UdL Researchers Climb National Prestige Ranking

The University of Lleida said on May 18 that 72 of its researchers appear in the latest ranking published by Spain’s National Research Council, or CSIC, of the country’s leading women scientists. The total is four higher than in 2025, according to the university and a local report published on May 19. The list is based on profiles in Google Scholar and is presented as the fifth edition of the CSIC ranking. UdL linked the result to a broader research presence that also includes public-facing events in Lleida this week under the Pint of Science program. ### Which ranking put 72 UdL researchers on the list? CSIC’s 2026 update covers 12,110 women researchers, 1,095 more than the previous edition, according to the University of Lleida and IRBLleida. The ranking includes Spanish women working in Spain or abroad, as well as foreign researchers affiliated with Spanish institutions. The list is compiled from Google Scholar profiles and ordered using bibliometric indicators including the h-index, the university said. The University of Lleida said 72 of its researchers were included in that national list. Segre, a Lleida-based newspaper, reported the same figure on May 19 and said it was four more than in 2025. ### Who are the highest-ranked UdL researchers? Luisa F. Cabeza Fabra, a professor at the Higher Polytechnic School, remained the highest-ranked University of Lleida researcher in the CSIC list, the university said. (udl.es) She was ranked 25th nationally and had 74,146 citations in the 2026 update. Olga Martín Belloso, a professor of food technology at the Higher Technical School of Agri-Food, Forestry and Veterinary Engineering, was 33rd with 43,090 citations. (segre.com) The University of Lleida said 32 of its 72 listed researchers were among Spain’s top 5,000 in the ranking. After Cabeza and Martín, the university listed Sònia Marín at 210, Montse Rué at 641, Roxana Savin at 672 and Loreta Medina at 708. ### Which UdL centers account for most of the names? (udl.es) The Faculty of Medicine had 15 researchers in the ranking, the university said. The agri-food, forestry and veterinary engineering school had 14, and the Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work had 12. The Higher Polytechnic School had 11, followed by the Faculty of Law, Economics and Tourism with eight, the Faculty of Arts with five, the Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy with five and INEFC with two. (udl.es) IRBLleida said 22 female researchers from the biomedical institute were included in the CSIC ranking. The institute highlighted Montse Rué, Loreta Medina and Mariona Jové among those listed, and repeated that the University of Lleida’s overall total was 72. ### Why does Pint of Science appear in the story around the ranking? (udl.es) Pint of Science events in Lleida were scheduled for May 18 through May 20 at Pub Legend, according to University of Lleida event pages and the festival’s global site. The program places researchers in public venues to discuss their work with local audiences. (irblleida.org) Gabriel de la Fuente Oliver of the University of Lleida and Agrotecnio was scheduled to speak on May 18 in a session titled “El secreto mejor guardado de Papa Noel,” according to the university agenda. On May 20, Anna Caminos Moliné of UdL and Joaquim Egea Navarro of UdL and IRBLleida were scheduled to speak about perinatal experiences, child development and neuronal migration in the embryo. (udl.cat) ### What comes next for the university’s public research calendar? May 20 is the next dated milestone in the material published by the university. The University of Lleida agenda lists the Pint of Science session at 7 p.m. at Pub Legend in Lleida with Anna Caminos Moliné and Joaquim Egea Navarro as the named participants. (udl.es) (udl.cat)