Every year, Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers™ list ranks scientists who have demonstrated exceptional global influence and published multiple papers frequently cited by their peers during the past decade.
In 2022, three LUT University professors made the cut: Amit Bhatnagar (separation science), Christian Breyer (electrical engineering) and Behnam M. Ivatloo (electrical engineering). Only 19 of the over 7 000 highly cited researchers have their primary affiliation in Finland. For example, the University of Helsinki has seven highly cited researchers and Aalto University three.
“We’ve never had more than one highly cited researcher at LUT before, but now, all the Finnish engineers on the list come from our university. The list of highly cited researchers measures excellence on an individual scale and university rankings on the university scale. We seem to be developing in the right direction on both,” notes Vice Rector Jari Hämäläinen from LUT University.
According to Hämäläinen, citations are also extremely important when it comes to university rankings. For example, citations account for 30% of the total score in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, where LUT was in the top 350 last year.
Excellent research on renewable energy and water treatment
Professors Breyer and Ivatloo are based on LUT’s Lappeenranta campus and Bhatnagar in the university’s Mikkeli unit. Last autumn, Breyer’s research group together with researchers from 14 leading international universities asserted that the world could achieve a 100% renewable energy system before 2050. The scientific publication drew a great deal of attention and was covered by media around the world.
“My team offers solutions to one of the core challenges of civilisation: establishing a sustainable energy system to replace the present destructive one. For LUT, there is enormous potential for international research cooperation, as LUT’s strategy clearly focuses on sustainable energy solutions,” Breyer argues.
Ivatloo specializes in electricity markets and power systems. He is one of the newest members of LUT’s electrical engineering research team.
“When a well-thought-out and original idea is presented in a clear and logical way, peers in the field consider it as a trusted source of information and use it. With our strategic concentration and resources, LUT is one of the pioneers in the field,” Ivatloo says.
With his team, Professor Bhatnagar researches microalgae-based water treatment technology in the new Algal Technology Research Laboratory in Mikkeli.
“Our work can have a significant impact in our field of research. Our new research ideas will focus on closing the resource loop and providing sustainable solutions for a better environment,” Bhatnagar concludes.
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Jari Hämäläinen
