Estonia's Top 2% Scientists 2026: Career-Long List

Estonia has 92 scientists on the 2026 career-long Top 2% list, up 8.2% from 85 in 2025. That places Estonia 62nd in the world by number of listed scientists, down 1 place. Tartu Ülikool has the most listed scientists (25), followed by Tallinna Tehnikaülikool (19).

Single Year

116

+8 (+7.4%) vs 2025

Career Data

+7 (+8.2%) vs 2025

World rank by count

#62

down 1 place vs 2025

Institutes

+3 (+13.0%) vs 2025

Scientists in Estonia on the list, by year

The career-long count has more than doubled since 2020.

Career-long list, change on the previous year

2021+23.8%

2022+7.7%

2023+19.6%

2024+4.5%

2025+21.4%

2026+8.2%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	58		42
2021	63	+8.6%	52	+23.8%
2022	80	+27.0%	56	+7.7%
2023	77	-3.8%	67	+19.6%
2024	83	+7.8%	70	+4.5%
2025	108	+30.1%	85	+21.4%
2026	116	+7.4%	92	+8.2%

Top 10 institutes in Estonia

By number of listed scientists

Career-long list2026

Show the list

All 92 scientists

Career-long list2026

Showing the 2026 career-long list. Looking for single-year rankings? See the single-year list

Everyone on the list, free to browse.

