IMFD Researchers are part of the Ranking of Best Scientists 2026
The educational platform Research.com recently published its Best Scientists 2026 ranking, in which seven researchers from the Millennium Institute for Foundational Research on Data (IMFD) appear as the most cited scientists in Chile in their respective fields of study.
The researchers are Gonzalo Navarro, Aidan Hogan, Claudio Gutiérrez, Éric Tanter, faculty members at DCC UChile, along with Marcelo Arenas and Domingo Mery, faculty members at DCC UC, who appear in the “Best Computer Scientists” ranking. Meanwhile, Sebastián Valenzuela, a faculty member at the Facultad de Comunicaciones UC, ranks second nationally in the “Best Social Sciences and Humanities Scientist” category.
The way each researcher is positioned on this list is defined based on the H-index for their particular discipline. This is a metric that measures the impact of academic work by combining productivity and impact, reflecting how many of a researcher’s publications have reached a certain citation threshold. This is assessed by field of study —computer science, social sciences and humanities—, allowing for a fairer comparison between fields with different publication and citation dynamics.
What makes them stand out
To be included in these rankings, each researcher had to meet strict criteria: for both disciplines, the main requirement was having a D-index of at least 30. In addition, most of their top-level publications had to be concentrated in the corresponding field, reinforcing the disciplinary focus of the measurement. Complementary factors were also taken into account, such as having received awards and other relevant academic achievements within each field.
Regarding this distinction, the director of the Department of Computer Science at Universidad de Chile and deputy director of the IMFD, Aidan Hogan –who is also included in this ranking– stated that “this type of recognition highlights the value of the work and career of each academic, which has been crucial for both national and international science. Moreover, on the list of Top Scientists for computer science, nine Chilean researchers appear, six of whom are IMFD researchers. In addition, the Institute is also home to one of the three Chilean researchers recognized in the field of social sciences and humanities.”
Research.com is an initiative that aims to invite researchers, companies, and academic institutions from around the world to take a close look at the trajectory of experts in each field of science, providing transparent and rigorously curated rankings to offer clear information to leading authorities within specific fields of study around the world.
For the IMFD, the presence of its seven researchers in this type of international ranking reflects the sustained impact of their work across different areas of knowledge. It is a distinction that highlights the value of science conducted in Chile, which is capable of generating cutting-edge knowledge and impact, one that has managed to reach the international scientific community.
You can view the full list at the following link: https://research.com/rankings