Stanford University’s World’s Top 2 Percent Scientists list recognizes the world’s top researchers across disciplines by measuring their composite indicator (or c-score) and determining the impact of each researcher’s work on their respective fields. The international list, made up of 100,000 researchers, stems from how often each researcher’s work is cited by other sources. It evaluates both the number of citations and where those citations appear to measure the quantity and quality of the scientist’s contributions to the field. The resulting list comprises researchers worldwide who had a notable impact on their disciplines and who have been recognized as experts by their academic peers.

Four professors from American University’s Kogod School of Business—H. Kent Baker, Nicole Darnall, Sonya Grier, and Ron Hill—appear on Stanford’s list. The four professors are well-known for their contributions to research, policy, and education in their respective fields. Each of them has won awards, published renowned papers, and been nationally and internationally recognized for their work. Not only do they make the Kogod community proud, but they also represent just a handful of the expert faculty that call Kogod home.

H. Kent Baker

Professor H. Kent Baker is a finance professor at Kogod with decades of experience in the industry. He has been the president of the Southern Finance Association, consulted for multinational companies, and even toured as a professional musician. He is well-known within the Kogod community as a prolific author and has written 45 books, 130 academic papers, and over 220 articles. His work covers a wide range of topics, including behavioral finance, corporate finance, private equity, and investment. The Journal of Finance Literature recognized him as among the top one percent of finance authors in the past fifty years, and his work has been cited extensively by other financial experts.

Nicole Darnall

Professor Nicole Darnall is a management professor at Kogod and the Arlene R. and Robert P. Kogod Eminent Scholar Chair in Sustainability. A leading voice in sustainability efforts, she has a long career in both academia and public work. Currently, she serves on the US General Services Administration’s Acquisition Policy Federal Policy Committee, where she advises the federal government on sustainable procurement practices. In her previous role at Arizona State University, she co-founded and directed the Sustainable Purchasing Research Initiative, which provides actionable insights on sustainable procurement for organizations. In 2024, Darnall was named to SustainabilityX Magazine’s Global Women in Sustainability list for her leadership and contributions to sustainability in business.

Sonya Grier

Professor Sonya Grier of Kogod’s marketing department is a leading voice in research regarding race and social topics in marketing. As co-founder of the Race in the Marketplace (RIM) Network, she works closely with other experts to advance the understanding of race as it relates to marketing activities. In 2023, she was named the inaugural Arlene R. and Robert P. Kogod Eminent Scholar Chair in Marketing, honoring her with a university endowment to support her research. Grier is a five-time winner of the Thomas C. Kinnear Award for significant contributions to marketing and public policy research, making her the scholar who has received the award the most since the award’s creation in 1993.

Ron Hill

Professor Ron Hill is the chair of Kogod’s marketing department and an American University Distinguished University Professor. His published research covers topics in consumer behavior, marketing ethics, corporate social responsibility, and public policy, and he has written over two hundred articles, books, and papers in those disciplines. His recognition on the World’s Top 2% list joins a long list of honors, including the Thomas Kinnear Award from the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, the American University Outstanding Scholarship, Research, Creative Activity and Other Professional Contributions Award, and fellowship recognition at the American Marketing Association.

Congratulations to Professors Baker, Darnall, Grier, and Hill on this incredible achievement! Learn more about them and the rest of Kogod’s faculty here.