News and Events

BU research heads cover of top journal

4 March 2009

Front cover of Science magazine featuring a laser scan of Kenya footprint by BU's Professor Matthew Bennett

A landmark paper published in Science magazine reflects the quality of the University’s world-leading research.

The publication of BU Professor Matthew Bennett’s paper in the renowned journal Science provides an excellent indicator of the University’s engagement in world-leading research.

Professor Bennett, Dean of the School of Conservation Sciences, is the lead author of the paper on the discovery of 1.5 million year old hominin footprints in northern Kenya. The footprints are the second oldest known in the world and provide the earliest evidence of a modern foot anatomy and function.

The publication of Professor Bennett’s paper is complemented by the fact that he also provided the cover image – a colourful laser scan of footprints from the site. The article and cover image are a major first for a member of the BU academic community and clearly places the University at the forefront of international research.

In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) BU emerged as the 4th most improved university in the UK for the quality of its research. BU’s work in the Geographical and Environmental Sciences and Archaeology both feature work assessed at 4* indicating expertise at the highest international level.

Science is one the world’s highest rated journals for research. The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) maintains a list of over 14,000 publications which it rates for impact factor. There is also a Google-based PageRank system that indicates the page value of key periodicals. When you combine these lists, Science emerges as one of the two most prestigious journals in the world, alongside Nature.

Professor Bennett continues his work in Kenya this summer when he hopes to uncover further footprints and extend the study just started on the palaeo-environmental analysis of the site at which the prints have been recorded.

Ancient footprints reveal modern traits