The University of Otago has been ranked first among New
Zealand research institutions for the number of papers
published in the prestigious Nature and Nature Research
journals last year.
This success, involving a portfolio of several leading
international interdisciplinary journals for science, further
highlights Otago University's standing as a top New Zealand
research institution.
The Nature Asia-Pacific journal rankings are updated via
internet every week, and some ranking details for last year
were not immediately available.
A ranking list initially issued in January showed Otago
University as first in New Zealand, with nine papers and a
"corrected count" of 2.25.
Massey University was second (two papers, corrected: 1.75)
and GNS Science third (four and 1.28); and Auckland
University fourth, (seven and 0.95).
The "corrected count" adjusts the publication tally to allow
for several factors, including the number of authors cited in
each research paper.
Prof Harlene Hayne, the Otago University research and
enterprise deputy vice-chancellor, was delighted Otago had
done so well in the Nature rankings, involving papers that
were published as articles, letters or reviews.
The outcome reflected "the depth of talent we have here at
Otago" and also showed the strong contribution which Otago
scientists made to international research and progress in
science, Prof Hayne said last week.
Research by scholars at the university's three main campuses,
in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington, had been published
in Nature, Nature Communications, Nature Genetics and
Nature Geoscience.
The Otago research was in many disciplines, including marine
science, physics, surgery, chemistry, microbiology and
immunology and medicine.
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