An h-index ranking for Tunisian scientists aged 40 or less based on Google Scholar
This Ranking is kept for archival purposes. It ceased working on 28 October 2024.
To cite the Ranking: Turki, H. (2023). csisc/YoungSci: An h-index ranking for Tunisian scientists aged 40 or less based on Google Scholar. Zenodo. doi:10.5281/zenodo.13786054.
For an introduction for previous h-index rankings for Tunisian scientists: https://github.com/csisc/TuniSci.
This ranking sorts Tunisian scientists by their Google Scholar h-index. It is released three times per year: 31 December, 30 April, and 31 August. It was created by Houcemeddine Turki from the Data Engineering and Semantics Research Unit, University of Sfax, Tunisia. It is the last part of a series of h-index rankings for Tunisian scientists to study the landscape of Tunisian scholarly research. It sorts scientists by h-index. When the h-index values are equal, results are sorted per their i10-index, then per their 5-year h-index, then per their 5-year i10-index, then per their number of citations, and finally per their number of 5-year citations. Definitions of these metrics are provided here. People who like to be included are invited to fill out the Google form here. If they cannot fill out the Google Form, they are invited to reach out to me at turkiabdelwaheb@hotmail.fr or on LinkedIn.
Medicine has long been thought to have an inflated citation count for several reasons, including the rapid turnover of knowledge, often referred to as the short half-life of medical information (Nielsen, et al., 2021). Medical breakthroughs and research are quickly outdated by newer studies, driving the constant production and citation of new papers (Nielsen, et al., 2021). However, it is surprising to observe that by the age of 40, computer scientists in Tunisia exhibit a citation impact similar to that of their peers in the medical field. This suggests that computer science in Tunisia and worldwide is evolving into a research field that mirrors certain practices in medicine, such as the increasing reliance on case studies and possibly the fast-paced publication and citation cycle. This parallel trend may serve as an early warning that computer science is undergoing a shift toward a model where research outputs require more rapid dissemination, updates, and citations, akin to the dynamics seen in medical research.
Moreover, it is notable that Tunisian scientists across all disciplines tend to experience a delayed start to their research careers, with the majority only making their research debut after the age of 26. This delayed onset can be attributed to several factors, including extended academic pathways, limited access to research funding, and fewer early-career opportunities in the region. This situation is not unique to Tunisia but mirrors the experiences of scientists in multiple other countries, where systemic and structural challenges similarly contribute to a later engagement in research. As highlighted by comparative studies (Kwiek, et al., 2022; Nicholas, et al., 2017), the age at which researchers embark on their careers is influenced by national academic policies, institutional support systems, and broader socio-economic conditions, all of which can delay the transition from education to research.
Furthermore, The distinction between local Tunisian scientists and those working abroad often becomes evident not during the early stages of their careers, where both groups may start on relatively equal footing, but rather in the trajectory of their careers after achieving tenure or long-term academic positions. Early in their careers, both local and expatriate Tunisian scientists face similar challenges, such as securing research funding, establishing themselves in their fields, and gaining initial recognition. However, the real divergence tends to occur post-tenure, when the broader academic environment, resources, and networks come into play (Turki, 2016). For Tunisian scientists abroad, this often leads to a steeper rise in citation impact and international recognition, while those who remain local may struggle with fewer opportunities to sustain high-impact research, despite their equal competence and dedication.
Besides, in Tunisia, the number of scientists varies significantly based on birth year, with some cohorts (e.g., 1985 and 1988) having a higher representation, while others (e.g., 1989) are underrepresented. This fluctuation is likely due to external factors such as political, economic, or educational changes that influenced access to academic opportunities. These trends suggest that the academic and research environment in Tunisia has been inconsistent across generations, which is not the case in other countries, where the number of scientists tends to grow steadily due to more stable, long-term support for research and education (Nane, et al., 2017).