Export CSV

Rank in Estonia	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	1,284	NÜ Niinemets, Ülo	Eesti Maaülikool	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 7
2	12,597	ZM Zobel, Martin	Tartu Ülikool	Ecology	Rank 235
3	17,201	RM Raidal, Martti	National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 233
4	25,036	BM Brik, Mikhail G.	Tartu Ülikooli Füüsika Instituut	Applied Physics	Rank 585
5	28,200	FA Forbes, Alastair	Tartu Ülikool	Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Rank 423
6	29,586	BR Bhat, Rajeev	Eesti Maaülikool	Food Science	Rank 138
7	32,011	KT Koivisto, Tomi K.	National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 462
8	32,695	LÜ Langel, Ülo	Tartu Ülikool	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 2,331
9	37,340	PM Pärtel, Meelis	Ökoloogia ja Maateaduste Instituut	Ecology	Rank 674
10	41,297	AJ Allik, Jüri	Tartu Ülikool	Social Psychology	Rank 430
11	43,269	DM Dumas, Marlon	Tartu Ülikool	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 991
12	46,124	SS Sugita, Shinya	Institute of Ecology, Tallinn	Paleontology	Rank 141
13	58,700	KT Kutser, Tiit	Tartu Ülikool	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 294
14	59,969	PK Prashanth, K. G.	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Materials	Rank 827
15	67,610	HJ Harro, Jaanus E.	Tartu Ülikooli Keemia Instituut	Psychiatry	Rank 1,273
16	74,729	KL Koskela, Lauri Jaakko	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Building & Construction	Rank 208
17	79,508	SA Samoson, Ago V.	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Chemical Physics	Rank 1,501
18	87,933	WI Williams, Ingrid Helvi	Eesti Maaülikool	Entomology	Rank 220
19	91,394	MÜ Mander, Ülo	Tartu Ülikool	Environmental Engineering	Rank 434
20	95,168	SK Sak, K.	NGO Praeventio	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 3,667
21	97,412	KK Kannike, Kristjan	National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 1,474
22	103,927	KP Kujala, Pentti	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Civil Engineering	Rank 226
23	104,973	MA Metspalu, Andres H.	Tartu Ülikooli Genoomika Instituut	Developmental Biology	Rank 2,921
24	106,765	KM Karelson, Mati	Tartu Ülikool	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 356
25	108,247	KU Kõljalg, Urmas	Ökoloogia ja Maateaduste Instituut	Mycology & Parasitology	Rank 215
26	112,430	KA Kahru, Anne	Academia Scientiarum Estoniae	Environmental Sciences	Rank 916
27	115,847	KK Kull, Kalevi	Tartu Ülikool	Languages & Linguistics	Rank 298
28	117,099	JJ Jürimäe, Jaak	Tartu Ülikool	Sport Sciences	Rank 411
29	117,855	SS Sakr, Sherif	Tartu Ülikool	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 2,607
30	120,206	SJ Stanturf, J. A.	Eesti Maaülikool	Forestry	Rank 135
31	120,655	KA Kuusk, Andres	Tartu Ülikool	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 632
32	123,531	HY Helariutta, Ykä	Tartu Ülikool	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 1,775
33	124,819	GI Goodson, Ivor Frederick	Tallinn University	Education	Rank 906
34	129,452	HI Hussainova, Irina V.	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Materials	Rank 1,841
35	135,735	BS Bell, Simon M.	Eesti Maaülikool	Urban & Regional Planning	Rank 250
36	142,657	Vinn, Olev	Ökoloogia ja Maateaduste Instituut	Paleontology	Rank 636
37	145,533	LH Lipmaa, Helger	Tartu Ülikool	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 3,287
38	147,402	UD Unruh, Dominique	Tartu Ülikool	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 3,332
39	148,222	ST Soomere, Tarmo E.	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Oceanography	Rank 277
40	153,866	KM Koel, Mihkel N.	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 1,154
41	155,664	TM Trapido, Marina	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Environmental Engineering	Rank 812
42	158,351	HM Hohmann, Manuel	Tartu Ülikooli Füüsika Instituut	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 2,426
43	169,011	LA Laisk, Agu	Academia Scientiarum Estoniae	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 2,477
44	171,799	LÜ Lepik, Ülo	Tartu Ülikool	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 1,290
45	173,259	KJ Kurnitski, Jarek	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Building & Construction	Rank 546
46	175,836	OH Ojaveer, Henn	Tartu Ülikooli Pärnu Kolledž	Fisheries	Rank 479
47	178,201	KI Koppel, Ilmar A.	Tartu Ülikool	Organic Chemistry	Rank 2,971
48	181,953	FA Fazeli, Alireza R.	Meditsiiniteaduste Valdkond	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine	Rank 1,724
49	182,583	GJ Galbally, Javier	European Union Agency eu-LISA	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 4,210
50	192,829	KT Kalamees, Targo	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Building & Construction	Rank 622
51	196,385	KO Kull, Olevi	Ökoloogia ja Maateaduste Instituut	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 2,924
52	200,487	RM Reim, Martin	Tartu Ülikooli Kliinikum	Ophthalmology & Optometry	Rank 1,450
53	204,039	SA Sellin, Arne	Ökoloogia ja Maateaduste Instituut	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 3,042
54	204,391	VG Vainikko, Gennadi M.	Tartu Ülikooli matemaatika ja statistika instituut	General Mathematics	Rank 1,367
55	204,601	LE Lust, Enn I.	Tartu Ülikooli Keemia Instituut	Energy	Rank 3,282
56	204,612	TK Tammeveski, Kaido	Tartu Ülikooli Keemia Instituut	Energy	Rank 3,283
57	211,661	AG Anbarjafari, Gholamreza	3S Holding OÜ	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 4,908
58	212,452	LI Leito, Ivo	Tartu Ülikooli Keemia Instituut	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 1,713
59	214,947	BA Belahcen, Anouar	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 687
60	216,079	GE Gabrielli, E.	Laboratory of High Energy and Computational Physics	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 3,291
61	226,512	KE Kikas, Eve	Tallinn University School of Natural Sciences and Health	Education	Rank 1,872
62	232,327	KK Kukli, Kaupo	Tartu Ülikooli Füüsika Instituut	Applied Physics	Rank 6,135
63	236,391	ÖM Öpik, Maarja	Ökoloogia ja Maateaduste Instituut	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 3,546
64	243,137	BV Borovkov, Victor V.	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Organic Chemistry	Rank 4,054
65	263,988	SP Saari, Peeter M.	Academia Scientiarum Estoniae	Optics	Rank 1,035
66	267,129	CV Carnielli, Virgilio Paolo	Tartu Ülikool	Pediatrics	Rank 1,526
67	268,803	IA Ivask, Angela	Tartu Ülikool	Environmental Sciences	Rank 2,603
68	270,150	RA Rebane, Aleksander K.	National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn	Optoelectronics & Photonics	Rank 999
69	270,609	NT Nilson, Tiit	Tartu Ülikool	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 1,462
70	271,134	IR Ionescu, Radu Cornel	Eesti Maaülikool	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 2,271
71	295,385	VR Vaarandi, Risto	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 7,084
72	295,845	KR Küngas, Rainer	OU STARGATE HYDROGEN SOLUTIONS	Energy	Rank 5,142
73	321,192	KM Kaljurand, Mihkel	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 2,788
74	327,124	VD Vinnikov, Dmitri	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 1,129
75	337,879	AR Accorsi, Rafael	Tartu Ülikool	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 8,217
76	344,163	CA Cheddad, Abbas	Tartu Ülikool	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 8,378
77	378,162	DD Draheim, Dirk	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 9,380
78	383,167	NA Norta, Alexander	Dymaxion OÜ	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 9,541
79	387,124	TM Tamm, Marek	Tallinn University	History	Rank 254
80	397,248	EJ Engelbrecht, Jüri K.	Academia Scientiarum Estoniae	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 3,154
81	405,398	LP Laud, Peeter	Cybernetica AS	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 10,202
82	419,398	GA García-Sosa, Alfonso T.	Tartu Ülikool	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 2,158
83	425,755	MR Matulevičius, Raimundas	Tartu Ülikool	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 10,761
84	455,861	HS Hansson, Sten	Tartu Ülikool	Strategic, Defence & Security Studies	Rank 613
85	480,996	JA Jänes, Alar A.J.	Tartu Ülikooli Keemia Instituut	Energy	Rank 9,246
86	549,714	LM Lember, Margus	Meditsiiniteaduste Valdkond	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 7,482
87	561,887	PA Pietarinen, A. Veikko Juhani	Majandusteaduskond	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 14,710
88	615,046	AA Aabloo, Alvo	Tartu Ülikooli Tehnoloogiainstituut	Optoelectronics & Photonics	Rank 2,857
89	638,766	OV Oja, Vahur	KeemTeh OÜ	Energy	Rank 12,962
90	730,621	HO Husev, Oleksandr O.	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 3,025
91	788,833	CA Chub, Andrii	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 3,322
92	858,949	VT Vaimann, Toomas	Tallinna Tehnikaülikool	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 3,746
No scientists match this filter on the career-long list. Try the single-year list

Showing 1 to 92 of 92 Show

Countries with a similar count

Career-long list2026

Bulgaria102 scientists

Colombia81 scientists

Explore other countries

Career-long list2026

United Kingdom21,350 scientists

Sweden3,661 scientists

Denmark2,309 scientists

Finland1,612 scientists

Norway1,557 scientists

Ireland963 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Estonia are in the 2026 Stanford Top 2% list?

116 scientists affiliated with Estonia are on the 2026 single-year list, and 92 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in Estonia has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2026 career-long list, Tartu Ülikool has the most listed scientists from Estonia, with 25. It is followed by Tallinna Tehnikaülikool with 19.

How has the number of Top 2% scientists in Estonia changed since 2020?

On the career-long list, Estonia went from 42 scientists in 2020 to 92 in 2026, a change of +119.0%.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.