Kansas State University departments awarded worldwide recognition
Entomology, Animal Sciences and Industry among the very best
Released: April 3, 2017
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Two of Kansas State University’s agricultural departments have been recognized among the best places in the world to study, research and begin a career.
K-State’s Department of Entomology and Department of Animal Sciences and Industry have been cited by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR). The CWUR publishes “the largest academic ranking of global universities.” In 2017, the center is publishing its inaugural ranking of individual subjects. In a letter to Kansas State University president Richard Myers, CWUR ranked the Department of Entomology fourth in the world, and the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry ranked seventh globally.
“Overall, this ranks Kansas State University #166 among global institutions with the most Top-10 placements,” wrote CWUR president Nadim Mahassen. “This is an outstanding achievement. Congratulations.”
The rankings by subject are based on “the number of research articles in top-tier journals. Data are obtained from Clarivate Analytics (previously the intellectual property and science business of Thomson Reuters).”
K-State’s Department of Entomology earned a score of 91.29 in this ranking system, and Department of Animal Sciences and Industry has a score of 95.36.
“We’ve known for years that the College of Agriculture at Kansas State University has an excellent reputation and is highly regarded nationally and internationally,” said John Floros, dean of the College of Agriculture. “We also know that we have been making significant progress in recent years, but to have several of our programs ranked in the top five or ten globally, is simply inspiring and energizing.”
Ken Odde, Professor and Head of the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, says one big advantage that K-State offers to its students is quick, easy access to field experience.
“The quality and type of facilities we have are top-notch, but proximity is equally important. It’s important for research, it’s maybe more important for teaching,” Odde said. “If an instructor has to build 30 or 40 minutes of travel time into their lesson plan every time they want their students to work with growing plants or live animals, that not only cuts into teaching time, it also results in distant facilities that are underutilized.”
“Having these things close to the main campus means that when there’s a teachable moment — it could be a live birth or a disease outbreak — we’re right on top of it, minutes away.”
More information about the methodology is available at: cwur.org/methodology/subject-rankings.php
