Specifically, the list is divided into two parts. On the one hand, the result of the 2020 analysis, where more than 190,000 researchers in the world are cited (distributed in more than 19,500 centers), 3,402 at the national level (in 458 centers) and 155 at the Basque level (in 18 centers). On the other hand, the result of the career analysis, where more than 186,000 scientists in the world are named (distributed in more than 21,000 centers), 2,813 at state level (in 423 centers) and 108 researchers at Basque level (in 14 centers). Regarding the latter, the scientific careers of Michel Armand and Elena Palomo also stand out, both being positioned, within their fields of research, in the first position as the most influential researchers for their careers in the Basque Country. At the national level, they have also been included in the top 10 in their respective scientific fields, with Michel Armand also standing out at number 1.

CIC energiGUNE Researchers

Born in France in 1946, Michel Armand began research on rechargeable lithium batteries at the end of the 80s -through the combination with solid polymer electrolyte- which has allowed the development of the main technologies associated, among others, to the electric vehicle. He is currently in charge of the solid electrolyte research area at CIC energiGUNE, where he coordinates a working team focused on achieving the solid state battery for the electric vehicle of the future. Among the more than 7 million professionals analyzed worldwide, he is ranked number 7 in the specific field of Energy, and 238th in the general computation. It is also the leader in the Basque Country at all levels and the third most important in the whole of Spain, regardless of the discipline.

As far as Elena Palomo is concerned, the Stanford list once again places her in first place as a Basque reference in Mechanical Engineering and Transport and in sixth place in Spain in the "professional career" classification. As head of the Thermal Storage Area, Dr. Palomo has been involved in the management of European projects, both in the management -leading 6 projects- and in the evaluation of the FP6, FP7 and H2020 framework programs. In 2003 she created - and directed for 4 years - the Master "Energy and Development", which is now integrated within the Master "Science and Technology" of the University of Bordeaux.

Javier Carrasco appears among the most relevant researchers with a third position in the Basque Country in the area of Chemical Physics and a 15th position in the whole country. Javier Carrasco is director of the Atomistic Modeling and Computational Studies group at CIC energiGUNE, with a broad career that has revolved around first-principles atomistic thermodynamics, density functional theory, theoretical chemistry and solid state physics.

Heng Zhang, on the other hand, led the polymer electrolyte battery group during 2020 and has positioned himself among the most influential in the world thanks to the work developed in this field.