On October 4, 2023, Elsevier, the European publishing and media group, and Stanford University in the United States updated the comprehensive author database for standard citation metrics and released the sixth edition of the "World's Top 2% Scientists 2023." Professors Wang Ning and Shang Biwu from Shanghai Jiao Tong University were included in the "Annual Influence" list of the world's top 2% scientists in literary research. This recognition fully reflects the research strength of the literary research team at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and its influence in the academic community both domestically and internationally.

The "World's Top 2% Scientists" list is jointly released by Stanford University and the international authoritative academic publishing and media group, Elsevier. The list is based on comprehensive parameters such as citation count, h-index (used to evaluate the quantity and level of academic output of researchers), co-authorship-adjusted hm-index, and citation count of articles as a sole or first author for nearly 7 million scientists worldwide. Scientists who are selected and ranked among the top 2% globally are categorized into 22 academic fields and 174 sub-disciplines. This list provides a metric for assessing the long-term research performance of scientists, offering a more objective and authentic reflection of their influence. Inclusion in the "World's Top 2% Scientists" list signifies that a scholar has a significant global impact in their research field and has made outstanding contributions to its development. For example, in the humanities, scholars like the French philosopher Jacques Derrida and American literary theorist Shelly Miller, even though deceased, continue to be cited by researchers, showcasing their enduring influence.

Wang Ning, a Ph.D. in literature, is a distinguished professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He has previously served as a professor at Peking University and Tsinghua University. In the year 2000, he was granted a special government allowance by the State Council. In 2010, he was elected as a fellow of the Latin American Academy of Sciences, and in 2013, he was elected as a foreign member of the European Academy of Sciences. Wang Ning has conducted profound research in the fields of modernity theory, postmodernism, globalization, cultural issues, world literature, and translation studies.

Shang Biwu, a tenured professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, serves as a doctoral supervisor and is the director of the Interdisciplinary Narrative Research Center. He is also a foreign member of the European Academy of Sciences. His primary research areas include English and American literature, narrative studies, and literary ethical criticism.