What’s more important than being a top 2% scientist

As I’m in my fifth year of being ranked as a top 2% scientist, I am of course happy with the recognition, but also very aware of the limitations of these rankings.

I find myself thinking more often about what I want to create with my career (midlife musings, I guess?) – what is the feeling that I want to leave behind for those who work with me? What is the impact I want to make, the stamp I want to press on this planet?

• Building a legacy that improves the world: Whether it’s through the research I publish or the mentorship I provide, I want my work to make a positive difference. I want to build something that outlasts me: systems, structures, and opportunities that others can build upon. Contributions to building codes, and finding a way to make our infrastructure safer in the era of climate change are high on my priority list.
• Being kind and compassionate: Kindness is never a weakness in academia. Listening deeply, offering encouragement, and showing understanding in moments of stress have more impact than any citation count ever will. We can choose to make this profession more humane; one interaction at a time. Staying true to my core values is more important than having another paper on my CV.
• Creating opportunities for my students: Watching students conquer the world is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. Helping them discover their own strengths, offering them a launchpad, and seeing them go off exploring now horizons: that’s the real success.
• Advocating for our profession: I care deeply about structural and bridge engineering, and I am worried about reductions in student numbers, less respect for the profession as actions become automated, and diluting of professional standards. Speaking up for my profession feels like a responsibility that comes with experience and position.
• Being there for my child and family: Academia is not my whole identity. It’s a big part of my life, yes, but not at the cost of being present for the people I love and serve. My family doesn’t care about my h-index and won’t remember my citation count. They care that I show up, listen, laugh, and share life with them.

In the end, it’s not about being ranked; it’s about leaving the world a better place for those who come behind us. Not for the number of papers we published or the talks we gave, but for how we made others feel. For the doors we opened. For the better world we tried to build in our own small corner.

So yes, recognition is nice. But it’s not the north star. For me, it’s the legacy, the values, and the people that matter most.