For the second year running, Associate Professor Masaaki Kitajima of the Faculty of Engineering at Hokkaido University has been recognised as a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate.

Clarivate Analytics, a global academic information services company, has selected and announced a list of Highly Cited Researchers every year since 2014. The Highly Cited Researchers are scientists who have published several papers in the top 1% of all papers cited worldwide and have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their chosen field or fields of research. 87 researchers in Japan and 6,849 researchers worldwide were selected as Highly Cited Researchers 2023.

“I am very honored to have been selected for this award, following on from last year’s selection,” said Kitajima, recognized for the impact of his work in the field of Environment and Ecology. “My main area of research, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), has attracted a great deal of academic and social attention since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the products of my research are now being utilized and implemented by municipal authorities and other organizations. WBE is an important field of research in preparing for future pandemics, and I believe that continued research and development is necessary to counter the threat of emerging infectious diseases. In promoting academic research and social implementation of WBE, this award is a major boost as it objectively demonstrates the impact of research outcomes. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have supported my research, including my collaborators and students. Going forward, I intend to use this award as a springboard to continue my research to lead the advancement of the field of WBE while producing research outcomes that will have a significant global impact.”