Michigan Public Health faculty rank among most cited researchers
Faculty at the University of Michigan School of Public Health continue to demonstrate the resilience, innovation and scholarly rigor that drive extraordinary impact in population health.
A comprehensive citation study recently named 58 Michigan Public Health faculty members among the top 2% of cited scientists worldwide. The annual list is compiled by Stanford University and Elsevier based on data from standardized citation metrics from Scopus-indexed journals. It’s an honor that highlights both the depth and breadth of expertise across the school’s six departments.
All six school departments—Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Environmental Health Sciences, Health Behavior & Health Equity, Health Management & Policy, and Nutritional Sciences—had faculty recognized, demonstrating interdisciplinary reach and influence that translate directly into real-world solutions for public health challenges.
More than a quarter of current Michigan Public Health faculty are among the world’s top 2% most cited researchers in their fields.
The school’s No. 2 ranking in the U.S. News & World Report further affirms its position as a national leader in public health education and research, a reputation built not only on world-class faculty but also on vibrant teaching, innovative practice and community engagement.
As we face new challenges in global health, the need for trusted expertise has never been clearer. This recognition affirms Michigan Public Health’s enduring role as a source of knowledge, service and leadership. Our faculty, alumni and students continue to embody the values that have shaped our school’s legacy—a legacy defined by a commitment to discovery, compassion and progress.”
—Lynda Lisabeth, interim dean
“As we navigate shifting federal funding priorities, I am continually inspired by our faculty’s resilience and capacity to drive discovery in complex times,” said Lynda Lisabeth, interim dean of Michigan Public Health. “Faced with shifting priorities and funding uncertainties, our Michigan Public Health community chooses perseverance, creative problem-solving and an unwavering commitment to public good.
“This international recognition is a tribute to that spirit—a collective determination to generate knowledge, improve policies, and advance health for the communities we serve. Even as scientific expertise faces new challenges, our school demonstrates through scholarship and service that rigor and compassion remain essential for meaningful, lasting impact.”
Michigan Public Health faculty lead the way in:
- Methodological innovation: developing new statistical techniques and epidemiologic approaches.
- Environmental health discovery: unraveling the causes of disease from the molecular to societal level.
- Community interventions: designing programs that improve lives.
- Policy leadership: providing evidence that shapes local, national, and international health systems.
Their influence can be measured by the scientific and real-world outcomes they drive: reduced disease burden, healthier communities, and the training of thousands of public health professionals who now lead across the globe.
“As we face new challenges in global health, the need for trusted expertise has never been clearer,” Lisabeth said. “This recognition affirms Michigan Public Health’s enduring role as a source of knowledge, service and leadership. Our faculty, alumni and students continue to embody the values that have shaped our school’s legacy—a legacy defined by a commitment to discovery, compassion and progress.
“I am inspired by the ways our community rises to every moment and finds new opportunities to make a meaningful difference—here at Michigan and far beyond.”
The recognition goes even further.
In both single-year and career-long citation metrics—derived from Scopus data and representing nearly 10 million researchers across the globe—six Michigan Public Health faculty stand in the top 0.1% internationally, each ranked among the top 10,000 scientists for scholarly impact. These top faculty have together earned more than 175,000 career citations, indicating Michigan Public Health’s global reach and influence.
