Liu listed in top 2% of world’s entomologists

An endowed professor in the Auburn University College of Agriculture is listed as among the world’s top 2% of entomologists in a database announced recently by Stanford University.

“This recognition is a testimony to the impact our research has had on the broader scientific community, especially in the field of entomology,” said Nannan Liu, a longtime faculty member and former chair of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and current interim head of the Department of Poultry Science. Liu has been at Auburn since 1997.

“Through our research publications, we have been able to contribute significantly to advancing knowledge in entomology, especially in insect toxicology, neurophysiology and insecticide resistance disciplines,” Liu said.

Liu is ranked No. 49 in a list of the world’s top entomologists that totals 706. The World’s Top 2% Scientists, considered the most prestigious worldwide, is based on the bibliometric information contained in the Scopus database and includes more than 180,000 researchers from the more than 8 million scientists considered to be active worldwide, with 22 scientific fields and 176 subfields taken into account.

Scopus is an abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature including scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. It provides a comprehensive overview of worldwide research output in the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities.

Citation in the scientific world can be an indicator of the relevance of the researcher’s published work, and high h-indexes and i10-indexes make Liu a scientific influencer among her peers. The indexes are based on the number of papers written by the author that have cited by other scholars.

“This honor signifies our commitment to excellence and innovation in our field,” Liu said. “It inspires us to push the boundaries of knowledge, explore new frontiers and address the challenges in entomology. We will continue our pursuit of excellence in research and scholarship in the field of entomological science.”

Liu’s research focuses on the important insecticide resistance issues of the day. “The accomplishment our research objectives will not only elucidate mechanisms of insecticide resistance but will also inform the development of novel means to control insect pests,” she said. “Our ultimate goal of research is to improve insect pest management.”

Liu’s colleague and current chair of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology David Held said one would expect to see the top research entomologists in the world at institutions like Cornell, Harvard or Oxford universities.

“But through her innovative approaches, Dr. Liu has developed an impactful career here on the Plains,” Held said. “Her success has promoted additional research excellence. This is evident in her many successful collaborations, the graduate students she has mentored, and all the students who have benefited from her graduate entomology courses.”