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University · Worcester · United States

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

In research, Worcester Polytechnic Institute stands highest in Social Sciences (#1,770 of 10,521 worldwide), Engineering (#1,136 of 6,636 worldwide) and Physical Sciences (#2,300 of 12,888 worldwide), 2022–2025. Relative to its size it is most specialised in Computer Science Applications and Human-Computer Interaction — Computer Science Applications is 5.5× its share of world research.

wpi.eduROR OpenAlex
World rank, 2022–2025
#2,996
of 28,054 · #1,190 all time
Rank in United States
#429
of 4,192
Research works
13k
▲ 11% vs 2013–17
Citations
316k
23.8 per fractional work
Top-10% rate
18.3%
record average 16.5%
Open access
24%
world 28%

What is Worcester Polytechnic Institute known for in research?

The fields where it stands highest, 2022–2025, ranked among every institution above the floor in each field.

FieldWorld rankWhere that sitsTop-10% rateWorksAll time
Social SciencesDomain #1,770 of 10,521 29.9%357 #836
EngineeringField #1,136 of 6,636 15.7%597 #453
Physical SciencesDomain #2,300 of 12,888 15.3%1,288 #908
Computer ScienceField #898 of 4,667 15.9%393 #436
Social SciencesField #2,354 of 6,365 28.2%139 #1228
Mechanical EngineeringSubfield #544 of 1,351 17.6%101 #291
Health SciencesDomain #5,792 of 11,982 20.3%162 #4950
PsychologyField #1,061 of 2,181 26.8%68 #549
Artificial IntelligenceSubfield #1,026 of 1,884 15.9%137 #326
Life SciencesDomain #4,371 of 7,800 14.7%164 #4659

Each strip is that field’s whole ranked pool, with the notch where Worcester Polytechnic Institute sits in it, in the colour of the band that rank falls in. The track under the rate is the rate itself: it carries no world mark, because the world rate differs by field (from about 6% to 21% in this record).

Which of those standings moved

The same fields on both windows: where it stood over the whole record, and where it stands in 2022–2025. The distance is the story, and it is the one thing the two rank columns above cannot show.

  1. Social Sciences#836 #1,770
  2. Engineering#453 #1,136
  3. Physical Sciences#908 #2,300
  4. Computer Science#436 #898
  5. Social Sciences#1,228 #2,354
  6. Mechanical Engineering#291 #544
  7. Health Sciences#4,950 #5,792
  8. Psychology#549 #1,061
  9. Artificial Intelligence#326 #1,026
  10. Life Sciences#4,659 #4,371
all time2022–2025, better2022–2025, worse

A dot further right is a better standing. Fields it was not ranked in over the whole record are left out.

What does Worcester Polytechnic Institute specialise in?

Where its research is concentrated relative to its size: Computer Science Applications takes 5.5× the share of its output that it takes of world research.

  1. Computer Science ApplicationsSubfield · 26.7 works5.5×
  2. Human-Computer InteractionSubfield · 20.8 works5.1×
← less than its size predicts1×more →

Location quotient, a volume reading rather than an impact one. It surfaces small, lopsided specialities.

Field profile

Location quotient across every field it publishes in: outside the ring is more than an institution of this size would be expected to publish, inside it is less.

