RUDN professor Yakov Kuzyakov is recognized as one of the most cited scientists in the world

The Highly Cited Researchers list includes scientists who have published the largest number of articles in the top 1% cited Web of Science in a particular field in the past year. In the field of Agricultural Sciences, 111 scientists have been awarded this title. There is only one scientist from a Russian university — Yakov Kuzyakov.

Professor Yakov Kuzyakov is an authoritative scientist in the field of soil science — author of more than 580 publications with more than 22,200 citations. In 2019, Professor Kuzyakov published 71 articles, and the number of citations reached 3,924. Annually, up to 20 of the professor’s papers are published in Q1 journals, which is proof of the quality of research.

“You have to write a lot, because without constant practice, like in sports, you will not be able to achieve the desired results. In short, the one who trains a lot improves the skill and quality of articles. The more you try and train in different directions, the broader your view of things becomes, and the articles become attractive to a wide range of people and, therefore, more cited,” says Yakov Kuzyakov about a kind of life hack.

Speaking about the peculiarities of cooperation with other researchers or teams of researchers when writing articles, the professor notes that working with colleagues on a joint article is an important aspect of cooperation and a good opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas.

Yakov Kuzyakov is a specialist in ecology and biogeochemistry of soils, rhizosphere, agriculture, land use and agroecology. His scientific group conducts research in all climatic zones from cold deserts to the tropics and in different types of ecosystems — agricultural, forest and mountain. Speaking about the peculiarities of cooperation with other researchers in the framework of multiple scientific projects in Germany, Russia, China, Chile, Italy, Indonesia, the USA, Great Britain and Australia, professor notes: when you work with colleagues you use various analytical methods, which makes research more informed; you learn from each other and broaden horizons. Collaboration and building a scientific network allows you to remain interesting for colleagues and be sure that they follow your scientific results and are likely to read your article and cite it.“

Professor takes an active part in the research of the Department of Landscape Design and Sustainable Ecosystems, and also acts as a leading expert of the Smart Urban Nature laboratory and the main executor in “Smart technologies for monitoring and assessing an ecosystem of green infrastructure and soil services to support decision-making in the field of sustainable urban development in background of global changes” project and a participant of the TAURUS project. The scientist is happy to pass on experience to young researchers and acts as a scientific consultant for master and PhD students of RUDN ATI.

“We are glad to congratulate our colleague on this recognition as a successful, authoritative and quoted scientist. And we are especially proud that Professor Yakov Kuzyakov managed to get on the Highly Cited Researchers list, including in the framework of work with RUDN University ATI. It is a great honor for our institute that the professor headed the ATI scientific school in the field of soil science and became an active mentor for the young generation of our scientists”, says Elvira Dovletyarova, Director of RUDN Agrarian and Technological Institute