Quantifying the dynamics of peak disruption in scientific careers.

ABSTRACT: We examine the disruption of researchers with long-lived careers in Computer Science and Physics. Despite the epistemological differences between such disciplines, we consistently find that a researcher's most disruptive publication does not occur at random during their career, as it cannot be explained by a null model. Such publication is accompanied by a peak year in which researchers publish other work that exhibits a higher level of disruption than average. Through a series of linear models, we show that the disruption achieved by a researcher during their peak year is higher when it is preceded by a long period of focus and low productivity. These findings are in stark contrast with the dynamics of academic impact. In these dynamics, researchers are incentivized by the prevalent parad

SUBMITTER: Li M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11953407 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature