Asian scientists making their mark on research
November 2004
The globalization of key industries … the emergence of new areas of research … the shifting of priorities as new developments occur … the world of research is constantly changing and dynamic work is being conducted worldwide.
As a provider of objective, world-renowned scientific research content, Thomson Scientific recognizes the importance of keeping up with this new information - and honoring the researchers worldwide contributing to this continual growth in knowledge.
Recently, Thomson Scientific recognized trend-setting scientists and research in Asia. On November 2, Thomson Scientific sponsored a celebratory event in Tokyo paying tribute to 16 Japanese scientists in 13 research fields. Their accomplishments reflect their vast experience in a wide array of research areas, ranging from research and development in wireless communication technology to discovery of a tumor suppressor protein.
Thomson Scientific identified them as leading researchers by using Research Fronts, a specialized scientific solution developed by ISI. A Research Front is a set of seminal papers in a specialized or highly focused area of research. By using citation analysis, Research Fronts aid in tracing the growth and direction of a field - identifying the researchers, institutions, and countries that contribute to this growth. Click here for more information on how Research Fronts are used.
"We are pleased to be able to acknowledge the influence and accomplishments of these prominent Japanese researchers," said Mr. Adam Klein, Vice President & General Manager, Asia-Pacific, Thomson Scientific. "Research conducted in Japan has a long history of excellence, and the contributions of these individuals will have a lasting impact in their respective disciplines and the worldwide scientific community."
In 25 years, a 2000% increase in research output
Chinese researchers are also making an impressive mark internationally. According to Science Watch, a bi-monthly newsletter that tracks international trends and performance in basic research, the volume of work authored or co-authored by Chinese researchers and indexed in Web of Science has increased by 2000% in the last quarter century.
In 1981, there were 1,650 indexed works by Chinese authors. As of 2003, there are over 40,000. China’s rapidly increasingly scientific influence is especially evident in the fields of materials science, mathematics, and physics, where papers authored or co-authored by Chinese researchers account for between 8-11% of the field’s total output.
Another strong indicator of China’s growing profile in the research world is the number of highly cited papers published in China in the last decade. As analyzed by Essential Science Indicators, a Thomson Scientific Web resource that enables users to analyze research performance and track emerging trends, the growth is highly significant (see table):
| Highly cited papers published in China | |
| Year | High-Impact Papers |
| 1993 | 25 |
| 1994 | 21 |
| 1995 | 33 |
| 1996 | 38 |
| 1997 | 46 |
| 1999 | 59 |
| 2000 | 112 |
| 2001 | 144 |
| 2002 | 186 |
| 2003 | 223 |
Thomson Scientific extends its recognition - and congratulations - to the Japanese and Chinese researchers making a difference in today’s research world.