New report says MSU researchers among most highly cited

Seven Michigan State University researchers have been recognized in the Highly Cited Researchers List, an annual compilation of the global leaders in scientific influence by Clarivate Analytics. The highlighted researchers represent the renowned programs in plant, animal and environmental sciences at MSU.

The list, in its fifth year, acknowledges scientists from 21 different fields of study. Requirements for making the 2018 list included publication of multiple highly cited papers from 2006 to 2016 and ranking in the top 1 percent of citations in their fields.

The researchers have appointments in either the colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Natural Science – or both. All have been supported in part by MSU AgBioResearch. 

• Sheng Yang He is a University Distinguished Professor studying plant and pathogen interactions.
• Gregg Howe is a University Distinguished Professor working on understanding how plants respond to insect stress.
• Rufus Isaacs is a professor of entomology who researches Michigan berry crops through integrated pest management programs, including invasive insects such as spotted wing drosophila.
• Jianguo “Jack” Liu is the Rachel Carson Chair in Sustainability and a University Distinguished Professor addressing complex human-environmental challenges through integrating multiple disciplines such as ecology and social sciences.
• John Ohlrogge is a University Distinguished Professor of molecular genetics and cell biology who seeks to understand plant lipid metabolism and how that manifests within or outside the plant cell.
• Phil Robertson is a University Distinguished Professor of ecosystem science working on issues of agricultural sustainability, including plant, soil and microbial interactions that affect yield.
• Jim Tiedje is a University Distinguished Professor looking at soil science and the ecology, physiology and genetics that underpin important microbial processes.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for each of these distinguished researchers and a reaffirmation of the importance of their work,” said Doug Buhler, director of MSU AgBioResearch. “It also speaks highly of MSU as a consistent leader in plant, animal and environmental sciences, which have been foundational to our university since its inception.”

More than 6,000 scientists from around the world appear in the 2018 list — about 4,000 for contributions to specific fields and roughly 2,000 for multidisciplinary work. This is the first year for inclusion of cross-field research, an area encompassing the work of Liu, Robertson and Tiedje.