Deputy-Vice-Chancellor leads by example with top research ranking
University of Bradford Deputy-Vice-Chancellor Professor Zahir Irani has been ranked 5th in the UK and 31st in the world for his scholarly work.
The listing was posted by Guide2Research website, which uses data collected from scientific journals and sites, including sources like Google Scholar, to gauge the visibility and influence of recent articles written by academics in scholarly publications.
Prof Irani has 22,663 citations and 294 publications to his name.
He said: “I think it’s important to demonstrate that, as senior academic leaders, we can remain active in terms of our research, which is ultimately motivated by intellectual curiosity. I went into academia for the space to convert my ideas into impact, and even though I have significant responsibilities, I think it’s important for people in my position to set examples to motivate and inspire others.
“The University of Bradford cultivates an ambitious research-intense environment where scholarly research is very much integrated into the curriculum and informs the content of many other institutions across the world.”
Professor Irani added he aimed to set a tone, pace and standard for others to follow, finding a balance between many of the activities that define the modern academic.
Some of his most recent papers include: Role of big data and social media analytics for business to business sustainability, Managing food security through food waste and loss: Small data to big data, Gaining strategic insights into Logistics 4.0: expectations and impacts and Artificial intelligence and food security: swarm intelligence of AgriTech drones for smart AgriFood operations.
Prof Irani is also an active and passionte member of the community, and is lead architect of the Bradford District Council Economic Recovery Plan (2021-2026). He recently met with former Chancellor Rishi Sunak to push for a new rail hub for Bradford, and presented the District’s Recovery Plan to the former Chancellor in Westminster. He is also an active volunteer and governor for the Bradford District NHS Care Trust and a member of the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce Senior Leaders Group.
In 2020, Prof Irani was named by The Sunday Times as one of the district’s main influencers.
Additional information
Professor Zahir Irani is ranked in the discipline of Business & Management where he's 5th in the UK and 31st in the world. This specific ranking only includes scientists with the majority of their publications in the field of Business &
Management.
Information on the methodology of the ranking can be found here.