2017 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions in Earth & environmental sciences

The 2017 Research Leaders are based on Nature Index data from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016.

Table criteria

Position Institution Share 2015 Share 2016 Count 2016 Change in Adjusted Share* 2015–2016
1 University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil 5.78 8.29 27 33.7% Increase
2 Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil 1.22 2.65 9 102.8% Increase
3 Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil 0.75 2.24 7 179.0% Increase
4 Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Brazil 1.68 1.72 3 -4.5% Decrease
5 State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil 2.23 1.51 7 -36.5% Decrease
6 São Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil 0.21 1.50 3 572.0% Increase
7 Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Brazil 0.35 1.09 5 192.7% Increase
8 Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Brazil 0.10 0.82 4 660.7% Increase
9 Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil 0.17 0.62 4 246.6% Increase
10 Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), Brazil 0.25 0.56 2 108.6% Increase
11 Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Brazil 0.02 0.55 4 2,930.9% Increase
12 University of Brasília (UnB), Brazil 0.38 0.47 4 15.3% Increase
13 Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil 0.13 0.43 4 221.5% Increase
14 Fluminense Federal University (UFF), Brazil 1.00 0.34 2 -67.9% Decrease
15 Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Brazil 0.09 0.33 1 257.9% Increase
16 University Santa Cecilia (UNISANTA), Brazil 0.00 0.30 1 0.0% Increase
17 Regional Integrated University of Upper Uruguai and Missions (URI), Brazil 0.00 0.20 1 0.0% Increase
17 Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), Brazil 0.00 0.20 1 0.0% Increase
18 Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Brazil 0.29 0.18 2 -40.1% Decrease
19 Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau (FURB), Brazil 0.00 0.18 2 0.0% Increase
20 Federal University Foundation of Rio Grande (FURG), Brazil 0.05 0.17 1 226.7% Increase
21 Federal University of Itajubá (UNIFEI), Brazil 0.00 0.13 1 0.0% Increase
21 University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos (Unisinos), Brazil 0.03 0.13 1 250.0% Increase
22 Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), Brazil 0.00 0.11 1 0.0% Increase
23 Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Brazil 0.07 0.10 1 41.7% Increase
24 State University of Montes Claros (UNIMONTES), Brazil 0.00 0.10 2 0.0% Increase
25 Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA), Brazil 0.01 0.09 1 731.6% Increase
26 Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP), Brazil 0.00 0.08 1 0.0% Increase
27 University of the State of Amazonas (UEA), Brazil 0.08 0.08 2 -8.1% Decrease
28 Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Brazil 0.00 0.07 1 0.0% Increase
29 Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Brazil 0.14 0.07 1 -56.4% Decrease
30 Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA), Brazil 0.00 0.06 1 0.0% Increase
31 Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Brazil 1.00 0.06 1 -94.5% Decrease
32 Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Brazil 0.17 0.04 1 -80.0% Decrease
32 Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), Brazil 0.00 0.04 1 0.0% Increase
33 Federal University of Southern Bahia (UFSB), Brazil 0.00 0.03 2 0.0% Increase
34 Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Brazil 0.17 0.03 1 -84.4% Decrease
35 University Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), Brazil 0.00 0.02 1 0.0% Increase
36 Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil 1.34 0.02 1 -98.9% Decrease

Footnote

Each year, the Nature Index publishes tables based on counts of high-quality research outputs in the previous calendar year. Users please note:

  1. The data behind the tables are based on a relatively small proportion of total research papers, they cover the natural sciences and health sciences only and outputs are non-normalized (that is, they don’t reflect the size of the country or institution, or its overall research output).
  2. The Nature Index is one indicator of institutional research performance. The metrics of Count and Share used to order Nature Index listings are based on an institution’s or country’s publication output in 145 natural-science and health-science journals. The journals were selected on reputation by an independent panel of leading scientists in their fields. The list is reviewed periodically and journals may be removed or added. Articles from eLife were no longer included in the Nature Index from 2023 after the journal changed its publishing model.
  3. Nature Index recognizes that many other factors must be taken into account when considering research quality and institutional performance; Nature Index metrics alone should not be used to assess institutions or individuals.
  4. Nature Index data and methods are transparent and available under a creative commons licence at nature.com/nature-index/.
  5. Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

The Nature Index database undergoes regular updating, corrections, adjustment of institutional hierarchies, and removal of retracted papers and thus the live website can differ from the frozen research leaders.