to global energy policy and politics, energy scrutiny, energy justice, climate change mitigation and climate change adaption, said:
“Although metrics aren’t everything, it is truly rewarding to be recognised for a fifth time in a row on this prestigious list. It’s a forceful reminder that the research we do at the Business School and SPRU (the Science Policy Research Unit) matters, and has impact well beyond our classrooms.”

View the full Highly Cited Researchers 2023 list.