Comparison of scientists of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA on the basis of the h-index.

A new scientometric indicator, the h-index, has been recently proposed (Hirsch JE. Proc Natl Acad Sci 2005; 102: 16569-16572). The index avoids some shortcomings of the calculation of the total number of citations as a parameter to evaluate scientific performance. Although it has become known only recently, it has had widespread acceptance. A comparison of the average h-index of members of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (BAS) and of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (NAS-USA) was carried out for 10 different areas of science. Although, as expected, the comparison was unfavorable to the members of the BAS, the imbalance was distinct in different areas. Since these two academies represent, to a significant extent, the science of top quality produced in each country, the comparison allows the identification of the areas in Brazil that are closer to the international stakeholders of scientific excellence. The areas of Physics and Mathematics stand out in this context. The heterogeneity of the h-index in the different areas, estimated by the median dispersion of the index, is significantly higher in the BAS than in the NAS-USA. No elements have been collected in the present study to provide an explanation for this fact.

Comparison of scientists of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA on the basis of the h-index

A new scientometric indicator, the h-index, has been recently proposed (Hirsch JE. Proc Natl Acad Sci 2005; 102: 16569-16572). The index avoids some shortcomings of the calculation of the total number of citations as a parameter to evaluate scientific performance. Although it has become known only recently, it has had widespread acceptance. A comparison of the average h-index of members of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (BAS) and of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (NAS-USA) was carried out for 10 different areas of science. Although, as expected, the comparison was unfavorable to the members of the BAS, the imbalance was distinct in different areas. Since these two academies represent, to a significant extent, the science of top quality produced in each country, the comparison allows the identification of the areas in Brazil that are closer to the international stakeholders of scientific excellence. The areas of Physics and Mathematics stand out in this context. The heterogeneity of the h-index in the different areas, estimated by the median dispersion of the index, is significantly higher in the BAS than in the NAS-USA. No elements have been collected in the present study to provide an explanation for this fact.

Fundacao Sistema Estadual de Analise de Dados and the DOCPOP system.

PIP: The Fundacao Sistema de Analise de Dados (SEADE) is a non-profit organization related to the Government of the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. It collects, organizes and processes data and information on population, education, health, finance, the economy, and agriculture. It conducts research to evaluate the status of social and economic variables and the effects of governmental action. It publishes a number of periodicals, provides reference services to the public, and operates 2 major computerized data bases. A 3rd computerized documentation system, SEADE/DOC, was created in 1982 for material relating to population matters. Between 1978 and 1981, about 600 population research projects and studies were developed by 14 Brazilian institutions which deal with teaching, research, and consultations in the area of population problems. (A list of these institutions is appended). The main objective of SEADE/DOCPOP is to solve the lack of up-to-date information on population in Brazil in computerized services. Other objectives are to improve the flow of population information among the different regions of Brazil, to participate in international population information systems, and to acquire technology and experience in the development and operation of the DOCPOP system in order to allow SEADE to extend the system to other fields. A description of the scope and volume of the documents to be included in SEADE/DOCPOP are contained in the article as well as a description of system design and development. The system should be in operation by July 1983; brief mention is made of future projects.^ieng