Today, we’re excited to unveil the 2025 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings, showcasing the top 200 U.S.-based scholars who have notably shaped education practices and policies over the past year.
This year’s list features the leading 150 scholars from our 2024 evaluations, along with additional honorees selected by a dedicated committee of 24 members.
For the full list, including names and scores, be sure to check out the accompanying chart.
Top Scholars in Education
In this year’s rankings, several prominent figures in education shine brightly.
Carol Dweck of Stanford University claims the top spot, with Howard Gardner from Harvard University right behind her.
Other notable scholars in the top five include Angela Duckworth from the University of Pennsylvania, Raj Chetty from Harvard, and Linda Darling-Hammond, also affiliated with Stanford.
Completing the top ten are John McWhorter from Columbia University, David Yeager from the University of Texas at Austin, along with Shaun Harper, Pedro Noguera from USC, and Jo Boaler from Stanford.
University Contributions
When it comes to representation, Stanford leads the way with seven scholars nestled within the top 20.
Harvard follows with three, while both the University of Southern California and the University of Virginia contribute two scholars each.
Other universities making their mark include the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Brown University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Rutgers University, each with one recognized scholar.
Overall, Harvard stands out with the most ranked individuals at 28, while Stanford secured 17.
Columbia and UCLA each boast 10.
The rankings feature a total of 60 different universities.
Impactful Publications
The influence of the Edu-Scholars continues beyond rankings, as their published works garner significant attention.
Emily Oster’s book, Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong—and What You Really Need to Know, released in 2014, comes out on top based on our metrics evaluation as of December 9.
Close behind is Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking publication, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, which debuted in 2007.
Other impactful works include Angela Duckworth’s Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, Howard Gardner’s Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Gholdy Muhammad’s Unearthing Joy: A Guide to Culturally and Historically Responsive Curriculum and Instruction, and John McWhorter’s The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language.
While we welcome diverse opinions on our methodology and the reliability of these rankings, it’s essential to understand that evaluating influence inherently comes with its imperfections.
Much like college rankings or sports ratings, these assessments can foster meaningful discussions and offer valuable insights, despite their limitations.
It’s important to note that our focus here is on measuring influence rather than judging the intrinsic value of each scholar’s contributions.
We invite your feedback, questions, and suggestions.
Let’s spark a conversation around this year’s rankings—take a moment to explore and share your perspectives.
Tomorrow, we’ll explore the top ten faculty members spanning various disciplines.
Stay tuned!
Source: Edweek