Texas A&M University Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and National Academy of Sciences member Dr. Karen L. Wooley has been selected as a Citation Laureate 2023 by leading global information services provider Clarivate in recognition of world-class research excellence worthy of a future Nobel Prize.
Wooley, one of the world’s foremost experts in materials and polymer chemistry and in creating new materials at the nanoscale level, is among 23 international researchers from institutions in five countries announced Sept. 19 as the most recent additions to the Hall of Citation Laureates, an elite group whose work is deemed to be of Nobel class, as demonstrated by analysis carried out by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) at Clarivate. In addition to having research publications that are highly cited, each has already exerted a profound and often transformative impact on their respective fields of research.
“Clarivate uses quantitative citation data from the Web of Science, together with unparalleled qualitative analysis to successfully identify individuals who go on to be recognized by the Nobel Assembly,” said Emmanuel Thiveaud, Senior Vice President for Research & Analytics, Academia & Government at Clarivate. “The achievements of the Citation Laureates 2023 are not just notable, but emblematic of the kind that Clarivate identifies as Nobel-worthy."
Wooley, who holds the W.T. Doherty-Welch Chair in Chemistry, joined the Texas A&M faculty in 2009 as a member of the Department of Chemistry, where she serves as director of the Laboratory for Synthetic-Biologic Interactions. Her groundbreaking research involves the synthesis and characterization of degradable polymers derived from natural products — pioneering work with widespread application and impact spanning multiple disciplines and industries, from the diagnosis and treatment of disease to the development of anti-icing coatings and eco-friendly environmental remediation systems. Her research also influences sustainability, resulting in new bioplastics that have reduced reliance on petrochemicals and break down naturally to produce biologically beneficial and environmentally benign degradation products.
Since 2002, ISI analysts have used publication and citation data from its index of trusted journals to identify potential Nobel Prize winners in the four corresponding areas: physiology or medicine, physics, chemistry and economics. Out of more than 58 million articles and proceedings indexed in the Web of Science since 1970, only about 8,700 (.01%) have been cited 2,000 or more times. It is from the authors of this group of papers that Citation Laureates are identified and selected each year. During the past two decades, 71 of them have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize.
"These research giants publish papers that garner more than 2,000 citations — a truly rare accolade — that should be celebrated," Thiveaud said. "This list recognizes many decades of work, laying ground for countless discoveries and innovations that have transformed our world.”
Wooley, who is one of eight Citation Laureates selected in chemistry, is cited “for the development of innovative drug and gene targeting and delivery methods.”
“It is a humbling honor to receive this notable recognition, especially alongside two of my friends and colleagues, Kazunori Kataoka and Vladimir Torchilin,” Wooley said.
Clarivate introduced the Citation Laureates program in 2002 in acknowledgement that there are more Nobel-class researchers than Nobel Prizes awarded in any given year. The company envisioned the effort as a means of drawing attention to a wider swath of research achievements than the Nobel Assembly is able to reward while also simultaneously recognizing and revealing the critical contributions all honorees have made, reflected in the influence each has had on both their colleagues and their broader disciplines.
“The Citation Laureates 2023, by the influence of their research contributions revealed in their citation profiles, are peers of those who have received a Nobel Prize,” said David Pendlebury, head of research analysis at ISI. “In many cases, they are not merely authors of highly cited papers but sculptors of new disciplines. All have reshaped the landscape of knowledge profoundly, and it is an honor to be able to recognize their achievements.”
In addition to Texas A&M Chemistry, Wooley holds joint appointments in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Materials Science and Engineering. She is co-founder and president of Sugar Plastics, LLC and chief technology officer of Teysha Technologies, LTD. She has served as a technical advisor and consultant for several additional companies, from Fortune 500 enterprises to start-ups and law firms.
Wooley is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2014), American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2015), National Academy of Inventors (2019), American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2020) and American Association for the Advancement of Science (2020). Her major career awards to date include the Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2014 Centenary Prize as well as the American Chemical Society’s 2015 Oesper Award and 2002 Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award in Organic Chemistry. In 2014, she made history as the first woman to receive the ACS Award in Polymer Chemistry, a prestigious accolade honoring outstanding fundamental contributions and achievements toward addressing global needs for advanced polymer systems and materials. Most recently, she earned selection by the Southeastern Conference as the 2021 SEC Professor of the Year.
To learn more about Clarivate’s methodology and view its Hall of Citation Laureates, visit https://clarivate.com/citation-laureates/ or read a related explanatory blog entry from Pendlebury.
For more information on Wooley and her research, go to https://www.chem.tamu.edu/rgroup/wooley/.