Materials Science at Tartu University Among Most Influential in World

According to the ESI (Essential Science Indicators) database, Estonia's Tartu University is among the top one percent of the world's most influential materials science centres in the world as of 1 July, the daily Eesti Päevaleht reported.

As there are nearly 60 000 research centres in the database, this means that the Tartu University materials science department is among the 600 best such centres in the world.

Indrek Ots, head of the Tartu University research and development department, said that the influence of research centres is assessed by the number of articles and references in learned papers. Ots said that the university did not receive an immediate monetary gain from the recognition, but it was important that in competition situations they were in a preferred status.

Alvo Aabloo, professor of polymeric materials at the university, said that belonging to the top of the database helps bring scientists to Tartu University and to involve them in international projects. The major projects at Tartu University have been working out artificial muscles and a robot model.

Tartu University also belongs to the most quoted one percent of universities and research institutions in the spheres on clinical medicine, plant and animal studies, and environmental and ecological sciences.

Baltic News Service