The Academic Midas Touch: A citation-based indicator of research excellence

Purpose: This paper introduces a novel perspective on academic excellence, focusing on a researcher's consistent ability to produce highly-cited publications, and demonstrates its utility in distinguishing high-achieving scientists compared to traditional scientometric indicators. Design/methodology/approach: We formulate this new perspective using a simple yet effective indicator termed the "Academic Midas Touch"(AMT). We then empirically analyze how AMT aligns with or diverges from popular scientometrics such as the H-index, i10-index, and citation counts. We further evaluate AMT's effectiveness in identifying award-winning scientists, using these awards as a proxy for recognized academic excellence. Findings: Our empirical analysis reveals that the AMT offers a distinct measure of academic excellence that does not fully correlate with commonly used scientometrics. Furthermore, AMT favorably compares to these traditional metrics in its ability to accurately identify award-winning scientists. Research limitations: The AMT emphasizes short-term citation accumulation, thus it may overlook long-term dynamics such as "sleeping beauties". Additionally, mindful parameter tuning and contextual interpretation within a specific discipline or a meaningful cohort of peers are necessary. Finally, the AMT does not seek to fully capture the multidimensional complexities of research excellence such as collaborations, mentoring, and societal impact. Practical implications: The findings suggest that AMT can serve as a valuable complementary tool for evaluating researchers, particularly in contexts such as excellence recognition, award nominations, grant applications, and faculty promotions, providing an under-explored view of a researcher's consistent ability to produce highly-influential publications. Originality/value: This work introduces a unique conceptualization and measurement of academic excellence, shifting the focus from cumulative impact to the consistent propensity for producing highly-cited publications. The resulting AMT indicator provides a fresh perspective that complements existing scientometrics, offering a more nuanced understanding and recognition of research excellence.