Agricultural and Biological Sciences: 0.34× its world share, 32 worksAgricultural and Bio…Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology: 0.83× its world share, 88 worksBiochemistry, Geneti…Immunology and Microbiology: 0.29× its world share, 6 worksImmunology and Micro…Neuroscience: 1.13× its world share, 36 worksNeurosciencePharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics: 0.49× its world share, 3 worksPharmacology, Toxico…Chemical Engineering: 2.28× its world share, 16 worksChemical EngineeringChemistry: 0.66× its world share, 20 worksChemistryComputer Science: 2.56× its world share, 393 worksComputer ScienceEarth and Planetary Sciences: 0.33× its world share, 10 worksEarth and Planetary …Energy: 0.72× its world share, 13 worksEnergyEngineering: 2.02× its world share, 597 worksEngineeringEnvironmental Science: 0.85× its world share, 84 worksEnvironmental ScienceMaterials Science: 1.17× its world share, 80 worksMaterials ScienceMathematics: 1.50× its world share, 35 worksMathematicsPhysics and Astronomy: 0.91× its world share, 40 worksPhysics and AstronomyDentistry: 0.19× its world share, 2 worksDentistryHealth Professions: 0.40× its world share, 21 worksHealth ProfessionsMedicine: 0.36× its world share, 136 worksMedicineNursing: 0.35× its world share, 3 worksNursingVeterinary: 0.19× its world share, 0 worksVeterinaryArts and Humanities: 0.34× its world share, 20 worksArts and HumanitiesBusiness, Management and Accounting: 0.79× its world share, 50 worksBusiness, Management…Decision Sciences: 2.23× its world share, 42 worksDecision SciencesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance: 0.90× its world share, 38 worksEconomics, Econometr…Psychology: 1.13× its world share, 68 worksPsychologySocial Sciences: 0.56× its world share, 139 worksSocial Sciences1×world share
more than its size predictsabout as predictedless

Rings at 0.5×, 1× and 2×. Widest outward: Computer Science, 2.6×. Every wedge is a field page.

Who are the top researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?

Ranked on the composite score, Joseph Sarkis, Donald R. Brown and A.E. Emanuel lead among researchers whose main affiliation is Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

  1. 1 Joseph Sarkis United States · #2,619 worldwide 2.5k citations · 148 works
  2. 2 Donald R. Brown United States · #6,527 worldwide 1k citations · 77 works
  3. 3 A.E. Emanuel United States · #17,476 worldwide 530 citations · 56 works
  4. 4 Mark Claypool United States · #20,011 worldwide 718 citations · 61 works
  5. 5 Grétar Tryggvason United States · #23,789 worldwide 763 citations · 95 works
  6. 6 Randy Paffenroth United States · #27,704 worldwide 770 citations · 39 works
  7. 7 David C. Brown United States · #30,154 worldwide 446 citations · 63 works
  8. 8 Lei Cao United States · #31,392 worldwide 480 citations · 57 works
  9. 9 Diane M. Strong United States · #45,289 worldwide 474 citations · 36 works
  10. 10 Berk Sunar United States · #47,339 worldwide 524 citations · 49 works
All ranked researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Which keywords describe research at Worcester Polytechnic Institute?

By fractional works in 2022–2025, weighted toward what it does more of than the world: Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Neural Networks, Mechanical Properties, Metal Recovery, Student Engagement, Microstructure and Biomedical Applications.

▲ more of its work than of the world’s◆ about the world’s share▼ less than the world’s

Size is fractional works in 2022–2025 in the topics tagged with each word; colour is the word's share of this institution's work against its share of the world's. The 40 words are chosen for being large and distinctive. Each links to the topic it comes from most.

All 40 words, with their numbers
  1. Deep Learning168▲ 2.5×74 topics
  2. Machine Learning113▲ 1.75×74 topics
  3. Neural Networks74▲ 2.4×34 topics
  4. Mechanical Properties58▲ 3.0×30 topics
  5. Biomedical Applications49▲ 2.1×27 topics
  6. Sustainability46◆ 0.95×53 topics
  7. Microstructure38▲ 3.7×15 topics
  8. Student Engagement35▲ 4.5×12 topics
  9. Lithium-ion Batteries33▲ 3.9×4 topics
  10. Metal Recovery31▲ 7.9×3 topics
  11. Big Data31▲ 1.73×18 topics
  12. Convolutional Neural Networks27▲ 1.88×14 topics
  13. Energy Storage27▲ 2.1×10 topics
  14. Circular Economy25▲ 4.7×5 topics
  15. Robotic Manipulators23▲ 12×3 topics
  16. Learning Analytics22▲ 9.0×2 topics
  17. Cathode Materials22▲ 2.8×3 topics
  18. Recycling22▲ 2.9×9 topics
  19. IoT Security20▲ 3.2×3 topics
  20. Security Analysis20▲ 5.9×4 topics
  21. Additive Manufacturing20▲ 3.2×6 topics
  22. Anomaly Detection20▲ 3.4×4 topics
  23. Soft Robotics18▲ 12×2 topics
  24. Engineering Education17▲ 9.5×5 topics
  25. Bioinspired Robotics16▲ 24×1 topic
  26. Continuum Robots16▲ 24×1 topic
  27. Minimally Invasive Surgery16▲ 15×2 topics
  28. Rare Earth Elements16▲ 5.7×4 topics
  29. Wearable Sensors16▲ 7.1×3 topics
  30. Biomedical Engineering16▲ 5.4×2 topics
  31. Smoke Control15▲ 30×1 topic
  32. Sustainable Technology15▲ 6.9×2 topics
  33. Tunnel Fires15▲ 30×1 topic
  34. Battery Recycling15▲ 9.6×1 topic
  35. Hydrometallurgical Processes15▲ 9.6×1 topic
  36. Distributed Control15▲ 6.6×3 topics
  37. Educational Data Mining14▲ 8.0×1 topic
  38. Massive Open Online Courses14▲ 8.0×1 topic
  39. Side-Channel Attacks14▲ 15×3 topics
  40. Bayesian Networks13▲ 7.5×3 topics

Which research topics does Worcester Polytechnic Institute publish most on?

By volume in 2022–2025: Soft Robotics and Applications, Fire dynamics and safety research, Extraction and Separation Processes and Online Learning and Analytics.

Soft Robotics and Applic…16Soft Robotics and Applications: 16 fractional worksFire dynamics and safety…15Fire dynamics and safety research: 15 fractional worksExtraction and Separation Processes: 15 fractional worksOnline Learning and Anal…14Online Learning and Analytics: 14 fractional worksRecycling and Waste Mana…13Recycling and Waste Management Techniques: 13 fractional worksAdvancements in Battery Materials: 13 fractional worksAnomaly Detection Techniques and Applications: 12 fractional worksModular Robots and Swarm…11Modular Robots and Swarm Intelligence: 11 fractional worksAdvanced Malware Detection Techniques: 11 fractional worksPhysical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) and Hardware Security: 11 fractional works
Biomedical EngineeringSafety, Risk, Reliability and QualityMechanical EngineeringComputer Science Applications5 others

Area is fractional works; colour is the subfield each topic belongs to.

  1. 1 Soft Robotics and Applications Biomedical Engineering 16 works
  2. 2 Fire dynamics and safety research Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality 15 works
  3. 3 Extraction and Separation Processes Mechanical Engineering 15 works
  4. 4 Online Learning and Analytics Computer Science Applications 14 works
  5. 5 Recycling and Waste Management Techniques Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering 13 works
  6. 6 Advancements in Battery Materials Electrical and Electronic Engineering 13 works
  7. 7 Anomaly Detection Techniques and Applications Artificial Intelligence 12 works
  8. 8 Modular Robots and Swarm Intelligence Mechanical Engineering 11 works
  9. 9 Advanced Malware Detection Techniques Signal Processing 11 works
  10. 10 Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) and Hardware Security Hardware and Architecture 11 works

How open and international is its research?

Against the world’s own shares — the tick on each track. Both are shares of its output, so they sit on one scale and can be read against each other as well as against the world.

openly available23.6%not open76.4%

World: 28% of research is openly available.

with international co-authors13.5%domestic only86.5%

World: 19% is written across borders.

How has Worcester Polytechnic Institute's research output changed?

Output in 2018–2022 was 11% higher than in 2013–2017.

1990200020102020
grewheldshrank

The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.

Other research institutions in Worcester

All research institutions in Worcester

Research measures only: rankings here say nothing about teaching, admissions or student experience. Comparable institutions and collaboration partners are in the interactive view on the map.